Unibroue – Maudite

Unibroue - Maudite

Preamble: Unibroue have around 16 beers currently available, so you’d think there would be more available in the local stores, three is a bit of a let down. Maudite comes in two styles of bottle: “normal” metal capped, larger bottles with corks. The website suggests that the shelf life is 5 years plus, so we are talking a serious bottle fermented beer in about six years. Funnily enough I have a trip to Canada coming up soon, more opportunity to try out the other me thinks.

The Beer: Unibroue – Maudite, 8% abv

Aroma: Malty with fruity infusions, has the distinctive aroma of a strong malted beer
Appearance: Slightly cloudy, pale brown, little or no head, some traces of carbonation
Taste: Malted lightly toasted, a little fruity towards the end of the taste; complex and simple at the same time, has some spicy infusions in there.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, very smooth; full bodied, strong; aftertaste if quite strong

Very much in line with a Belgian strong ale (dubbel or even a trippel, but you get the point). Whilst there doesn’t seem to be much in the description above, but the essence is that whilst the taste has a complexity about it, there is a taste that is simple and honest – it gets to the point. In this case the point is that Maudite is excellent!, that’s 2 out of 2 for Unibroue.

Website: Unibroue

Rogue – Mom Hefeweizen

Rogue - Mom Hefeweizen

Preamble: This is unusual; I am sitting writing this listening to ELO with the storm raging round us, and the beer that is being written about is sitting in front on me – the unusual thing being that the beer is actually in front on me as opposed to waiting for months whilst the memory ferments in my mind and the notes are trying to spark that area of the brain that is meant to remember such experiences; given that day-to-day life is pretty much devoid of any experiences that I’d want to remember this is a form of therapy that at least gets me using the grey cells that otherwise wish to run off come Monday morning.

The Beer: Rogue, Mom Hefeweizen; 13º, 34 IBU

Aroma: Wheat. Tried to squeeze something else out of it but really couldn’t
Appearance: Golden in colour; head is good, lingers for a while then clears off; not too cloudy
Taste: Wheatiness, but then you get a blended in hit of corriander; some fruitiness but could get much else out of it
Mouthfeel: Bitter to some extent, light bodied, a bit on the harsh side across the tongue

I ended up getting more from this when sipping it in like you’d sample wine; the coriander comes out a lot stronger and you get some more of the complexities in there. This certainly isn’t like the straight from the barrel versions I had in Germany, but this is a good take on the style. Not so long ago there was a plan to head off to Las Vegas for a short trip, mainly for the couple of notable breweries there and and the monorail; however, having been advised strongly against going (for reasons that include new extensions to kitsch) I am playing with the idea of heading off to Portland, and then head to Newport, home of Rogue. Before anyone asks, “Twilight” is playing’ at full volume. Yum.

Website: Rogue

Southern Tier – 422 Pale Wheat Ale

Southern Tier - 422

Preamble: Time to get my backside off the chair and start writing; except I need to sit down to write so it was pointless using that metaphor. There are some beers you get and first impressions do not bode well, at least in respect to looking at the bottle, understanding the style and then fitting it all in to a stereotype that is, for the most part, unfounded and unfair. As the saying should go Never judge a beer by it’s label. I would also like to add that this is one of the first beers that I am consciously changing approach towards when serving, specifically in respect to serving temperature, I am now somewhat convinced that this is something that has been overlooked with previous samplings and has ultimately resulted in the experience being less than it should have been.

The Beer: Southern Tier – 422 Pale Wheat Ale, 5.0% abv

Aroma: Fruity esters simply leap up, certainly orange and lemon can be found in there together with a wheatiness
Appearance: Pale gold/yellow; fluffy head that quickly goes; lots of carbonation rising up the glass
Taste: Some citrus combinations around the wheatiness, some acidic tending bitterness. some hops. A subtly complex combination.
Mouthfeel: Gassy (lots of carbonation) but smooth, fresh and crisp, light bodied at first but it seemed to go heavier as you progressed through the glass; clean, bitter aftertaste.

I was pleasantly suprised by this beer; whilst it says on the bottle that this is an everyday beer, it actually is. Sometimes you are looking for an ‘honest’ beer that suffices but doesn’t offend and this is one that hits that mark. It is complex enough to have character but simple enough to be enjoyed, and you don’t need to think too much about the experience – just accept that what you are drinking is good and that’s that – then this is a beer to have in fridge waiting for you. I would go as far as to say that this would be complimentary as a lawn mowing beer, or even a BBQ beer in respect to the idea that you are drinking something refreshing and perceivably good quality.

Website: Southern Tier

Samuel Smith’s – Taddy Porter

Samuel Smith - Taddy Porter

Preamble: Porter is fast becoming a favourite; however, given the choice between Porter and Stout, the latter would always come first. Having said that, Stout and Porter have an intertwined history, Stout being the darker, stronger version of Porter; whilst the two styles are often  considered two separate styles (arguably) – I have seen groupings that consider Stouts a version of Porter, Porters and Stout being separate, and even Porter part of the Stout family – Stout Porter was the original name for Stout so it shouldn’t take too much mind bending to like one if you like the other. Traditionally, Porter was a blend of brown ale, pale ale, and ’stale’ or well matured ale, now I would like to think that ’stale’ beer is used less frequently in beers (you never know).

The Beer: Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter, 5% abv, English Porter.

Aroma: Malty, fruity (raisins, or think about “winter fruits” preserve)
Appearance: Very dark brown, almost black; vanilla-tan head, fluffy with staying power
Taste: Bitter but not too harsh, darker roasted but subtle, but this leads in to a delicate treacle-toffee taste, some dark roast elements creep in
Mouthfeel: velvety, some of that lightly-dark roasted-toffee-bitter after taste.

Very enjoyable. You get some of the darker side of the roastings in there, but it does edge more on the delicately toasted side so there is a balance very much in evidence. The toffee-caramel traces in there make the substance slightly “sweeter” but we are not talking a mouthful of sugary sweet substance; essentially it takes the edge of the bitterness if it was hanging around. Another bottle of joy from Tadcaster.

Website: Samuel Smith’s Brewery

Anchor Brewing – Steam Beer

Anchor - Steam Beer

Preamble: I read with interest about the significance of Anchor Brewery in the world of US craft brewing, especially in consideration that this is one of the oldest beers (first brewed in 1896) still being brewed in the US (that can still be considered a drinkable beer) and the fact that it was bought and rejuvenated by a member of the Maytag (washing machine) family. It doesn’t help matters that the beer has been sitting in the cupboard for a few weeks pretty much forgotten about; probably worse will be the numbers of times I have ventured to San Francisco I have also managed to miss this brewery (and beer) prefering to concentrate on the wines of the region. It is so, much delayed, that this beer can now be sampled and savoured. This is another style of beer that I have not been aware of before – California Common/Steam Beer

The Beer: Anchor Brewing Anchor Steam Beer, 4.9% abv

Aroma: Malty, lightly roasted – enough to still get the gentle roasting out of it; little or no hops that I could find, simply malt
Appearance: Golden brown, plenty of carbonation; light fluffy head that quickly goes
Flavour: Malted, somewhat tending towards the light side, but again that lightly roasted element comes out enough to be found, bitter in fair doses.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, somewhat light bodied, somewhat gassy but not too much

Other than the beer being enjoyable, at least not offensive, the specific design of the bottles and labels of Anchor Brewing’s beers are quite endearing. They can  draw on a long history and use the nautical theme, hence creating a distinct image of something that has a heritage about it. Whether or not this beer remain true to the original beer it would be hard to tell, but it is something to be enjoyed on a summer’s day, and not to be ignored or pushed to the back of a cupboard and forgotten about.

Website: Anchor Brewing