10 e lode

Today's beer is one that I picked up while in Italy. It didn't have any sort of label, but instead had a small tag around the neck that had some very basic information on it. Since it was all in Italian, here is what I was able to gather from the tag.

Name: 10 e lode

Brewery: Opperbacco

ABV: 9%

Style: Strong Sour

As you can tell, it is a pretty substantially dark beer, a very dark red/brown. There was very little head retention, and the carbonation was on the lower side. I have had a few dark sour beers, so that is really what I was expecting when I poured this. Unfortunately, this was little sweeter. Not that it was necessarily bad, but it was just not what I was expecting. The malty flavor of the beer contrasted interestingly with the tart flavors. I wouldn't say that it was my favorite, but it was certainly a different beer and it was worth a taste. It would be good if you are interested in sours, but don't want to go into the really sour beers to start. Good luck finding it in the States though. 

Generally I really like to know why a beer is named what it is, so I turned to my good friend, Google. Apparently, 10 e lode is the highest grade you can receive in Italian schools. I guess they are just very confident about how the beer tastes.

Glassware: Goblet, Tulip

Synonym Beer: Panil Barriquee (just less tart)

If you want me to look at a particular beer, drink, place, or have anything to say to me, email me at monksandmalts@gmail.com. Find me on Facebook and Twitter (@ofmonksandmalts). You can also buy my pictures here: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/robert-rizzolo.html.

Belge and the Ups and Downs of Collaborations

We live in a time of intense globalization. The world is smaller than ever, which allows people who live very far away from one another to still work together. Travel is quick and easy and communication is even better. It is a great time to be spreading ideas. 

Belge is a beer made in a collaboration between Brasserie Dupont, Monk's Cafe (Philadelphia) and Iron Hill Brewing in Pennsylvania. It was made exclusively for Philly Beer Week 2012 because Dupont is awesome like that.  

If you are unfamiliar with collaboration beers, they are exactly what they sound like: a product of cooperation between two or more breweries, each bringing their own distinctive character to the beer. The resulting beers can vary in quality. For instance, this particular beer: I liked it, but I think I prefer Saison Dupont and their other individual beers better. Maybe it is the style, maybe it is because I just like how Dupont does it, I'm not sure, but this one was just not exactly what I was expecting. 

This is a common problem with collaborations. I will give you a "for instance". Lets say you really like Russian River Brewing and you think that Sierra Nevada puts out some ok beer. You hear that they put out a collaboration in a style that you love, in this case, a wild ale. You see the beer, it is packaged really nicely. Now, take a sip.

Son of a bitch! Not what you wanted. The idea you had in your head was better. Now you know how I felt when I tried Brux. Sounded great on paper, but it only hinted at what I would have expected from Russian River and devolved back to what I would have expected from Sierra Nevada. Toned down, unexciting. Not the sour masterpiece I wanted. To top it all off, it was expensive! You have been warned about the dangers of collaborations. 

Don't get me wrong: Not all collaborations are disappointing. Some are fantastic. The danger is that you really don't know what the beer will be like when you get it. Will they tend more towards the style of one of the breweries? It isn't that the beer is going to taste bad. These breweries know how to make good beer. It is just that your expectations may get the best of you. Try to avoid it.

Ok, back to Belge. It is effectively a maltier version of a Dupont beer. It has the characteristic funk, moderated by the malt. It is a delightful beer to drink. One of the nicest parts is that it is reasonably priced. I bought this for about $12 a bottle. Higher than normal for Dupont, but in comparison to US collaborations (generally $15-$25 a bottle), it is a steal. Wonderful beer, absolutely beautiful color. Good buy. What more could you ask for? 

For all of the advice that I am giving, if I see a collaboration with a brewery that I like, I will always buy it. It might not be worth it, but I will still do it. I'm a sucker that way. 

Glassware: Saison glass, tulip, goblet

Synonym Beer: Dupont La Biere De Boeile

If you want me to look at a particular beer, drink, place, or have anything to say to me, email me at monksandmalts@gmail.com. Find me on Facebook and Twitter (@ofmonksandmalts). You can also buy my pictures here: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/robert-rizzolo.html.

Tilted Smile

Today I'll cover Tilted Smile, an Imperial Pilsner by Unita Brewing. Unita Brewing produces a ton of different beer varieties, including the Crooked Line, their big bottle series. 

Tilted Smile, as an imperial pilsner, is a beefed up version of a pilsner. It is heavy on the malt and sits at about 9% ABV. While a pilsner can be fantastic, an imperial pilsner is a nice change of pace. It maintains some of the "drinkability" of a pilsner (as much as I hate using that term) while increasing the complexity of the beer. Tilted Smile does a pretty good job keeping the booze out of the flavor, despite the strength. It is good and malty, but has a subtle hoppiness (Saaz hops). I would certainly recommend it for something that is medium bodied, but easy drinking. 

One thing I will say is that these are better unaged. The fresher this bottle, the better the Tilted Smile.

Glassware: Tulip, Pilsner Glass

Synonym Beer: Dogfish Head My Antonia

If you want me to look at a particular beer, drink, place, or have anything to say to me, email me at monksandmalts@gmail.com. Find me on Facebook and Twitter (@ofmonksandmalts). You can also buy my pictures here: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/robert-rizzolo.html.

Mort Subite Gueuze!

Mort Subite (Sudden Death) is a Cafe Brasserie is Brussels. It is a wonderful little place with a lovely selection of Lambics and a not-so-friendly staff. Still, it is a perfect place to go for a bite to eat and to try some of the beer that is only really available in Belgium. Mort Subite also holds the distinction of being the first place that I tried a Gueuze and sparked my love affair with sour beer. 

This one I found in Rome, but it is not the same as the one I had in Brussels. Well, it is and it isn't. It might technically be the same, but the flavors of the gueuze undoubtedly change in the bottle versus on tap. On tap or in the bottle, if you want to get into gueuzes, but are a little scared of the sour, first work your way in to lighter sour beers. Farmhouse ales are a good place to start. When you have the taste for funk and want to start the geuze train, Mort Subite might be your best first shot. It isn't quite as "gets you behind the jaw" sour as some of the other gueuzes (at least out of the bottle). For most of them, it is kind of like liquifying a Warhead and sipping on it. I mean that in the best way possible. The Mort Subite is a little softer of a flavor. Don't get me wrong, it is still sour, but there was a little more of a balancing sweetness in the beer. It isn't very strong, sitting at 4.5% ABV, but you will still probably have to drink it slow if it is your first one. You might think it is weird at first, but you will get the craving, trust me. 

Just because I am a bit of a sucker for them, I consider the gueuze to be an all weather beer. The best time for a gueuze would probably be on a warm spring day, in Brussels, with your girlfriend. You can drink it elsewhere and at different times, but it won't be the same.

Glassware: Lambic glass, Goblet, Tulip

Synonym Beer: Lindeman's Gueuze

If you want me to look at a particular beer, drink, place, or have anything to say to me, email me at monksandmalts@gmail.com. Find me on Facebook and Twitter (@ofmonksandmalts). You can also buy my pictures here: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/robert-rizzolo.html.