One of the most interesting beers that I have ever had… the Dogfish description reads…
Similar to a beer brewed in China some 9,000 years ago, Chateau Jiahu used a recipe that included rice, honey, and grape and hawthorn fruits. The formula was obtained from archaeologists who derived it from the residues of pottery jars found in the late Stone Age village of Jiahu in northern China. The residues are the earliest direct evidence of brewed beverages in ancient China.
… and what I thought of it (not bad)…
Pours a clear orange-amber in color with a very small white head and low carbonation. Aroma is not strong, but there is some honey, grapes, green apples and other fruity esters. Flavor is fairly sweet with the grapes and honey dominating the profile. Never had hawthorn (if it has this in it), but there are some flavors that I cannot identify clearly. Some hop bitterness that offsets some of the sweetness. Finish is quite sweet and lingering. I think that it is OK, but it may be a bit too unusual for some folks…
My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… posted on Saturday, March 6th.
I recently interviewed Jeff Baker, the wine and beer manager for one of my favorite Vermont beer stores, The Beverage Warehouse , and when I asked him about his favorite beer he was very quick to let me know that there where really just two classes of beer; “Belgians and non-Belgians and the Belgians are the best”. I have to admit that, while I thoroughly enjoy many types and styles of beer, the Belgians (those actually produced in Belgium) and Belgian-styles (those produced elsewhere) are among my favorites as well.
A bizarre decision from a sport that used to be sponsored by tobacco companies… whose products have cause the early death of millions of people world-wide… Toyota Racing has declined to allow entry of a Pints for Prostates design for their national advertising campaign “Sponsafy a car“. The reason given for rejecting the design was that it “Contains offensive or inappropriate content.” Anyone looking at the proposed design can plainly see that it does not!
Head on over to Pints for Prostates organizer Rick Lyke’s “Lyke2Drink” blog site for the full details, including a picture of the proposed design. As Rick points out, there is still time for the Pints for Prostates ride to be part of the Toyota Sponsafy promotion and with your help we can make it happen. Please send a quick email to Kym Strong (kym_strong@toyota.com) of Toyota Motorsports and Greg Thome (greg_thome@toyota.com) of Toyota Corporate Communications. Use the subject line “Race the Pints for Prostates Car.”
My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… posted on Saturday, February 27th.
It is fairly common these days for all sorts of businesses to maintain that they include a “socially responsible mission” as a part of doing business with the rest of the world. Beer brewing businesses, of course, are among those which participate in this and some provide outstanding examples of companies altering their business practices to benefit a variety of important societal causes. Gone are the days when businesses can simply give such things lip service, as both consumers and industry watchdogs are ready and able to measure their level of commitment toward environmental stewardship and their support of their community. Not only have many breweries embraced this socially responsible side of their business, many have discovered that this can also mean both higher sales and drive higher profits to their bottom line.
A very worthwhile organization… Supporters can purchase tickets for a fund raising raffle to support this cause… 1st prize is a free trip to the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver, CO in September!
Tickets will be available where legal at beer festivals and other events for a $10 donation or three for a $25 donation. You must be at least 21 years old to enter and to take the trip.
All proceeds benefit the Pints for Prostates (www.pintsforprostates.org) campaign, which supports programs to fight prostate cancer and help men and their families battling the disease.
About Pints for Prostates
Pints for Prostates is a grassroots campaign that uses the universal language of beer to reach men with an important health message. Founded by prostate cancer survivor Rick Lyke in 2008, the campaign raises awareness among men about the need for regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising.
Pints for Prostates has registered as a 501(c)3 charity and 100% of all funds raised by the group go to fighting prostate cancer and assisting men with the disease. Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a 501(c)3 charity that works to support, educate and advocate for men with prostate cancer and their families, is a recipient of Pints for Prostates financial support.
I really enjoyed this beer at the Three Penny Tap Room the other night… Stoudt’s Double IPA
Poured a pretty golden amber in color with a medium off-white head that produced some very nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is strong of pine resin hopiness. Flavor is also very hoppy with pine, but well muted by a fair amount of malt understructure. Alcohol not really apparent at all. Extremely well done… one of the best DIPAs that I have had.
My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… posted on Saturday, February 20th.
I had the great pleasure to recently visit Stephen Wood at his Lebanon, NH homestead and the home of Poverty Lane Orchards. Poverty Lane Orchard produces the apples which are used to make the traditional, old-world style ciders sold under the name of Farnum Hill Ciders by Stephen and his family.
My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… posted on Saturday, February 13th.
Located in Winooski, adjacent to Vermont’s largest city, Burlington, lies one of Vermont’s great treasures for serious craft beer drinkers. Tucked back off the road and only recently exposed to passing traffic by the demolition of an old restaurant, lies the Beverage Warehouse . This business, in an unassuming one-story building, established in 1977 by George Bergin and Jen Swiatek, has been described by some people as “the best GD (“gosh darn”) place to buy beer in Vermont”. From my considerable experience traveling around Vermont, without question, the Beverage Warehouse definitely has the best selection of beer available within this state’s borders.
My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… posted on Saturday, February 6th.
Like many, I plan to take in pro football’s finale, which is on tap for later this weekend. Neither of the teams involved this year fall into the list of favorite teams that I follow regularly (those would be the Patriots and the Steelers), but I do plan to watch anyway and it should be a good game. If I had my druthers, I guess, the Saints would win their first Super Bowl, but I really don’t have a strong preference. My cousins in Indy aren’t going to like that assessment very much.
My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… posted on Saturday, January 3oth.
I guess that I was not surprised to read this week that the Vermont Legislature had, again, taken up the volatile question of whether the legal drinking age should be changed from the current 21 years back to 18. The reason that I was not that surprised was that this highly polarizing issue has simmered (raged?) in the background of society, occasionally flaring up into the spotlight of the media, for many years.
