Blog Archives

Beer Love Letters: Green Flash Rayon Vert

March 27, 2012
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Dear Rayon Vert…..I love you.

I decided I wanted a space here on Empty Growler dedicated to a specific beer. Not a review or a press release, not even something that is incredibly rare necessarily. Just something that I have found myself gravitating towards the more I drink it.

So today I wanted to talk about Rayon Vert from Green Flash Brewing. First off, what is Rayon Vert? Well, here is some history from the team at Green Flash.

The idea to make Rayon Vert was sparked by a self-imposed challenge: produce a Belgian-Abbey style ale to unmistakably express the spirit of Green Flash if the brewery were producing just one beer and operating under the conditions of pre-WWII Belgium.

Everything from the ingredients & artistic production process, to the packaging remains true to the era of inspiration. Because it is bottle-conditioned with Brettanomyces, the beer’s flavor is “continuously evolving,” which means there are countless unknown variables that would make most breweries shy away from such an undertaking. So, like most Green Flash beers, there is not anything like it on the market; Rayon Vert is the only year-round front-line beer in the US of its kind.

More of the same here from Beer Pulse…

It’s most easily described as a Belgian Pale Ale, but that description alone is an injustice. Rayon Vert is light and airy, it pours a really large head and has just the right amount of carbonation. And as mentioned above, the Brettanomyces really make this exceptional and complex. It’s something that is really refreshing and tasty fresh, and I’m interested to try a bottle after a few months of age on it as well to see how it develops.

Love you Rayon Vert…
Signed, Empty Growler.

Flat Top Steel Beer Cans Are Back Thanks To That Entourage Dude

March 27, 2012
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Remember the flat top steel beer cans that your grandpa sipped? You might not, but they were all the rage back in the day. And now they are back, and from an unlikely source. This story came across our radar today from PSFK, and it was too interesting not to share. I bet you do know the guy pictured above, Entourage actor Adrian Grenier. Well, he teamed up with an ex-Nike designer Justin Hawkins to bring back the old Flat Top.

The duo founded the Churchkey Can Company and their flat-top can is made from recyclable steel and provides an airtight seal, protecting the beer from light and oxygen. It is opened by puncturing two holes in the top with a steel opener called a churchkey.

Original Flat Top Beer Can from Churchkey Can co. on Vimeo.

If you are under 50 years old, this is possibly foreign to you, like it was to me, but it’s really interesting. The bigger question of course is, will the beer be any good? According to the press release, Portland-based home brewers Lucas Jones and Sean Burke came up with the pilsner recipe, and the beer will be available from April 15th at a variety of retailers and drinking establishments throughout Seattle and Portland. It will cost $9.99 per six-pack (with a recyclable churchkey included) and $3-$5 at bars and restaurants.

Interested?

Untappd Super User Interview: Sean Curry

March 26, 2012
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We here at Empty Growler are big fans of all things craft beer and technology, so it’s no secret we are heavy Untappd users. Today, we continue a new interview series with Untappd Super Users. What is a Super User you ask? Well, Super Users are volunteers that are passionate about beer and Untappd. They help out on the back end of things and do their best to make the experience better for Untappd users. We decided it would be fun to shine the spotlight on some of these regular beer guys. Today, it’s Sean Curry from Chicago!

Empty Growler: Tell us a bit about yourself, your dayjob etc.

Sean Curry: By Day I am a Chiropractic Physician (www.eastbankchiropractic.com), by night and weekend, I enjoy BBQ and craft Beer (Brewbque.blogspot.com) plus taking care of my kids and getting them into the homebrew scene. Also manager of my local Homebrew Barrel projects. We were featured in the Nov 2011 issue of Brew Your Own magazine for the club project, where we used a Heaven Hill bourbon barrel and made a chocolate stout that we aged in the barrel for 10 months.

EG: How did you get into drinking craft beer?

Sean : I first really began to get into craft beer as an undergrad at the University of Chicago by perusing the craft isles at Kimbark Liquors and looking for the coolest labels. I figured that someone that takes some time to make a good label would make good beer. Then as I got into Chiropractic School, I lived 5 minutes from a Rock Bottom and a Ram brewery, and started to expand my tastes from there. I became OBSESSED with craft beer when I started homebrewing. I’ve been homebrewing for the past 2 years and like to try as much out there to get a sense of what I would like to brew myself.

EG: What got you started with Untappd and then become a SU?

Sean: I was meeting up with another guy at the local craft bar and he kept doing stuff with his phone each time he ordered a beer. I asked him what was going on and he told me about this new beer app that allowed you to check in and rate beers on the go. After buying and downloading the app, I started to see a lot of dupes coming up on the screen so I would go to the web and submit corrections. After figuring out that I was not using a native app on the phone, I thought it was the reason giving me the dupes. Then I found Untappd on the web and started submitting 5-10 corrections a week, often annoying my wife, and hoping I wasn’t annoying the creators. As I got more into sending the dupes and labels and proper names and ABVs of the Midwest beers I knew, I just asked how I could make this faster and less cumbersome by asking if I could do it myself. John helped put me in talks with Greg and then my SuperUser powers were matured. For what I lack in technical knowledge about coding and web-based integration, I bring the UofC research side of having to be right and getting the correct details for something.

EG: Tell us a bit about your local beer scene and favorite local breweries.

Sean: I live in Chicago, so there seems to be news of a new brewery or Brewpub opening up every month. My personal opinion is that we are going to be the next great beer destination, more so than it already is. By my office, I can get to 5 different breweries/brewpubs within 20 minutes. And with more of the locations looking to open production facilities to they can package, and then send kegs to other bats around the city, it opens up the possibility to get more local craft beer at more locations. I have the fortune to live in a suburb that is just north of the city, so access to the many great beer bars that the city offers is also easy. More great places open and are getting into the craft scene. Plus with the Cicerone program based her in Chicago, we have the largest capita of certified servers, so I am confident that I am going to get great beer, with proper pours and clean lines.

EG: You are standing in front of a wall of every beer you can imagine, but can only choose 4 for a mix and match, what do you go with?

Sean: I would go all bombers of Barrel Aged Yeti, Bruery Mother Funker, Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Stout, and Barrel Aged Speedway Stout

EG: What are a few beers you have yet to try that you are on the hunt for?

Sean: Westverlateren 12, any Cantillon, Captain Lawrence Smoked from the Oak, and any barrel aged Hunahpu

Thanks Sean!

Check out Sean on Untappd!

Mt. Carmel announces Porch Pack and Cincinnati Brewed Music

March 21, 2012
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Here at Empty Growler, we aim to let you know about the beers we love to drink. And it really helps when one of those breweries is in our backyard. Cincinnati is the city I call home, and so it’s great to have so many great options popping up here. Mt. Carmel is a local favorite here in town and have some exciting things happening that we wanted to share with you. First off, they just announced their Porch Pack. What is the Porch Pack?

The beers of Mt. Carmel Brewing Company have always inspired sessions on the front porch. The only difference now is that they’ll be packaged in one.

Recently, Cincinnati’s oldest craft microbrewery released the Porch Pack – the brewery’s first 12-bottle sampler case – to their home market with orders set to go state-wide and into Kentucky in the coming weeks. Four of MCBC’s most popular offerings will be featured including the Nut Brown Ale, Amber Ale, Blonde Ale and India Pale Ale.

“Fans wanted more of our beers – that’s the only reason we developed the Porch Pack,” said Mike Dewey, master-brewer and owner of MCBC. “But this will also introduce folks to our craft in newer territories.”

The brewery has come a long way since their storm cellar days in 2005 where the basement of a farmhouse formed what is now the cornerstone of a 4,500 BBL production brewery. The latest session of their limited-release Snapshot Series was brewed Tuesday and the weekend following March 22 will mark the first of many tastings to follow their tours. The sampler pack is their latest release and is set to hit retail shelves this week.

“In Cincinnati, we reestablished the frontier of craft brewing,” Dewey said. “The Porch Pack is just another way we’re continuing to push it forward.”

If you are in the area, be sure to pick up your Porch Pack as soon as you can, if you are out of town, get to know someone in Cincinnati and set up a trade.

More good news from Mt. Carmel is the launch of a new music series. Of course our roots here at Empty Growler are in music, so this looks pretty exciting too…

Mt. Carmel Brewing Company invites you to the first Cincinnati Brewed Music concert event! There will be draft and bottle specials all served in our brand new redesigned pint glasses which you will be able to take home as a souvenir. All to set the back drop for local-rock-septet Oui Si Yes and their friends Spanish Prisoners from Brooklyn to rock you silly. Local beer and local music; How could you go wrong? Show starts at 9pm. Mt. Carmel brewers will be hanging out to enjoy the music and talk beer.

Bands from Cincy and Brooklyn? Plus great craft beer? Sign us up…

Let em’ know on Facebook that you’re attending

Untappd Super User Interview: Rick Kempen

March 16, 2012
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We here at Empty Growler are big fans of all things craft beer and technology, so it’s no secret we are heavy Untappd users. Today, we continue a new interview series with Untappd Super Users. What is a Super User you ask? Well, Super Users are volunteers that are passionate about beer and Untappd. They help out on the back end of things and do their best to make the experience better for Untappd users. We decided it would be fun to shine the spotlight on some of these regular beer guys. Today, it’s a trip across the pond to Amsterdam to visit with Rick Kempen

Empty Growler: Tell us a bit about yourself, your dayjob etc.

Rick Kempen: I’m a 43-year old traditional beer geek: rushing off to work (beer related) only to rush back and read about, write about and above all taste beer. Hardly notice my wife and daughter. I’ll trade them for a freshly tapped Liberty Ale, for that matter.

Brand Management is my job: paid by Bier&cO, Europe’s largest brewery independant (privately owned) craft beer import-export company. I handle some of Europe’s best brands for the Dutch market: Weihenstephan, BrewDog, Lefebvre, Dupont, Fullers. Also I get to play with some of America’s finest – for all of Europe: Anchor, Anderson Valley, Flying Dog, Left Hand, Alaskan.

What Brand Management is? You get to spend money to go to beer fests (and get your staff to organize them), go to beer tastings and presentations (and get your staff to organize them) and generally fly around the world in search of Beerland’s Next Top Model. Tough job. Love it.

Have been in the beer trade for the best part of my life now – 17 years.

Empty Growler: How did you get into drinking craft beer?

Rick Kempen: I was born and raised on Heineken and must admit that even today a good, cold and fresh pilsener/lager beats most other beers in the world. Having tended the bar of The Pilsener Club and Hoppe (both must-visit bars in Amsterdam) I then joined Bier&cO – kaboom, into beer heaven. There I discovered flavor variety and have been on a mission to try every beer available ever since.

EG: What got you started with Untappd and then become a SU?

Rick: I joined Untappd December ’10, being both a beer- and social media geek. I prefer Untappd over all others because of the easy replay of my drinking history – much better than Rate Beer or any other. Also, the fact users fill the database apeals strongly. Can’t be too bothered about badges (although I will not return them) and love the local trending’ feature. Also, to learn more about the development of USA Craft Beer scene, it’s almost a must-have.

Untappd is full of faults and ommissions though, direct result of the user contribution. I like my facts just as I like my beer: it has to be correct. My years of experience on both sides of the Pond and my big belly can now finally be used for something useful, so I applied for SU.

EG: Tell us a bit about your local beer scene and favorite local breweries.

Rick: Holland has been a lager wasteland, much like the States between 1930 and 1995 – thanks again, Fritz Maytag!
As many EU country’s brewing scenes have been inspired by the States’, now we have 120 odd breweries in Holland as opposed to 11 in 1999. Still in early stages, many are mere copycats and/ or poor brewers but we have some genuine wizards: De Molen, Emelisse, Maallust, Mommeriete and ‘t IJ would be likely candidates to be known by even you guys. My favorites now: Emelisse and Maallust. Smallish portfolio, great quality and touching on revolutionary brewing.

EG: You are standing in front of a wall of every beer you can imagine, but can only choose 4 for a mix and match, what do you go with?

Rick: Obviously Orval – whoever turns Orval down ought to be send to Siberia, I believe.
Weihenstephan Vitus – not because of the Best Beer Badge, but because it is a devil in disguise beer.
Anchor Liberty Ale – I once had it straight from the lagertank and have cried like a baby for the better part of the remaining day.
#4 has to be the ‘Unknown’ beer. One day I will find it and let you know at once.

EG: What are a few beers you have yet to try that you are on the hunt for?

Rick: Pliney the Younger. I had a heated debate with The Elder, and am now ready to take it on.

Bell’s Hopslam – being a part-time hop-head I need this. Apparently two cases are currently being smuggled across the border with my name on it. Can’t wait. See my drinking timeline.
Weihenstephan Pale Ale. Testing new boundaries, the Oldest Guys in the World are going berserk every once in a while and some more months down the road, we’ll have this.
Narke Kaggen! Storsmakts 2005. I have had all others but this one misses on the list. I am afraid it is a senseless quest though. I am, besides many more, craving to try a Japanese Craft beer. I am a patient man.

Check out Rick on Untappd

Hunahpu’s Day 2012 – Cigar City, Tampa

March 15, 2012
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It takes a lot to make me wake up at 6 AM on a Saturday morning. Beer has that kind of power in my life.

As an avid homebrewer and padawan of all-things brewski, I couldn’t turn down a road trip opportunity to Cigar City Brewing for their 3rd annual Hunahpu’s Day celebration. My beer jedi, Keith, extended the invite and we made the 6-hour, 350-mile journey from Savannah, GA to Tampa, FL as daylight was breaking. Keith braved the trip (and drove the entire distance) after working a full bar shift the night before. He deserves serious commendation for his efforts.

A Tampa native, he made sure his parents got in line at 9:45 in order to secure prized golden wristbands that ensured the bearer would be able to purchase two bottles of the day’s namesake beer. When the gates opened at 11, the efficient staff at CCB had already doled out wristbands to those waiting (enough to line a city block) and the taps were flowing.

We didn’t arrive until just after noon and wristbands were still available. The line was down to about thirteen or so ahead of us and moved quickly. A large crowd had already assembled and lines to purchase beer tickets extended into the dozens. Gratefully, the parents hung out for a bit and purchased us some tickets in advance.

Tickets were $5 each and worth one pour. Tickets were accepted at all of the outside beer stations. Everything else was cash only. We happily skipped the ticket lines and went straight for the pour lines.

CCB and guest beers were dispensed from four locations: Two trailers, a van and the Tap Room. A separate row of tents housed local homebrew clubs that shared their brews for free. Like carnival barkers they lured the masses in with promises of free beer of any variety. It was an impressive group and a lot of fun to see the clubs dispense their wares; but we were there for the exclusive pours.

The full beer list was insane. CCB seemingly put out everything in its repertoire, plus exclusive/one-off versions of those already delicious beers. The Special Tap consideration was given to CCB’s Check it and See (described as “Hot blooded stout aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels), two Hunahpu’s variants (Rum barrel-aged and Palm Ridge barrel-aged) and Three Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stouts and an Oak-Aged Dark Lord variant.

When the crowd peaked at around 5,000 beer-lovers, you can imagine the long lines with only four serving stations. They stretched the length of the property and made it impossible to imbibe even a small fraction of what was available. In five hours, I was only able to grab five of the CCB or guest tap brews. Granted, I wasn’t immediately jumping back in line after each pour and I took the time to peruse the other attractions. If I would have hustled, I may have gotten another two or three beers. But hustling wasn’t the theme of the day. The crowd and staff were laid back and it created one of the most pleasant beer event atmospheres I’ve ever experienced. The long lines had another added benefit: fewer drunks. I only saw one person that clearly had too much to drink. It was an amazing feat for this type of gathering.

In addition to the beer, there was a dunk tank, some Hunahpu’s merch, a small stage featuring a cigar-box guitar bluesman and two local luthiers showcasing their beautiful handmade instruments. Local food trucks and eateries also set up shop in the CCB parking lot. Smart early attendees brought folding chairs and staked out areas for their clans to gather and trade bottles of homebrew or hard-to-find regional bottles. It was great to spend a day with people who love beer as much as I do.

Hunahpu’s Day was a raging success; but there were some definite areas for improvement. I’d love for the 2013 iteration to feature multiple, well-labeled water stations. Additional large tents would be beneficial as well. The sun was absolutely brutal. The heat, combined with the lack of easy water access could have made for a major disaster. While the musical accompaniment was great, I’d love to see a couple of other local bands added to the roster representing some additional styles.
Bluegrass, traditional country or soul/party bands would be a nice fit.

Around 3:30, the Hunahpu’s bottle distribution started. Another long line wound through the parking lot and into the brewery where gold wristbands allowed for the purchase of two 750 ml bombers at $20 each. It was steep; but for a beer that’s garnered a 99 from Beer Advocate and a 100 from Rate Beer, it was well worth the money and the drive. Immediately following the event, bottles could be found on eBay for well over $100.

It’s difficult for me to describe Hunahpu’s. I’m still getting my beer critic legs underneath me and stouts aren’t my go-to variety. This is a beer that you sip and reflect upon while you drink it and for hours afterward. The festival atmosphere wasn’t the best tasting environment. The heat from the direct sunlight warmed everything up too quickly and the lack of adequate palette cleansers also tempered every taste. I’m looking forward to sitting down with a snifter and a few friends soon for a more in-depth review; but my initial tasting notes went something like this:

A thick black beer with a milk-chocolate colored thin head. The scent is mostly coffee with chocolate and vanilla and a small bit of spice. Full-coating in the mouth with espresso and chocolate up front. Chili spice aftertaste with a bit of extra sweetness.

That gut reaction could describe dozens of beers. What made Hunahpu’s so special was the effortlessness in which these disparate elements went together. It’s like hearing an orchestra comprised of discarded instruments improvising a melody that sounds like ocean waves beating against the sand. It’s like it’s always been here. It’s poetry. It’s amazing. It’s definitely worth the trip to Hunahpu’s Day. I’ll see you there in 2013.


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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Lee Heidel is a web developer living in Savannah, GA. He loves raising a little girl, brewing his own beer and playing the ukulele. Listed in order of importance.

You can find him on Twitter @nonaesthetic or writing about craft beer, homebrewing and running at Brew / Drink / Run.

Interview: Mike Dewey from Mount Carmel Brewing Company

March 6, 2012
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When we find beer we love to drink, it can lead us down the path of wanting to know more about the brewery and why they do what they do. That was the case for me with Cincinnati based brewery Mount Carmel. I had a chance to ask brewmaster Mike Dewey a few questions about how they got started and where they are headed, our dialogue is listed below, enjoy!

Empty Growler: Can you give our readers a brief introduction to Mt. Carmel Brewery? When and how things got started?

Mike Dewey: The idea was just too simple not to work – Develop a way to produce great beer and find a small audience to enjoy it! That is the basic principle that got us brewing in May of 2005. Without any small production breweries left in the area, we wanted to fulfill the needs of a niche market on a very modest scale. We began with an annual production capacity of 200 bbls. and a strong will to create a successful business.

Empty Growler: How many beers did you start with and how many do you brew now?

Mike Dewey: We started with our Blonde, Amber, and Stout. We have now brewed over 25 styles of beer.

EG: You played a big role in the Cincinnati Beer Week Collaboration Beer this year, how did all of that come together?

MD: It was easy. Everyone involved in the project has the same passion for brewing as we do and I don’t think anyone thought of the project as work. As brewers we all looked at the collaboration beer as a tool to promote the city’s first beer week. Beer Week was all about craft beer, but we believed it was more important for people to notice the growing trend of local producers in the market. The project was a home run and next year’s beer will likely more than double in volume.
Read more »

Inside The Christian Moerlein Lager House

March 5, 2012
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When it comes to the brewing history of the Cincinnati area, one name is always part of the conversation, Christian Moerlein. For over 150 years the brand has been synonymous with Cincinnati and German brewing roots. In recent years, after a good stretch of time without the Moerlein brand on store shelves, Greg Hardman bought back the old brands and began to slowly rebuild the Christian Moerlein empire.

One of the final pieces of the puzzle for Hardman and the team was the Moerlein Lager House, which I’ve been hearing about for almost as long as it was dreamed about I think. Well, the place is finished, and has been happily crowded with people ever since.

To say that the Lager House is impressive is to severly understate things. You walk in and right away are part of a history lesson. From Pre-prohibition Moerlein bottles to a full blown gift shop your first instinct when entering is to stick around. I love beer history, and seeing the items behind the glass, along with the old school posters and freshly painted murals honoring Cincinnati’s beer barons really gets me…..well…..thirsty.

I could tell you about amazing menu, or the scenic dining views, but there have been others that have already told you about that, and taken great photos as well, but what I want to focus on is the beer, plain and simple.

The beer menu is the furthest thing from simple though, so those expecting the Moerlein and Hudy lineup with a few guest taps mixed in will be blown away by what I’m going to say is the best bottled beer location in the city.


Brewmaster Mike Carver was tasked with putting the list together, and told me he basically sat down and wrote out a wishlist based on what is distributed in the area, all organized by style. So when Mike wanted one of the best Pilsners he could get his hands on, he just added Victory Prima Pils. And how about some IPA’s? Well an excellent English IPA is readily available in Meantime IPA, and for the hop heads, don’t fret, because Dogfish 90 Minute, and the always amazing Bell’s Two Hearted are readily available as well. Not to mention a selection of Strong American Ales, Wood Aged Beers, Sours and even some Belgian and French ales help round out the menu. Yes, it’s not easy to make a choice.


What might be even more exciting though, is the future of the Moerlein brand. For years now, all the Christian Moerlein beers were brewed outside of the area, and then then distributed back here to Cincinnati, and passed off as local. And they are local, to a degree, but that process is about to change, and in a big way. Over the next 3 to 6 months, the beers you already know like OTR, Barborossa and Northern Liberties IPA are getting recipe tweaks and being brewed here in Cincinnati, some at the brand new Lager House. You can see in a few of my photos the tanks and fermenters the guys have at their disposal, it’s kid in a candy store type stuff for brewers.

Finally, here are a couple of fun Lager House facts I learned the other night…
Read more »

Untappd Super User Interview: Jason Donmoyer

March 1, 2012
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We here at Empty Growler are big fans of all things craft beer and technology, so it’s no secret we are heavy Untappd users. Today, we continue a new interview series with Untappd Super Users. What is a Super User you ask? Well, Super Users are volunteers that are passionate about beer and Untappd. They help out on the back end of things and do their best to make the experience better for Untappd users. We decided it would be fun to shine the spotlight on some of these regular beer guys. Today, it’s Jason Donmoyer from Philadelphia.

Empty Growler: Tell us a bit about yourself, your dayjob etc…

Jason Donmoyer: I’m a software developer by day, home brewer and BJCP certified beer judge on the weekends. I’ve developed the Android applications BJCPDroid and inMyCellar. I’m also co-founder of http://www.threddies.com.

Empty Growler:How did you get into drinking craft beer?

Jason Donmoyer:I’ve always been a fan of quality over quantity, and became exposed to many american craft brews while touring the country following the band Phish. In college, I developed a taste for Belgian beers and began home brewing in order to have a cheaper way of enjoying those styles here in the US.

EG:What got you started with Untappd and then become a SU?

Jason:I was an early adopter of Foursquare and was thinking about adding ‘check-in’ style features to inMyCellar when I started to investigate if anyone had already done something similar. I started using the web app and frequently lobbied for a native Android application. Not long after starting to use the app (and running into several duplicate beers and breweries), Tim contacted me via Twitter about becoming an SU.

EG:Tell us a bit about your local beer scene and favorite local breweries.

Jason:The Philadelphia area is just brimming with craft beer culture. Large number of homebrewers, great beer bars, even good bottle shops now that Pennsylvania’s beer laws have relaxed a bit. With regards to bars in my immediate area, The Iron Abbey, and Blue Dog are always worth it and everyone will tell you to check out Monk’s Cafe. My favorite brewery is always whatever is closest at the time, but lately, I’ve been partial to Troegs, Earth Bread and Brewery and Fegley’s Brewworks.

EG:You are standing in front of a wall of every beer you can imagine, but can only choose 4 for a mix and match, what do you go with?

Jason:Tough question… but if I had to pick at this moment it would be… Westvleteren blonde, Mikkeller 19, a good Cantillon Gueuze and Firestone Walker’s XV


EG:What are a few beers you have yet to try that you are on the hunt for?

Jason:I’m always looking for anything that I haven’t tried from Mikkeller. I always scan a beer list for any of the top end Brew Dog’s or Belgians (especially sours) that I haven’t tried as well.

Jason on Untappd

Cellar Review: Rivertown Lambic

February 28, 2012
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Again, it’s time to dip into the growing beer cellar and grab a bottle of something to review. This weekend, during the Oscars, I decided to dull the pain of Billy Crystal and the less than stellar best picture nominees with a little taste of Lambic, and from a local brewer no less. I’m based in the Cincinnati area, and among the local breweries to crop up in recent years, Rivertown was one that I was mixed on. Every now and then I would find something from them I really loved (Hop Baron) and every now and then I would find something totally forgettable.

Let me just say upfront that their Lambic is not forgettable. First of all though, if you aren’t sure or think you know, what is a Lambic? To be very specific, it’s a very distinctive type of beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) and in Brussels itself at the Cantillon Brewery and museum. Lambic is now mainly consumed after refermentation, resulting in derived beers such as Geuze or Kriek. Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by carefully cultivated strains of brewer’s yeasts, lambic beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation: it is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley, in which Brussels lies. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavour: dry, vinous, and cidery, usually with a sour aftertaste.

But if I’m gonna be less clinical about the definition, I’d say a Lambic is a entry level sour beer. Not sour in a ‘oh this milk smells nasty’ kinda way, but sour in a tart and refreshing way. Following?

So some of our Midwestern audience might be asking right now, how does Rivertown, who is based in the Cincinnati area, brew a beer that is only brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium? Well, it’s actually simple to explain. The brewers expose the lambic beer to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are native to the region, rather than traveling there in order to make this a reality. Alright, so is this one any good?

I’m not a Lambic expert, and have only sampled a handful of Cantillon beers (they are harder to come by around here). But I do trust my evolving palette, and this didn’t let me down. I’ve read some other reviews and agree that the biggest downside of this beer might be trying to open the thing. The cheap cork took me almost ten minutes to pry open and broke in half before I could fully extract it. Thankfully, none of it ended up in the bottle though, and thats when things really got good.

Rivertown’s Lambic is a 2010 Vintage, and is of the unblended variety, which means no fruit was added. I don’t think they have brewed it up and bottled any since then, so if you see a bottle on store shelves, or can acquire one via trade, snap it up. They aged it in oak wine barrels, as documented here by our friends at Hoperatives.

It pours a golden yellow color with a solid amount of carbonation. I let it breathe for a few minutes before tasting and once I did I had a hard time putting it down. The sour lemon finish was really nice but the beer is maltier than most other sours I’ve had and that really makes it a smooth drinkable beer. I had no problem taking down the 750ml bottle myself thanks to a ABV of just 6%.

When it’s all said and done, if you haven’t had your palette favorably wrecked by loads of Cantillon, but want to see what all the fuss is about with sours, you should give Rivertown’s Lambic a shot. And other than the cork, I’d say this one will hold up for another year or two as well in your cellar, but is drinking really nice right now as well.

Have you tried many sours or Lambics? Have a favorite?