Beer of the Week - Victory in Pennsylvania

I purposefully withheld the BOTW a day or two in the hopes that I could give a timely nod to this brewery. The Steelers did not disappoint.

When one thinks "brewing culture," several states in the US might come to mind: California, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin, but probably not Pennsylvania. For those who know, Pennsylvania has been a hotbed of brewing culture since this nation was still a group of colonies.

Victory Brewing of Downingtown keeps Pennsylvania's rich heritage alive with a full slate of quality brews. From a delectable Belgian style blond, to a premium pilsner, Victory's slate runs the gamut, keeping quality high throughout.

Our BOTW is a year-round brew, an accurately named ale called Hop Devil. I'm generally leery of any beer that has "hop" in the name, but perhaps I should alter my prejudice, having been wowed by beer the likes of Hop Whore, Hop Slam, and also Victory's Hop Wallop.

If you need a classification beyond "ale" I guess I would call it an APA. Drinking it yourself is probably a better way for you to find out exactly what it's all about.

The drink starts with a punch to the palette, bringing those grapefruit you smell to life. Beyond the citrus, there is also a bit of a "grass" taste that really rounds the citrus into a spicy, earthy, tangy hop experience. The German malts don't get lost in this little demon; they hold their own, giving the beer a smooth mouthfeel and a clean round finish.

When you sit down to drink almost any Victory product, be careful. If you're anything like me you'll have the thought..."Man, I could drink 8 of these." While drinking 8 is not advised, sampling all of Victory's wares is.

Victory? Win.

Lookin' for Suds in All the Wrong Places

Brew pubs in Utah?

Now this is some change I can believe in!

Beer of the Week

One could speculate that since I haven't been tending to this blog and writing up beers, I haven't been tasting new and exciting brews. One would be wrong.

This week's BOTW comes to us from a place familiar to those acquainted with the American brewing revolution, Northern California.

Located about 30 miles north of San Francisco, Moylan's Brewery in Novato, California has a wide array of beers, including a pale ale, an IPA, a Stout, a barleywine style, and the star of our show, "Kilt Lifter" Scotch style ale.

A Scotch ale, or "Wee Heavy," as it is sometimes known, is one of four distinct brewing styles to come out of Scotland. The other three are called "Scottish Ales," and are named to reflect their increasing original gravity: light, heavy, and export. A Scotch ale has an original gravity higher than all three.

Barley being an abundant crop in Scotland, malt was never in short supply. In fact, when Scotland joined with England in 1707, the treaty specifically exempted Scotland from a malt excise, further encouraging the region's malt heavy ways.

Hops crops were another story. The common bittering agent refuses to flourish in Scotland, forcing Scottish brewers to use other ingredients for bittering like ginger, spices, and other herbs. Thus we have the malt-heavy and hops-light brews that comprise the style of the Scots.

Kilt lifter pours a dark amber color with a nice, tight, off white head. A caramel and biscuit smell is married with some fruity aromas (oh my God, is that watermelon?).

The beer is sweet and thick, but not as thick as some other Scotch ales out there (McEwan's). There's definitely a strong malt sweetness to the front, but it's complimented with a raisin taste and a distinct and just slightly bitter finish. There are earth tones in this beer, but not peat to the extent of a Scotch whiskey.

If you are leery about trying new Scotch ales, this is a quality beer not to fear. The malt isn't overpowering, and the earthiness of it doesn't knock your socks off. A fine outing from Moylan's.


Links of Interest:

Moylan's Brewery

Recipes on the Brain

What is the next best thing to drinking delicious beer? Why cooking with it of course. Combining my love of beer and my love of cooking not only provides me with tasty food, but also a better understanding of the flavors that shine through in certain beers.

Today I would like to share with you one of my favorite and easiest recipes I make involving beer:

Slow Cooker Kielbasa in Beer

Ingredients:
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Medium Onion (I prefer red onion to add color)
7 Medium Potatoes (Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes)
1lb Polska Kielbasa (use the best you can find, check your local meat market)
1 Can or Jar of Sauerkraut
Spoonful of Horseradish
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Salt
Beer Ingredient:
2.5 bottles of an Oktoberfest Style Beer (My favorites to use are Paulaner Oktoberfest or Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest; if you don't have access to either, a brown ale will work in a pinch)

Directions:
1. Turn the slow cooker to high. 2. Rough chop the garlic, onions and potatoes and toss them into the slow cooker. 3. Next, cut the Kielbasa into chunks that are about 2 inches long and add to the slow cooker. 4. Then add the horseradish and spices. 5. Finally, add the beer and the sauerkraut and stir.

Let the whole thing cook for about 4-5 hours checking in on it about once an hour to stir and see how it is coming along. If the beer boils down but you are not ready to serve, simply add a little more beer or some water. It is ready to eat when the potatoes are fork tender.

Enjoy with some spicy ground mustard and the rest of the 6 (or 12 if you are up for it) pack.

Links of Interest:
http://www.paulaner.de/home.php
http://www.hacker-pschorr.de/

Hello 2009!

Ok, I know, we have really been bad at the whole keeping up with the blog thing. Moving to Minneapolis, starting a new job for me, and Ryan starting law school has had our minds on other things. But I promise that we will be back soon posting and sharing our love of beer. Check back soon for reviews, recipes, and rants.

Bars on the Brain - Pt. II

Part II in our bars special is located in Minnesota:

The Muddy Pig
162 Dale St. N
St. Paul, MN

In an area only twenty years ago home to dangerous vices like hard drugs and illicit gambling, the Selby-Dale neighborhood of Saint Paul has now begun to embrace simpler vices: coffee and beer for example.

The neighborhood's transformation from slum to one of Saint Paul's more desirable neighborhoods is nearly complete with all the hallmarks of gentrification: coffee shops; a co-op; a new pizza joint; and its own neighborhood bistro, the Muddy Pig.

I think that bistro might be too lofty of a term for the Pig; I would describe more as a "beer bar." While the Pig does have an extensive selection of foods, it's the extensive selection of beers that will keep you coming back.

The Pig has rotating tappers pouring local favorites such as Rush River and Summit, domestic winners like Bell's and Left Hand, and Belgian delights like Delerium and Rodenbach Grand Cru.

Besides the tappers, the Pig has a decent selection of mostly Belgian bottles. There are the stand-bys like Chimay and Corsendonk, as well as some rare bits like De Ranke XX Bitter and Cuvee Angelique.

If I lived in the Selby-Dale area, I certainly would frequent the Muddy Pig; however, living across town, I would be more tempted to venture there if the food kept pace with the beer selection. Should you find yourself in Saint Paul it would certainly be wise to stop in and see what delicious taps the Pig has rotated in.

Links of Interest:

The Muddy Pig

Bars on the Brain

It's been a while since I've graced the pages of the interwebs with some fresh beer material; what can I say, it's summer and I'm busier drinking beer than writing about it.

But, I do feel a slight obligation to the readers, so I'll provide two beer-bar reviews over the next two days; here's the first.

The Palm Tavern
2989 S. Kinnickinnic Ave
Milwaukee, WI

The Palm occupies a very unassuming facade on Kinninckinnic Avenue (known in local parlance as "K-K") in the vibrant Milwaukee neighborhood of Bay View. While on the exterior the Palm looks very much like any other dive bar that slings south-side sauce, the interior and vibe are distinctly different.

Wisconsin's capital city, Madison, has banned smoking in bars for a few years now, but Milwaukeeans are still free to light up at will...but not at the Palm. The establishment is smoke free; there are no ash trays on the tables, and consequently, you won't smell like one when you leave.

Upon entering the Palm, the bartender may hand you a menu that has nothing to do with food. Instead, the menu details the impressively extensive selection of taps, bottles, and big Belgian styled bottles, and an equally impressive collection of scotch whiskey, if that's your thing.

The draft menu is limited, but qaulity. Featuring selections from La Chouffe, Bell's, Left Hand, and Anchor, the taps are a good place to start. The bottle selection, going on for pages, is where to look for something exotic, or to find your old micro-stand by.

The Palm Tavern is certainly unique for a South Side pub, and is a welcome staple on K-K. If the Palm isn't your scene and you'd prefer a PBR and a cigarette, you can try the less classy, but definitely fun "Lee's Luxury Lounge;" it's right across the street.


Links of Interest:

The Palm Tavern