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

Summerfest - Sierra Nevada

Summerfest
Pilsner-style Lager
Sierra Nevada
Chico, CA

Sorry for the delay folks, but I've been out and about in search of more beer to try and tell you about. I've stocked up the fridge, and I'm going to hopefully get to a few over the next few days. Right now, we've got a heaping helping of in-your-face seasonal action.

Sierra Nevada is another one of my favorites. I think their Porter is one of the best beers available on the planet, and their Pale Ale has become a stand by in my fridge. I'm glad to see it is showing up on more and more beer lists in bars and pubs around me that typically only have your standard Bud/Coors/Miller faire.

Pilsners are brewed and fermented in cold temperatures. It's a crisp tasting, clear, and straw-colored. There isn't all that much difference between a Pilsner and "American Lager" - except what ingredients are used (Rice like in Bud).

Its probably fair to guess that most people started out on a variety of Pils - stuff you sneaked from the nearest adult's fridge. This particular drink reminds me a lot of my first beer - it tastes like what I thought all beer tastes like.

A seasonal beer calls for a seasonal anaolgy:

On a perfect summer day, there isn't a whole lot going on. It's hot and you don't want to move around much. You'll mow the lawn, because you have to, and you'll smell like grass for a while. Then you'll call up some friends, who are also not doing much, meet up by a pool, and do nothing together until it gets dark. And that's just fine. That pretty much sums up what I think of this beer.

This particular drink stays true to its namesake. The taste is subtle, a little flowery and spicy, but nothing crazy. It's all about the after taste here, hoppy and like a summer evening - full of reflection on a day that rolled by just slow enough. Nothing outstanding, but nothing awful. At 5% ABV, I could kick back a few of these and watch the day go by with no problem.

In a word it's... nice.

Not a fan of the style, it's not very bold tasting, and I can see why this isn't a Fall beer. Good for a BBQ, and keeping cool in the heat. I don't love it, but I like it enough.