To each their own, right?

The other day I opened up what I will refer to as an “old” IPA. It had lost most of its, once very pronounced, Pacific Northwest hop aroma and flavor. Instead of being the bitter pine & citrus “hop bomb” that I wanted, it leaned more towards the caramel malty end of the spectrum. Seeing as I wanted a really dry & hoppy IPA, I was disappointed. The beer was still good, don’t get me wrong. But it wasn’t what I wanted.

I refused to waste the beer. And so I began brainstorming a way to cook with it. At the time, I was craving curry (something spicy to pair with the IPA — ya know?). And so I racked my brain a bit about how to incorporate beer into a curry dish. That is when I discovered a DOUBLE way to use it in one single dish — The Korma Chicken bowl.

The recipe I developed was an adapted version of a recipe I used to make when I worked at a restaurant called “The Northstar Cafe” in Columbus, OH. Korma sauce was one of my favorite things to prep in the kitchen. And the “Korma Bowl” was one of my favorite dishes to eat.

As I noted before, I did find two ways to incorporate beer into the entire dish. The first is in the sauce and the second is in the rice.

Ingredients

• Chicken (or pan-fried tofu) — cut into “bite size” pieces
• 1 c. Basmati Rice
• 4 c. (24 oz.) IPA — malty, not too bitter
• 13 oz. can of Pure Coconut Milk (none of that lowfat crap)
• 1 Large Yellow Onion — diced
• 16 oz. can of Whole Tomatoes
• 1 Jalapeno — finely minced
• 1 “knob” Raw Ginger — peeled & finely minced
• 4 cloves Raw Garlic — finely minced
• 1/4 c. yellow raisins
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder (use more if desired)
• 1 tbsp Garam Marsala
• pinch of Cinnamon
• pinch of Nutmeg
• Salt & Peper to taste
• 1 tbsp Nut Butter (cashew preferred, but almond and peanut will suffice)
• Variety of veggies (suggested: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers) — cut into bite size pieces

Korma Sauce Instructions

1. In a medium pot on medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic, jalapenos and ginger. Allow the ingredients to “sweat” out. Then add the yellow onions. Saute the onions over medium heat until they are translucent.
2. Mix in the spices. Add the can of whole tomatoes, the  yellow raisins and 2 cups of the IPA. Bring to a simmer. Cook over medium-low heat for about 25 minutes. Break up whole tomatoes as they soften.
3. Add coconut milk and cashew butter. Cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Allow to mixture to cool slightly and then, batch by batch, add the mixture to a blender. If you have never blended hot ingredients (like for soups and sauces) in a blender, it is VERY important that you are very very very cautious. Otherwise it will be a disaster.
5. Blend VERY small amounts at a time. DO NOT seal the lid on tight. Instead, leave a little bit of the lid open. When you first start blending, pulse it a few times before blending it smooth. Pour out the blended mixture into a new pot. Repeat until the entire batch it completely pureed and smooth.

Preparation

1. Cook the chicken as desired. I suggest stir-fry, but healthier versions will work as well.
2. Prepare the rice — for every 1 cup of rice, use two cups of beer. The rice will completely absorb all the the beer, giving it tremendous flavor!
3. Steam or stir-fry your veggies of choice.
4. To serve: Fill a bowl about half way with rice. Top the rice with the chicken, vegetables and korma sauce.
5. Garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt and cilantro.
6. Pair with a hopped-up IPA

CHEERS!

My rule of thumb (as with most chefs), is that any recipe that calls for water is an easy opportunity to add more flavor. Most chefs opt to use stocks of broths in lieu of water. I opt for beer.

The other day I was making biscuits for bacon & egg sandwiches (with avocado). It had been awhile since I made biscuits and prior to that moment, I never even considered beer biscuits.

Now most of you probably know, biscuits are ridiculously easy to make and the ingredients are super cheap. Oddly, I used to live in biscuits in college. You can do so much with them: butter & honey, egg sandwiches, biscuits & gravy etc…

I am going to be honest. Adding beer to biscuits in itself is not really a novel idea. Many bakers attest that adding beer to the batter increases leavening. Being more of a chef than a baker, I do not know if that is accurate. However, I can tell you that it does add flavor.

Most recipes call for your typical “yellow fizzy” American adjunct lagers. Which is lame. I decided that a nicely balanced pale ale (nothing too bitter), would best suit my recipe.

Since the ingredients for biscuits are so cheap, I decided that this would be a fun recipe to modify with beer — with virtually little “R & D” cost.

Since my ultimate goal was to turn the biscuit into a “breakfast” sandwich, I decided that, in addition to beer, I would throw some extra fun ingredients into the mix.

Essentially there are two different “base” recipes, one that uses your typical Bisquick and one that is a “from scratch” recipe. Being that I have restaurant kitchen experience which includes a (VERY) brief stint in the baking department, I actually know the “secret” to making great biscuits from scratch (one key component is adding the butter, room temperature, in chunks).

If you do not feel confident about making them from scratch, I have included a basic “Bisquick” version at the end. Feel free to modify it with any ingredients you chose!

NOTE: USE room temp or warm beer.

PALE ALE BACON CHEDDAR BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Unbleached White Flour
• 3 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter — room temperature
• 1 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 6 strips of Bacon
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Pale Ale (I used locally sourced Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale)
• OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup diced Jalapenos (pickled or fresh)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cook bacon till crispy. Set aside on a paper towel until cool. Then dice into desired sized pieces.
3. Sift dry ingredients together. If you are lucky enough to have one, use a sifter. Otherwise wisk all of the dry ingredients together very well in a large mixing bowl.
4. Cut in room-temperature butter until crumbly in appearance
5. Add cheese and butter to the dry mix. Give it a light stir (just a few strokes).
6. Add bacon, buttermilk and beer.
7. Turn dough with fork until no loose flour is visible making sure to break up any chunks.
8. Take dough from the bowl and kneed on floured surface a few times. Kneed it down to 1/2 inch thickness, with a flat surface.
9. Cut with biscuit cutter and place on non-stick sheet.
10. Optional: top with shredded and/or grated cheese
11. Bake for about 15 minutes at 450 degrees.

PALE ALE BACON CHEESE BISCUIT & EGG SANDWICH WITH AVOCADO “SPREAD”

After the biscuits were cooled, I scrambled 2 full eggs + 1 egg yolk with salt & pepper. In a small mixing bowl, I mashed up half an avocado with 1 clove of finely minced garlic, salt, pepper and a couple of shakes of hot sauce. I cut a biscuit in half, spread the avocado mix on the top and bottom and then put the pile of scrambled eggs between the two sides.

Verdict? AWESOME!

Note: This sandwich would probably have benefited from another 2 slices of bacon or a sausage patty, but as is it was still damn tasty!

Note: These biscuits would pair very well with beer chili. Check out my Ten Fidy “Texas” style recipe!

BASIC “BISQUICK” BEER BISCUIT RECIPE

Ingredients

• 4 cups biscuit mix
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle (or can) of pale ale
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Dissolve the sugar in the beer, adjusting the sugar according to how “bitter” a beer you use.
3. Mix all ingredients well.
4. Either put the dough into well greased muffin containers or place balls of dough on a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Note: Feel free to modify this recipe in any way by adding extra ingredients.

Thursday — February 11th

1. OYSTER FEST — Magnolia Brewpub — San Francisco, CA

• About The Event: Magnolia’s menu featured 5-6 west coast varieties of freshly shucked oysters plus oysters prepared in other various ways including: marinated, BBQ’d, Rockefeller, in chowder and a Hangtown Fry, frisee salad w/quail egg & oyster vinaigrette, and even rocky mountain oysters. Featuring Magnolia and 21st Amendment oyster stouts.
• Beer Highlights:
  • Magnolia’s Oyster Stout (draft): Right on point, true to style. Lots of toasted, roasted dark malts. VERY dry and perfectly attenuated. Mouthfeel was nice and creamy. Lots of flavor and relatively light in body. I enjoyed this beer tremendously.
  • 21st Amendment’s Oyster Stout (draft): 4.9% alcohol / 35 IBUs. Deep, rich black color. Sweet toffee and coffee aromas and flavors. Brewed with Hog Island Oysters. This beer was not as dry (attenuated) as Magnolia’s, but nonetheless it was pretty damn good.
• Additional Highlights: The oysters Rockefeller were off the hook. And the BBQ oysters were awesome as well. As for highlights, enjoying the whole experience with Shaun O’ Sullivan of the 21st Amendment, Dave Buehler of Elysian Brewing Co., Richard Hay of Elizabeth Street Brewery and the very esteemed Dave McLean of Magnolia Brewpub.

2. SIERRA NEVADA BEER CAMP EVENT — Toronado — San Francisco, CA

• About The Event: Toronado released beers that were developed during the 2009 Sierra Nevada beer camp.
• Beer Highlights: I must admit, right out, that I only tasted one of the beer camp beers. This is because my good friend and companion for the night, Alexandra Newell, was participant in the Sierra Nevada 2009 Beer Camp. The beer that she contributed to is known as the “Edge of Darkness” — aka beer #12. Style-wise, it is classified as a “Wet Hopped Brown Ale” brewed with over 120lbs of fresh Centennial hops. When in Rome, right?
• Additional Highlights: The place was SWARMING with Sierra Nevada people — brewers, representatives, sales staff, marketing crew … heck, even little Grossman was present. Somehow I ended up “charming” a group of men that decided it would be awesome to feed me Life & Limb. Oh the trials and tribulations of being a chick in the industry …

3. MEET THE BREWER, TYLER KING OF THE BRUERY — Le Trappe Cafe — San Francisco, CA

• About The Event: Despite being from “down south,” head brewer of The Bruery, Tyler King, made an appearance during San Francisco Beer Week. With him, he brought Melange No. Sechs, a special blend made for Valentine’s Day. I believe it was the first The Bruery event of SF Beer Week …
• Beer Highlights: Despite being rather “enamored” (okay, I’m a 26 year old beer geek ,cut me a freaking break) by the brewer, I was able to separate the personal side from the professional side … errr, for a hot minute.
  • Rugbrød: Described as being a Julebryg-style strong brown ale — inspired by the traditional Danish dark, wholegrain rye bread. Spicy, slightly bitter rye flavors with bready, nutty malts and a hint of roast. (ABV: 8.0%, IBU: 25, SRM: 20) MY verdict? Considering I have had it before, this was not a new experience. Style-wise, not my favorite. However, I do love rye bread — it is my bread of choice as a matter of fact — so I do see an appeal to this beer.
  • Mischief: Described as being a Hoppy Belgian-Style Golden Strong Ale. It is aggressively dry-hopped with American hops, which supposedly yields a layer of complexity and “mystery” to its fruity, dry Belgian-style character. Citrusy and resiny hops combine with ripe melon, pear and slight peppery spice to round out the beer. (ABV: 8.5%, IBU: 35, SRM: 5) MY verdict? Like its name suggests, this beer is mischievous, watch out for it. Easy to drink, yet high in alcohol. Amateurs, beware.
  • Saison De Lente: The Spring Saison. Light blonde in color with a fresh hoppiness and a wild and rustic brettanomyces character. According to The Bruery is is “Perfect for warmer weather and Spring celebrations.” (ABV: 6.5%, IBU: 35, SRM: 4) My verdict? Yeah, this was the beer I chose to drink for the duration of the night. Enough said.
  • Melange No. Sechs: Created specifically for Valentine’s Day, this is a blend of a bourbon barrel-aged Wheat Wine, bourbon barrel-aged Rugbrød & a one-off beer brewed with beets (for color), cocoa nibs & rose petals. Earthy, floral, & chocolate notes. (ABV: 9%) My verdict? NO COMMENT. If the brewer wants to express his errrr grievances about the beer, so be it. It’s not my place or desire to negatively review a beer.
• Additional Highlights: Tyler King was kind enough to grace us with his presence for a substantial amount of time this evening. Whether or not he was trying to escape, that is another story.

More to come! Stay tuned!

But the good news is that I’m back.

Last week I had the opportunity to partake in 7 of the 10 days of San Francisco Beer Week.

For me, the week started on Monday, February 8th and ended on Sunday, February 14th. I had the opportunity to meet and drink with many key craft beer industry individuals as well as hang out with a few of my fellow HopPress writers. Here is an abridged version of the events I partook in on my first three days:

MONDAY — FEBRUARY 8th

1. SOUR FEST — Triple Rock Brewery — Berkeley, CA

• About The Event: Festival featuring bottles and draft domestic and imported sour beers.
• Beer Highlights:
  • Lost Abbey’s Duck Duck Gooze (bottle): Gueuze style made from a blend of young and old barrel aged beers. This particular beer was my all-around favorite American beer of 2009. I made sure to get my fill of tasters on this tasty treat.
  • Lost Abbey’s Red Poppy (draft): Flanders-style red ale made with sour cherries and aged in French Oak barrels for one year. Prior to this evening, I had only tried Red Poppy in bottles. It was a lovely surprise to try this beer on draft.
  • Odonata’s Rosa (draft): Straight gueuze style beer, fermented with yeast compliments of Russian River Brewing Company and aged in oak for 20 months. HOT DAMN! This beer totally rocked my socks. Ridiculously tart. I cannot wait to see how this beer fairs at the 2010 GABF in the American Sours Category. Mark my words today, this beer will be in the top three — if not number one (watch out Captain Lawrence!)
  • Odonata’s Beersel (draft): Odonata’s first collaborative beer – made with the help of the Homebrew Chef, Sean Paxton. Sour ale made with raw wheat, pale malted barley and whole flower hops aged 10 years and fermented with Drie Fontenien yeast. Once again, the brewers at Odonata had me falling off my chair. Considering Drie Fontenien is my favorite gueuze producer of all time, it is easy to see why I liked this beer so much. I’m so excited that these guys are brewing up in NorCal where I live. I’m really looking forward to trying more of their beers!
  • Green Flash Super Freak (draft): Green Flash’s Le Freak Belgian-style Double IPA aged in San Pasqual Grenache wine barrels with Brettanomyces. I had the opportunity to try this beer during San Diego beer week as well. Belgian yeast, American hops, aged in wine barrels and spiked with brett — the beer has so much going on in it, it is ridiculous.
• Additional Highlights:
  • Tomme Arthur of Lost Abbey made a brief appearance. I got a hug
  • Had the opportunity to meet fellow HopPress writer, Mark Dredge. Mark smuggled over some BrewDog Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Tokyo* from across the pond. The HopPress/RateBeer crew was honored with a tasting of both beers. My opinion on TNP? Take a handful of dirt, some peet, lots of liquid smoke — add vodka, stir, filter and there you have it. But after saying that, I did not mind it. I like scotch and it is very “scotch-esque.”
  • Stephen Beaumont made an appearance. And I must apologize for you if you are a beer geek and do not know about Stephen Beaumont. He is a renowned beer writer, extremely well traveled and very knowledgeable on beer. I consider him to be one of my greatest mentors. Rumor has it, I may have an opportunity to write for/with him. Shhhh.
• Lots of celebrity beer writers/bloggers/brewers were in the house:
  • HopPress/RateBeer: Mario Rubio, Ken Weaver, Joe Tucker and well, ME!
  • Jay Brooks of Brookston Bulletin
  • Steve & Gale of Beer By Bart
  • Phil Lowry of Beer Merchants
  • Jon Weber of Beer Obsessed
  • Rick Sellers of Pacific Brew News (oh, and Odonata)
  • Shaun O’Sullivan of 21st Amendment
  
  
  

2. RARE BEERS FROM MOONLIGHT BREWING & MEET THE BREWER: BRIAN — Bobby G’s Pizzeria — Berkeley, CA

• About The Event: Rare beers from Moonlight Brewing Co. with special guest Brian Hunt, Moonlight’s owner/brewer.
• Beer Highlights:
  • Misspent Youth Pale Ale: “American” style Pale Ale. This beer is really unique. For this one time batch of beer, Brian did two extremely unique (and rather taboo?) hop additions. The first hop addition was into the mash ton. To my knowledge, no one has ever done this before. Brian made the second hop addition during the secondary wort. Again, this is something that I haven’t heard someone do before.
  • Working For Tips: This beer is really odd. It is completely hop free. Instead, Brian uses California Redwood “tips” to balance with the malts. The beer is smooth with a nice soft body and no bitterness. Malt character dominates, yet there is a very subtle woody characteristic mixed in. Overall, a very interesting beer.
  • Reality Czech Pilsner: It is what it says it is: a Czech Pilsner. When it comes to the lager styles, my palate tends to lean towards the novice side. However, saying this, Pilsner happens to be the one style of lager with which I’m most familiar. And in my opinion, this beer is true to style.
• Additional Highlights: Naturally, the main highlight of the evening was having the opportunity to learn about these unique beers from the man himself — Brian Hunt. I made the grave mistake about making a (novice) comment about brown ales and pale ales. As a result, Brian made it his mission to school me on the two styles, which was pretty damn awesome. And I’m actually glad that I made the (stupid) comment after all.

TUESDAY — FEBRUARY 9th

STRONG BEER MONTH — 21st Amendment — San Francisco, CA

• About The Event: February is strong beer month and, in celebration of it, 21st Amendment is featuring 7-8 different strong beers on tap every day. Unfortunately, I did not get the opportunity to try them all. And for a good reason. At 9-11%abv, I would not have made it home alive.
• Beer Highlights:
  • Blind Lust: Despite being a major hophead and huge fan of sours, this was my favorite beer of all the 21st strong beers on tap. Blind Lust is a blend of a Belgian Quad and  two year oak aged framboise. It comes in at 9.5% abv. My palate is very sensitive to alcohol content (especially in wine) and this beer was extremely drinkable. But then, the notable fruitiness definitely masks the alcohol.
  • Hop Crisis: This beer is a beast of a Triple IPA. Tons of pine, resin and citrus flavors. Although its a whopping 10.8% and intensely hoppy (85 IBUs), Hop Crisis is very drinkable. And by drinkable, I mean that I can handle drinking more than one tulip of it. Okay, maybe two is my limit.
  • Beer School: This beer makes me happy. Back in October, Shaun O’ Sullivan offered to let 9 year 21 A veteran and cofounder of  Beer School, John Foster, have free reign and brew a beer of his choice at 21 A. The result? A dry hopped Imperial Blonde that came in at 9.1% abv and 40 IBUs. And what did I think? It was damn tasty. DAMN tasty.
  • Two Lane Blacktop: Imperial Black IPA ringing in around 9.5% abv and 65 IBUs. I’m a big fan of the relatively “new” black IPA trend. It is interesting to have dark malts and intense hop presence in the same beer. Blacktop was both toasty and piney and relatively smooth for such a big beer.
• Additional Highlights: In lieu of partaking in some of the other official beer week events, I opted to spend the evening sipping on some of 21st Amendment’s strong beers with beer industry celebrities — Chad & Justin — of The Brewing Network. Unlike all the other beer week events, this was a more intimate and relaxing setting. I got to learn more about the two boys, The Brewing Network and most importantly, about beer.

WEDNESDAY — FEBRUARY 10th

1. MEET THE BREWERS OF LAGUNITAS — Toronado — San Francisco, CA

• About The Event: Toronado opened up its back room for a special vintage beer and local cheese pairing featuring Lagunitas beers and the brewers.
• Beer Highlights:
  • 2008 Old GnarleyWine: At 11% abv, this is the “Big Daddy” beer of the Lagunitas lineup. Very rich, syrupy, malty, sweet, caramel, toffee and virtually no bitterness detected. Not sure which of the two I preferred better.
  • 2009 Old GnarleyWine: See above.
  • 2008 Hairy Eye Ball: Described as a beer that “defies style” — one of the maltiest beers that Lagunitas creates. It is considered to be an American Strong Ale (9%) and it is released in the Winter. I got lots of caramel and brown sugar. No notable bitterness. Alcohol burn was mild.
  • 2008 Brown Sugga: Categorized as a Barleywine, this was by far my favorite beer in the lineup. Lots of caramel sweetness and brown sugar. Out of all the beers, I found this one to be the smoothest. It also paired best with the cheeses.
• Additional Highlights:
  • Obviously, the main highlight of the event was hanging out with Ron, Jeremy and many other members of the Lagunitas team. Those dudes are some of the freakin coolest people in the craft beer industry.
  • The cheese. All local. All yummy.
  • Got sausages from Rosemunde’s next door. OMFG. So good.

2. ELSYIAN & GREEN FLASH COLLABORATION — City Beer Store — San Francisco, CA

• About The Event: Special tapping of the Red Queen Saison — a collaboration beer between Elysian and Green Flash.
• Beer Highlights:
  • Red Queen: Winter Saison with rose hips, pink peppercorns and Pink Lady & Braeburn apples in conditioning. It was definitely fruity. The apples dominated the palate and the pepper yielded an interesting spiciness.
• Event Highlights: Meeting Dave Buehler from Elysian. He is one hella cool dude.

3. BILL BRAND TRIBUTE NIGHT – Barclay’s Restaurant & Pub — Oakland, CA

• About The Event: Memorial for late beer columnist Bill Brand. Tribute beers featuring some of Bill Brand’s favorite styles brewed by local breweries such as Valley Brewing, Black Diamond, Ale Industries and more.
• Beer Highlights:
  • Valley Brewing’s Bill Brandbic: Valley’s Calambic — aka a Central Valley California “Lambic” style beer. Fresh pomegranate juice was blended into Valley’s spontaneously fermented Luna Blanca and then other barrels of lab cultured barrel aged sours were blended to achieve the final product. Blended as a tribute to memorialize and celebrate the life of Bay Area beer writer Bill Brand.
• Additional Highlights:
  • As with all beer week events, lots of local beer celebrities & brewers were in the house. The most notable was Beer Chef Bruce Paton.
  • Barclay’s french fries were amazing.

Thanks for tuning into my first round of SF Beer Week recaps. Stay tuned for Round 2! Cheers!

Oyster Fest
Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery

1398 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Details:
February 11
2:00pm – 6:00pm
Admission: No Charge
Description:
Oyster and beer fans unite! 5-6 west coast varieties of freshly shucked oysters plus oysters every other possible way: marinated, BBQ’d, Rockefeller, in chowder and a Hangtown Fry, frisee salad w/quail egg & oyster vinaigrette, and yes, even rocky mountain oysters. Plus, plenty of Magnolia and 21st Amendment oyster stouts on hand, of course.

My Sour Valentine
City Beer Store

1168 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

Details:
February 11
6:00pm – 9:00pm
Admission: $40 (Tickets on sale 1/19)
Attire: Spruce and stylish…
Description:
Pucker up baby! Here’s just a smattering of the sours we will have on draft:
*Cascade Sang Noir
*Cascade Gold Yeller
*Deschutes Dissident 2008
Ticket includes: City Beer logo glass, (8) tastes of our sour drafts, and chocolate inspired bites. Additional draft beer for purchase. Cash only.
Purchase tickets at City Beer Store.

Two years ago, I would have been celebrating New Years with Champagne. But that was before I discovered “The Gueuze” during a fateful visit to Chicago in May of 2008.

From that moment on, I’ve celebrated every birthday with a gueuze in hand. In fact, I’ve celebrated almost every holiday, special occasion and celebratory moment since then with at least one gueuze present.

In my personal opinion, Lambics are quite possibly the most exciting and interesting style of beer. Ales and lagers are both fermented carefully with cultivated strands of brewer’s yeast -using tremendous control. On the other hand, Lambics are produced by spontaneous fermentation.

Although, my spontaneous nature has led to less than desired consequences in the past … I still pride myself for having such a free-spirited and adventurous personality. So what if I almost died jumping off an 80 foot cliff when I was in high school … I am still alive now, right?

I love the thrill of not knowing. I function well in chaos. As many of you may notice from following me on Twitter, I love jet setting at the very last minute. I am an adventurer and explorer. And this is why I love the concept of spontaneous fermentation.

The late and internationally renowned Beer Hunter, Michael Jackson, once referred to Lambics as the winiest of all the world’s beers.

As with many Belgian beers, Lambics are also subject to many regulations. In order to receive Lambic “certification” and label privileges, Lambics varieties must have Traditional Speciliaty Guaranteed (TSG) status.

The Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) is a trademark for an agricultural product or a foodstuff, which has a certain feature or a set of features, setting it clearly apart from other similar products or foodstuffs belonging to the same category. The product or foodstuff itmust be manufactured using traditional ingredients or must be characteristic for its traditional composition, production process, or processing reflecting a traditional type of manufacturing or processing.

So what exactly is all the traditional mumbo jumbo for Lambics?

The Lambic style can trace its roots back over 400 years, and has remained mostly unchanged from its introduction. The first written recipe is dated 1516.

Although it is impossible to confirm the origin of the word “Lambic” (”lambiek” in Flemish / Dutch), its most likely origin is the small town of Lembeek (”Lime Creek”) – a municipality close to Brussels. Today, Lambic production is concentrated in the western part of Brussels and in the nearby “Pajottenland”.

The definition of Lambic was set out in a series of Belgian Royal Decrees in the 1960’s and 70’s. These determined that Lambic must be made from at least 30% unmalted wheat at a gravity of no less than 11 Plato.

Lambic wort is usually composed of 60-70% barley malt and 30-40% unmalted wheat. Lambic beers are typically made from an original density (wort-strength) of 11.75-13.5 Plato (12.7 is the classic level) with an alcohol content of around 5.0-6.5% by volume.

Lambic beers use a variety of mashing regimes – some being very long and elaborate. The traditional method involves making two separate mashes and heating each in individual kettles.

At the boiling stage, Lambic beers use far more hops than conventional beers – sometimes up to 6 times as many hops. HOWEVER … Lambics are NOT bitter. (We will get to the flavor notes later). One of the MAJOR differentiating factors about Lambics is that they use AGED HOPS, typically aged up to three years.

The object of aging hops is to diminish their aroma, flavor, and bitterness. INSTEAD, the hops are being used solely for their secondary purpose – to ward against unwanted infections and excessive oxidation.

Unlike conventional beers which usually boil for an hour or so, the Lambic boil lasts anywhere from 3 to 6 hours. After the boil, conventional beers are usually cooled in a heat exchanger. Lambics are not. Instead, Lambic wort will spend the night in a coolship.

Then it is on to fermentation.

Unlike with conventional beers, No yeast is artificial added to Lambic wort. Instead, Lambic wort is exposed to the open air of the “Zennevalei” aka the Senne-valley. Wild yeast cells, including Bretanomyces bruxellensis and Bretanomyces lambicus (which are always in the open air in the environment of Brussels), come into the wort and eventually result in spontaneous fermentation.

Due to the spontaneous fermentation, Lambic can be brewed only in the “winter season” (October-May). In summertime, there are too much undesirable bacteria, which can infect the wort and interfere with the natural fermentation.

Most ales and lagers are produced using only a few strands of yeast, while Lambics are typically made with around 86 yeast strands.

As you can imagine, spontaneous fermentation is a very lengthy process. The microorganisms involved in the creation of Lambics must work in a specific sequence. Each microroganism depends on the metabolized products of its predecessors. It takes about two to three years for the entire process to complete and to produce a mature Lambic.
The varieties of Lambic include: Straight Lambic (Lambic Pure), Faro, Fruit, Mars … and MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE, Gueuze.

Straight Lambic: Cloudy, uncarbonated (almost still), unsweetened and unblended draught beer. Generally three years old. Extremely hard to find. It is served in only one or two two cafés in Brussels and a handful in the area of production.

Faro: Unblended three-year-old lambic sweetened with rummy-tasting dark candy sugar and occasionally spiced. Also hard to find and typically found on draught. Sometimes available at Lambic cafés in a do-it-yourself version where sugar is added directly at the table by the drinker and crushed into the drink with a mortar. Faro was once the restorative for the working man in Brussels.

Mars: Traditionally referred to a weaker beer made from the second runnings of a Lambic brewing. It is no longer commercially produced.

Fruit: Lambic with the addition of whole fruit or syrup. Most common fruits include sour cherry (kriek), raspberry (framboise), peach (pêche), blackcurrant (cassis), grape (druif), or strawberry (aardbei). Rarer fruit lambic flavorings include apple (pomme), banana, pineapple, apricot, plum, cloudberry, and lemon. Fruit lambics are usually bottled with secondary fermentation. Lambic-based Kriek beers are the most traditional fruit brews.

Gueuze: Bottled, sparkling and easier to find. Made by blending young Lambic (6 months to 1 year old) with more mature vintages (2 to 3 years old). It is then bottled for a second fermentation (similar to Champagne and is actually bottled in Champagne bottles). The word Gueuze (hard “g”, and rhymes with “firs”) may have the same etymological origins as the English words gas and ghost, and the Flemish gist (”yeast”), referring to carbonation and rising bubbles.

Last spring – while drinking and eating my way through Chicago, I was introduced to the gueze. My first experience was with Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene – which absolutely blew my mind. I loved it so much, in fact, that I opted to drink Cuvee Rene for my last birthday (the quarter of a century celebration) in lieu of Champagne or sparkling wine. To this day, I find it very hard to choose between Gueuze and Champagne!

If you can locate a gueze, I highly suggest substituting your glass of Champagne with a glass of gueze while you ring in the New Year.

CHEERS to an excellent 2009, and CHEERS to the bright future of 2010!!!

SOURCES: Michael Jackson’s GREAT BEERS OF BELGIUM, Wikipedia

Humans have used mussels as food for thousands of years.

Mussels are particularly popular in Belgium, the Netherlands and France – where they are consumed with french fries (”mosselen met friet” or “moules frites”) or bread.

Depending on the source, mussel season is either considered to be any month ending in “-ber” (September – December) or any month that contains an “r” (September – April). Either way you see it, the month of December is prime mussel season.

Most people are not aware of the overwhelming nutritional content of mussels. A study at Harvard University found that mussels contain virtually the same amount of protein as T-bone steak — yet are significantly lower in calories and fat.

Mussels are also rich in iron, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, zinc, vitamins C and B12 and more essential Omega-3 fatty acids than any other shellfish.

Mussels can be smoked, boiled, steamed or fried in batter. NOTE: Regardless of the method of preparation, mussels MUST BE COOKED WHILE STILL ALIVE. Sounds kind of creepy, I know. But you will survive.

How does one know if the mussels are still alive?

Live mussels will be tightly closed. If slightly open, tap on the shell. If they close, they are still alive. If not, discard them.

How does one go about purchasing mussels?

Mussels should be purchases at a seafood counter in a grocery store or at a fresh fish market. If mussels are the main course, one should plan on purchasing at least one pound of mussels per person being served. Most seafood professionals will wrap the mussels in some sort of paper.

Mussels have the tendency to suffocate in plastic bags. So if served in this fashion, poke several small holes into the bag.

How does one go about storing mussels?

Mussels are best when prepared the day of purchase, but can last 5-8 days if stored properly. The best storage technique is to cover mussels with a damn cloth, wrap them with a newspaper and refrigerate them until use.

How does one go about cleaning and prepping mussels for cooking?

Thorough cleaning of mussels is EXTREMELY important. Prior to cooking, soak mussels in cool, clean fresh water for 20-30 minutes. Using your hands or a brush, rub any debris off the outer shell underneath running water.

Some mussels might come with a “beard”,  which can easily be removed. Just grab the fibers at the edge of the shell and tug them off. This should be done just before cooking and not much earlier.

How does one go about cooking mussels?

My personal favorite is the Belgian method of preparing mussels. In Belgium, mussels are typically steamed with fresh herbs and flavorful vegetables in a stock of butter and white wine or Belgian beer.

My particular recipe for this article uses Belgian beer instead of white wine. My particular favorite styles to use are the Belgian Wit, the Saison or the Gueuze.

THE BEER WENCH PRESENTS:

BELGIAN BEER STEAMED MUSSELS

INGREDIENTS

(NOTE: This recipe is for ONE serving only. Multiply each of the ingredients by number of desired servings!)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot: sliced
• 1/4 cup celery: thinly sliced or diced
• 1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound mussels: cleaned, debearded
• 1/2 bottle (roughly 6 ounces) Belgian beer:
• ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/8 teaspoon dried
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet; add shallots, onion and celery. Cook until softened (about 5 minutes).

2. Add mussels, beer, thyme, bay leaf, and butter. Add salt and pepper to personal preference. Cover.

3. Cook until mussels are open. This will take roughly 4-6 minutes. Keep pan moving frequently.

4. Discard mussels that do not open.

5. Serve in bowls with the beer broth and toasted bread. Pairs very well with Belgian beers — preferably the same style of beer used in the recipe!

If compelled, french fries also make a perfect accompaniment to this dish.

ENJOY! CHEERS!

The question I posed to the Hop Press team was: If you were a style of beer, what style would you be and why?

Allow me to present my Hop Press team, “on tap”:”

Mario Rubio

“It’s a style I like to call “Homebrewers Delight.” Big and malty, hoppy, strong, basically it’s usually the first brew you do when you decide to venture away from store bought recipes or kits.  More malt, more hops, more everything.  See Double Trouble from Lost Coast, Arrogant Bastard and Lucky 13 are also good commercial examples.”

Carla Companion

“I’d have to say that I would be a Hefeweizen. Tempting, but a little cloudy – its not always easy to see through me. I’ve got lots of flavors and I’m welcome year round. And, I tend to hang around with a lot of fruits!”

Steph Weber

“I’d be an ESB. It’s got a little bit of everything. Smooth, caramelly malt backbone, a respectable amount of bitterness, floral hop flavor and aroma, goes down easy. Sometimes it’s a little higher in alcohol and catches you by surprise. Basically, all-around awesome… You can tell I’ve got great self-esteem ”

Brian Cendrowski

I would be a Scotch Wee Heavy. I’m not really heavy, thus the “wee” part. I have blond hair and a flaming red beard, so I’m often mistaken for being Irish or Scottish, despite not having any of that lineage. Therefore, this style is really nothing like me, but I like keeping people guessing. I enjoy the contradiction. More than anything, I just like saying “wee heavy.” It’s fun.

Sean Nordquist

“My initial reaction to this question was to say Double IPA because of the bitterness; really just a joke about being older and a tad curmudgeonly.  But really, I like to think of myself as perhaps a specialty beer with a complex blend of flavors… bitterness giving way to sweeter, darker hints.  So maybe a double IPS that has been aged in an old bourbon barrel, bottled, then forgotten about in a cellar somewhere, discovered by an unsuspecting beer lover who can truly appreciate the complexity of her find.”

Lisa Morrison

“I have to say I’d be a Flanders Red. First off, I have red hair. And my heritage includes some Dutch and French. I’m effervescent, simultaneously sweet and tart — and I go great with food!”

Ken Weaver

“Even since leaving my previous career to focus on writing, I guess I’ve felt a lot like a low-alcohol saison or a German pilsener: quiet, somewhat hushed (my mannerisms have been more relaxed, my volume dropped; people ask me to speak up now); not timid, necessarily, but also not inclined to push myself upon others; overlooked?; not that either, but rarely the center of fanfare and never looking to be. Widely palatable, preferentially subtle, confident in the knowledge that light saisons and hoppy pilseners will eventually take over the world.”

Michael Agnew

“Right now I think I’m an American Brown Ale. Understated but not lacking in flavor. Sweet, but with an underlying bitterness. Darkly opaque unless you hold it up to a light. A bit toasty.”

Steve Koeneman

“While I love drinking loud/bold/strong hoppy beers, I am fairly quiet and thoughtful, so I would more likely be a deep, dark, intense and very complex barrel-aged Imperial Stout.”

PJ Hoberman

“Sour. Sometimes I don’t smell so good, but once you try me you’ll love me. And I leave a taste in your mouth. (I have no idea what my actual answer would be)”

Mark Dredge

“Something English but with American influence. Something a bit different, a relaxed kind of beer for sipping or glugging, with a creative twist to it, made by hard working hands in the early morning. Add this together and I guess I’m an English new-skool IPA, 7-7.5% ABV, with some blackberries or strawberries (picked at dawn from wild hedgerows) added to the boil or ferment. So I’d have a malty-caramel base with big hops, earthy but also fruity and juicy, bitter in the nicest possible way (Target, Fuggles, Centennial, Chinook…). A beer to make you think about what British beer can be; a beer to make you smile.”

Ashley Routson

“If I were a beer style, I would be Orval — the only beer that is its own style. My creation story is stuff of childhood fantasies (the Countess, the wedding band, the trout). I am the only Trappist beer to be dry-hopped, which makes me earthy & spicy. The Belgian candy sugar gives me an underlying sweetness. But the real kicker, is the Brett. Since I was inoculated with Brett at bottling, I am constantly changing in the bottle. Today I taste like an English IPA, but tomorrow I might be sour and reek of horse blanket. The wild yeast makes me unpredictable, yet I was purposefully inoculated which means that there is method in my madness.”

SO WHAT ABOUT YOU? What style of beer would you be an why? CHEERS!

The gods of fate must have looked fairly upon me over those few days. I was able to meet some key figures in the beer industry as well as taste some extraordinary and rare beers.

It all started when my guardian angel, Taylor Shaw (aka @TheArtofBeer on Twitter), took me to visit Stone Brewing Co. One of the first people I met there was the magnificent Wizard of Stone.

Until that moment, Dr. Bill Sysak was merely a legend in the beer geek folklore. For some time, I had been hearing stories from my fellow beer geeks about Dr. Bill’s beer events and I had even been teased with photos of his illustrious beer cellar.

Once I learned of my trip and itinerary for San Diego Beer Week, I made it a mission and a priority to stalk down –errr– seek out Dr. Bill. And as it turns out, Dr. Bill was not hard to find. In fact, his gregarious and charming presence was virtually hard to miss. And being the crazy extrovert that I am, I immediately approached Bill and introduced myself.

For those of you who have never heard of Dr. Bill, I suppose it is only proper of me to give you a more formal introduction. Dr. Bill’s “real” name is William Sysak.

In March of 2009, Dr. Bill Sysak took over as Beverage Coordinator of Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens. But even before he joined the team at Stone Brewing Co., Dr. Bill Sysak was well known in the beer industry for his elaborate in-home beer tasting events and his annual beer events during the Great American Beer Festival.

Having been an avid collector for over 20 years, Dr. Bill boasts a collection of over 1,000 beers. Some of his bottles are 30 and even 40 years old. He keeps all of his beers temperature regulated in various areas of his house.

In my opinion, Dr. Bill is a very good looking and charismatic gentleman. He is the epitome of a craft beer evangelist. I’ve never met someone more eager and willing to share his knowledge and passion for craft beer with the world.

My fondness for Dr. Bill must have struck a positive chord, as he took to me quite well. In fact, we hit it off so well that he offered to get me, and my two companions, Taylor Shaw & PJ Hoberman, into his sold out Belgian Beer & Cheese Tasting on the final day of San Diego Beer Week. Naturally, the offer was too good to refuse and we accepted right away. (But not without a big kiss)

As fate would have it, we ran into Dr. Bill every day during my visit to San Diego. But then again, we did visit Stone Brewing Co. everyday. So it was hard not to see him.

We arrived a few minutes early for the tasting, so we bellied up to the bar for a round of Stone beers. My choice was the Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale — a vigorously hopped Double BLACK IPA, which has definitely earned its right in my top 5 favorite Stone beers ever brewed.

Before we could even gulp down a few sips of our beers, we were summoned by Dr. Bill to the second story of Stone World Bistro & Gardens for the special Belgian Beer & Cheese Tasting event.

Much to my surprise (and utter delight), every seat was assigned with a name tag. And my name tag just happened to be to the left of … wait for it, wait for it … the one & only Dr. Bill. I was already honored to have received an invite to the sold out event. But, at this moment, I became humbled by the opportunity to sit next to Dr. Bill during one of his tastings.

But enough of my Dr. Bill infactuation, how about we talk about the beer and cheese?

PAIRING # 1

TRIPEL KARMELIET & CHIMAY TRAPPISTE CHEESE  washed in BEER

• BEER APPEARANCE: Hazy, honey gold color with a fluffy white head
• BEER AROMA: Heavy fruity esters of banana and hints of clove, hay & pale malts
• BEER TASTE: Candy sugar, sweet malts, citrus (lemony)
• BEER MOUTHFEEL: Smooth & creamy with medium carbonation and very low alcohol heat
• CHEESE: Light and creamy with a nice “bite” to it. The rind is slightly nutty and bitter.
• OVERALL PAIRING: The malt and the sugar balance the “bite” in the cheese & the bitter nuttiness of the rind. The cheese does a nice job of bringing out the fruity, citrus notes of the beer.

PAIRING # 2

TRAPPISTES ROCHEFORT 6 & ROCHEFORT with OUSESANT SEAWEED CHEESE

• BEER APPEARANCE: Hazy brown with chunks of yeast sediment and a light fluffy white head
• BEER AROMA: Caramel, candy sugar, fruity esters, light toast
• BEER TASTE: Sweet toasted caramel & brown sugar
• BEER MOUTHFEEL: Light to medium in body, creamy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation
• CHEESE: Briny & sharp with noticeable saltiness from the seaweed. Possesses a slight spinach & green vegetable quality.
• OVERALL PAIRING: The sharpness and brininess from the cheese is balanced nicely by the sweet malts of the beers. Neither one over powers the other.

PAIRING # 3

ORVAL TRAPPIST ALE & CHIMAY GRAND CRU CHEESE

• BEER APPEARANCE: Hazy amber, gold color with large fluffy white head
• BEER AROMA: Candy sugar, pale malts, earthy brett (horse blanket, barnyard) & spicy hops
• BEER TASTE: Spicy, earthy, slight bitterness & astringency, hints of candy sugar & a slight sourness
• BEER MOUTHFEEL: Medium bodied, creamy & smooth with a dry finish
• CHEESE: Super creamy with a mild barnyard funk. Rind has a pleasant nuttiness to it.
• OVERALL PAIRING: The funk in the cheese compliments the funk in the beer. Neither is “too funky” for the other. Both MATCH each other in texture and in body — i.e.: both have a creamy mouthfeel, long lasting flavor and are slightly bitter and funky.

PAIRING # 4

TRAPPISTES ROCHEFORT 8 & PASSENDALE CHEESE

• BEER APPEARANCE: Very cloudy, medium brown color with a thin white head. Noticeable chunks of yeast in the glass.
• BEER AROMA: Brown sugar, caramel malts, toasted nuts & fruity esters
• BEER TASTE: Rich sweet caramel & nuts, fruity with hints of figs, raisins & brown sugar
• BEER MOUTHFEEL: Medium bodied, slightly viscous with noticeable heat from alcohol
• CHEESE: Semi-hard, bitter & VERY sharp. The briny rind appears more mild than the cheese.
• OVERALL PAIRING: The sharp bite from the cheese helps to cut the malty, viscous body of the beer. The beer becomes more nutty & less sugary with every bite of the cheese. The flavors of the cheese linger longer than the beer.

PAIRING # 5

WESTMALLE DUBEEL & VAL DIEU ABBEY BOUQUET des MOINES CHEESE

• BEER APPEARANCE: Very cloudy, medium brown color with a thin, creamy off-white head. Chunks from yeast are apparent.
• BEER AROMA: Lots of fruity esters, raisins, caramel, banana & clove yeast aroma
• BEER TASTE: Rich caramel & toasted malts with a concentrated raisin and fig flavor, reminiscent of chocolate chip cookie dough
• BEER MOUTHFEEL: Medium bodied, creamy & smooth
• CHEESE: Overwhelmingly funky, lots of sweet hay & barnyard funk, manure — the “whole barnyard experience”
• OVERALL PAIRING: The cheese is overwhelmingly potent. The barnyard smell of the cheese almost entirely consumes the nose. Yet, the heavy texture of the beer and the richness of the malt help to make the cheese more tolerable. Overall though, this cheese completely through everyone for a loop.

PAIRING # 6

St. Bernardus ABT 12 & AFFLIGEM CHEESE

• BEER APPEARANCE: Very cloudy — cannot see thought it at all. Medium brown color with a thin white head that contains very tiny bubbles.
• BEER AROMA: Apple pie, lots of spices (cloves & cinnamon), hints of brown sugar & fruity esters
• BEER TASTE: Extremely figgy, slightly tart and moderately nutty
• BEER MOUTHFEEL: Medium bodied, well-carbonated and, despite the high alcohol content, not very viscous
• CHEESE: Very creamy, slightly bitter. EXTREMELY pleasant after the last cheese.
• OVERALL PAIRING: Sharpeness of the cheese is cut but the sweet nuttiness of the beer. Both have a creamy mouthfeel and medium body. Very well-paired.

PAIRING # 7

TRAPPISTES ROCHEFORT 10 & MAREDSOUS ABBEY CHEESE

• BEER APPEARANCE: Very dark brown color and extremely cloudy. Heavy amounts of yeast in suspension.
• BEER AROMA: Apple pie, caramel malts … Taylor says it is reminiscent of her mothers homemade apple pie with toffee cream sauce drizzled on top.
• BEER TASTE: Fruity & sweet with lots of spice.
• BEER MOUTHFEEL: Very viscous, thick, rich & heavy with a noticeable warmth from the high alcohol content.
• CHEESE: Hard cheese, mild compared to the rest of the cheeses from the day. Mild rind with slight nuttiness.
• OVERALL PAIRING: The high gravity of the content definitely overpowered the mildness of the cheese. Which, at this point, was totally OKAY BY ME, since this beer is absolutely amazing and I wouldn’t have wanted the cheese to interfere with its flavor anyways.

Overall, the pairings were perfect and the line-up was extremely impressive. The best part of the entire event was Dr. Bill’s amazing story telling ability. Instead of lecturing to us (and boring us) about the science behind each beer style and cheese, Dr. Bill provided compelling and interesting information about each of the breweries and cheese makers.

It wasn’t until the very end of the event that Dr. Bill revealed to us that there were “beer celebrities” in attendance. Three generation of male Norgroves from the Bear Republic Brewing Company in Healdsburg, CA were there (although, the youngest was obviously underage).

On a final note, the afternoon could not have been more perfect. I got to enjoy a fantastic beer & cheese experience with two of my best of friends in the entire world as well as have the honor of being in the presence of Dr. Bill. This afternoon will be an afternoon that I shall never forget!

Special Thanks to: Taylor Shaw, Dr. Bill & Stone Brewing Company! Cheers!

As for my book nerdiness, where shall we start?

Growing up, I was definitely a book geek. On my 10th birthday, my parents gave me 50 books. I woke up to a trail of books from my bedroom door, down the stairs … and into the living room. I was ecstatic. (Especially since a good number of them were R.L. Stine’s Goosebump books.)

My love for reading has never stopped, although my habits of reading have changed quite drastically. Instead of burying my nose in a book, I now find my eyes glued to the computer screen. In order to write my blog, I must read. I do almost all of my research on the Internet and, from time to time, I get a small percentage of information from books.

I am obsessed with all things food and beverage. Food, beer and wine consume my life. So naturally, my current book collection almost entirely involves food & beverage.

My newest toy is  “What to Drink With What You Eat.” I wanted it so bad that I bought it for full retail price (which is odd for me because I usually try to buy my books used online).

Product Description
The most comprehensive guide to matching food and drink ever compiled, by the James Beard Award winning author team of Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, with practical advice from more than seventy of America’s leading pairing experts

In a great meal, what you drink is just as important as what you eat. This groundbreaking food and beverage pairing reference allows food lovers to learn to think like a sommelier, and to transform every meal – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Wench’s Description
This book is ridiculously fun. As someone who knows food & beverage extremely intimately, it is  a great reference tool. But more than that, this book helps to confirm and support my own beliefs and decisions about pairings. I do not find myself using this book for suggestions, but more as a checks and balances for my own personal ideas. Sometimes I use this book to give my pairing suggestions. However, sometimes instead of creating a pairing menu based on the information in this book, I turn to the contents of this book to defend my decisions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another book in my library is Michael Jackson’s “Great Beers of Belgium.” This book was given to me by one of my best friends, ironically another guy named Josh (having the name Josh might be a predisposition to drinking good beer.)

Product Description
Many a beer sophisticate is surprised by the diversity, individuality and ubiquity of Belgian beer. Here, beer expert Michael Jackson enthusiastically discusses the history and inner workings of this quiet, quirky brewing behemoth of Belgium. He explains the origins of manstic brewing, the good fortune of spiders on Lambic breweries, the reasoning behind using orange peels, coriander seeds and stale hops in the brewing process. Thorough tasting notes are oncluded, providing a reference point for the reader’s own beer hunting. Fully revised with a brand new layout and 300 more photographs than previous editions, this book contains a list of addresses of the most important Belgian brewers, plus all the practical information on brewery visits, overnight accommodation and local restaurants and eateries.

The Wench’s Description
It is no secret that The Wench admires “The Beer Hunter” … aka Michael Jackson. In fact, I am rather obsessed with him. And I strive to be the female version of him. I understand, however, that his knowledge of beer is not something I can acquire overnight. Heck, it will take decades of studying beer, making beer, traveling the world … to gain even a quarter percentage of his knowledge. However, reading his books is a good starting point.

Plus, I love Belgian beers. And this book is the FOREMOST resource on Belgian beers. Hands down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last book that I want to mention (I don’t want to bombard you with my entire collection of food, wine & beer books all at once!!!) … is “Brewing Up A Business”by Dogfish Head Founder, Sam Calgione.

Product Description
Entrepreneurial dreams do come true! Starting with nothing more than a home brewing kit, Sam Calagione founded Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and made it America’s fastest growing independent beer. This unconventional business story reveals how Calagione found success by dreaming big, working hard, and thinking differently-and how you can do it too.

The Wench’s Description
When I first started reading this book, I was in a huge crossroads in my life. I had left a job in the industry that I loved more than anything itself to pursue what I thought was a more prestigious career in business. Don’t get me wrong, it was a GREAT job with an AMAZING company and WONDERFUL people. But my love for all things food & beverage haunted me every day. I knew that I needed to do something different. But I needed the courage to move on.  Reading this book did not help me find my path in life or help me realize who I wanted to be or what I wanted to do and accomplish in my life. BUT it did inspire me to follow my passions. And so … I did.

Not to mention, Sam Caglione is one cool (and very good looking) dude. His approach to entrepreneurship is both refreshing and inspiring. I love his style of writing and the way he speaks to his readers. Regardless of your love for beer, this is a great read!

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This is a just a brief peek into my personal library. I hope that some of your will find these books as important and useful as I have and continue to every day.

For more on Brews and Books, check out Josh’s blog!

Cheers!