A Visit to Olde Saratoga

Thousand Islands Pale Ale is among the robust stable of contract brews at the underrated Olde Saratoga Brewing Company. It is our opinion that Sackets Harbor brewing for themselves (and possibly picking up some other contract business) will be a very good thing for all involved. During our last visit to Olde Saratoga, their usually broad range of 8 - 10 available drafts was rapidly shrinking, and had been reduced to only oatmeal stout by the time we took our leave. This facility is the fourth largest brewery in New York, and the gentleman tending bar claimed that he had never seen beer supply in such short, umm...supply. They were brewing in two shifts and shipping beer out as fast as they could make it. Adding more contract business shouldn't be a problem if either brewery so desires, and it would be great to see both gain more of a regional foothold with their own brands. Olde Saratoga has quickly become one of our favourite beer destinations. It doesn't hurt that the basic set up is just like any normal bar, or that they have the cheapest place to get a decent beer in the Spa City. Click here for a pretty interesting history of the brewery.

Update: We visited Olde Saratoga's tasting room on Friday night, and the situation had improved greatly since last we graced the premises. They had eleven beers on. including a solid wheat beer from the
Saratoga Thoroughbrews homebrewing club An interesting beer, no doubt, but more interesting that they would let homebrewers put something on tap - very cool. They also had a Dopplebock that they are doing for Dock Street Brewing of Philadelphia. Dock Street is an interesting story. Technically speaking, they have been around for more than twenty years and were a player in the craft beer revolution of the 1990's. We seem to remember, from a tour we did at F.X. Matt about ten years ago, that Saranac was doing some brewing for Dock Street at that time. Since then, the Philadelphia beer scene has exploded, while Dock Street changed owners a couple of times and slowly faded to the point that they went out of business. According to the gentleman we spoke to at Olde Saratoga, however, the original owners bought back the rights to the name a couple years ago. They hooked up with a veteran of the brewing industry who "has to be about 80," started a brewpub in Philly, and have had several beers contract brewed for them. Olde Saratoga is doing the flagship Philadelphia Amber, as well as the Illuminator Dopplebock that we tried. It's a deep amber colour with a sweet, malty scent. The thin mouthfeel means that the strength of both the flavour and alcohol are somewhat masked up front. By the time the beer was finished, both the malt complexity and the 9% ABV became more apparent. A nice beer to try, though more than one might be pushing it. It is choices like this that always make visits to the Olde Saratoga tasting room fun.

Beer O' the Moment: Gritty McDuff's Pub Ale

We will actually be the first to admit that we are going through a rather unusual "English Ale" phase right now. The porters of winter and the imperial IPAs of last autumn have ebbed, and will likely rise again, but currently we are experiencing a bit of an affinity for the subtle, balanced ales, ostensibly perfected by our neighbors across the Atlantic. We suspect that this affinity for the English style is perhaps subconsciously concurrent with our obsession with all things English (we just finished watching the first season of Fawlty Towers on DVD of all things), yet we digress.
Enter Gritty McDuff's, a heretofore slightly average (in this critic's eyes) brewery based in Portland, Maine. Granted, I had only had two of their other brews -- The Black Fly Stout and the Christmas Ale -- neither of which are particular favorite "genres" of ours. Now maybe it was the lowered expectations, but I found this beer to be a really excellent session brew, with a little something for everyone.

First of all, it just looks like an English ale. Flat and warm. Well, not really, but there is no pillowy head, no deep dark haze. In other words, no gimmicks. It isn't trying to wow you with flashing lights while it serves up a mediocre brew.

Then there is the flavor. Oh the glorious flavor. It's actually one of the more versatile brews I've had in a while. It would be just as welcome on a hot summer Saturday by the pool as it would watching the snow fall at Clark's Ale House on a Tuesday evening. It's light, yet substantial. It's dry, yet utterly thirst-quenching.

The hops are strictly an accent to the dry, biscuity malt flavor. No bitterness, no bite. Easy to drink: sip, finish, repeat. The hops that do come to the forefront are slightly sweet and with a flowery character. They are a perfect complement to the understated malt.

Technically, I do suppose this is actually an American Pale Ale, but rather than having that distinctive pale malt with a dash of hops, it has more of the English style. Even the label (shown above) conjures up the merriment of an English pub. The scary part is, this is apparently twice as good on-tap, and I had it out of a bottle.

Get out there and try one. You know you can trust us.

Albany Brew Fest in Washington Park

The Third Annual Microbrewery Festival and Contest will be held as part of Lobsterfest '07 on Saturday, June 9, in Albany's Washington Park. The details:

Microbrewery Festival and Contest Schedule:

• 2 - 6 pm: Beer Tasting
• 5 pm: Judging and Presentations

9 to 11 New York State Regional Microbreweries participating

Admission ticket:
Advance Sale $20
Day of Event $25
Click Here to purchase tickets online

Must be 21 years of age. Proof of age required. Limit 1 ticket per person. Ticket entitles holder to a souvenir beer tasting cup and three different samplings from each microbrewery.

Purchase tickets online until Friday, June 8 at 8 pm.

Day of event, limited tickets will be available at Lobster Festival Information Booth (cash, checks with I.D., Visa and MasterCard accepted) Or at Microbrewery Tent (cash only).

Live Entertainment in the Microbrewery Tent 2 - 6 pm

• 2:00 to 3:30 PM: FLAME
• 3:00 to 4:00 PM: Short Circuit
• 4:00 to 5:00 PM: FLAME
• 5:00 to 6:00 PM: Short Circuit

Participating Breweries (Subject to change):

• Adirondack Pub & Brewery
• Brewery Ommegang
• Brown's Brewing Company
• Butternuts Beer and Ale
• C.H.Evans/Albany Pump Station
• Great Adirondack
• Keegan Ales
• Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
• Mendocino Brewing Company
• Saranac/F.X. Matts

Proceeds from the 2007 Washington Park Lobster Festival will benefit the Albany Booster Club and Albany Rotary Foundation.

One thing that strikes us as pretty cool is that all of these breweries are pretty local, and with the exception of a couple are less than an hour's drive away. Oh, and they all make pretty good beer, too. Wouldn't have minded seeing, say, Middle Ages in the mix, but this ain't too shabby. We are tentatively planning to check it out. Here is what some random internet dude from Beer Advocate had to say about last year's festival:

I went to it last year. It was pretty good but there were some disappointments. There were about 15 breweries or so and they each had three beers. They were supposed to have a light, a dark, and one in the middle but they kind of each brought what they had. You get a card when you get there and you can basically try a 3-4 oz sample of each beer once. At the end, you can vote for your favorite.

As, for the disappointments, Ommegang was there but didn't have Three Philosophers with them. Bummer. Also, the setup kind of sucks with a tent outdoors and very little seating or tables. The ground ended up getting kind of nasty too.

I'll probably go again this year though.

Something is Happening at Sackets Harbor

We've just returned from a week in the Carolinas, where there isn't much to speak of in terms of interesting beer choices. South Carolina has a 6% ABV cap on all beer sold, and North Carolina just repealed theirs - and it looks like there is still quite a learning curve ahead. There were a few places that we quite enjoyed and perhaps will revisit in this space for your edification, dear reader. Our one "go to" adult beverage over the past week has been Charleston's own Palmetto Pale Ale. We found it quite refreshing and easy to drink, but with a very nice hop bite. In fact, it quite reminded us of Thousand Islands Pale Ale from Sackets Harbor. Our power of recollection is not always without fault, and with an ABV of 6.3% (Palmetto Pale is 4.8%), Thousand Islands is definitely the stronger of the two , but that was our initial association. Perhaps big brother/little brother would be more a more apt description. Anyway, as Sackets Harbor was already occupying our thoughts, you can imagine the excitement when Lew Bryson broke this little bombshell!

Apparently, Sackets Harbor Brewing Company is part of some sort of North Country juggernaut of hotels and restaurants (which also includes hometown favourite Jreck Subs). To this point, they have existed as a brewpub only, and have had their beers contract brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing. They already have a pretty strong following for 1812 Amber Ale and the aforementioned Thousand Islands Pale, and had a pretty decent run with Funny Cide Light a couple years back. They plan to break ground on the new $4,000,000 brewery this summer, and should have sufficient capacity to take on some contract business of their own, which can only mean good things for CNY and the North Country. In other exciting news, Jim Boeheim has signed on as spokesman for both Jreck's and Sackets Harbor brewing!

To further whet your appetite, here is one man's take on Thousand Islands Pale Ale:

Cloudy orange/bronze color. Has an interesting, though small dish soap head. The head does not stick around on the sides, but does sit upon the top throughout. The smell is a serious hop aroma. Much stronger hop small than most regular Pale Ales. The hops are sweet and floral. There is a hint of pine too, but definite flora. The taste is a sweet and woodsy hops flavor with hit of end-bitterness. Slight malt, but hops rule the brew. There is a thick and creamy feel. Gets a bit milky as it warms up. The carbonation dances on the tongue, sits there after the swallow. The hops are absolutely delicious, but not so bitter that I can't drink several of them.

Empire Brewing Company

We told you awhile back that the Empire Brewing Company was rumoured to be returning to its old familiar place in Armory Square. Well folks, today is the day! The Empire returns complete with the old owner and even many old favourites from the menu. Former Middle Ages head brewer Tim Butler will handle the beer, which will include an Amber Ale, Irish Stout, Hefeweizen and the old Skinny Atlas Light, as well as guest taps from New York State breweries including Middle Ages, Ommegang, Ithaca and Brooklyn. For you snobby folk there will also be a rotating selection of about 30 wines. As we've been saying that Middle Ages should take over the old Empire space for some time now, we find this development quite pleasing. The whole thing sounds absolutely fantastic, and we are hoping to visit later in the week, at which time we promise to file a full report. Until then, read more here.

Cape Cod Beer

A Vacation in Every Pint

Cape Cod Beer has been around for three years and it certainly seems to be a growing success. They moved about a year ago from their original location in downtown Hyannis to an expanded, 3,000 square foot location in what we would call a light industrial business park. Cape Cod's draft accounts have surged more than 50% since the end of last summer (to 130), and growlers are available in 60 stores across the Cape. It is a small enough operation to offer a decidedly personal touch. Our informal tour was given by owner and brewmaster Todd Marcus' wife, Beth. She started us off with some small samples and then showed us around the warehouse that houses brewery.

The strength of the tour was Beth's interaction with the group and the tidbits of inside information she could give us. Much better than your standard, forgettable, stick-to-the-brochure tour led by community college student. Or half-assed effort where a sweaty, disinterested guide is clearly going through the motions before calling it a day and grabbing a beer of his own (we're looking at you, Shipyard). But we digress.

Beth Marcus told us that the brewery had always been her husband's dream, not hers, but the enthusiasm was obvious as she talked about fielding a call from someone interested in distributing their product in Viet Nam, only to have to explain that she was more worried about getting beer across the bridge into Plymouth. Or the logistical difficulties of delivering both a child to soccer practice and a keg to a local restaurant account in the same trip.

She knew that they had increased from three fermenters when they moved into the new facility a year ago to seven now, and the new excess holding tank came from the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory. She told us about early branding missteps and other lessons learned while building a company literally one tap handle at a time. We are a big fan of the craft beer movement in general, but a tour like that should make it difficult for anyone not to feel at least some connection with a small brewery and what they are trying to do.

It didn't hurt that the beer was damned tasty as well. The year round offerings are Shark's Tooth IPA (It's got a Bite!), and Channel Marker Red (Red, Right, Return). The IPA was a pleasant surprise, strongly hoppy up front, with a smooth, sightly citrus finish. The Red was pretty fine in it's own right, balanced, with an underlying bit of hops to keep things interesting. We must say that it was much better than the pint we sampled with lunch at a nearby overpriced and overly pretentious clam joint before visiting the brewery. The seasonal, Summer, was a very good rendition of a Hefe-Weizen. We imagine that one will only grow more enjoyable in direct proportion to the amount of sun on Cape Cod this summer. Our group took home a growler of each, and two of the IPA.

The Good: Plenty to like here. The tour. The beer. A bunch of friendly dudes from the local home brewing club were boiling up a delicious pot of something while we were there. Just a great overall experience.

The Bad: The samples were tiny. We're talking a couple of ounces. Your beer is good, make sure we have no doubts of that by the time we walk out your door. No distribution "off Cape," and no real plans to do bulk bottling anytime soon. Guess we'll have to visit again.

Notes: Information taken from Ale Street News, Yankee Brew News, Cape Cod Beer, and our head. The picture at the top is from the beach at the end of Paine's Creek Road, directly above is the reflection of a Cape Cod Beer pint glass on the arm of a wooden deck chair in Brewster - how's that for authentic!

Weekend Teaser

We're headed to Cape Cod for an exhilarating weekend of reenacting the late, lamented sitcom Wings. Will our journey take us to the Cape Cod Brewery (Cape Cod Beer: A Vacation in Every Pint) in Hyannis? We certainly hope so. With any luck, we'll make the Saturday tour. We're not sure what, exactly, the draw is, but there is something very appealing about a small brewery whose distribution extends only for a twenty mile radius from their home base and includes only draught beer and growlers. Cape Cod Brewery currently offers their perpetual Red and IPA, as well as the sensibly current seasonal, Summer. They claim to offer the freshest beer on the Cape, and we have little reason to doubt them at this point.

Andirondack Pub & Brewery

There is something oddly enchanting about driving steadily north into the beginnings of the Adirondack Park. This is especially true if you avoid the higher speeds and relatively heavy traffic of the Northway, and take the decidedly more scenic Route 9. The elevation is the most obvious change, but soon the plants and trees begin to look different. Even the sky takes on a new appearance. Spring, which has finally begun to take firm root in the Capital Region, is still a few weeks from full bloom up here. All of this happens within the first 50 miles of the drive north. And then we step out of the car...and it is, somehow, five degrees warmer up here. Not that that's a bad thing.

The Adirondack Pub & Brewery in Lake George is probably the nearest brewpub that we had somehow never managed to visit. Davidson Brothers is located just ten miles to the south, and that has become a semi-regular destination. One reason for the lack of experience with this place may be that it is open only seasonally, choosing to close from late October to early May. Our inaugural visit came shortly after this year's opening, and consequently gave us a mere five beers to pick from, while we were led to believe that eight seems to be more the norm. No matter, we found a way to enjoy the experience. Perhaps it was the panoramic mountain view, or the fresh, clean air. Then again, unlike a suburban strip mall, maybe the Adirondack lodge theme actually works in this setting. Whatever the case, the flagship Bear Naked Ale we started with certainly hit the spot; light and clean, but with no shortage of flavour. Even faithful companion enjoyed it, and Keystone Light is oft her drink of choice. The hot prime rib sandwich with horseradish mayo was pretty enjoyable as well. It paired quite nicely with the doppelbock, even if this one did taste a bit underage. We're willing to forgive this small transgression, due to the fact that it is still so early in the season for the Adirondack Pub & Brewery.

Final verdict: We plan on making several trips to this establishment before it closes in late fall. It also just happens to fit quite nicely into our hypothetical Ultimate Brewpub Run (more on that later).

Back For a Bit...

Okay, so we've been neglecting the faithful, but computer issues are to blame (aren't they always?). Anyway, here is an interesting little piece from the Rochester D&C. We've never knowingly had the pleasure of sampling their wares, but have heard only good things.

Beer maker gets tax breaks, will expand

Matthew Daneman
Staff writer

(April 17, 2007) — Custom Brewcrafters is moving its microbrewery operation to a bigger location.

The County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency today approved $69,347 in property, sales and mortgage tax breaks over the next 10 years toward Custom Brewcrafters’ plans to move its operations to a new building on Village Square Boulevard in Honeoye Falls.

Custom Brewcrafters will lease the 10,000-square-foot building from developer Monroe Village Associates LLC. Once there, Custom Brewcrafters, currently at 93 Paper Mill St. in the village, plans to expand its brewing capacity by 57 percent, largely to allow it to start bottling beer, said President Mike Alcorn.

The bottled beers will be distributed through local groceries, Alcorn said, adding that local bars that don’t have space to add Custom Brewcrafters’ beer kegs are interested in a bottled product.

To start, the company is planning on bottling its English pale ale and double dark cream porter, Alcorn said.

The move to the new location will happen at the end of summer.

The company started a decade ago and brews specialty beers for western New York bars and restaurants. Business has been growing at 22 percent a year, and by the end of this year the company will hit its maximum capacity, Alcorn said.
Custom Brewcrafters plans to add five full-time equivalent jobs within five years, according to COMIDA. And the expansion will result in $272,000 in additional local taxes over the next decade, the agency said.

Here is a link to their plans.

This One Might Hurt Ya, Billyball

This one is stolen, in its entirety, from Joe Sixpack (with our apologies). We couldn't resist layin' one on our good friend Bill, after the public display of affection for Guinness at Uncle Ben's last weekend. Even after spending three straight days bitching at him incessantly about American Idol and his love for the ubiquitous Irish beverage. Sorry, fella, we blame President Busch and his Golden Anniversary. Yeah, pretty sure that's what made us so angry and left us in need of Tums.

WHAT'S A NICE Irish boy with a name like Brian O'Reilly doing with a dark, smooth Irish lass who doesn't go by the name of Guinness?
I know it sounds like blasphemy on the day before a sacred drinking holiday, but the lad has turned his back on St. James's Gate and in the process has given Philly a fine local replacement for the world's most famous stout. O'Reilly is the brewer at Chester County's Sly Fox brewery and he unabashedly calls his O'Reilly's Stout.

Slowly, his distinctive tap handle with its ghoulish, bloodied hand is beginning to replace the familiar harp logo around town. More than two dozen joints now pour Royersford's finest instead of Guinness. Craft beers come and go, but this development is no small deal from several respects. First, Guinness is marketed as a "must-have" brand, especially in Irish pubs.
Bar owners know they can serve Miller instead of Bud, Smithwick's instead of Harp. But not pour Guinness? Impossible! Second, Guinness drinkers are religiously committed to their brand. One local bar owner compared it to Harley-Davidson, whose adherents not only won't ride anything else, they've got the tattoos to prove it. Third, Guinness is served on special nitrogen taps that give the stout its trademark creaminess.

Since few bars have more than one nitro tap, a newcomer must prove itself before it even gets put on the menu - not an easy task. Evidence of the uphill battle is in the absence of any notable contenders. No other local brewery has tried to distribute an Irish stout. None of the large craft brewers - Rogue, Anchor, Sierra Nevada, Brooklyn or Pyramid - bottles one.
Boston Beer, which makes about 30 different styles, doesn't have an Irish Stout.
Even Anheuser-Busch, with all its marketing muscle, has never made a dent with its Bare Knuckle Stout.

So how to explain the success of O'Reilly's Stout?
He credits William Reed, of Northern Liberties' Standard Tap, with giving the stout its first break a couple of years ago. It got a second boost last year when Beamish, an Irish-made alternative to Guinness, temporarily halted exports to America. Chris Mullins, of McGillin's Old Ale House, in Center City (who boycotts Guinness because of its business practices) quickly turned to O'Reilly's. "I'm delighted with O'Reilly's," Mullins said. "People still come in and ask for Guinness because Guinness is ubiquitous. But once we explain the story behind O'Reilly's, they almost always switch. We sell a ton of it now." Mullins says he'll go through six to 10 kegs of O'Reilly's this weekend. Take a look around, and you'll find the O'Reilly's tap handle nudging Guinness aside at some of the best beer bars in town: Johnny Brenda's, the Khyber, South Philly Tap Room, the Race Street Café. At the trendy Amada tapas restaurant in Old City, O'Reilly's Irish Stout holds its own among everything from Corona to Spanish sangria.
Said O'Reilly: "Every bar that puts it on, it just makes it that much easier for us to tell other bars, 'See, you don't need to serve Guinness.' I don't know of a single bar that started serving us that has gone back to Guinness."

It's gotten so popular, Sly Fox is considering canning the stout with one of those nifty widgets that help create the brew's signature foamy head. There's one other thing that has to be said about O'Reilly's Stout: it just might taste better than the original. For my money, it's creamier, with a deeply satisfying, roasted character. It sucks down like a beer milkshake. Coming from Royersford, it's certainly fresher than anything from Ireland (or Canada or wherever America's Guinness is brewed these days). Maybe this is what Guinness tastes like in Dublin. But that's just my taste. Last spring, the beer freaks at the Drafting Room in Exton came up with a similar finding when they ran a month-long taste test between the two. O'Reilly's won hands down, and Guinness hasn't been seen there since. This St. Patrick's Day, why don't you try the same? Find a joint (Kildare's on Headhouse Square, for example) where both are served and get the bartender to pour them, side by side. Then give them both an honest taste. Don't worry, it's not blasphemy.

About Irish Stout
Just because it's dark doesn't mean it's heavy and high in alcohol. Irish stout, also known as dry stout, is quite light in body, thanks to the use of flaked barley in its recipe. The dark color comes from roasted barley. Serving it with nitrogen gas produces smaller bubbles than carbon dioxide, making it feel smoother in your mouth. The finish is quite dry, so you'll want a second glass.

Erie (Pennsylvania) Brewfest

As if the Tap NY event wasn't enough, along comes another that tickles our WNY sensibilities:

Meet me in Erie: another event plug
I'll be hosting the Erie Micro Brew Fest on April 20 and 21, at the BrewErie at Union Station brewpub in Erie, PA. This is a great chance to sample beers from some of the new breweries in western PA (see below). I'm hosting a beer dinner Friday night and speaking (and signing books) at the two fest sessions the next day. Stop by to say hello and have a beer. The brewpub is a huge place, by the way...plenty of room for a fest!Current brewers attending:The Brewerie at Union StationChurch Brew WorksEast End Brewing Co.Ellicottville Brewing Co.Magic Hat BrewingThe Erie Brewing Co.Flying Bison Brewing CompanyGreat Lakes Brewing Co.Hereford & HopsNorth Country Brewing Co.Pearl Street Grill & BreweryPennsylvania BreweryRed Star Brewery & GrilleSouthern Tier Brewing Co.Sprague Farm & Brew WorksVoodoo Brewing Co., LLCThe Buffalo Brew PubPut-in-Bay Brewing Company

Beer O' the Moment - Sea Hag IPA

New Engand Brewing Company

Sea Hag IPA

"Drink it, it's good."

We first saw New England Brewing's beer advertised in one of the beeriodicals we have developed such an unhealthy obsession with recently. This is hardly a rare occurence, seeing a beer that we haven't yet tried and can not easily get our greasy little mitts on. But divine providence must have been shining on us, friend, as this suddenly appeared in both our local beer stores. We spied this little beauty, and with some reluctance, forked over the $2.00 for a single can and took our bounty to its new home. [Update: we liked this enough that we had the little lady grab us an additional sixer of it. A six pack will set you back about $6.50]. Yup, that's right, a can. NEB is one of the few breweries to distinguish themselves by offering their beers exclusively in aluminum. Cans look like they will become an increasingly common container for craft beer in the near future - and something that we may well explore further for your sake, occasional reader. It's a phenomenon that we find quite interesting, and not just because they are ideal for an outing to the track at Saratoga. Cans also tend to be a bit cheaper than bottles, which is nice.

What the brewer says:

This one's a beauty: a rich and full bodied India Pale Ale, with complex malt character, blended with Noble hops. The end result is a beer that satisfies the "hop head" out there and won't chase away the newcomer. Drink it. It's good. This site is that pesky flash type, so it's unlinkable, but click here to learn the legend of the New Haven Sea Hag.

Our take:

This stuff is certainly fit for a Sailor. A nicely complex, yet very accessable IPA. Really well balanced, with a nice hop flavor. Very enjoyable, and easy to drink more than one. Did we mention it comes in a can and has a sweet story behind the name? This might just become a regular in our rotation. They also have an interesting blog. Ain't nothin' wrong with that.

One Man's Plan For the Van Dyck

Here's another freelance piece from a local blogger. It should be noted that he has no business training or experience, and this plan was hatched recently over beers at the Van Dyck. It does make for an interesting read, though, and is not without its merits. Besides, he owed us, since we fixed his car over the internet.

Okay, so this is my plan. Here goes. I enjoy a good microbrewery. I do. Small-batch craft beer is a beautiful thing, and by and large, it is a generally wonderful experience to walk into a place like the Albany Pump Station or Davidson Brothers Brewing and partake in a good brew. However, a place like the Van Dyck, while rife with potential, can often be the weak link when it comes to microbrewed beers. It's a great site, in a historic building, with on-site brewing facilities. They've made some good beers (a doppelbock that they had last summer comes to mind), some decent beers (the "Coal Porter"), and some terrible beers (their last batch of Brown Ale was...ugh). And they haven't really been able to establish a toe-hold as a microbrewery. So, I thought of a business model that I think could theoretically work: for lack of a better term, I'm calling it "franchise microbreweries." I know what you're thinking: franchise microbreweries? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of on-site brewed beers? Well, not really. Here's how. For the purposes of this quasi-intellectual exercise, I'll choose the Van Dyck site - located in a downtown urban area that is going through a revitalization process. And I'm going to choose a somewhat established brewer - for the purposes of this, I'm going to go with the Brooklyn Brewery, because it has a name that is dually recognizable. Brooklyn is known for its quality beers among beer aficionados, as well as being named after a recognizable, hip area of New York City. In addition, Brooklyn Brewing has a presence throughout the state, as it is primarily brewed in Utica. Here's the idea: the Van Dyck would become "The Brooklyn Brewery And Restaurant At Schenectady" or "At The Stockade" or what have you. This brewery/restaurant would feature an 10-tap setup. 3 of the taps would remain static: they would be kegs brewed off-site but fresh-delivered from the brewery in Utica to Schenectady. These would optimally be the three best-sellers from the brewery: in this case, it could potentially be Brooklyn Lager, Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55, and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. There are probably better three to pick. I'm just going off the cuff here. 2 of the taps would be rotated from the brewery's other craft brews - in addition to the 3 beers I mentioned, Brooklyn, under the supervision of Bojangles' man-crush Garrett Oliver, offers - in bottles - a Brooklyner Weisse, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Brooklyn Pilsner, Brooklyn East India Pale Ale, Oktoberfest, Monster (a barley wine), and Post Road Pumpkin Ale. These would be constantly available in bottle form, in addition to being available in rotating kegs. Oliver also offers two limited batch, draft only beers - a strong pale ale called "Blast" and a hellesbock called "Blond Bock." These could also be featured here. The remaining taps would be supervised by an on-site brewmaster. This brewmaster would be hired by Brooklyn Brewing Company, and would brew special site-specific beers under the Brooklyn name. For the purposes of this quasi-intellectual exercise, these would be called "Brooklyn Brewing Presents: Electric City" series beers. The Electric City series - thanks, Hoff, for the name - would be site-specific beers made in small batches exclusively for the Schenectady site. This could literally be anything. Finally, a small selection of "other" beers would be available in bottles (2 or 3 mass produced beers that should never be offered at a rate cheaper than the craft brews) and beverages would be available, as well as a menu of pub food. This would be the best of all worlds: - quality craft brews from an established brewery - fresh, microbrewed beer with quality assurance - an established brewery expands its name recognition - a city can use the quality name for a draw and - free advertisements for a place like this in every reputable beer distributorship in the city. So, yeah. That's what I got.

Editor's Note: Obviously, this is mostly wishful thinking. Brooklyn Brewery wouldn't necessarily have all that much to gain from it, and Schenectady (and specifically a financially strapped jazz club located slightly off the main commercial strip) probably wouldn't be anybody's first choice. It would be nice to see more successful breweries pursue some sort of similar arrangement though. We've been saying for years that Middle Ages could make a killing if they took over the space that formerly housed the Empire, or some other spot in downtown Syracuse and opened a brewpub. If you've ever seen the crowds that line up in the tasting room at that brewery, you'll surely agree. Craft beer sales were up almost 12% in 2006, and nearly 30% over the last three years. Annual sales of craft beer now account for $4.2 billion of the $87 billion beer industry, and are growing at a much faster rate. Brooklyn Brewery is among the top 40 in sales in the United States. Does it make sense for an established brewery to get involved in this sort of thing on a larger scale, or in a new location? Is this type of thing already happening without our knowledge? We clearly need to hit the road for some real world research. Maybe we should even read this book.

Brookyn Brewery's MySpace Page
Van Dyck official website

Update: Scary Van Dyck

As promised, we recently investigated the current state of the Van Dyck Jazz Club/BBQ/Brewpub. The results were rather disappointing, if not exactly shocking.

The snowflakes were falling fast and fat as we made our way down North Ferry and around the corner to Union Street and the warm and welcoming environs of our local brewpub. The warning that they had but one brew on tap, a very solid porter, had already been sounded. Still, a decent $2 porter a mere three minute hoof from home is a hard bargain to pass up, especially when journalistic integrity is on the line. The draft selection here has never been all that extensive in our experience, numbering not more than four or so, maybe five, if circumstances were particulary agreeable. It should be noted that it didn't help matters to read, in a free beeriodical thoughtfully provided by the house - a fashionably out of date Yankee Brew News from November/December - that upcoming additions to the tap lineup would include Massacre Amber, Union IPA, a doppelbock, Coal Porter, Stockade Stout, and a raspberry wheat. The brewer that was previously employed here, Mike Beauchea - a former homebrewer who produced a good enough product that he is now employed at Brown's Brewing in Troy - had a pretty nice stable of standard brews, but always seemed to be held back by the financial constraints of the place. That's not to say that the selection hasn't always been lacking. Here's a tip to aspiring brewpub proprietors: put a variety of beers on at all times. Sure, $2 happy hour beers are nice, but they only take you so far. It's ideal to have some seasonal fare, as well as something light, like a wheat or fruit beer, for the ladies. Last spring, for example, we quite enjoyed it when you had the stout, porter, dopple bock and triple bock available, but did that really appeal to the broader customer base? Perhaps not. It was nice though, that for St. Patrick's Day, you had Stockade Stout, Stockade Stout on nitro, Electric City Light (a favourite of the Hoff), and, what else? Umm...well, mayhap that was the problem. Or maybe it was merely a symptom of the greater disease. This place has been in trouble since it was supposedly saved in the late 1990's by a group that included current owner Peter Olsen. It is likeable enough, but incredibly inconsistent with both food and beer.

When we were there on Thursday, the owner was meeting with a dude in a plaid shirt and khakis. Brewing blueprints from 1996 were on a table near them. We took this as a good sign. Now comes word, albeit third hand, that the venerable jazz club is poised to go in a radically different direction. We're talking sushi bar. Lingerie sushi bar. Classy, of course, and located upstairs, but what the hell?. This does not mean that we won't be visiting again. That is not the case at all. It doesn't even mean that this is the end of brewing. Perhaps this is the dawn of a brave new era. No matter the outcome, rest assured that, as always, we will continue to be your source for breaking news on all fronts.

Shall We Join the Club?

C.H. Evans Brewing Company at the Albany Pump Station is arguably the best (or at least our favourite) of the three brew pubs remaining in the immediate Capital District. Brown's Brewing Company, in Troy, is very good at times, and one can enjoy one of their beers on the back deck while watching the majesty that is the Hudson River flow by. The Van Dyck is very conveniently located and, well, we're not sure quite what else it is (though we do plan to investigate that further this week). Anyway, as we were saying, the Pump Station consistently makes excellent beer. They usually have a nice selection available, too. Like many brewpubs, the space they are in is fantastic - it actually consists of two huge, old, brick buildings, which used to be an actual pump station, bringing water from the Hudson River up to Bleecker Reservoir. Plus, we once saw a mouse in the dining room, which is always cool. Come on out, we'll gladly take you for a visit, though we can't guarantee a mouse sighting. Fascinating as all this may be, none of it is really the point of this particular piece, however.

The Pump Station recently announced the creation of their new mug club, which is something that we, quite naturally, find rather intriguing. Here's the pitch:

We are very excited to announce the creation of our new Beer Tasting Panel. This is no ordinary mug club; aside from discounted beer, you’ll get a bunch of stuff and beer tasting opportunities:

• Happy hour-priced beer all the time

• An exclusive Tasting Panel glass to take home

• A Tasting Panel T-shirt

• Opportunity for you and a guest to attend a Tasting Panel Beer Dinner *

• Exclusive access to guided beer tastings*

• An invitation to attend a trip to an area brewery*

It's just $75 per year to join the Beer Tasting Panel. Just sign up at the bar! The club benefits will begin on March 19. When you drop by to sign up for the Beer Tasting Panel, why not have a pint and a bite? We’ll make the decision easier for you by offering a free dessert! Beer and free food: that sounds like fun!

*Note: these events will entail a cost beyond the annual membership fee, and attendance is limited; first come, first served

Well, as we said, this has piqued our interest. It seems like the $75 annual fee could easily be recouped, provided one can only manage to consume enough beer. Does the discount extend to
growler fills? Is it worth doing without a fellow dork/member/imbiber? How will this riveting tale play out? Stay tuned, friend...

A New Line From Lagunitas

The first sip is for thirst, the second one for pleasure.
The third sip is for romance, and the fourth for pure madness.

For those as yet unfamiliar with Lagunitas Brewing Company, here is a quick primer, in their own words:

From our earliest days of striving to make consistently good beer, and instead making beer that ranged from vile, to barely drinkable, to wonderful, to elegant, to questionable-at-best. From being castigated by our West Marin neighbors to finally suffering an 'eviction' by our West Marin septic system. From landing in the welcoming arms of Petaluma, and actually getting our beer into bottles, onto the streets, and into the hands of sympathatic beer geeks, to steadily losing less money each month. From all this and more, Lagunitas Brewing Company is emerging as a battle-tested brewery capable of making great beer out of goat's milk, brambles, and asphalt on the surface of the Moon, if need be.
As the poet once said, 'Where, but for the grace of God and the kindness of strangers, go I'. Where go we indeed, whatever that means.

There is something we really dig about these fellas, and it's not just because they sound suspiciously like us with a mild hangover and/or a good buzz, early in the morning. Oh, and their product is also pretty sweet. And by sweet, we mean well hopped and over the top. Anyway, they are apparently coming out with a new line of beers, the Sonoma Farmhouse series, which is pretty exciting for us. Hopefully, it will make its way here with all due urgency.

Some particulars from the nicely written beer blog Brookston Beer Bulletin:

Lagunitas is introducing a new line of beers in 22 oz. bottles under the name “Sonoma Farmhouse.” The idea according to Lagunitas owner Tony Magee is to be able to do different kinds of beers than the usual Lagunitas fare under the new label.

The Sonoma Farmhouse labels are a little more serious, less playful than the regular ones, too. They also lack Tony’s famous — or infamous — rambling label stories. But for what they’re missing on the outside, inside the bottle is another story. The first release is a Saison Style Ale, and it’s one of the best American versions of the style I’ve had. Like all good saisons, it’s very refreshing, clean and would be great with food. I’m told there are herbs and/or spices in the beer, but Tony’s not saying which one or ones. The beer has a certain zestiness so it’s possible grains of paradise are at least one of the ingredients and there are also herbal notes, but who knows. Since the yeast also imparts spicy elements, it’s always a challenge to identify the exact ingredients in these complex beers. And in the end, it’s pointless, since it’s the synergy of how all the elements work together that really matters. The Sonoma Farmhouse Saison flavors are quite delicate, a quality Lagunitas is not exactly known for, but there’s nothing I don’t like about this new beer.
Saisons were originally made by and for farmers to have in the fields. They were generally brewed late in the season so they’d stand a better of chance of making it through the summer. Saisons also walk a tightrope of strength (to last the summer) and drinkability (they need to quench a summer thirst). At 5.2% abv, this one is quite modest, but happily we have refrigerators, a luxury the French and Belgian farmers who pioneered this style did not.
Next up in the Sonoma Farmhouse line is Hop Stoopid, something on the order of a triple IPA, around 100 IBUs. Meant to be a gentle spoof of the increasingly hoppy west coast beers, bottling should begin on Wednesday and be in stores shortly thereafter. I’m told it’s a huge hop bomb brewed with hop oils and hop extracts to really ramp up the bitterness. I’m going to the brewery on Thursday to try some of the first bottles. Tony has done some hop bombs before over the years, and as someone who has definitely acquired a taste for bitter beers, I suspect this beer will seem like night and day to the delicate flavors of the Saison.
Lagunitas’ flagship is their IPA, itself an excellent example of a west coast IPA and quite hoppy, though still well-balanced.

Beer O' the Moment - Southampton Double White

Southampton Publick House
Double White Ale

Plenty to like here. Let's see...it's contract brewed by Olde Saratoga for the Southampton Publick House, a venerable Long Island bar and brewpub (and one of the few good things about that damned island, if you ask us). It's a frickin' Imperial White (or wit bier), which is kind of awesome. It's delish. Beer Advocate places it as 7.0% ABV and 89% give it their approval. We picked up a 22 oz. bomber for $4.99.

What the Brewer Says:

Light in color with a refreshing orangey tartness and a
hint of coriander flavor. There is also a detectable alcohol "warming" that is
balanced by a pleasant residual sweetness. og: 16.8 abv: 7.2%

What the Liberal Media Says:

You can find a mass-market beer on any grocery shelf. But
Don Sullivan, owner of Southampton Publick House Brewery, hopes those yearning
for something special might instead reach for his newly released Double White
Ale. Light in color, with a taste that hints of orange and coriander, this
ale already has earned the No. 2 spot for Belgian-style white brews in the
rankings by RateBeer.com, an online community for beer enthusiasts.
A seasonal beer in our portfolio, Sullivan says it once was only available at his
Southampton microbrewery and restaurant (and maybe at a few select bars and
restaurants in the region.) But now Double White Ale is Publick House's third
bottled brew to be widely available at supermarkets, gourmet shops and beverage
outlets in New York and four other East Coast states. But Sullivan and
brewmaster Phil Markowski have a bigger agenda. With its India Pale Ale due for
release Sept. 15, and another by spring 2006, Publick House aims to be the
nation's next Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., in other words a runaway success. In 10
years, it hopes for full nationwide distribution.
The experts think Publick House stands a chance - if it navigates the challenges of mass distribution. They are really in the right arena, says Kristen Wolfe Bieler, editor of Beverage Media in New York. The beer industry in general, which is heavily dominated by major brewers (Bud, Coors, etc.), is really struggling. The majors haven't been as innovative as they need to be to retain drinkers and have failed to release any exciting new products.
The segment of the beer industry that is growing is small, specialty brewers, which means Publick House is competing in the most interesting subcategory of the beer industry. Their taste profile (at least the White Ale) won't present a difficult trade-up for consumers looking to upgrade from a less expensive beer, Wolfe Bieler estimates.
Back in Southampton, Sullivan says that's been the case already, at least from his
anecdotal evidence. From out-of-town patrons he hears We wish we could buy this
in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Widespread interest in specialty brews - combined
with the explosion of flavored waters and vodkas, and the variety juices now
available in low-acid, pulp-free, and vitamin enriched options - prompted
Sullivan to bottle his own special beverages for a thirsty marketplace.
With nine-plus years as a microbrewer, Sullivan is convinced he's established enough
brand awareness and feels comfortable to test the market with bottled
products. While other microbrewers closed during the 1990s, in part because
of over-expansion or poor management, Publick House stayed focused on its
brew. Our mission is to create a unique style line of beer, Sullivan says.
The restaurant is an accessory to the brewery. If the beer is less than great,
you'll forever lose that consumer. Publick House models itself after European
brewers who are much more in tune with seasonality than Americans, Sullivan
said. It's the same approach embraced by American chefs. What restaurant doesn't
talk about fall, with squashes, pies, he adds. Similarly, his brews follow
harvest patterns. In fall, it's time for Octoberfest Lager and Pumpkin Ale, and
in winter, it's French Country Christmas Ale. Following the seasons is a back
to basics approach, which Sullivan honors with his 22-ounce bottles that are
styled after those used during World War II. This larger bottle signals to
consumers that the brews are different than traditional beer.
The brews are bottled at a contract brewer in Saratoga in small batch, limited production (Publick House only made 1,000 cases of the Double White Ale, for instance.) Much like a cherished summer fruit, once the inventory is sold, that's it until next year, Sullivan says. As for its plan to go national, Michael Smith, a
national craft- beer importer in Los Angeles, warns the New Yorkers that they
face a monumental task. National distribution is very daunting, he says.
There is a climate of contraction in the distribution trade. Small distributors
are going out of business or are being bought out by the big
guys.
Copyright 2005 Dolan Media NewswiresProvided by ProQuest
Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

There you have it. We report, you decide.

A Taste of Brooklyn

Here we thought these sorts of events were reserved only for the ultra sophisticated New York City socialite folk. Apparently, the trend has spread as far as Smallbany. This is a little pricey, we'll give you that, but it shore do sound nice. As if that weren't enough, Mr. Garrett Oliver, one of our heroes (we saw him in person once!), will be the host.

1st Annual Beer Dinner hosted by the World renowned Master Brewer Garrett Oliver of The Brooklyn Brewery
Thursday March 1st 2007 6pm

1st Course:
Asian mixed green salad – Fresh field greens with fried wontons, mandarin oranges, grape tomatoes, and toasted coconut and sesame seeds with our house-prepared balsamic vinaigrette
Brooklyner Weisse

2nd Course:
Broiled Cedar Plank Salmon – Fresh seasoned
salmon with a delicate lobster cream sauce
Brooklyn Local 1

3rd Course:
Grilled Angus Sirloin – Angus beef Char grilled and sliced with caramelized onions, button mushrooms, warm au jus, home made onion rings and honey dill carrots
Brooklyn Brown Ale

Artisanal Cheeses
Pleasant Ridge Reserve
Colston-Bassett Stilton
Brooklyn Monster 2005

Dessert:
Chocolate cake with warm caramel or raspberry sauce
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2006


$55.00 per person, reserved and paid in advance tax and gratuity included
Purchase Tickets At:

1814 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
518.452.5670
http://www.cabernetcafe.com/

Beer O' the Moment - S'Muttonator Doppelbock

Smuttnose Brewing Co. Big Beer Series
S'muttonator Doppelbock

Good stuff, this. Very smooth, and malty in a good way. Apparently it packs an 8.5% ABV wallop - BA puts it at 9.8% - but we wouldn't really have guessed it. Been sitting here watching the telly and waiting for the heaps and heaps of snow to come, and we ended up nursing this baby for almost two hours (it was in a 22 oz. bomber, we haven't become that pathetic). Anyway, we certainly got our $3.99 out of this one. German beers aren't necessarily our favorite, but this, like almost all of Smutty's offerings, comes recommended.

What the brewer says:

S'Muttonator Doppelbock - S'Muttonator is once again back on the shelves and perhaps a bit is in the old belly, eh? It's been interesting trying to be creative brewing a style that has a fairly narrow interpretation in terms of historic examples and modern guidelines. My first real knowledge of this style was drinking Optimator. I love that beer. I used to drink three or four while cooking dinner for my housemates at Compound I in Oakland (OakTown Get Down, yeah!) I was working at Golden Pacific (the cellars of hell) and living in a collective warehouse that was in the old Jelly Belly factory. What great karma (or would that be plump karma?) I'd head down to the (original) Berkely Bowl, get my veggies and load up on the Spaten goodness, crank some Ween and proceed to drink my way through making a meal for ten. A drinking cook is a happy cook Mama J used to say. It's such a great sipping beer and a fine complement to food. So with those memories on my mind and palate, I think last years version was really close to what I like in a double bock, big and malty. The main thing I changed this year was to drop the starting gravity from 21 plato to 20. I thought the alcohol presence was just a bit much. I really like the balance now, though I'll probably add some dextrin malts next year to bulk up the body. My biggest issue was with our filter. It just flat out failed us. Not entirely it's own fault, I mean we have abused that sucker for years. And let's face it, it is kind of ugly and sad looking, especially next to our new(er) 8^2 meter Velo we procured from Goose Island. Ah, to have real live brewing equipment at my disposal. What a treat. It's like we're becoming a real brewery. Upwards and onwards I guess, eh?
Malt:PilsnerMunich MaltCaramunichCaraFa II
OG - 20° P, TG - 4.5° P
Hops:IBU ­ 42Bittering and aroma - Hersbrucker Hallertau
ABV - 8.5%

Top Ten Brews from Playboy

We weren't sure quite to make of this either, but upon closer inspection, it seems respectable enough. It's actually a pretty impressive panel of judges they put together (we actually know who like half of them are). We haven't tried all of these brews, and don't necessarily think all that highly of a few of the others, but it makes for an interesting enough perusal. Do bear in mind that some would categorize this as a smut site.

Playboy.com’s panel of beer experts told us their favorite American
microbrews.Here are 10 worth savoring.

Men often view beer the same way
they view sex: As long as you’re getting as much as you want, everything is
okay. But what’s the point of a large quantity of anything if you’re not also
getting high quality? Fine beers, like gorgeous women, should be savored and
enjoyed for their unique characteristics.
In the spirit of searching out
something more sophisticated to drink, we polled some of the nation’s beer
experts to come up with a list of the 10 best microbrews in America. While it’s
an impossible task to list all the deserving beers being made today in the
thousands of small breweries spread across America, this inventory of
distinctive brews should provide you with a good starting point. Unlike gorgeous
women, no good brew is ever out of your league.A panel of 14 beer experts sent us their top picks in a variety of different categories. The only stipulation was that each beer must be available in bottles (i.e. not just on tap at a brewpub) somewhere in the United States. The results of this open-ended vote were tallied and the brews that received the most votes were included in our top ten list. No favoritism was given to any of the brewers on our panel. To find out who was on our panel of experts, click here.

The Winners:

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale † Prima Pils † Ommegang Abbey Ale † Boont Amber Ale † Sierra Nevada Porter † Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout † Tröegenator Double Bock † Utopias † Smoked Porter † Mirror Pond Pale Ale † Honorable mentions

Lew Bryson Blogs!

Our countless, faithful, long-time readers are likely aware of our near obsessive devotion to the great Lew Bryson. You can imagine our elation when we learned that Big Lew had started blogging! Yup, we giggled like school girls. Lew has now been added to our uber exclusive blogroll twice over. His blog is called "Seen Through a Glass." Lew writes very knowledgably (and well) about beer and whiskey, particularly covering Philly and the Northeast. He's got some great books out, including this one, which we've been meaning to pick up for too long. Check his blog, sucka.

Empire Brews Back?

The one thing the burgeoning Syracuse beer scene is really lacking is a real, good brewpub. And don't come steppin' to us with the Suds Factory. Just don't do it. The Empire Brewing Co. was, by all acounts, a pretty sweet beer joint. One we didn't patronize nearly enough. Perhaps that was part of its problem (though we blame the ill-advised expansion to Buffalo and Rochester). Anyway, romours of its return have abounded almost since the time of the untimely demise. Rumours on beer dork message boards are one thing, but this comes from the Syracuse Post Standard:

Armory Square was abuzz Thursday with two developments: The Quiznos on South Clinton Street closed its doors without notice and work has begun on the former Empire Brewing Co. space that's been dormant since the popular brew pub shut down more than three years ago.
Work on the Bentley-Settle building that housed Empire included welding the metal deck that hangs over the basement space that the combination brewery-restaurant occupied. There also were workers inside the old brew pub space. The workers declined comment.
Two tenants in the building at 120 Walton St. - gold and silversmith David Church and Karin Vladimer, of the One 20 Salon - said they have heard rumors the Empire Brewing Co. itself would reopen in the space. David Katleski, one of the former owners of Empire, said he, too, has heard the rumors. He declined to comment further. Rebecca Collins, a representative for the building's owners, said the work is to repair some structural problems with the building and to prepare the basement space to be reoccupied. She declined to answer questions about potential tenants.

Empire opened in 1994. It won national awards for its beers and helped popularize Armory Square as an entertainment district. Empire expanded into Rochester and Buffalo. The Buffalo location closed a year after it opened, and the Rochester location closed three weeks before the Syracuse operation shut down in September 2003. The owners blamed increased competition and the state smoking ban for some of their problems. Katleski and his partner, Michael Hodgdon, ended up filing for bankruptcy. Church and Vladimer said they would be thrilled if Empire or another equally popular business opened in the building. "I think all the tenants suffered when they closed," Church said. "Many of us ate there. Many of our clients ate there." Both, though, said they were annoyed that the work began the week before Christmas, their busiest time of year. "It's a disaster for me," Vladimer said.
"The workers are blocking part of the sidewalk and talking up the parking spaces in front of the building," Church added. Collins, who represents 120 Acquisition Co. LLC, the building's owner, said workers had to take advantage of the mild weather and begin this week. 120 Acquisition Co. LLC's major investor is the New York City real estate firm Rossrock LLC. It purchased the building in May for $1.3 million, according to city assessment records.

Well, there you have it. Make of it what you will. We have opted for the cautiously optimistic route.

A Few Notes On Dacker

Davidson Brothers beers are bottled in Portland, Maine at the Shipyard Brewery. Not coincidentally, this is where Rick Davidson who recently returned to his role as the brewer of the Brothers Davidson, learned the art of brewing back in the good 'ol ninetees. Until recently, their IPA (a very solid beer made with Ringwood yeast - tastes like something Middle Ages or, say, Shipyard might make) was their number one seller.

And then, along came Dacker. Dacker (as in Adirondacker - noun; dude who lives in the Adirondacks) is a malty, Strong Scotch Ale that runs about 6.2%. We were blown away the first time we had it, probably because it is quite delightful on draft. The bottled version is not quite as good (again, it's brewed at Shipyard, which likely acounts for the difference). This, in the words of brew dude Rick Davidson, is Dacker's story.

Late last summer, Kerry and I had occasion to spend a few nights at the fine
Wawbeek on Upper Saranac Lake. One afternoon, I met a man and we got talking
about brewing. He’d heard of Davidson Brothers, but had never been to the pub.
Like so many people I meet, he was a home brewer, but he said he often brewed
the same recipe, one handed down to him from his father and grandfather. I told
him if he ever got down to Glens Falls, I’d like to try some of his original
ale.
The next week, he appeared outside the brewhouse door with a couple
bottles filled with his ale. I showed him around the brewery and sampled his
ale, and he had a taste of our Smoked Porter and our Scotch Ale. His ale was
very, very good and I told him so. He offered to write out the recipe if I
wanted and said we could make a batch to sell in the pub. Why not? After all, it
was exceptional. He said he didn’t want any credit or mention. He just thought
his was an ale others would enjoy. Read the rest...

A Meandering Visit to Davidson Brothers

We know what you are thinking: there have been so few posts here, perhaps it's time they brought in freelance writers, or at least a couple of trained monkeys. Nope, not us. No need. We will simply advocate the drinking of delicious beers to others until they get so excited by the accompanying experience that they do our blogging for us! And so, without further ado, Beerjanglin' presents a visit to Davidson Brothers brewpub in Glens Falls, New York through the eyes (or words) of our latest guest blogger. Enjoy.
Editors note: we were there, too. We haven't become that lazy.

When I think about the adult that I've become, one

phrase comes to mind: "I shouldn't be this way." I've
come to realize that I am far more ignorant about
several topics than any reasonable, rational adult
male should be. I know frig-all about cars, I'm pretty
useless when it comes to home repair, I've never
really paid any attention to sitcoms, and I know very
little about beer.

Let me backtrack a touch and qualify that last
statement. Beer has played a pretty significant role
in my life. My dad's been a lifelong beer drinker, but
his tendency is to quaff cheap swill (Schaefer,
Schlitz, Meister Brau: all of these have taken up
space in the family refrigerator). So, I've always
been around beer. And, when I got to college, I
discovered drinking in the traditional manner: keg
parties and quiet soirees in dry dorms. To be honest
with you, I liked what I knew of beer - but, mostly,
it was the concept of beer as social lubricant.

I never really considered the capacity of beer, though
- sure, I'd drink stouts, brown ales, IPAs, bocks, and
what have you - but I never took the time to really
think about what I was consuming. (That being said, if
you were to take a look at my physique, you'd
understand that I'm hardly a discriminating consumer
of food and beverage in general. I like to think of
myself as being somewhat Falstaffian in nature.)

I'm working on that. I am - to quote an ever-whitening
accused child molester/moonwalker - "looking at the
man in the mirror and asking him to change his ways."
And one of the things that I'm working on is my
understanding and consumption of beer.

Hopefully, writing about what I drink somewhat will
provide me with some level of enlightenment about the
wonderful world of brews.

So, here goes. On February 3, Javen and I made an
excursion to surprisingly beautiful Glens Falls, New York
for the first of two stops on a mini-beer tour of
the northern reaches of the capital region.

Our first stop, and the subject of my initial
Beerjanglin' review, was Davidson Brothers. Davidson
Brothers is a brewpub in the heart of what would
probably be a hopping downtown district were it not
for the single-digit windchills and blowing
snowdrifts. The brewmaster, Rick, is one of the
aforementioned Brothers Davidson, and struck me as
being a gregarious individual who is extremely
consumer-friendly. He was ambling from table to table
during lunchtime, chatting up regulars and visitors
alike. He came over for a chat with Jav and I and
informed us of his "free beer" policy: "if you don't
like any of the beers, let me know, and I'll finish it
for free. Don't worry, though - I'll let you pay for
it." As he spoke, he gestured to the 6 beers Jav and I
each had in front of us.

Wait a second. 6 beers each? That's crazy talk!

Not really. Davidson Brothers has a great deal called
the "Ample Sampler." For about 9 bucks, you can get a
sampler platter of 6 5-ounce beers. You're given a
card, and asked to select 6 of the 10 beers that
Davidson has on tap. The beers come lovingly arranged
on a tray - now, I've had samplers at brewpubs before
(most notably the Albany Pump Station), but this one
takes the cake.

My selections for the day were (and notes on each):

- Dacker Ale (their special recipe Adirondack Ale,
orignally conceived by a dude named Duncan Kincaid).
This was probably my favorite - it had a really great,
rich taste while being quite light. Less of an
emphasis on the hops, more of an emphasis on the
yeast. It's extremely drinkable, and I walked away
with a growler.

- Wheat Ale (a British-style wheat ale). This would be
the perfect drink to sip on a patio on a July day -
extremely light, without being watered down. Too light
for this midwinter day, though. I liked it a lot.

- Brown Ale (a traditional English brown). I like
Brown Ales a lot - they've been a go-to for me at
places like the Van Dyck and Pump Station from fall to
spring. This was decent for a Brown, on the sweet
side. I would consider this to be solid but generally
unspectacular - with the caveat that a beer doesn't
have to be spectacular to be good.

- ESB. I'm not much for extremely hoppy pale ales, so
I'm much more of an ESB fan than an IPA buff - it
appeals more to my palate. This was a pretty good ESB,
pretty uncomplicated in nature. If this beer was a
baseball player, in the context of this beer lineup,
it'd be a middle reliever - not my first choice in
putting together a team, but definitely a necessary
part of the roster. That might not make sense to you,
but I think it's my finest analogy to date.

- Smoked Porter. You remember that Saturday Night Live
sketch where Will Ferrell, as former Cubs announcer
Harry Caray, hypothetically asked Jeff Goldblum that,
if he were a hot dog, would he eat himself? Well, if
smoke flavoring were involved, I would probably eat
myself. When you add smoke flavoring to a porter, it's
probably better than self-cannibalism (I'm just
sayin'.) I enjoyed this particular porter because it
seemed less artificially-smoked than a similar brew
that was presented at Brown's Brewing Company in Troy.
It was a far more naturally smoked porter - it didn't
just feel like the glass was rinsed with liquid smoke
prior to the pour. It seemed more...organic. And
delicious.

- The Brewer's Choice, and final selection on my
sampler, was a Belgian Trippel. Jesus Criminey, this
was strong (I want to say the alcohol topped out at
over 11%). I enjoyed my first sip very much, but made
a tremendous error in consuming a pickled hot pepper
prior to my next sip. The spice of the pepper only
accentuated the alcohol in the Trippel, which made it
difficult to appreciate anything other than the sheer
strength of the brew. I would suggest pairing it with
something sweet. I'd like to try it again under
different circumstances - perhaps with Davidson's
homemade potato chips.

All in all - Davidson's was a great experience. I wish
it were closer to the Albany/Schenectady area, but
like the Rolling Stones said, "it's a bitch." I look
forward to returning in a few months and enjoying
Rick's fine establishment.

Brooklyn Brewery

NEW YORK: For journalist-turned-brewer Steve Hindy, a renaissance in the
popularity of niche beers is just one of several reasons to raise a glass.
Hindy's Brooklyn Brewery is expanding its sales into six more US states,
taking it into the Midwest and making its brews available in 18 states in
all.
And his brewery, a former iron foundry and matzoh bakery in an
industrial
section of Brooklyn, is perfecting a new Belgian-style ale:
Brooklyn Local 1,
which goes on sale in March.
"Craft beer is booming
now," Hindy said in an
office permeated with the smell of roasting barley.
The experience of the
Brooklyn Brewery, now two decades old, is being
felt throughout the small
brewing industry. Read the rest...

We wouldn’t go so far as to call Brooklyn Brewery one of our “go to” beer makers, but their stuff is, at the very least, beer that can always be counted on for a very solid product. Oh, and we have sort of a man crush on the head brewer, Garrett Oliver. We’re not sure what is most interesting to us about this story; that it was written for New Zealanders, that the founder of the brewery discovered his love for craft beer while working as an AP correspondent in Cairo, or that we learn that 80% of Brooklyn Brewery’s beer is produced under contract in Utica.

Saranac is Finally Making Big Beers!

We think this is exciting news:


Saranac Imperial IPA (Big Beer Series)
We are pleased to announce that Saranac Imperial IPA, the first in our “High Peak Series”.
The Saranac “High Peak Series” is a series of Special Beers, limited to one single batch. These beers will be much bigger, more complex, and targeted to craft beer aficionados.This is a beer to be sipped and savored; a “real show and tell . . . blow your head off beer”
The first of our series, Saranac Imperial IPA, is brewed with 10 different hops and 10 different malts and is 8.5% alcohol and 85 IBU’s.
Look for Saranac Imperial IPA at your local retailer while supplies last! Very limited quantities!Available December 2006 in 6 packs and draught.