BALL DROPPED ON BEER VETTING

More than any other beverage in the world, people identify with the brand of beer they drink. If you like to think of yourself as the rugged outdoorsy-type, it’s quite possible that you love the “head for the mountains” attitude of a Busch beer or drink Coors which has been marketed as a “refreshment as cold as the Rockies.” If you daydream every day about sunning yourself on a pristine beach as you sit typing TPS reports in the cubicle at your 9-5, it’s quite probable that at 5:02pm you’re on your way to drinking a Corona.

These are stereotypical images, yes, but in our experience, generally speaking and flavor aside, the type of beer people drink usually says something about who that person wants to be or who that person wants to be seen as. That’s Advertising and Marketing 101. But that leads us to the question: In a year where the current administration has been fraught with vetting issues, why oh why would someone have let Sgt. Jim Crowley - the man lambasted as a racist and accused of acting ‘stupidly’ – why oh why would anyone have let him drink a Blue Moon, a Belgian-style WHITE ale?

And did anyone happen to notice that Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., the man at the center of the racial controversy was considering of drinking a Red Stripe, a beer which is often associated with its country of origin, Jamaica, and all the Rastafari / Reggae implications (fair or unfair) that go along with that lifestyle: which, according to Wikipedia, alludes to “Afrocentric social and political aspirations” and other things that could be frightening to white people. Thank God he changed his mind and went with the local (well, East Coast anyway) brewer, Sam Adams.

Whose job was it to vet the beer choices consumed at the most widely broadcasted, written, tweeted, and blogged about happy hour east of the sun? Just because one doesn’t necessarily have to worry about a beer having “tax problems,” doesn’t mean that a beer can’t speak volumes about its drinker’s character. President Obama picked a Bud Light – crisp, clean, refreshing, literally the most popular beer in the world and a seemingly safe, politically correct choice. The President of the United States drinking Bud Light looked about as wholesome as babies, football and apple pie. Except for the fact that Bud Light is no longer owned by a U.S. company. (In fact, none of the beers are from American-owned companies.) Oh, and also that the choice of a huge overseas corporation irked a lot of local craft and artisanal brewers who thought that the time had finally come for craft beer to be welcomed into the White House and publically lauded by the President of the United States.

For craft brewers it was as if President Obama drove up to the “Beer Summit” in a Toyota. In the political arena, nothing is just a little thing. Everything is scrutinized and politicized. And the lack of forethought that went into the implications of these beer choices is astounding in these hyper-mediac times. Obama might as well have been drinking Daschle Ale or Bill Richardson Pilsner.

We’ve been (ahem) “vetting” beer for years now and as beer sommeliers have immersed ourselves in the beer culture. We would have been happy to offer these fully vetted suggestions. Here are some craft beers that we would have chosen if we had been asked, which we obviously were not (Call us, Rahm Emanuel) for the illustrious “Beer Summit:”

Death and Taxes, Moonlight Brewing Co. Fulton, California: Nothing is certain but death and taxes. But this schwarzbier is certainly a good way to bridge the gap. With roasty toasty coffee notes, this is a dark beer with a light body. ‘nuff said. 4.2% Alcohol by Volume (ABV).

Collaboration Not Litigation, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, Colorado: A Belgian Strong Dark Ale with notes of dark fruit, spice and molasses. This ale is actually a collaboration between two breweries who released a beer of the same name, Salvation, they chose to work together on a brew instead of fight over the name. Can’t we all just get along? 9% ABV.

Brew Free or Die!, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, California: An American-style IPA served in a classic can. Bitter enough to cut through politics as usual, but balanced with a malty sweetness that will keep racial tempers from flaring up. 7.2% ABV.

Tea Bagged Furious, Surly Brewing Co., Brooklyn Center, Minnesota: Perhaps the gentlemen at the summit needed a little distraction and comic relief, in which case we suggest the topic of another media-fueled feud: The Rachael Maddow vs. Lou Dobbs fight, accompanied by this appropriate conversation-starter beer. Another American IPA with a much bigger punch than the above mentioned. The hops in this brew would have kicked away any memories of ‘mother’ comments, I.D. mix-ups, or ‘stupid’ foibles. ABV Unknown.

There’s one more beer we’d like to suggest:

Arrogant Bastard, Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, California: This one’s for us! 7.7% ABV.

Or maybe we should all just have had Black and Tans……

By Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune

MY BOOK - THE NAKED PINT - AVAILABLE FOR PRESALE

You know that thing that's been keeping me from being a good blogger? That ethereal book that only existed because I said it did? Well, now - hopefully - you can see that I'm not a big fat liar. The book that I wrote with fellow beer chick Hallie Beaune, The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer, is now available for pre-sale at Barnes and Noble and Amazon, as well as other online retail outlets. Hooray! Here's the description"

In The Naked Pint, Perozzi and Beaune offer a down-to-earth guide to craft and artisanal brews that celebrates beer for what is truly is: sophisticated, complex and flavorful. Covering everything from beer basics to the science behind beer, food and beer pairings, home brewing, and tips for perfecting one's palate. This edgy no-nonsense guide exposes hidden truths, debunks misconceptions, and reveals the power that comes from knowing your ales from a hole in the ground!

We also got two rock stars of the beer world to read it and here's what they said:

"The Naked Pint is a great read for anyone interested in all things beer - from beer style descriptions to cooking with beer to brewing your own beer at home. The authors know their stuff; they understand that beer can be complex without being overly complicated and take beer seriously but don't take themselves too seriously."

-Sam Calagione, President Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

"No one turns people on to beer the way that Christina and Hallie do. Along with their passion and expertise, they bring a wit and levity that exemplify the renegade spirit of craft beer. They possess the skills of a sommelier..yet take you on the even more inspired journey into craft beer."

-Greg Koch, CEO and co-founder, Stone Brewing Co

Also, please check out the newly launched website for the book thenakedpint.com to get more book release and book tour information! Yeah, I'm an author!

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BEERS FOR YOUR NON-BEER DRINKING FATHER

Remember how I told you in my Mother's Day blog last year that my dad was a Lindemans Peche drinker, and that I didn't really want to talk about it? Well, after many sessions of group family therapy, I can tell you that, yes, it's true. My name is Christina and my father drinks girlie beers (and the crowd says "Hi Christina.") It's fine. I'm okay. I've learned acceptance and I've come to realize that my father is my father. He is who he is, and I'm not going to change him. I'm sure that not even public humiliation in the form of a blog post from his only daughter will get him to start really drinking beer.

From what I've gleaned from my time on this earth, is that most people don't have a difficult time getting their fathers to drink beer. There's the game watching, the pool playing, the fight watching, the car washing, the golf, the barbecues. Nope, not my Dad. I mean, he does some of those activities, just none of them are accompanied by a beer.

Using lines like, "If you loved me, you'd attend," I have forced him to come to some of my beer events, however. And at those events he will begrudgingly try the beers that I give him. And to my astonishment, he's liked a few of them. And so, without further ado or fanfare, I will list the beers that you can give to a Peche Lambic drinking, comfortable with his own masculinity and not needing to drink beer to prove it kind of dad.

I hope this list is useful to the 5 of you who may or may not exist on the planet Earth.

Malheur Biere Brut - De Landtsheer - Buggenhout, Belgium, 11% abv.
The fact that my Dad liked this beer shocked the hell out of me almost as much as it did when my mother loved Jahva Imperial Coffee Stout. I thought that this biere de champagne would be way too high alcohol content for him, but he loved it. I should have guessed because the malt and spice level is quite high that he would have. The only problem is that this beer is quite expensive - for a beer - over $40 at the store. And since my Dad will only eat at restaurants that accept coupons and give free refills, the biere de champagne that I gave him for last year's Father's Day is still sitting unopened like a frosty trophy in the fridge in his garage in Temecula, CA. Its being saved for an unknown special occasion that will never come. And no, he's not trying to age it.

The Lost Abbey Lost and Found Ale - San Marcos, CA - 8% abv.
This was another beer that my father actually enjoyed. It was paired at the time with a really great blue cheese with raisin bread and walnuts, so my dad was all over it. Clovey and spicy with hints of dark fruit - figs and plums. I think I'm getting it. My Dad likes malty, spicy beers with an undisputed high alcohol content. Okay, now I'm starting to understand!

Aventinus - G.Schneider & Sohn - Kelheim, Germany - 8% abv.
Bill also dug this delicious malty beer as well. Aventinus is "the world's oldest top-fermenting wheat doppelbock." Again spicy, and again with notes of raisins, dates, figs, prunes, bananas and cloves. This beer is deceptively light-bodied on the palate but will kick your ass.

And that's it. Those are the beers my Dad likes so far. Please wish me good luck as I continue my quest to convert him - and my mother. Luckily my brother drinks beer, but I can guarantee you that his fridge is stocked with a 12 pack of Coors Light. What's a beer chick to do? But I digress. What I meant to say is Happy Father's Day to my non-beer drinking, non-reading my blog Dad. I love you!

Written by The Beer Chick, June 16, 2009

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CATHERINE THE GREAT - THE 1ST BEER CHICK

Did I tell you that I'm dating a hot Russian guy now? Oh yes, I am. And for some reason, I seem to be drinking a lot more Russian Imperial Stout (RIS). (I know there's a real dirty joke in there somewhere, but let's not go there.) Of course, hearing the name of this beer, one assumes that it comes from Russia. But you know what happens when you assume?

NOT from Russia, this amazing style of beer is actually a British invention. The Anchor brewery (no not the one in San Francisco) were the originators of this strong dark and rich beer that is generally much maltier, smokier and stronger than other English or Irish style stouts. Why Russia then?

Well, supposedly, in days of yore, the Empress of Russia Catherine the Great loved the style and demanded large quantities of the ebony elixer shipped to the Baltic and beyond. Some say that the beer was fortified with a high percentage of alcohol in order for it to make this long journey over land. Fortunately the beer lasted the distance and Catherine's love of this stout made it immensely popular not only in her native Russia, but in England as well. In fact, it is said that her support of the beer way back in the 1780's is what has contributed to this beer style's popularity even today.

I love this style, but previously, I really only drank it in the winter, when the alcohol would warm my bones when the temperature would dip below 60 degrees (c'mon, I'm in L.A.) But now that I've been concentrating on things Russian, I realize that it's a wonderful year-round beer! Here are some of the Russian Imperial Stouts I've been imbibing as of late:

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
North Coast Brewing Company - Ft. Bragg, CA
Tsarina Alexandra, the last Tsaritsa of Russia is known for her destructive and notorious friendship with the mystic Grigori Rasputin. And while this Old Rasputin from North Coast might be dark, there's no hidden agenda here! This beer is like espresso, with secondary notes of bittersweet chocolate and licorice. Its deliciously deceptive at 9% abv. This is my go to RIS.

Ten Fidy Imperial Stout
Oskar Blues Brewery - Lyons, CO
Thick, black and super creamy, this RIS is huge. Huge coffee and huge chocolate this beer has a hot malty dark molassas sweetness. Lots of smokey goodness in this beer. Oh, did I tell you that its in a can? Gotta love that! 9.5% abv.

Dark Lord Imperial Stout
Three Floyds Brewing Co. - Munster, IN
Super rich with big chocolate and vanilla, this beer comes in at a huge 13% abv. Super sweet and smooth, this beer has roasty and smokey notes almost like charcoal, with - dare I say - notes of soy sauce (but in a good way.) Virtually no head, this beer is like engine oil (also in a good way.) Darkness is spreading ladies and gentlemen.

The Czar Imperial Stout
Avery Brewing Company - Boulder, CO
Once again, this RIS shines with flavors of cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, caramel, toffee. Big espresso flavors with tons of sweet dark fruit. This one actually has a nice hop presence providing a bit of a balance. But its still a sweet, creamy, fruity, smokey dream. 11% abv.

I know I said it before, but it's important to remind y'all that Russian Imperial Stouts generally have a very high alcohol content. We're talking 10% and upwards. You know I'm okay with that, but be careful when you're drinking these, as you can easily end the night ass up. As a matter of fact, these beers used to be marketed using the tagline "Strong as a double scotch, less than half the price." YEAH! In this economy, we need some more bang for our buck. Speaking of the Russian hottie...


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A LITTLE DECADENCE

So, I'm finally back for real! The book is done. The rewrites are done! And now I can get back to what I love doing best. Drinking great beer and writing about it. I won't ever leave you like this again! It's time for a little celebration. In fact, I celebrated a little too hard the other night and one of my friends said that our debauchery was "decadent," like it was a bad thing. That got me thinking about the last time I had some decadence in my life.

I mean, I know that the economy is in the tank, but does that mean that we all have to give up decadence? I think not. Now is just the time to take the escapist route and enjoy beer, especially because its cheaper than wine and champagne and spirits. Hell, let's have a little decadence...and by that I mean Decadence Anniversary Ale the seasonal treat from Alesmith Brewing Company in San Diego, CA. (Insert cheering crowd here.)

Decadence was released in 2005 to celebrate Alesmith's 10 year anniversary. Each year its different, and each year the beer embodies the definition of, what else? Decadence! For instance, 2005 was a smooth and rich English-style Old Ale, 2006 (which was awesomely nicknamed "Dead by Dawn") was a caramelly and resinous American Strong Ale, 2007 was a smokey and piney Imperial Porter, and 2008 was a traditional fire spit inducing and toffee tinged English-style Barleywine.

Thanks to Ryan Sweeney, who is owner of the fabulous beer bar Verdugo in L.A., I was lucky enough to try a special barrel aged version of the '07 Imperial Porter, and it was SICK in its goodness. This beer started out with notes of chocolate, toffee and caramel and won the gold medal at the 2008 San Diego County Fair's Craft Brewer's Competition. Imagine it now aged in bourbon barrels, and all that vanilla, Maker's Marky, woody, oakey goodness. This beer poured a brown engine oil with a creamy white head with secondary notes of dark fruit and coffee. I almost died it was so good! I keep imagining what this beer will taste like when it has even more age on it. Oh and it's 10% abv. And you know how much I like that.

Oscar Wilde said "America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but if Barbarism or Civilization are beers a fraction as good as Decadence, I'm willing to try them!

If you see this beer anywhere, do what you can to get it. Trade, steal, sell your guitar, whatever. It'll be worth it.

LIFT A PINT FOR ST. PADDY

If you are a beer aficionado like me, you know that drinking green beer isn't the way to celebrate this beer drinking holiday. Green beer is just the crappy fizzy yellow beer with food coloring. That's no cause for celebration! Celebrate with the "most Irish" of all beers styles, the Stout.

My writing partner, fellow beer chick and dear friend - beer expert and author Hallie Beaune wrote a great article for The Rundown today for St. Patrick's day about, just that! Yummy Stouts really are the best beer to drink if you'd like to honor the Irish in all of us.

Here are the five domestic craft Stouts Hallie recommends on the Rundown with which to imbibe this fine St. Paddy's Day!

Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
A smooth, easy-drinking stout. Velvety on the tongue, with notes of mocha and a nice hop presence on the finish for balance.

North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Like a shot of espresso or a dark, bitter bite of cacao-heavy chocolate, this brilliant stout is intense. A perfect nightcap, at 9.5% alcohol, it'll send you home singing.

Bison Organic Chocolate Stout
Brewed in Berkeley, this sustainable stout lets you be truly green on St. Patty's Day. With notes of subtle Dutch chocolate, it won't knock you over the head with saccharine Hershey bar flavors.

Alaskan Brewing Smoked Porter
Malt smoked over alder wood gives this beer a distinct flavor. Excellent when aged in a bottle (it mellows out the smokiness), so snag older vintages or store bottles in your closet for next year.

Deschutes Brewery's The Abyss
Aging in French Oak and Bourbon barrels gives this hard-to-find stout a depth worthy of its name. Savor notes of bitter chocolate, espresso, molasses and licorice before the 11% alcohol kicks in.

And make sure to check out the Rundown.

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FOR FRAOCH SAKE! HEATHER ALE

Me likey beer that gets creative with ingredients. Some of these beers are the new-fangled brain children like Craftsman Brewing Company's Cabernale that is made using Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and The Bruery's Trade Winds Tripel made with Thai Basil. Some other beers with funky ingredients harken back to older traditional styles and days of yore.

Take Heather Ale for instance. Having origins that date back to 2000 b.c., this is a delicious and delicate style from Scotland that uses, you guessed it, heather instead of hops to provide balance to the malt. Heather is one of Scotland's most prolific plants, growing over millions of acres as ground cover. Sweet, fragrant and strong, the Scots used this prolific plant instead of hops, which wouldn't grow in Scotland's climate.

And as is the Scottish way, there are many legends, poems, myths and folklore surrounding this ancient beer style. One story is that the first whisky was accidently made when heather ale was distilled by warming over a fire...and you know how I love the Scotch!

Another story is that an ancient Scots king, who after winning a bloody battle over the Pict tribe, found a Pictish father and his son by a cliff. The King, who wanted the secret recipe for the Heather Ale tortured the father and his son for it. The father finally agreed to reveal the secret if the King would kill his son quickly. The King agreed and threw the boy's body off the cliff. He turned to the father but he said, "But now in vain is the torture, fire shall never avail, here dies in my bosom the secret of the Heather Ale." Then he threw himself at the King and they both fell from the cliff. Isn't that heartwarming?

If you feel like trying this rare style of beer and being part of Scottish history, you should start with the Fraoch (pronounced FRAY-OOK) from The Brewery Craigmill in Lanarkshire, Scotland. This delightful beer is a light amber ale with floral peaty aroma, full malt character and a spicy herbal flavor and dry wine like finish. 5% abv.


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