Scaldis and Changing Palates

I used to love Scaldis, also known as Bush Ambrée. It was one of the first Belgian beers that I liked. It isn't all that expensive either (when compared to other Belgian beers). It was the best of both worlds at the time, cheap and delicious.

Well, I guess actually the best of 3 worlds. The alcohol content is 12% ABV, so it packs a serious wallop. Throughout college, the goal was to get drunk. I still wanted to get drunk with my friends, but I wanted to do it in a classier, more delicious way. Scaldis was effectively tailor made for this purpose. First of all, it is a Strong Belgian Pale Ale. It is very tasty, good and malty, but with subtle hops rounding it out. The booziness is abundantly apparent, but sometimes I really like when I can taste the alcohol. The cherry on top of the sunday is that Scaldis isn't all that heavy in body. I could (and did) drink more than one of these guys in a sitting. It absolutely will get you drunk. 

As I have refined my palate, the booziness is a little less appealing. I also don't want to get staggering drunk off of like 3 beers, so I have to plan my moments with Scaldis carefully. I still like it, but I think I have outgrown the love affair that I used to have with it. I would still suggest it as beginner Belgian, as it has a lot of the characteristics that I like and is quite approachable. 

Glassware: Tulip, Goblet, Snifter

Synonym Beer: Gulden Draak

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.

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

If there is one thing that I dislike about the majority of the US craft beer industry, it is the obsession with the IPA. If you have read my blog before, then you know this. It isn't that I really dislike the style. It is more that I think it is overblown. I feel that the way people generally go about rating IPAs is: the hoppier the better. Hops are great. Beer wouldn't be beer without them, but as with everything, they can be overdone. That being said, here is one of the best standard IPAs that I have ever tried. It is balanced, pleasant, and wasn't overhyped. 

I must admit, I don't know much about Ballast Point. This is the first beer that I have tried from them, but based on this one, it will certainly not be the last. If you like beer, you know what an IPA tastes like (part of the reason why I think people cling to the style), so I will skip over the flavors in the beer and go straight to why I liked it so much: It isn't too big (even though it is 7% ABV). It doesn't try too hard. It is very flavorful, but doesn't leave your mouth dry, and it doesn't leave it coated in hop resin, even though it is jam packed with hops. I know when I want one of the over-hopped, big IPAs and it is when I want a beer that makes me feel like I've been in a fight when I finish it. For most other occasions, I want a beer that would allow me to drink another right after it. Sculpin IPA is one of the only true-to-style American IPAs that allows me to do this. Buy it if you see it. 

Glassware: Pint

Synonym Beer: Bell's Two Hearted IPA

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.

Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask

I am shocked and appalled at myself for not doing a post on Innis & Gunn yet. I first became acquainted with I&G while studying abroad in Scotland. The owners were doing a tasting in a local liquor store, so I got a chance to try a bunch of their beer and chat with the guys. What is interesting about I&G, is that their focus is less on different styles, and more on different oak. 

The business model of I&G is to have their beer contract brewed for them, then age the beer for different amounts of time in different casks. The casks will impart a whole variety of flavors to the beer. What is great about I&G is that they release a new beer about every season. This particular beer was the first stout that I have seen from them. It was bitier, rather than creamy, which I can certainly deal with and in fact, sometimes prefer. The use of an Irish whiskey cask imparted a whole range of flavors to the beer that I can't even begin to explain. Effectively, the purpose of this post is to spread the word. Innis & Gunn produced a large variety of oak aged beer with casks and styles to please everyone. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, I would strongly suggest you give them a shot. 

Oddly enough, their standard beer is my least favorite because it is too sweet (by far the sweetest one they have).

Glassware: Tulip, Snifter

Synonym Beer: Hard to say, they are some of the more unique beers that I have tried. 

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.

NYC Craft Beer Festival!

Beer festivals are interesting events. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, yet the goal is largely the same: Bring in a bunch of people to try a variety of beer. It takes virtually no effort to have an enjoyable time at a beer festival, but it does take a little bit of planning to do one right. This post will be spent guiding you through my experience at the Spring 2013 NYC Craft Beer Festival, while simultaneously giving some advice on how to approach the event properly. 

Step 1: Find someone to go with and get your tickets

You can bring as many or as few people as you want to a beer festival, but there are some general rules, all of which are fairly obvious.

1. The people going should like both drinking beer, as well as talking about it.

2. You should enjoy the company of the people going.

3. If in a large group, you should be comfortable with separating and meeting back up. 

Personally, I like small groups (2-5 people) because you get to share the experience with a few people, but the group isn't too large. For this particular event, my favorite sister, Maria, joined me.

Once you have decided on your partner-in-drinking, make sure to get the tickets before they sell out, which is the case at a lot of beer festivals.

Step 2: Make sure you have your tickets and arrive early

The tickets that we got were given to us by a wonderful friend, so they were waiting at will call. We had no idea what type of tickets they were (VIP, General Admission, etc), so we showed up about 30 minutes prior to the VIP entrance time. By the time we had out tickets in hand (and found out they were GA), there was an hour and 15 minutes before we were allowed to go in. At this point, the line for general admission was about 20 people long, so we decided to just wait. Thank God we got in line (eventually the line spanned about an entire long NYC block). Hanging out on line for an hour isn't fun, but neither is getting into the event late. All you need to do is just chat with the people around you and make a plan for your tasting.

Step 3: Plan your tastings

Before you enter the event, you should have a good idea of the the breweries that you want to visit first. My suggestion is always to try the rare ones first (either breweries that your area doesn't normally have, or beers that are hard to find). These events are usually 2+ hours long, so you will have time to try as much beer as you want. Unfortunately not all of the beer will last that long. The Night Stalker, from Goose Island was one of those beers. Within 15 minutes of the general admission, they were on their last 2 bottles. I was fortunate enough to try it and I'm glad I did. 

Step 4: Be adventurous and don't be afraid to dump beer

This is a beer tasting. You absolutely should not be drinking the beer you drink everyday. You should try new things. Bayou Teche is a brewery out of Louisiana that I have never heard of before. The Boucanee is a smoked beer that they make. I honestly had no idea what it would be like before I tried it. Turns out, it is awesome! This is precisely the reason I like beer festivals: They allow me to try a bunch of new beers easily. Unfortunately, not all beers turn out to be as good as the Boucanee. Some are downright unappealing. After a few beer festivals and some wonderful hangovers, I have learned that you don't need to drink all of the beer. You can have a good, tipsy time easily enough only drinking the beer that you like. If you don't like a beer, pour it out and try another. I can all but guarantee that you won't be able to try all of the beers, so you will never run out of options. 

Step 5: Pace yourself 

It is really hard to pace yourself as well. You want to get your money's worth and you don't usually drink out of such small glasses. It is really hard to tell how much you are drinking. My method is to take a lap around the event, making sure to try all of the beer that I couldn't live without. Once that is done, take a little break, sip on the beer I have, and chat with someone. There are usually a wide array of reps, brewers, and knowledgeable volunteers that are really happy to talk to you. Maria and I had conversations with the daughter of brewery owners, the founder of Untappd, and several reps from various distributors and companies. It is a really easy, fun way to keep yourself from forgetting the entire event.  

Step 6: Eat something

You will be putting away a ton of beer throughout the festival. On one of your breaks, wander over to the food section and eat. For goodness sake, you are skin and bones! Eat! It will be delicious, and keep your stomach from revolting. I didn't take any pictures of my snack, as I was completely engrossed with eating it, but I had a delicious savory pie. Maria had a tasty pulled pork sandwich. I can tell you that your money would be much better spent on a sandwich than that "Beer Diva" shirt that you've had your eye on. 

Step 7: Enjoy yourself

The rules be damned! Just go about the festival however you want. The steps above are how I get the most out of the festival. Some people want to go and get drunk. That'll be an easy one. Whatever you do a beer festival, make sure you have a good time. Relax and enjoy yourself. 

Step 8: Closing Time

As the festival starts to come to a close, the breweries will stop pouring and you will be given a gentle reminder to get the hell out in a few minutes. As you finish up your beer, walk around and if you see something that you like, ask someone if you can have it. The Goose Island guys were nice enough to give me this glass, simply because I asked. This isn't a rare occasion, either. I have come away from beer festivals with a tap handle, a serving tray, a Brooklyn Brewery flag, glasses, bottle openers, and even entire beers. I didn't even steal these things (don't be an ass and steal from these people). Just ask them at the end and a lot of times you will get it. 

Step 9: Nap

Seriously, it will do wonders.

Each festival has a different feel to it. If you find one you like, keep going. Personally, they all have their own charms. 

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.

Organic Chocolate Stout

Far and away, I consider Samuel Smith's to be my favorite English beer company. They have a large variety of styles to choose from and they all refuse to disappoint me. They are skilled in the arts of making pale, dark, light, or heavy beers. One thing that the beers have in common is their quality. Sam Smith's makes beer that stands apart from many other English brewers for one main reason: I think that they have complex taste. 

I absolutely had to buy this when I saw it. I'm a fan of chocolate stouts, but I also know that they can be easily messed up. Sam Smith does it right. It isn't like any American chocolate stout that I have tried (they tend to be bigger beers, more focus on the stout). They managed to make a beer that tastes like beautiful blend between a nice, dry stout, and a chocolate bar (but a good chocolate bar). They keep it from being very sweet at all, while still making you feel like you have a glass full of dessert. Even though it is only 5% ABV, I could only really have one glass. This is one of those beers that shares really well. I just want something a little different from a beer that I will drink a lot. If you like chocolate, I would highly suggest it. 

Glassware: Pint, Tulip, Snifter

Synonym Beer: Young's Double Chocolate Stout (Young's has a creamier mouthfeel to it) 

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.

Reinaert Wild Ale

Not all gambles go well, even in the beer world. I bought this one mainly because I saw two separate things: Wild Ale and Belgium. 

Generally what I expect when I see "wild ale" is a beer that has a good deal of funk to it. Depending on what kind of wild ale (brown, saison, blonde, etc) you will get different levels of malt to balance out the tart that comes from the wild yeast. This happens to be a blonde ale, so I was expecting a lighter body beer, with a good deal of alcohol (9% ABV), but with a substantial funk to it. This isn't what I received. There is a good chance that it was just a bad bottle from sitting for too long or something of the sort, but  all that I tasted was grainy malt flavor with a good deal of alcohol and only the slightest hint of sour. It  could have been my fault (I didn't check the date), but it is unfortunate nonetheless. I don't want to give up hope because the style has great potential. This time, my gamble didn't work out. Next time I try it, I will make sure it is fresh. 

Glassware: Saison, Tulip

Synonym Beer: Mikkeller It's Alive (although the Mikkeller has more funk) 

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.

Old Rasputin XII

I have briefly talked about aging beer in some of my former posts. From now on, when I talk about the idyllic beer to cellar, think of this one. When this beer was released, I wasn't even legal to drink yet. It was released in the summer of 2009. My parents bought a bottle (may or may not have been at my request) shortly after it was released, then we proceeded to leave it in the wine cellar and forget about it. 

We forgot about it until the fall of 2012. While 3.5 years isn't all that long when it comes to aging beer, just imagine how hard it is to not drink a beer that you own for that time span. 

 I am always afraid that I won't like imperial stouts because I have tried ones that have put me off of the style. They are often aggressive, lead-heavy and the bourbon barrel aged ones can be so complex that it is hard to get your taste buds to function properly. Maybe my issue is that I don't let them mature. This beer was far and away the best imperial stout that I have ever tried. It was unbelievably smooth and the aging allowed the flavors to mellow. The roasted malts blended so well together with the sweetness from the bourbon barrel. The booziness was nonexistent, which is impressive for an 11.2% ABV beer. I could have consumed the entire thing if it weren't for things like "sharing", "family", and "the fact that it wasn't actually my beer".

Next time I find an Old Rasputin (preferably an anniversary) I am going to buy it and cellar it. It is amazing what a few year can do to improve the overall beer drinking experience. I'll call it an investment. 

Glassware: Snifter, Goblet

Synonym Beer: Brooklyn Black Ops

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.

Foster's Premium

I might be a beer snob, but I am also an equal opportunity beer snob. I don't care if a beer is mass produced or craft brewed as long as it tastes good. The correlation just happens to be that most of the time, the beers that I enjoy are craft brewed. Still, I don't want to be accused of being uninformed, so I will occasionally try some extremely mass produced beers. Even if I know I will dislike them, I try them, if for no other reason than to have justification for my overly aggressive remarks at beer commercials.  

I have a vague memory of someone who's beer opinion I trust, telling me that Foster's Premium isn't half bad. Either I made up this memory, or they meant that it was completely bad, because this beer was terrible. I'm sure that "premium" means that the alcohol content has been boosted (to a staggering 5.5% ABV). It basically tasted like boozy Foster's. The only redeeming part about this silly purchase of mine was that it only cost about $2 for a giant can. Still, there are similarly cheap, bigger cans of better beer available, so I can't really see myself ever trying this again. 

Wait! There was another redeeming part about buying this beer! I was finally justified in opening a beer by using my giant "That's-not-a-knife-this-is-a-knife" buck knife (Seriously, I stabbed the beer open).

Glassware: Can

Synonym Beer: I don't know, Natty Ice? 

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.

Saison Dupont Dry Hopping 2011

Please allow me to introduce you to a beer that (unless you were one of the 8 other people with whom I shared it) you will probably never get the chance to try. Seriously, there were only about 250 kegs and 500 bottles produced. 

This big-ass bottle of Saison Dupont Dry Hopping 2011 was, as it sounds, a dry hopped version of Saison Dupont that was brewed in 2011. It was given to me as a Christmas present by my sister's wonderful boyfriend, Howie. He managed to lug this thing back from his trip across Europe. For that, I am eternally grateful. 

Brasserie Dupont is one of my favorite breweries, not because they have one beer that I love, but because they have a lot of beer, all different, that I love. This gave me a chance to try yet another beer that I now love. It was very similar to standard Saison Dupont in many respects. It differed in that it had a slightly maltier, heavier body, and a bit more hop bitterness. It was a different beer. I drank it at this past Christmas, when it was a year aged, which in hindsight was probably a mistake. Lighter beers should be consumed sooner to get the full effect. Nevertheless, it was still a wonderful beer that came in a large enough vessel that I was able to share it with my whole family, which is quite a task. 

Great news everyone! According to my sources at Vanberg and Dewulf (their website), the 2013 version of the Saison Dupont Cuvée Dry Hopping will be available in the US! You can do whatever you want, but I will certainly buy one if I can get my hands on it.

Glassware: Saison glass, tulip, snifter

Synonym Beer: Saison Dupont (duh)

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.