Whisky & beer

[Deactivated Member]

Ron, those stipulations certainly seem fuzzy, but I imagine the pertinent point is intent. Your mash isn't capable of being distilled if you don't have a still. And if you put hops in the stuff, you aren't planning to distill it, are you?

[rthomson]

Yeah, I'm certain it's simply poor wording due to lack of knowledge of the processes. I haven't homebrewed in several years but if I should do it again I'm not concerned about the morality police, or tax police more likely, coming down on me. Seeing things like that just reminds me of how frustrating law can be and how people can get caught in situations that are patently unfair while others, with the experienced attorneys, can turn the wording of statutes upside down and sideways.

OK, I'll get back on topic. McMenamin's has an ESB and a pale ale (called Hammerhead) in the Six Arms, their Seattle brewpub, that I've become fond of. I haven't tried their other beers yet. Haven't matched them up with any single malts yet but I'm looking forward to it.

Ron

[Deactivated Member]

Hammerhead is awesome. Tasted it when visiting friends in Portland in '92. A year or two later, I was at a convention in San Diego and they drove down with a growler of it for me! Now that's a friend...not like the clowns I've been hanging with the past couple years.

[Tartan]

Have people experimented to find out which beers go well with which malts?

Hahn Premium Lager from New South Wales is very malty, and goes very well with Cragganmore or Cardhu.

Tooheys Old, also from NSW, is a darker ale which sits well with a Bowmore.

Some of the fruitier beers from Tasmania (i.e. Coopers or Cascade) are excellent with a Glenmorangie or even a Macallan.

I know it's a very old post, but since I just joined (I've been reading for quite a long time though) I thought I'd bring it back.

I love both: whisky and beer... but separately. I've never thought of having them together. I've tried vodka and beer though, but that was slightly different Could you, or anyone else, describe how you actually drink beer and whisky together, the process itself?

[Admiral]

Hi Tartan,

There's nothing particularly scientific or textbook about my approach.....

Sometimes when I gather with colleagues to taste a few whiskies, we usually "cleanse our palates" with an ale or two.

After drinking a beer and then moving onto a scotch, I noticed that the two drinks could either complement each other, or be quite contrary.

So I simply started trying a few different beers, and then following them up with different whiskies to see which ones went together well.

(Obviously, you can't do this too much in one sitting or you end up under the weather pretty quickly! )

But - as a general rule - it follows that fruity beers tend to go well with fruity malts, darker heavier beers go well with heavier, peatier malts, and so forth.

(I think Aidan here confesses to enjoying Guinness and Lagavulin 16! )

Cheers,
Admiral

[williammackinnon]

Hahn Premium Lager from New South Wales is very malty, and goes very well with Cragganmore or Cardhu.

Hmmmm. Good post Admiral. I had quite a lot of Aussie beer when I was over there. Hahn Premium being my joint favourite beside Coopers.

I had a few (probably too many) Becks last week, then decided to give the Cragganmore & Balvenie Doublewood in our cabinet another go ( I couldn't see the fuss up until then).

They were both MUCH better tasting than the last few times I had tried them - and NO it wasn't because I was pissed, I remember paying real attention to them & concluded at the time that the Becks beforehand had complimented them perfectly.

The Hahn premium you talk about, as you know, contains German hops, so I don't think this is a coincedence, Becks being German as well.

p.s Just remembered James Boag Strong Arm Bitter from Tasmania, that's a favourite as well.

[Deactivated Member]

I almost never drink whisky without beer--my stomach demands the dilution, plus the time between drams taken to enjoy a pint. Normally I order a dram and a pint at the same time, and let the pint sit while I spend a half-hour or so with the dram. The beer is, in my mind, the better for sitting a while. It's the same at home, except I pour a bottle of beer instead of ordering a pint.

[Tartan]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have to give it a try. Just have to

Something tells me that scotch ale should go well with scotch whisky

[Deactivated Member]

Whose Scotch ale do you have in mind? To be frank, I've never had a so-called Scotch ale from an American micro that bore any relation to anything I've had in Scotland. I think what they have in mind is an 80/ (eighty shilling)--hie thee to Blanchard's or Kappy's or some other monster packy and see if they have bottles of Caledonian 80/ or Orkney Dark Island. To be honest, the bottled stuff is a shadow of the real thing, but it'll give you an idea. (The Dark Island, from the Orkney brewery, is actually brewed for bottling under contract by Caledonian of Edinburgh.)

I prefer IPA's and such, and find they go perfectly well with malts--it's interesting to contrast peat smoke with hoppiness, or hoppiness with sherry, or hoppy malt with a malty malt. I've been drinking Sierra Nevada Celebration all winter, and just ran out. Now I'm on the Bigfoot, which is a hell of a beer, but it's a little short on dilution value!

[Tartan]

Firstly, that was just a play on words

To be honest, the bottled stuff is a shadow of the real thing...

I suspected that, but since I've never had a chance and/or pleasure to taste the real one, I'll have to settle for what I get here in bottles. I tried Caledonian, but I was more impressed with McEwan's. Actually their bottled Scotch Ale is what got me hooked on the "dark side of the beer"
Caledonian was good too, but I've tried it long time ago and don't remember the details. Belhaven's Scotch Ale is fine, imo. They also have Wee Heavy - a pronouncedly smokey ale.
I also like Sam Adams' version of Scotch Ale. I emphasize it's their version of the thing, but in my opinion it's pretty good it its own right. Quite heavy, aromatic, and tasteful. It's actually my favorite American beer.

[Deactivated Member]

McEwan's Scotch Ale is an excellent example of how a bottled beer can be radically different from the cask or draft product. It has those peculiar banana esters...an interesting beer, to be sure, but odd. On top of that, when I get a bottle, I usually have the impression that it's a year old or more.

Sam Adams...where to start? They do make some decent beers. And I very much appreciate their pioneering status in eastern brewing. But Jim Koch is a marketeer (and a very good one), not a brewer, and Sam Adams is sort of the Budweiser of micros. When he started, he contract brewed in Pittsburgh, but promised to bring production to Boston. He did finally buy the old Haffenreffer brewery in Jamaica Plain, but only a very small percentage of Sam Adams beer is made there. The rest is a patchwork of contract brews and taken-over regional breweries. It's not really in any sense a micro or craft brewery at all, although they'd like you to believe it is. And it annoys me somewhat how they flood the market with product, taking up shelf space in liquor stores, crowding out real craft brewers. So I generally only drink Sammy when the only other alternative is Heinekin or worse. But hey, the proof is in the pudding, and if you like it, then you're not wrong. And I just got done telling you that I drink a lot of Sierra Nevada products, and they're hardly a mom & pop outfit.

This is a whisky forum, isn't it? You really must get over to Scotland--I presume from your handle that you have some Scottish heritage, no? Go to Islay and tour every single distillery there, or else visit Speyside. Islay has a new brewery, a very welcome addition; cask ale is shockingly short on the ground in the heart of Speyside, although I can recommend the Mash Tun in Aberlour, and apparently there are several good real ale pubs in Elgin. Are any of the brewpubs in Boston serving cask ale now? I'm still upset about the Commonwealth shutting down....

[rthomson]

Whose Scotch ale do you have in mind? To be frank, I've never had a so-called Scotch ale from an American micro that bore any relation to anything I've had in Scotland.

The only American micro that bore any real resemblance was an early version of Grant's Scottish Ale from Yakima Brewing Co. That was a good number of years ago and as I recall Bert Grant was one of the leaders in the brewing renaissance and the early versions of his beers were fantastic. The whole line did become watered down and began to disappoint. Grant died a few years back and the watering down may have come after his passing, I'm not certain. Anyway, I think Yakima Brewing is defunct now, at least I haven't seen any of their products for a while, so there's none to try.

In general, I don't find many Scotch ales made in this country to have much in common with ales actually made in Scotland. That by no means makes them bad beers, simply different. And if it goes well with a dram, then ENJOY!

Ron

[Mr Fjeld]

Sorry for waking up this old thread but I thought I'd make you aware of the new magazine called "Beers of the world".
Looks interesting doesn't it?

http://www.beers-of-the-world.com

Skål!
Christian

[Tartan]

Thanks for pointing. I was going to ask in what country it is published... until I saw the name of the editor

US$24.95 sounds like a very good price for six issues... but I'd like to see a sample. It is planned to be offered at the news stands, isn't it? At the same ones that sell Whisky Magazine, I presume.

P.S. Now, if only Whisky Magazine was offered at a similar deal

[Aidan]

I have just subscribed. Sure we'll see...

[Mr Fjeld]

Great Aidan! I might do just that myself, just want to check out the first number. Meanwhile, here's an ad from a brewery sent to me from a friend. Good idea but rather d(r)aft if you ask me...

http://www.bigad.com.au/

Skål!
Christian

[Mr Fjeld]

Hi Whisky & Beer lovers!
I was just wondering about this; at some point there must have been a brewery or two in Scotland which made peated beer. If peat in many places was the only fuel for the kilns then isn't it likely that the roasted barley used when making ales would have tasted accordingly? Does such a thing (still?) exist? And if so, have you ever tasted it?

Skål!
Christian

[Mr Fjeld]

Hi All!
Just wanted to tell you that the "Beers of the World" arrived a couple of days ago and it looks great. Good articles and interesting reading. "Our own" Michael Jackson writes an article and as always he's great!. This is certainly highly recommendable and absolutely worth a subscription!

Skål!
Christian

[Mr Fjeld]

I have just subscribed. Sure we'll see...

Did you enjoy the first issue Aidan? I certainly did!

Skål!
Christian

[Aidan]

Hi Christian

I have not received the first issue yet. The post must be quicker going to Norway than it is to Ireland.

How long ago did you get your issue?

[Mr Fjeld]

Hi Aidan!
I got mine on Monday......
and it's great; articles on Czech beer/pilsner, one about Fuller's of London, Theakston, anniversary beers to celebrate Horatio Nelson, Cantillon etc. Some of these topics are new to me and I found the articles well written and interesting. There's also a Collector's section and tastings section like in whiskymag.
I know that most "first issues" are especially well made to collect as much interest as possible - but if they keep up the quality I'd say one misses something if one doesn't buy/subscribe - even more so if one has an interest in beer.

You have something to look forward to that's for sure!

Skål!
Christian

Ps! Maybe Matt would know why you still havent received it?

[Aidan]

Hi Christian

Has matt something to do with that magazine too?

I know Michael Jackson is as much know for his beer opinions as his whisky. I think he rate an Irish beer called Curim the best wheat beer in the world. It's very nice, although it falls far short of some of the stuff available from Belgium and Germany.

[Mr Fjeld]

Has matt something to do with that magazine too?

Yep, same Matt
matt@beers-of-the-world.com

I know Michael Jackson is as much know for his beer opinions as his whisky. I think he rate an Irish beer called Curim the best wheat beer in the world. It's very nice, although it falls far short of some of the stuff available from Belgium and Germany.

Funny you should mention that because in his article in "BOTW" he answers the question "You also write about whisky. Which drink means most to you? MJ: Which one of your children do you prefer?

I'd love to try Curim and other irish beers too! Hopefully I'll learn more about beer's of the world when reading the mag.

Skål!
Christian

[Aidan]

Curim was a type of beer made by monks in ireland a long time ago (a bit vague, I know) and was revived. It tastes kind of like a hoppy wheat beer. The Carlow Brewing Company also do a good Stout.

When it comes to beer though, Ireland is pretty poor. Guinness seem to monopolise the bars and won't let other good beer in, so you're stuck with Budwiser, Carlsberg, Fosters ... All pretty poor in my opinion. I only drink stout over here.

[Mr Fjeld]

I love hoppy beers and if Curim becomes available over here then I'll most certainly try it! The picture you describe with the large companies bullying the market is very familiar with us in Norway. You have a few large brewing giants selling stuff on conditions to the bars and restaurants; "buy our beer and the rest of our products and we'll support you with fridges, marketing material and even money to renovate your pub - as long as you don't sell any other company's products, including independant breweries or competing producers of mineralwater". If they do they won't sell them beer. Pretty shady way of doing business in my opinion and especially bad as long as the beer is generally without any characteristics other than being unremarkable in every respect.
To keep this at least slightly on topic it's a relief to see it hasn't come to this with whisky!
There is however one exception and that is Norway's oldest brewery - which also happens to be family owned. Aass Bryggeri (I see a joke coming) not only welcomes the products of the microbrewery "Haandbryggeriet" but also lets it use the distribution organisation! This is done because they see the handmade products as complimentary rather than as competition. Great isn't it!


Skål!
Christian

[Aidan]

I love hoppy beers and if Curim becomes available over here then I'll most certainly try it!

Skål!
Christian

I just read reviews of Curim on one of those websites listed above and none of them are very complientary. Oh well.

Anyway, I like Guinness.

[Deactivated Member]

Yes, Aidan, the one thing I had to overlook when traveling in Ireland--the same five beers everywhere. If I walked into a Scottish pub and found that selection, I'd turn around and go find another pub. Unless, of course, I was in some tiny village in the middle of nowhere, and this was the only pub. It has happened.

Christian, I remember years ago that Aass was briefly promoted here with the slogan "Graab Aass!"

[Aidan]

Tattie

It is getting better, though. You can now get Erdinger and Budweiser Budvar, amongst others.

There's also a new pub opening with beers from all over the world. That will be interesting.

My favourate beer is Augustiner from Munich. I also like the dry Irish stouts, but they seem to be doing them better abroad these days.

[Tartan]

Hi All!
Just wanted to tell you that the "Beers of the World" arrived a couple of days ago and it looks great. Good articles and interesting reading. "Our own" Michael Jackson writes an article and as always he's great!. This is certainly highly recommendable and absolutely worth a subscription!

Skål!
Christian

I've got mine on Monday as well. Quite fast. I posted this queston on their Forum, but it's not as heavily populated so far - so, no replies I liked the magazine very much.

[Aidan]

Got mine today - so far, it looks good.

[Mr Fjeld]

After having read through the first issue I decided I wanted a subscription too! I'm certainly looking forward to the coming issues and hope they'll write articles about beer production in the periphery as well as the more well known areas and beer types.
Norway's "Nøgne Ø" would be a good place to start

Skål!
Christian

[randall fairbrook]

ok, i am not the type to necessarily start a new topic for everything and this one seems close enough so i am hijacking it, kinda...


my latest hi times haul....



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6 pack widmer broken halo ipa - 6.0% - $8.99

11.2oz meantime bottle conditioned coffee porter - 6% - $4.29

2x 11./2oz Melchior driekonigen ale brewed with mustard seeds - 11% - $4.49 ea

1pt, 6 oz - alesmith x extra pale ale - $4.29

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1pt 6 oz bayhawk California pale ale - 5.4% - $2.79

2x 1pt .9oz Russian river blind pig - 6.10% - $4.29 ea

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3x 1pt 6 oz port brewing panzer imperial pilsner - 9.5% - $6.99 ea

1pt .9 oz - Russian river pliny the elder - 8% - $4.29

1 mini - 50 ml tomintoul single malt speyside - 40% - $3.99

Latest issue malt advocate - $5.50

Bequet sea salt caramels - $7.99

Peanut butter truffle - $3.99





2 days off......priceless.....