Showing posts with label pepper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pepper. Show all posts

Saturday, July 28, 2012

526. Anchorage Galaxy White IPA w/ Brett

I tried a bottle of this in San Francisco in May, and was quite impressed with the mix of funk and hops, so when I saw it in Dayton, I was happy to grab another bottle. Anchorage Brewing Company is a newer brewery, and Gabe Fletcher is focusing on barrel fermantation along with brettanomyces and other souring cultures. Which sounds pretty much right up my alley.

Galaxy White IPA pours a soft, cloudy, and very pale straw with a white mousse-y head that is, to say the least, long-lasting. As in it never goes away. The nose is equal parts delightful and beguiling. I’d probably still be smelling it if I didn’t want to get down to the drinking: there’s barnyard with musty earth, straw, pepper spiciness, and a delicate perfuminess that is either the yeast or the coriander, followed by a touch of horse blanket. The hoppiness comes out as the brettanomyces airs out (or, more likely, as I get more used to it) as does citrus and fruit zest. In other words, the brett has really started to make its presence felt in this beer—the bottle I had in San Francisco in May was good, but not nearly so funky. And I do like the funk. Flavors start with cracker and biscuit malt flavors, as well as a touch of candy. The hint of funk in the front blossoms into barnyard in the middle, along with bitterness, spiciness, and a touch of bright citrus. The finish is dry earth and straw accompanied by lingering brett flavors and a mineral tang mixed with pith and citrus rind. Carbonation is spritzy bright and dry; it is slightly brut-like via the barnyard in the brett, and the dry, dry mouthfeel comes across as almost dusty as it runs over the tongue. This is an excellent and delightful beer; it is probably more of a wild ale than an IPA at this point, but I do appreciate and certainly enjoy the experimentation: much like some of the funked beers I’ve made, once the bugs have a chance to get a foothold, the hop character starts disappearing as the funky cracker lactic bite grows, although it is currently still present in this beer. I might need to buy another bottle to pitch in the basement to see how it continues to develop. And by might I mean will.

From the bottle: “Ale brewed with Galaxy hops, coriander, kumquats, and peppercorns. Fermented and aged in French oak foudres with a wit yeast. Dry hopped with Galaxy hops. Bottle conditioned with brettanomyces and wine yeast. Drink fresh or age to bring out the funk.”

ABV: 7%
IBU: 50
Batch #2 April 2012

(7/28/2012)

Monday, November 23, 2009

146. McTarnahan’s Lip Stinger Farmhouse

Our second beer from McTarnahan’s; our last one was Grifter IPA, and the inspiration for our Vagabond-themed Beer Contest, which no one has yet bothered to enter. Go figure. Blogging really is like typing something up and then throwing it right into the trash can, isn’t it? Thanks, Robert Frost.

Lip Stinger is a Farmhouse Ale brewed with Peppercorns; it pours a hazy gold with a thin creamy head that leaves some slight lacing on the glass. The nose has a slightly Belgian sour aroma that is also slightly musty with some estery accents. There is also some candy sweetness mixes with some breadiness—most of this is very light and gentle, but it creates an interesting and enjoyable nose. The front is marked by a soft candy front with some spiciness (mainly coriander) and herbal notes; the middle moves into citrus flavors and some light bitterness before finishing dry with some tartness and peppery spiciness. Citrus does run across the entire flavor profile. Lip Stinger has a light body with bright, lively carbonation that bites in the middle to draw out some creamy citrus flavors; it is also dry from being well-attenuated. Overall, Elli calls this one of the more drinkable saisons we’ve come across—she’d drink it of her own choosing. It’s not the most complex, but is very enjoyable and drinkable, with solid, interesting flavors.

From the McTarnahan’s website: “Lip Stinger is an effervescent and rustic farmhouse ale. This limited release ale is fermented with cracked peppercorn to introduce a spicy nose and warming mouth feel that will deliver a flavor sensation that is endlessly interesting. Enjoy the heat….and no pouting!!”

ABV: 4.8%
IBU: 32
Malt: 2 Row, Pilsen, & Wheat
Hops: Saaz & Mt. Hood
Spice: Malaysian and Indian 4 pepper blend

(11/23/2009)