Beer: Guinness Samplings

Guinness is the lynchpin of Irish beer history, with a legacy that goes back hundreds of years. It's also a staple of the whole "stout" style, being likely among the first "dark beers" many of us ever enjoyed. Furthermore, any visit to Ireland begs of the enjoyment of some pints of Guinness. It's that much a part of the culture.

This season, Guinness released a rare seasonal "mix pack" here in America, including 4 of their beers. Here's my breakdown. Note that the review of the Black Lager is re-printed from previous tasting notes. Keep in mind that scores run from 1 (terrible) to 5 (world class). As always, enjoy craft beer and avoid corporate swill!

GUINNESS - DRAUGHT - 3.0

This standard stout is, for all intents, the flagship beer for Guinness in the states. That said, it's also rather weak by comparison.

The bottle advises to drink in bottle with "rocket widget" inside (for a true "draught experience", so I sipped a little before pouring). Deep-dark black appearance. Very fizzy, creamy head that keeps on bubbling. Malty mild chocolate aroma. Flavor smooth and creamy, with bittersweet cocoa character and herbal undertone. Very thin and watery of body.

Still, this remains smooth and drinkable, if lacking in complexity.

GUINNESS - BLACK LAGER - 3.0

Black Lager is a relatively new addition to the Guinness lineup, and bridges the gap between their traditional stouts and lighter, American-style lagers. It's fair enough, but not a favorite.

Deep and black (as Guinness well should be), this new brew leaves a large but erratic lace on my pint glass. Nose is grainy like most lagers, barely hinting at the flavors to follow. Tastes mildly burnt/roasty - but still light on the body, as opposed to the usual heavier stout. 

Very enjoyable, and though I'd rather sip on a warmed Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, this one hit the spot.

GUINNESS - FOREIGN EXTRA STOUT - 3.5

This is another semi-recent addition to the lineup, and is a heavier, stronger version of the usual stout. With a deeper 7.5% ABV, this is among the finer, sturdier drinks in the Guinness "portfolio". I like this one most of all.

Nicely black, with a huge head of tan bubbles. Thin web of spider-web lace. Impressive. Nose seems creamy lactic sweet, even mildly astringent somehow. Not great. Taste is strong, even a little bitter, with flavors of burnt barley and crisp hops present, too. Not your usual Guinness, though it does retain some of the creamy body of the usual Guinness. 

This is a sturdy, strong, and bitter ale that's unique and well-done. I'll be revisiting in the future.

GUINNESS - GENEROUS ALE - 2.5

Finally, this limited brew is included only within the Guinness seasonal mix-packs. It's a novelty, but I won't miss it.

Clean ruby-brown upon pouring, with a decent head of off-white foam. Lace is nice but erratic. Nose is roasty barley, with a sweet malty tone -- definitely grains, but with almost a hint of fruit somehow. Not bad. Taste is similar -- roasty and flavorful, yet light in body. There's a definite tinge of bittering hops within the mix, but the roasty malts are most prevalent. 

This is a rich and easy-drinking ale, not great but certainly a nice change from the usual Guinness.

Guinness website

Spring Into Beer!

Ah, though the briskness of Winter is still here, it's not long for this world...and this month's beer-a-thon is a wholly international one! That has absolutely nothing to do with Spring, but...

This month I was granted some time with some exceptional craft brews, indeed! As for the ratings, 5 is godlike, 4 is excellent, 3 is average, 2 is drinkable, 1 is swill. As ever, I urge you all to seek out independent brewers for your drinking pleasure.

LOWENBRAU - ORIGINAL (Munich, Germany) - 2.5

The legendary Lowenbrau name was tarnished a bit in the 70's as corporate American brewers changed the 'recipe' for American tastes. This, however, is the real thing. This lager pours crystal-clear and foamy, and the taste has a subtly sour finish. A typically Munich-style lager, this one's not at all bad, but nor is it outstanding. For fans of Heineken.

CZECHVAR - PREMIUM CZECH LAGER (Czech Republic) - 3.5

This one's a pale yellow in color, with fair head retention. Initial sniff reveals an almost fruity scent, and the taste is rich and full, with an almost biscuity, malty overtone. A very mild finish, though. This one's outstanding for it's class, solid and full of character.

WITTEKERKE (Belgium) - 3.5

Ah, the anticipation. This fine Belgian (hard to go wrong with Belgian beers, though) pours white and very murky/cloudy, with a thick head and sweet nose. The taste is sweet and steady, with light citrus and floral notes. Quite pleasant and very much what you'd expect from a Belgian witte (wheat) beer. And it's far better than Blue Moon.

MIKKELLOR - 'BEER GEEK BRUNCH WEASEL' IMPERIAL OATMEAL STOUT (Norway) - 4

Hmm. In contrast to the other brews surveyed this month, this one's a deep, deep black, and smells like (surprise) fine coffee. But more interesting is the back-story here. Didja know that this one's made with coffee beans? How about rare, premium coffee beans? Well, yeah, but get this...these same choice (only the best) coffee beans are consumed by weasel-like Southeast Asian civet cats (google it), who, uhh, 'process' the coffee beans, then dookie them out after being treated (partially digested). Their droppings are then collected for the expensive coffee (and, thus, this beer). Yipes! Anyhow, what's really important is the taste, right? It's strong, pungent, alcoholic (10.9%), and very coffeelike. Really tasty stuff, and perfect if you like alcohol with your coffee. Yum.

BEER 101, or, How To Be Your Own Beer Connoisseur

In our culture, the word beer comes loaded with a lot of connotations. Some may think of the 'usual' suspects. You know, the big names that advertise on TV during the games. But the history and breadth of beer goes back a very long time. In fact, the history of beer can be traced back as far as 6000 years. It's been a vital part of advanced civilizations on every continent on Earth, from the ancient Egyptians to the present day, with no sign of letting up. It's a multi-billion dollar business, and an endless source of enjoyment for millions. But there's more than meets the eye (or taste buds).

If you don't know your weisse from Budweiser, it's my honor to bring you this beer primer. Basically, beer can be broken down into two types - the ales and the lagers. What's the difference, you ask? Well, they are subtle, but actually quite distinctive. Both can have a wide array of tastes and colors, from slightly golden to deep black. And both can be found on the beer lists at most restaurants. The difference lies chiefly in fermentation, as yeast is used to break down sugars during the brewing process. Ales are top-fermented, meaning the yeast rises to the top of the beer while fermenting. Lagers are bottom-fermented, so the yeast settles to the bottom while brewing. What does all this mean, though?

We'll start with the ales. These top-floating yeast strains require warmer temperatures to interact with the sugars, and these beers are subsequently better to drink at slightly warmer temperatures. Ales typically are a bit stronger, and often more complex in flavor than most lagers. A good ale can come in a variety of styles, and a beer beginner is sure to find something to love among these distinctive styles.

Pale ales are usually marked by an abundance of hops (which are a type of flower used in the process that gives beer a distinctive bitterness, acidity, and floral aroma). Pale ales can be considered 'sour' to those who aren't familiar with the flavor. Golden ales are a little lighter in taste, as a rule, and easier on the palate. Red and brown ales are medium-bodied, and may appeal to the average drinker a little better than pales, due to their more balanced taste and a combination of sweetness and bitterness. Brown ales can have more of a caramel or slightly chocolate-type of taste, and are also medium-bodied, while porters are often nearly black in color, and can be known for more chocolate or coffee-like tastes (due to dark malts used in the brew process) and heavier disposition (so they won't be ideal for those watching their waistlines or dieting). A close cousin to the porters are the similarly-blackened stouts, which are even heavier, and sometimes more hoppy/bitter and burnt in taste than their other ale brethren. These coffee-or-chocolate-toned beers are often very opaque in color, and can be tough on beginners, so it's wiser to build up to this type of beer. In short, ales are heavier in nature, and best-suited for drinking at warmer temperatures. Ales can be especially delicious on cooler evenings, or with spicier foods. The wide array of ales out there (each with different spices and flavor dispositions) can be tricky to place alongside meals, but keep in mind that the weight and richness of these ales will be best paired with lighter fare, so if you're going all buffet-style, it's probably best to keep it light. As a general rule, the darker the beer, the richer the taste. It's not a guarantee, but for any beginner, it's a fairly safe starting point.

By contrast, lagers are the lighter, more transparent of the beer family. Lagers go better with warmer weather (especially as they are meant to be consumed at colder temperatures). They are less filling than their ale cousins, and often contain less alcohol. Most of the popular American beers are lagers, so just about all of us begin our beer journeys with this brewing style. Within the lager family, there are also a number of stylistic distinctions, many of which serve to confuse and bewilder beer novices, but here's a quick breakdown. Bocks are stronger and darker than most lagers, and can be heavier and more alcoholic. Pilseners are lighter in color (sometimes quite transparent and pale), and with more of a hoppy bitterness. Most mainstream lagers are patterned after the old European pilsener style. There are lots of other variations on these themes, but in general, you would probably enjoy the lighter lagers in Summertime, or while eating heavier foods, since these will tend to sit lighter in the stomach. For example, bar food is notoriously heavy, thus, lagers are a good bet to go with those burgers or onion rings.

So, in reality, beers can be enjoyed much like wines - tasty treats to accompany and accent your meals. It may take you some trial-and-error attempts as far as food pairings go, but with some patience (and taste buds willing), you will be on your way to being your own beer connoisseur, and ready to branch out beyond the 'regular'. There's a wealth of fine beers out there, many hard to find and obscure, and from all over the world. Plenty of restaurants and liquor establishments locally serve a vast array of names, styles, and flavors, so there's always something new and exciting to try. But don't just listen to me - please your own palate! Prost!