Recently I passed through Mad Mex in Oakland, a funky little bar with a reliably impressive beer rotation, to see what was new. Everything was served chilled and on tap.
First on the menu, you can hardly resist picking up a pint with a name like Hoppus Maximus (Thirsty Dog in Independence, OH). By the name I expected another fierce entry in the American hop wars, but in fact the beer went down fairly smooth with none of the hoppy pyrotechnics you find in the Maximus IPA from Lagunitas or the bombastic, orchestral hops arrangement in Hop Devil. You could argue that those super-hopped thoroughbreds have become the show dogs of the beer world, exquisite and pure of purpose but not practical for your day-to-day drinking needs. Hoppus Maximus leaves a pleasant mix of citrus and malt on the palate, not sweet like an unfiltered trippel but without any of the bitterness that its name seems to advertise. Just about perfect for a happy hour beer that you don’t plan on nursing for two hours. BAers approve.
Back to those show dogs. The Double IPA from Stoudt’s jumps up on the table and demands attention – after the intensely hoppy nose, two things hit your palate: generous servings of malt transformed almost entirely into alcohol (10% ABV, with little to no sweetness left over), and the prodigious, bitter hopping needed to balance it. It seemed completely out of place in the middle of a happy-hour session, leaving me practically sated (boo) and thinking seriously that if I had a big (spicy) meal and just one beer to go with it this would make a great choice.
This beer is yet another example of why I am so big on the Stoudt’s brand. I can get along with brewers who make a reputation warping familiar recipes, blending traditions and striking off in directions that appear practically insane (Dogfish Head), but brewers like Stoudt’s deserve equal credit for making definitive exemplars of familiar styles. I have already made the case that the Stoudt’s trippel is one of the most faithful examples of the Belgian style on this American continent and I had similar things to say about their bock. Now the Double IPA delivers just what the title promises: a superlative entry in American microbrewing’s headlong race to make the hoppiest IPA like, evah. BAers prefer the 90 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head but they’re still pretty big on the Stoudt’s.
Finally the Summer Beer from the godfather of American microbrweing, Anchor in San Francisco, delivers the season-appropriate denouement to a hot afternoon. Maybe it’s unfair to judge every wheat beer against the incomparable Hoegaarten, but as much as I enjoyed the airy, slightly sweet confection with pleasant hints of citrus I missed the unfiltered chewy haze that characterizes most Belgian beers. Nonetheless one of the better summer ales that I have tried and definitely an improvement over poseurs like Blue Moon.
Punchy
2 comments:
How you can drink beer that is 10% ABV…is…unique. I’ve “tried” Cammo (9.something %) and it’s like whiskey-flavored brew. Just nasty shit. Even New Belgium’s 1554 seems wicked heavy/strong, and it’s only 5.9%.
Secondly, I have not heard of Summer brew from Anchor, but their Anchor Steam is hands-down the best beer I’ve ever had, so I’m taking your word that it must good.
This, however:
makes no sense to me. “Unfiltered chewy haze”? Would you be offended if I call you a Beer Snob?
Tim F.
When you leave the yeast and the yeast protein in the beer, it appears cloudy and has a sweeter, ‘chewy’ texture. Hard to explain except as a feeling you get in your mouth.
The last time somebody called me a beer snob…I started beer blogging.
Jim Allen
I’m not a big fan of really hoppy ales (except with Thai food and sushi). I prefer lighter stuff in the summer, more along the lines of Sam Adams Summer ale (although that has a bit too much citrus for my taste). I’ll have to give the Anchor summer a try.
I was able to have some Hoegaarten a month or so ago. I have to tell you, Tim, I wasn’t all that impressed. I put it at the level of Yuengling — for a “macro” brew it’s far superior to Budweiser, Coors or Miller, but that’s not saying much. (I can go into the men’s room with a cold mug and bring out something that could pass for Miller).
Our local brewer, Mercury Brewing, makes Ipswich Ale, and they have a great summer brew, as well as a genuinely funky (in the musical sense, not the gym socks sense) blueberry ale that you might enjoy if you want something with a fruit background. It’s getting a wider distribution, but may not be available in your area.
Andrew
10% isn’t too strong for a good beer. However, there is an unfortunate trend towards strength for strength’s sake, and the results are typically too sweet, and strong without purpose.
Then again, I’m drinking a Miller High Life right now.
demimondian
Anchor Steam was one of the first Beers I ever drank. (As opposed to beer, like, say Point Lager.) I drink it now for nostalgia, at least when I can. Which is rarely, sine (a) FDDD doesn’t care for it, (b) it’s hard to find up here in the Puget Sound region, and (c) there are so many other interesting beers available up here.
Right now, I’m sipping a Kone Brewing Co. Fire Rock Pale Ale, which is a marvelously less overwhelming pale ale from the Kona Brewing Company, in Kona, on the island of Hawai’i.
Krista
On my desk right now is a lovely, cold Rickard’s Red, which is the only Molsen product that I like.
Punchy
I’ve just returned from H-squared and I now FINALLY understand what Tim’s talking about vis-a-vis this trend towards hoppiness. They advertised a extra hoppy beer, and sure enough, Ass In A Glass.
Give me a Killians or Sam Adams C-dub and I’m good. Can’t describe the flavor or texture….all I know is the waitresses looked hotter after each. And really, that’s all that matters, eh?
Krista…what about Molson Ice (cue the laugh track)??
Bas-O-Matic
I was able to have some Hoegaarten a month or so ago. I have to tell you, Tim, I wasn’t all that impressed. I put it at the level of Yuengling—for a “macro” brew it’s far superior to Budweiser, Coors or Miller, but that’s not saying much. (I can go into the men’s room with a cold mug and bring out something that could pass for Miller).
Hoegaarden is the down and out shiznit in terms of mass produced beers. Seriously. The Hotel I stayed at in London in 2003 had Hoegaarden on tap in the in house bar. Heaven. And I tend not to like wheat beers.
chopper
flavor depends on the kind of protein that made it through. straight trub can cause some nasty side flavors in long-fermented beers. just plain yeast sediment is fine. rich in vitamin B as well.
speaking of IPAs, finally got my hands on dogfish head’s 90-minute.
i think i’m in love.
Dave Straub
The Stoudt’s Double IPA is one of my favorite beers; it commands your respect. You might like it out of the bottle, but you should try it from the tap at the brewery in Adamstown, PA. Out of this world.
Stoudt’s is also making a very good Hefe-Weizen this summer. Had that before dinner last night at a nice place in Adamstown called the Black Horse.
Bob In Pacifica
Can we have a Sunday morning rum and coke blog? What will all that’s going on in Lebanon this weekend I need something stronger than beer.
Jim Allen
Ah. Perhaps I’ll have the opportunity to have it on tap and will see the difference. Just as music is always best live, beer is always best from a tap.
Phillip J. Birmingham
I’d recommend to you that you try Three Floyds Dreadnaught. It’s the first double IPA I ever tried (love their Alpha King) and it’s still the one I compare all the others to.
Slide.
yawn… guess Balloon Juice has ceased to be a political blog anymore. Poor John, must be so demoralized that everything he supported so strongly a few years ago has proven to have been disasterous. I would be hiding out too if I had supported the Iraq war and the election of the worst President ever… twice. And to think he now finds himself in uncomfortable agreement with all of us that he so easily castigated as “Bush haters”. Strange turn of events heh Cole? So, adios beer bloggers, Balloon Juice is official off of my bookmark list as I find the obsession with beer somewhat… errr…. silly? beer? not even wine? fucking beer? And, judging by the number of comments, I imagine most fellow Balloon Juicers agree.
Phillip J. Birmingham
Oops, sorry for the double post, but you’re right, it’s not really fair to compare Anchor Summer with Hoegaarden — they’re way too different. The Belgian white that Hoegaarden exemplifies is made with unmalted wheat, and spiced with coriander and bitter orange peel. Anchor’s offering is a straight-ahead American wheat ale — a light ale with a large part of the barley malt replaced by wheat malt.
Punchy
Obsession? One post a week, and you’re off your fucking rocker? So WINE is ok, but beer is not? What the hell is the diff? Do you pop a bottle of wine at Happy Hour? At a softball game? Over Monday Nite Football? After mowing the lawn? Take your Boone’s Farm Wine Snobbery and find a diff blog if one post a week OTHER THAN politics is too much for you.
As for beer…what the hell happened to Pete’s Wicked? It’s the Gary Fisher of Beers (started out small with excellent quality, then went down the shitter…fast).
chopper
Obsession? One post a week, and you’re off your fucking rocker?
i know. last week there were over 20 stories posted by tim or john on other topics, and then one on beer. oh sweet jesus, it’s an obsession.
Krista
What with all the utter shite going on in the world, at least we can always count on beer…