Ladies of Craft Beer

Posted By: Sara Bryce

Dear Reviewers,

PLEASE REMEMBER: The craft beer drinking community is the life of craft breweries.

My fiancée works as a cellar man for a small brewery. This means he gets to do awesome stuff like get a picture holding “the Golden Keg” or meet unnamed cast members of Cheers at the local Oktoberfest celebration. This also means he gets to do some not-so-awesome stuff, like spending three hours in a crouched position bottling beer, or turning over 40 full kegs on a pinched nerve so that El Hefe can be stored upside down. He comes home most days aching; taking a fistful of ibuprofen and laying on the floor because it’s a flat surface. But, he loves his job.

Did you happen to click on that “El Hefe” link? That’s what I want to talk about today.  Pearl Street Brewery has a limited distribution radius, and isn’t even available throughout all of Wisconsin. And the exact thing that this brewery of nine employees pours its heart into has been reduced to a number rating out of 5 and a few short words, many of which are negative.

You may not realize how little information is available about the smallest breweries on the Internet; but when it comes to the small guys, anything you write about a random beer might affect the purchase of that beer by others. Really.

You.

People will be searching for certain craft beers on the Internet, and they’ll come across your blog or review. Do the craft beer community a favor and help it out a bit!

www.metrobrewing.com/main/index. html

I decided to finally write this out after reading a great comment left by Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery on a Beer Advocate thread. Yes, even though they may have had a television show, larger craft breweries are still actually small enough to care what you have to say about them on the Internet; and for a good reason. Dogfish Head isn’t sold in Wisconsin anymore, but the most often-heard response to my undying love for them is: “Oh yeah, Dogfish Head. Aren’t they over-rated?” No, they’re just bigger than some other breweries and are actually a recognized name because they put out a wide range of quality brews. I’d call that “hard-working and pretty freaking awesome.” In order for craft beer’s market share to rise, we as a craft beer drinking community need to look past the exclusivity of “we are the 5%” and try being positive and inclusive (some ideas for that can be found in my first post at LadiesOCB). Everyone is going to like something different, and we’ll help our own cause if we concentrate on the beers we like rather than those we don’t.  Sam explains: “that doesn’t mean the one you didn’t prefer sucked. And the breweries you don’t prefer but are growing don’t suck either. Respect Beer.”

There are some reviewers who know the power of Internet word-of-mouth, and I surely appreciate them. One of my favorites is Hoptopia.  The number ratings are usually high, and so one might argue they’re arbitrary; but where the power lies in these reviews are the written portions. Each sentence provides an objective description that gives a real voice to every beer.  I also love the deep connection the blog has with the craft beer community. I was proud of myself when I finally received the “I Believe in IPA” badge presented by Hoptopia on Untappd. Funnily enough, I achieved it after a $75 beer stock-up in Detroit, Michigan when my fiancée and I discovered a Dogfish Head oasis near my parents’ house. Happy Holidays to us!

There are some blogs that are heavily craft-beer friendly yet region-specific, like Cleveland Food & Brews. Even though posts are about Ohio beers, what a great way to spread the word! I’ll be looking for these breweries at future Midwest beer fests. I also have to give a shout-out to the Great Brew Tour.  These guys know how to be blog-positive when it comes to breweries. After a short Twitter conversation with me, Pearl Street Brewery became the first brewery on their 2011 tour. Later on, they blogged about the PSB Double IPA, Dankenstein as well as the sample flight they thought was cool. They gave awesome props to other small Wisconsin breweries, such as Capital Brewery and New Glarus Brewing.

When it comes to truly advocating for craft breweries on the Web, you can’t beat these!

Friends, when you crack open a craft beer, you taste the fruit of blue-collar labor. Think about the men and women who spend their hours assembling boxes by hand, cranking archaic but affordable bottling lines, and driving two hours to hand out free samples at grocery stores. People who talk about their work like it’s the greatest thing in the world, even as they’re wincing through the long hours and the pain.

It’s a labor of love for the craft beer community.

Respect beer.

Review responsibly.

And for goodness sake, enjoy it (It’s beer, after all)!

Related Posts:

• He Said/She Said #3 Dogfish Head Ancient Ales
• Saison du BUFF – When Craft Brewers Collaborate
• Slate.com – The Hops Ceiling
• 2012 Beersolutions
• Vicki Stowe – Brewmaster (Part 21)

Posted By: Melissa Ward

A few weeks ago I dipped into a snifter full of Dogfish Head’s version of Saison du BUFF — a collaboration between DFH, Victory Brewing and Stone. After enjoying that beer (maybe a bit too much), I knew I had to hunt down Victory’s and Stone’s. And luck was with me.

Today I want to share Victory Brewing Co.’s Saison du BUFF. Like Dogfish Head, I’m able to get the majority of Victory’s beers right at my local liquor store, mainly due to the brewery’s closeness — about an hour away.

I had my husband Ray join me in the tasting because 1) that’s what we do, and 2) I’m still recovering from a rather unpleasant cold, which has my olfactory and taste senses a bit muddled. He was my tasting wingman.

Like DFH’s version, Victory’s SDB pours a pale gold with a thin, white head that dissipates fairly quick. The spice is very evident in the nose and a lot of the herbal notes of rosemary, sage and thyme come out—with rosemary taking the forefront. When giving the glass a few swirls to kick up aroma, a bit of barnyard funk comes out, which is a nice touch amidst the herbs and spice.

Ray noticed a light, fruity sweetness to the beer, something he associates with farmhouse ales. He also found the rosemary complimented the citrus in the beer. I had a difficult time recognizing the traditional saison attributes, unlike my first sampling of Dogfish’s SDB. When I looked up Victory’s version, I came across a review that claimed it was “more Prima Pils than saison.” While I agree that this beer is more of another style than a saison, I don’t agree with likening it to a base of Prima Pils. It’s just something … else. And that’s not a bad thing.

If I were to pair this beer with food, I would go for a nice whitefish, like haddock, topped with a not-too-spicy salsa with plenty of cilantro. Ray pointed out that the cilantro would go well with the bright bitterness of the herbs and hops. He also suggested pairing SDB with grilled veggies tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette. Even some bread and the right cheese would go well with this beer.

And finally, yes, I have a bottle of Stone’s Saison du BUFF thanks to a little help from my friends. Stay tuned!

Originally posted 2010-10-11 09:05:14.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

As the president of Ladies of Craft Beer, I get the pleasure of meeting many amazing women who are a part of the craft beer industry. Each woman has great stories and amazing insight into the world of craft beer. This has inspired me to start a “Women in Beer” interview series. Whether brewing, blogging, selling, marketing, or advocating craft beer, women from all over the industry will answer the following ten questions to share with your their thoughts and experiences with craft beer. I hope that these little glimpses into the minds of these great women will inspire you.

Cheers!

Audra Marotta is the Financial Advisor at the North Carolina Brewers Guild and managing partner at Violent Orchid, LLC, among her many other hats.

1. What was your first beer experience?

Having emigrated from Eastern Europe to the United States, my parents have always been huge European lager fans. As I was growing up in the 80s, I remember our refrigerator being regularly stocked with Beck’s (and occasionally Heineken). We had a tradition that when my mother made homemade pizza, my parents would have several beers, and we kids would be allowed soda. This was a treat, as we were rarely allowed to consume anything with artificial colors/flavors. One pizza night I asked my dad for a sip of his beer. Surely, since my parents were enjoying it, it had to be great, right? I believe my face gave away what I thought of the shock of bitter hops. This was NOT what I had expected! Those pesky hops kept me away from beer for most of the rest of my adolescence. Who knew I’d grow up to become a hophead?

2. If you brew/homebrew, what or who inspired you to start brewing? What do you do in the industry and what or who inspired you to get into it?

My husband and I homebrew together – he is the brewmaster in charge of the mechanics, and I offer my input on hop profiles and ingredients. My mother inspired me to brew, since she makes her own mead and krupnikas, a Lithuanian spiced clover honey liqueur that my younger brother says tastes like a Christmas tree. My father has made his own wine, and my brother makes his own cider. I guess we are a family meant to brew as hobbyists!

I provide accounting, financial information systems, operational reporting, and marketing management guidance to the craft brewing community. I serve as a fractional CFO, an accounting specialist, focused on helping craft brewers grow their top line while optimizing their triple bottom line. Understanding a craft brewer’s limited resources, my business is focused on providing C-level direction without the financial burden of C-level salary. One day I’ll be working on compensation planning for one brewer, then the next I’ll be building a costing template for another. My work serving as Controller at Dogfish Head inspired me to kick off this venture. I learned an immense amount about the industry and met many, many industry folks while working at Dogfish. For this I am grateful; I want to continue ensuring craft brewers have an accounting/information systems infrastructure in place that will pave the way for expected exponential growth.

3. What is your favorite beer to brew and why? What is your favorite beer to drink and why?

We love brewing double IPAs, as perfecting a mix of bittering, flavoring and aroma hops is a challenge in both the arts and sciences. As the boil pot cools in 40 lbs. of ice on a bamboo cutting board in our master bath garden tub, it makes our bedroom and bathroom smell like heaven for at least 12 hours.

We love drinking DIPAs, which is why we homebrew them! To this day, Dark Horse Brewing’s Double Crooked Tree is my favorite craft-brewed DIPA. It has such an orgasmic floral, citrus aroma, and the hops linger on my tongue without being bitterly overpowering. It sets the DIPA bar for me.

4. What is/was your favorite beer event to attend, and why?

I love World Beer Fest Durham, as North Carolina brewers bring their A-game to this event and offer rare, one-off beers that oftentimes earn top honors at the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Fest and the Carolina Championship of Beer. It also serves as a fabulous opportunity to connect and engage with the brewers who create these beers.

5. Have you taken any tasting and/or brewing courses? What are your thoughts on such courses?

I’ve taken the Cicerone Off-Flavors course taught by Ray Daniels and believe such educational classes are beneficial and essential for catapulting the craft beer movement forward. I am also helping the North Carolina Brewers Guild by spearheading educational programming initiatives for our craft beer community. Our first event saw six of our most highly-rated brewers come together on a panel to discuss recipe development.

6. What advice do you have for anyone interested in getting into your aspect of the beer industry?

If you’re a college student majoring in accounting or finance, propose a summer internship at a brewery in exchange for beer. If there is a brewers’ guild in your state, volunteer to help with their financials. Since craft brewing is a specialized, unique niche within the food/beverages industry, expect to spend a significant amount of time studying the beer landscape, the players, the brewing process, pricing, TTB reporting, and distribution channels, as well as building relationships, on your own and often outside of normal work hours. Most brewers don’t have training programs that cover these aspects; thus, to add value, the fire and initiative to learn has to come from within your own heart.

7. What beer would you want to brew/ want to see brewed?

I would love to homebrew a black cherry chocolate stout or a black cherry lambic. As far as others brewing, Carlyle Brewing in Rockford, IL makes a fantastic black walnut sweet stout. I have yet to find one anywhere near /available in North Carolina. I’m convinced the world would be a better place with a greater number of black walnut stouts, though I’d probably gain a few pounds. Okay, probably more than a few.

8. What has been your hardest challenge in the industry? What has been your greatest success?

Each state has its own set of distinct rules and reporting requirements. It takes a lot of time to learn these in order to provide appropriate guidance. The compliance aspects of this industry are rife with complexity and oftentimes inefficiency, not unlike working within the rulebooks of any governmental agency.

Being able to work with so many people collaboratively, cultivating and strengthening relationships, the knowledge exchange resulting from those who have served in the craft beer industry for decades, and providing information to tee craft brewers up for future growth has been so rewarding. I consider myself successful only when others succeed. There is no better feeling than a brewer approaching me months later at a beer festival just to say ‘thank you’.

9. Tell us your most fun beer story.

In 2009 my husband and I flew to Seattle for a week’s vacation. We had booked a rental car for the week, as well as our first night’s stay at the airport, since we got into Sea-Tac somewhere around 3am Eastern. We had no other planned itinerary. We spent the week driving in a large counter-clockwise circle through the northern part of Washington and the Cascades and southern part of British Columbia, including Vancouver. If there was a brewery or brewpub along the way, we’d stop for a flight and conversation. I have no idea how many stops we made in total, but we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to sample beers from Black Raven, SteamWorks, Anacortes, nor Chuckanut any other way. It was a week of exploring scenic beauty and craft beer in a part of the country neither of us had previously been. We were following Mark Twain’s advice: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

10. What is your take on the craft beer industry? What is your favorite thing about it? What could stand improvement?

This is such an exciting time for the craft beer industry, as it’s full of promise, possibility, and opportunity for those dedicated to pursuing their passion. My favorite thing about it is sharing conversation over a pint and learning the stories behind the beer from those who brewed it. Eyes seem to always light up when one recalls the first time he/she brewed a smoked porter or how a mistake in a recipe took the beer for an unexpected turn. This isn’t some nameless, faceless liquid in that tulip glass in front of you….it’s a brewer’s expression of creativity and craft. It’s art.

I wish a greater number of brewers would pay closer attention to their administrative functions to ensure they grow sustainably. Too often they allow sales and production to control every aspect of their business, when information systems, financial reporting, and cash flow management should share the stage. I cringe mentally when I hear a brewer is growing his/her operations 50-80% year-over-year but has no idea what a brand of beer costs to produce, nor if documented records of quality checks exist. I’m hoping to propel this shift of focus when I present at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Francisco in March 2011. Be the change you want to see, right?

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Originally posted 2010-11-29 09:05:15.

Posted By: AWeller

He Said / She Said is a series where a lady contributor from Ladies of Craft Beer will pair up with a person of the male persuasion- be it her husband, boyfriend, brother, father, friend, uncle, co-worker, etc, and as a pair they will review two or three beers in succession.

The object of this experiment is to get an idea of how men taste different brews versus how women taste different brews- are there really distinct differences or is it mostly just due to the fact that different people in general have different tastes- while having a blast in the process. What is the real answer? (Is there a real answer?)

My husband and I have very different tastes in beer.  He loves stouts, porters and all things dark.  I love hops.  The more hops the better. MORE HOPS!  For our He Said/She Said reviews, we thought it would be interesting to tackle styles of beer neither one of us drinks regularly or has a set opinion on.  We’d been wanting to get our Untappd Ancient Ales badge, and thus the plan was born!

But first, to Buffalo!  Dogfish Head isn’t sold in Ontario.

We managed to get our hands on 3 different Ancient Ales to sample: Chateau Jihau, Sah’tea, and Theobroma.  Over two days- these are strong beers in big bottles!- we sampled and took notes.

First up: Chateau Jiahu

This beer is based on a recipe found in pottery in ancient China.  We were pouring into a tulip glass and a goblet.  Hey, these beers are pricey so we got out the ‘fancy’ glassware! Both of us noticed the intense carbonation in this beer immediately.  It bubbled more like what I would expect from a champagne than a beer. There was also a fair amount of sediment present.  I found the aroma to be very sour, whereas hubby just found it (quoting here) “weird”.  Both of us found the taste to be more in line with a mead or wine than a beer.  That is to be expected, I imagine, given the heavy use of honey in the style.  It was very boozy and  we knew we were drinking 10% beer.  Speculations were held on just how drunk the ancient drinkers must have been.  At the end of the large bottle, we’d both had enough.  Neither one of us were big fans of this particular beer, although it was great to try.  Bravo to Dogfish for resurrecting the recipe.

Second: Sah’tea

According to the website:  ”A modern update on a 9th century Finnish proto-beer. ” Right then: time to dive in.  The nose on this was really spicy.  We both found that and really loved the overall aroma.  In fact, hubby notes it was even “sexy”.  It had less carbonation than in the other beers we tried, but still bubbly. There was actually some head on this beer.  Yay! As in the Jiahu, there was a ton of sediment in our bottle. The taste followed through on the spicy aroma.  I even found it a bit woody in parts, though hubby didn’t seem to find that.  As Juniper berries are used, I would suspect them of bringing the herbal notes. This was definitely the most ‘beer-like’ of our samplings and the one we liked most. We would have this again for sure, though probably in a half pint or a smaller bottle.

Third: Theobroma

We did this on the second day.  We were really looking forward to its promise of cacao and chilies.  The recipe is based on an ancient Honduran alcoholic chocolate drink.  Alcohol and chocolate! What’s not to like? I found the nose on this to be WHAM! booze!  Interestingly, hubby didn’t find it had much aroma at all.  Maybe I was hallucinating in the anticipation of chocolate.  As with the other ancient ales, there was more carbonation present and not much head.  The taste on this was more complex than the other two.  We both found it very sweet upfront and then a tingling  on the tongue as it leaves the palate.  This could be from the use of chilies. The chocolate was really not to be found, sadly.  I got more honey than chocolate from the sweetness. Much like with Chateau Jiahu, finishing the bottle was enough for both of us.  We’re glad we tried it, but probably wouldn’t seek it out again.

We had a lot of fun tasting these beers and comparing notes.  With only a few minor cat-based interruptions, we were able to sample ancient ales inspired by 3 different time periods and cultures.  I think it is amazing that Dogfish Head is doing this and it certainly provides a unique opportunity to look into the past.

Related Posts:

• He Said/She Said #4- Guest Post by Kim Riemann
• Women in Beer Series – Maggie Foley
• Interview with Randy Mosher about Women and Beer (Guest post by Ingrid Calderoni)
• Beer Apps for Techno Geeks
• How Do You Judge a Good Beer Bar?

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

As the president of Ladies of Craft Beer, I get the pleasure of meeting many amazing women who are a part of the craft beer industry. Each woman has great stories and amazing insight into the world of craft beer. This has inspired me to start a “Women in Beer” interview series. Whether brewing, blogging, selling, marketing, or advocating craft beer, women from all over the industry will answer the following ten questions to share with your their thoughts and experiences with craft beer. I hope that these little glimpses into the minds of these great women will inspire you.

Cheers!

Mariah Calagione is the marketing maven behind Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales in Delaware. As the wife of Sam Calagione, we know she is also the brains behind the operation . Sam and Mariah co-own the brewery.

1. What was your first beer experience?

My first ever beer experience was probably some not-so-great night in high school drinking terrible beer. My first craft beer experience would be in the summer before my senior year in college when I lived in NYC with my then-boyfriend, now-husband and we both worked at Nacho Mama’s Burritos (upper west side, near Columbia) and served craft beer (Sierra, Anchor, Brooklyn, etc..) to hungry students.

2. If you brew/homebrew, what or who inspired you to start brewing? What do you do in the industry and what or who inspired you to get into it?
n/a

3. What is your favorite beer to brew and why? What is your favorite beer to drink and why?
To drink – well, it totally depends. My go-to year, round beer is Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA … but I enjoy so many different beers depending on where I am, what I am eating, what the weather is like and more. May sound like a cop-out but it there are really so many factors that can make a beer great!

4. What is/was your favorite beer event to attend, and why?
I used to love Michael Jackson’s annual tasting at the University of PA Museum. It was a great beer festival, with fantastic breweries in this amazing space. Sadly, it no longer happens.

5. Have you taken any tasting and/or brewing courses? What are your thoughts on such courses?
I’ve taken the most basic Cicerone course (although I never did the test).

6. What advice do you have for anyone interested in getting into your aspect of the beer industry?
Outside of my owner/general management duties, I focus on marketing and communications for Dogfish Head. In terms of getting a foot in the door – I’d recommend volunteering or working in a brewery tour/tasting room or in a brewpub. If you jump in with both feet and learn as much about the brewery and their beers, that enthusiasm can be infectious. We currently have former tour guides in our Marketing Dept and former brewpub servers as brewers.

7. What beer would you want to brew/ want to see brewed?
My husband asked me that about a year and a half ago. I replied that I’d love to see Belgian-style white beer with orange peel and lemongrass. For my birthday he brewed the first batch of Namaste. It’s been a hit and has since gone into our regular production lineup.

8. What has been your hardest challenge in the industry? What has been your greatest success?
Our hardest challenge has been to weather the tough years of 1999-2003. That was a time when many wholesalers had been burned by fly-by-night microbrews (they’d been promised to be the NEXT BIG THING) and were very wary to take on new brands – let alone brands making 11% abv beers made with maple syrup and vanilla. Instead of dumbing down our beers or making what wholesalers said they wanted, we stuck to our guns. Fortunately, the beer-drinkers prevailed saying they wanted more-flavorful, off-centered beers!

9. Tell us your most fun beer story.
Impossible. Pretty much all my fun, life stories (personal and professional) include beer to some degree!

10. What is your take on the craft beer industry? What is your favorite thing about it? What could stand improvement?
The craft beer industry is great – so many fun, caring people. We have each others’ back. We love working together towards the goal of growing the craft beer segment. We all do our own thing, but there is mutual respect. While it isn’t all rainbows and ponies (to borrow a phrase from our 8-year old daughter), for the most part we work hard and have fun! The fact that we love what we do helps as well! What could stand improvement? Not too much – hey we’re getting more and more interest and support from passionate drinkers and we get to have fun and make beer that we enjoy drinking. No complaints here!

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Originally posted 2010-11-09 13:05:13.

Posted By: LDelk

This is my FAVORITE time of the year! Being a certified food nut in addition to my obsessions with beer and wine, I can’t think of a better time of year to celebrate the glorious union of my loves. This list is a collection of some of the best beers out there to pair with your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hannukah dinners! Cheers!

Alaskan White, 5.4% ABV: Aromas and flavors of light citrus, peppercorn, mild spice, wheat and orange peel. Finishes with a light wheaty finish. A great holiday brew for fans of lighter beers and those just entering Craft beer heaven.

Food Pairings: Ambrosia salad, light hors d’oeuvres, orange-cranberry spinach salad, latkes, mashed potatoes.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, 7% ABV: A wonderfully mild and balanced spiced Pumpkin beer. A comforting noseful of nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar and baking spice. Rich, yet not overbearing like many Pumpkin beers. This is a natural match for holiday foods!

Food pairings: Pumpkin pie/cheesecake (of course!), carrot cake, clove studded ham, herb stuffing

Moylans Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale, 8% ABV: Aromas of toffee, Werther’s Originals, and orange peel. Mmm. Not normally a Scotch Ale fan, I think this one is balanced and not overbearing and syrupy. Nice hoppy bitterness on the finish.

Food pairings: Sweet potato souffle/casserole (0ne of my favorite things to make for Thanksgiving!), orange poppy seed muffins(a breakfast pairing!), apricot cream tart.

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier, 6.6% ABV: Like it smokey? More of a griller during the holidays? Smokin’ that turkey this Thanksgiving? This might be your beer. When I smell this, I feel like I am standing in a smokehouse.The nose is intense…of bacon, and aged meats. Pepper and spice, with a slight sweet note, that is buried just beneath the surface of the spice.

Food Pairings: Grilled and smoked meats, dark chocolate, spiced cake, spiced cheese straws

Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout, 9.5% ABV: One of my favorite Imperial Stouts. This is a great beer for waking up Thanksgiving morning or after the insane food revelry! Aromas of dark Caro syrup, molasses, mocha, coffee and pepper combined with a burst of hoppiness. A punch of espresso on the palate, along with tobacco on the finish. There is a definite, measurable bitterness here, from both the hops and the roasted malts.

Food Pairings: Coffee cake, molasses biscuits, flourless chocolate cake

I’m seriously getting hungry writing this. Off to the kitchen and beer cellar…Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Top 10 Holiday Beers! Eat well, give thanks, and drink Craft beer!

Originally posted 2010-11-22 12:05:47.

Posted By: Melissa Ward

Before you even read this post, do yourself a favor and watch this video put together by Stone Brewing Co. about the collaboration between Greg (Stone), Sam (Dogfish Head) and Bill (Victory) to create Saison du BUFF.

I’ll wait for you here. No, seriously, watch it then come back.

…

Okay, good. So first off, I LOVE these guys and what they (and many other brewers) are doing for craft beer. They’re showing the Big 3, as well as many other corporations in the U.S., that collaboration is a good thing. Are they still each others competition? Of course. But they’re also each others allies, and together, through collaboration, they make the beer scene a better place for all of us craft beer drinkers. High five!

Ahem, that said, let’s talk about the beer: Saison du BUFF (Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor). Brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme 3 times: once at Stone (released in May 2010), at Victory (released in August 2010) and Dogfish Head (also released in August 2010). Each brewery’s take on the beer has its own unique bottle label, done in the style of that brewery.

I had a chance to pick up Dogfish Head’s rendition recently to give it a whirl. Poured into a snifter, the beer pours a bright golden hue with a light, fluffy head. The aroma is very typical of the Saison style—very spicy with hints of citrus. But giving it a few more sniffs, I could pick up some really wonderful herbal notes. There wasn’t one herb that stuck out more than another, but fragrance was lovely and balanced.

Upon first sip, I got a lot of carbonation bite, most likely because the beer was too cold. So, I let it come up in temperature before trying it again, which is what you want to do with any overly-chilled beer (your tongue won’t pick up on the myriad flavors a beer has if its too cold). After 10-15 minutes I was rewarded with a flavor that matched its aroma to a T—nice and dry, spice and herbal notes, with hints of citrus. At 6.8%, DFH’s version of Saison du BUFF might not be considered a traditional session beer, but I have definitely had another.

Look for Saison du BUFF—I know in the Philly/NJ/DE area that DFH’s and Victory’s versions can be found, but I have yet to find Stone’s. If someone would like to send it to me, I’ll gladly accept and share my findings!

Originally posted 2010-09-30 09:13:59.

Posted By: KHammond

Photo courtesy of the Discovery Channel

“Beer is quintessentially American. I mean, that’s why they landed on Plymouth Rock. Dudes were out of beer.” Well, supplies WERE low on the Mayflower and the ship was way off course but Dogfish Head Brewery owner Sam Calagione’s point is well-taken. Beer does make the world go round.

Last night (and Discovery) brought us our first ever reality television show about craft beer. Discovery shows like Survivorman, Man vs. Wild and Man, Woman, Wild brought survivalism off the late-night crazy message boards and into the sunlight. Thanks to Ruth England, Discovery even figured out a way to make survivalism glam (You too can skin a snake and eat it, while looking fabulous even though you haven’t bathed in three days!!!). With a history of taking a niche and blowing it out of the water, I was interested in seeing where Discovery would go with the craft brewing industry.

If last night’s premiere is any indication, Discovery’s has another winner on its hands with Brew Masters.

Brew Masters offers a likable team in antique-Dodge-truck-driving/well-washed-Izod-to-a-corporate-launch-party-wearing/mash-tun-hot-tubbing/rap-singing Sam Calagione and the rest of the band at Dogfish Head Brewery. Add the believability and well-established integrity of a craft brewery known for its commitment to quality. Finish it off with the essential reality television requirement of “impending disaster or failure in every episode” that will most certainly follow the self-proclaimed mavericks at Dogfish Head and the reality television trifecta is complete.

Not bound by the status quo, you believe Calagione when he suggests that he’s not afraid to try anything when brewing and he has a way with words. After adding lavender buds and peppercorns to the usual suspects of barley, hops and water, Calagione describes the result in terms only a girl from the ‘80s can understand. According to Calagione, “consensus was it tasted like tongue-kissing Laura Ashley.” That’s not a good thing when describing a beer, but I’m still laughing a day later.

Brew Masters first episode follows Calagione’s creation of a liquid Bitches Brew to coincide with the 40^th anniversary release of the Bitches Brew album by Miles Davis. We see Calagione sitting in a comfy chair in a swanky Sony studio with exec Adam Block and Vince Wilburn Jr., Miles Davis’ nephew. Everyone is listening to the Bitches Brew album and discussing what type of beer Miles would have wanted. It’s very deep and exactly what you would expect when pairing legendary jazz with a beer. Calagione’s determination? A combination of an Imperial stout and a light African tej, a honey beer from Ethiopia. You find yourself inexplicably nodding in agreement.

Next we find Calagione shopping at an Ethiopian store in downtown Silver Spring. He’s looking for raw honey, preferably the kind that still has bees in it. This is the point that you realize (as head brewer Bryan Selders does a few scenes later) that that honey sure is thick and you’re glad you are not the one who has to get it out of all those containers and into the wort. You, along with Calagione, remain unfazed by the possibilities of bee carcasses. That’s what filtering is for, right?

Meanwhile, back at the brewery, there are jammed bottlers, a lost vent valve in a bottle of one of the most costly Dogfish Head brews and threats that the boxes of 90 Minute IPA harboring the fugitive vent will have to be tossed if it isn’t discovered. We all acknowledge on Twitter that the crew is absolutely drinking that 90 Minute before it gets a chance of being tossed just as one lucky employee discovers the valve. Crisis averted until a labeling glue incident a little while later involving employees photographing each other’s misery. And just like that, people, we have true reality t.v.

Like a perfect beer, Brew Masters delivers the perfect balance of depth and flavor. The novice learns about Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law) and the beer brewing process, all with a Schoolhouse Rock-like presentation. Twitter erupts with people frantically ordering home brew kits for the very first time. The twitter streams of seasoned home brewers are filled with surprise at the short amount of time before launch. Calagione explains the change in recipe for the final brew as he dumps a huge bag of crystal malt into the grinder while a slightly stunned Sony exec Adam looks on. I yell, “Gutsy move, Mav” to the television. I mean, we all know it’s going to work out, but still. This is stressful.

It does work out. Bitches Brew is a fabulous success, Sony is delirious and Dogfish Head’s second batch is released in conjunction with the premiere of Brew Masters last night. Even I, a “you’ll-have-to-pry-a-90-Minute-IPA-out-of-my-cold-dead-hands” fan, find myself wanting a Bitches Brew. Well played, Dogfish Head. Well played.

Sure home brewers and craft beer aficionados expressed concern last night on Twitter. Would this make Dogfish Head too mainstream, too big for their britches? Dogfish.com and savorcraftbeer.com crash simultaneously. For a craft brewery scheduled to make 31 different brews this year, the level of crazy at Dogfish Head is already off the charts. But by the end of episode one of Brew Masters, you believe Sam Calagione and the Dogfish Head team can do just about anything. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what will happen next.

You can catch Brew Masters on Sunday nights at 10:00 pm on the Discovery Channel. Can’t get enough of the show? The Facebook fan page has a tab for Brew Masters meetups. I know. It could get out of control very quickly.

When she’s not perfecting her own Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA clone recipe after she puts the kids to bed on a random Tuesday, you can probably find Kristen printing Mommy Needs a Beer tees in her basement for her online clothing line at babybrewing.com or boring all of Twitter with her lastest SG as @Mommy4Cocktails.