Brekle's Brown - Anchor Brewing Company

Brekle's Brown
American Brown Ale
Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco, CA

I like the feeling of walking into a beer store with no shopping list, and finding something new and unusual... and it's extra nice when its from a brewery I like. That's what prompted me to snatch up Brekle's Brown when I saw it on the shelf.

Anchor in a big bottle!? I did a double take when I first saw it. I haven't noticed too many 22oz bombers from Anchor - either I'm not looking hard enough, they don't make enough or they do and it doesn't make its way to Jersey. It was like the first time you played World 4 on Super Mario Brothers 3 on NES - where the turtle shells are huge, the pipes are huge, and the blocks are so gigantic, they break into 4 normal sized blocks when you smash them!

...also, I know this bottle will look sharp in my ever growing collection of empty bottles.

Apparently Gottlieb Brekle, the first brew master of what would become Anchor in the late 1800's, was pretty into malts. For this recipe Anchor's put an emphasis on malt as a tribute to Gottlieb, a man who most likely was a prospector and found his gold in beer instead of in dirt. With one foot in the past, Anchor also plants a foot firmly in the future of American Brewing. This beer spotlights Citra, a new hybrid of hops that started popping up in beer in the last few years.

Citra isn't just a clever name. This stuff is potent.

When I poured it, the burnt color sort of sets off a Pavlovian response, and I thought I knew what I was in for. I really enjoy brown ales, and I have had enough to think I know what brown ale should taste like. Anchor proved me wrong.

The beer has an intense and super complex flavor. The malt character is strong - and with a lot of cinnamon and brown sugar in the front end. But the flavor of the citra hop defies what I'd expect to follow, making the beer bitter but tasting really citrus-y. It reminds me of orange flavored chocolate - something we had in my house as a kid around the holidays. I know that "orange flavored chocolate" might be one of those nuggets that end up being thrown out with the heart-shaped box they came in, but in this beer, it works really well.

If you like Brown Ales, this is worth checking out. It takes a couple sips to let the beer break you in, but when it gets you there, it's a great place to be. Gottlieb's legacy has left us with a beer thats worth thinking about, and a beer company worth drinking to.

--Joe

Research:

anchorbrewing.com
http://www.brew-dudes.com/citra-hops/557

Farmhouse Summer Ale - Flying Fish Brewing Co.

Farmhouse Summer Ale
Farmhouse Ale
Flying Fish Brewing Company
Cherry Hill, NJ

I'm hard at work finding a few seasonal beers I can hang my hat on. So far, I've been pretty successful. The few summer ales I've picked out have impressed me and I might be coming around to the idea of a lighter, crisper, beer than the brown-brews I usually stick with. Not sold yet, but still trying! Today, I'm checking out a really unique "antique beer" that's becoming popular again - the Farmhouse Ale.

I recently took a trip down the street to Cherry Hill, NJ and got a tour of the Flying Fish outfit. Largest of the handful of NJ breweries, Flying Fish is responsible for some really curious beers. Their currently releasing limited run beers for each exit on the New Jersey Turnpike - a novel idea that has yielded a few awesome beers already (I purchased exit 1 and 16 while there, expect them up here someday). These range from an Oyster Stout to a Wild Rice IPA!

Farmhouse Ale fits the bill of "Curious beers" to a T. This style was first brewed in Belgian and French Farmhouses by farmers for sustenance and durability. The history of the drink follows the history of the farmers that made them - too busy to make fancy beers, they made a drink with purpose, and it wasn't a distraction to their daily life or toil, dirt, and manual boring labor! It follows that there isn't a whole lot recorded about these beers. The flavors likely ranged depending on who was brewing it. For years it was considered an endangered beer, but now it is to beer enthusiasts what Leadbelly was to Nirvana fans in '93. It is reborn!

And for good reason. It tastes earthy, a little tart and hops on the way down. It's not as wheat-y to me as the Anchor Steam, but also left out the fruity flavors characteristic of summer brews I can't get on board with. It goes down quick and doesn't fill you up. Summer Ales, I'm realizing, are all about subtlety but this beer has enough of a kick to it make it notable and enjoyable. I'm sure the photo up there doesn't do it justice, but its got a real nice thick wheat-head to it too!

There is what appears to be a really in-depth book about this style of beer available. I read the first few pages, and I think it'll probably end up on my book shelf soon. What a neat history!

--Joe

Work Cited:
flyingfish.com
realbeer.com
http://www.amazon.com/Farmhouse-Ales-Culture-Craftsmanship-Tradition/dp/0937381845#reader_0937381845

Anchor Summer Beer - Anchor Brewing Company

Anchor Summer Beer
American Wheat Beer
Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco, CA

As I type this, I'm in my boxers trying to keep cool. An obnoxiously premature July-spell popped up in May, and it's be around 85-90 for a day or two. Here inside my sauna, I've been presented a great opportunity to enjoy a new summer beer in the appropriate context.

Wheat beers are a strange breed of brew. Almost every wheat beer I've ever experienced has been a version of a German Wheat beer, which typically are flowery tasting, like Hoegaarden. According to the Hoegaarden site, actual dried orange peels and coriander are used in the brewing process to give it the flavor explosion that has typically turned me off. Substituting hops in favor of malts, in my opinion, leaves a lot of room to experiment with the flavor of the beer - but why fix that which is not broken?

Ah San Francisco, home of the 49ers, Golden Gate Bridge, and the incredible car chase from "Bullit." I've never made it to the West Coast, but Anchor Brewing would be on my list of stops if I ever do. Anchor Steam didn't wow me at first sip, but after reading about the company, I'm intrigued. They have been around since forever ago and have a real appreciation for the tradition and craft of beer making. All eight brews in their line start with a malt-mash.

This particular drink claims to be the FIRST American Wheat Beer in Modern times. Having been first brewed and Bottled in the summer of 1984, it is a recipe that is just about as young as I am.

Leaving the flowers out, Anchor Brewing has created a summer drink that speaks to ME! It's light, clean tasting, and crisp. The initial taste is full, with just a hint of citrus and honey. A little tart on the way down, the aftertaste is earthy and almost ... biscuit-y? It it lacks in strength it makes up for in freshness.

I could kill a 6'er of these happily and easily. First off, its really hot here, and the beer is cold. But more importantly it doesn't really upset my tastes. The flavor is so agreeable and understated that you could kick back a few with out noticing how many are going down. Probably in my top five wheat beers I've had, which isn't really saying much. But still!

--Joe

(As per request)
Work Cited:
anchorbrewing.com
hoegaarden.com

Dirty Bastard - Founders Brewing

Dirty Bastard
Scotch Style Ale
Founders Brewing
Grand Rapids Michigan

Scotch Ale's, much like the folks that drink them, are not to be messed with. This has serious taste, and packs a wallop at 8.5% ABV. Scotch Ales by nature are potent, a trait which has more to do with history than process. Back when your granddad was a kid, Scotch Ale was a beer that needed to keep well.

The alcoholic drink we know as "Scotch," by definition, is created using no grain other than barley. It follows then that Scotch Ales are given the title due to flavor, presenting themselves barley-y over hoppy. 1800's Scotland was not conducive to growing hops, so barley played a stronger role in flavor.

The packaging is unique - lets face it, its nice to live in a world where you can go out in public and buy something that so freely uses the word "Bastard". Under the script "Dirty Bastard" there's a Scotsman grinnin' something fierce! I got a six pack for around $11 - affordable for the legs this beer gives you. Don't confuse this with Stone's Arrogant Bastard, (a beer I also love, and sometime soon I'll tell you all about it) as they have very different tastes.

Founders was started by two college kids in the 90's who decided to put down the skate board and Sonic Youth albums and get busy. They've done well for themselves, and now I can find their beer in Jersey. Way to go guys! (http://www.foundersbrewing.com/foundersnew/beer/)

This beer is a lot of fun - like a smokey carnival. It's got a red-brown tint to it, and its very, very sweet - burnt caramel for lack of a more innovative description. There is a lurking hoppy taste to this that doesn't disrupt. I don't know if you have ever had a beer and said you were upset by how hoppy a Scotch Ale tasted, but I don't think you run that risk here. If you aren't expecting it, the first sip or two will make you think about what you are drinking. Alcohol isn't a prominent flavor, and but kind of plays with the other sensations in your mouth. The after taste is enjoyable and not surprisingly similar to a swig of JB, but with out the burning or regret. If you've ever had an extended evening with a bottle of scotch, you know what I mean. If you haven't - DON'T!

This is like a tub of Ben and Jerry's - filling, textural, and delicious. Also, it's great beer for sharing with friends - just twelve ounces of this stuff goes a long way. But the trip is worth it.

--Joe