Farmhouse Friday: Fantome Magic Ghost

Tags

fantome magic ghost, green beer, green tea beer

I’ll start out by saying that Fantôme Magic Ghost is one of the most unique looking beers I’ve ever seen, the picture here doesn’t do justice to just how spectacularly green this beer is. Magic Ghost is said to be made with green tea, but I didn’t pick up any flavors that I would attribute to the use of green tea. I’m also assuming the green color of the beer is from food coloring, I don’t know that for sure, but can’t think of anything that would make it so vibrantly green.

Magic Ghost is sweeter than most Saisons, but not overly sweet. The smell is reminiscent of a raspberry or strawberry cream soda with just a bit of musty Saison funk in there.

The first thing I noticed upon the first sip was the prickly mouthfeel due to the high carbonation. Just like the smell the taste is on the sweet side and one of the first things I taste is strawberries and cream. Magic Ghost is fairly citrusy as well, my mind wanders towards lime, but I can’t help but think that’s just due to the color of the beer. The same thing goes for the kiwi flavor I’m picking up. Does this beer really taste like kiwi or is that just a trick due to the green kiwi like color of the beer? There’s some candied-ginger and lemongrass flavors in there as well, with the lemongrass becoming more noticeable as it warms up.

Magic Ghost is slightly tart, but nowhere near sour. A bit of typical Saison funk, presumably from the yeast is present as well, but certainly doesn’t take front and center over all the other things going on with this beer.

Some people might call Magic Ghost a gimmick, but I call it a damn good (and unique looking beer). I picked this bottle up for $15 at Bottlecraft but according to their website they’ve since sold out. I know that Olive Tree Market and Best Damn Beer Shop got some in as well (and probably more shops around town as well). If you want to try this beer I’d say go out and get one sooner rather than later. And putting a couple of bottles away in a cool dark place until March 17th wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

UPDATE: Dr. Bill brought to my attention that this beer was made with woodruff syrup, which is what gives it the vibrant green color. I’m not sure if there is green tea in it or not, but woodruff does explain the color.

Photo by Chris Hammett

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Great Divide Rumble Oak Aged India Pale Ale

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great divide Rumble Oak Aged India Pale Ale, Rumble Oak Aged India Pale Ale, rumble oak aged ipa

I haven’t had many oak aged IPA’s so it was my lack of experience with the style combined with my love for Great Divide that caused me to pick up Rumble Oak Aged India Pale Ale (typically sold in 6 packs, I picked up this single 12oz bottle at Bottlecraft for $1.95).

According to Great Divide’s website, Rumble is an American IPA brewed with Pacific Northwest hops and aged on French and American oak (but there’s no mention of how long it is aged). It’s listed as 7.1% ABV and the IBUs aren’t listed.

Rumble is darker in color and sweeter in both smell and taste than many American IPAs. That’s not to say that it isn’t a solid beer however. Pretty much everything one would expect from an oak aged American IPA makes an appearance. Earthy oak, hints of vanilla and sweet caramel are front and center which all give way to a more bitter finish full of piney hops. The carbonation was lower than I expected, but certainly wasn’t flat and didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of the beer.

I was afraid this beer could be too malty and sweet but even as it warmed up it didn’t become overly sweet and was still pleasant to drink. I don’t have much to compare it to, but this is a great example of what I would expect from and oak aged American IPA.

Farmhouse Friday: Green Flash Summer Saison

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green flash summer saison

Speaking of Green Flash, I picked up their Summer Saison for this week’s Farmhouse Friday.

It’s on the lower end of the ABV spectrum at only 4.3% ABV (and 20 IBU) which makes it a nice sessionable beer for warm summer days. And is a spiced Saison brewed with orange curacao, ginger and grains of paradise that shows excellent restraint when it comes to the amount of spices. They’re in there, that is obvious, but they’re not overwhelming.

The first taste is a bit sweet, the ginger is obvious as well as tastes of citrus. The sweetness fades into an earthy spiciness before finishing fairly dry (the finish is much drier than I expected based on the initial sweetness). The finish and aftertaste is fairly rustic and grainy but that doesn’t detract from the beer at all.

For those people that base their beer purchases on a cost to ABV ratio this one isn’t the best value at $7 or $8 for a 22oz bottle. But if you’re more worried about the flavor of the beer rather than the alcohol content, this one is a winner, especially when the weather is nice.

Photo by Chris Hammett

Green Flash Grand Opening, tommorrow, Saturday July 22nd, 2011

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green flash bus, green flash grand opening, green flash shuttle, jerry sanders beer, lil' freak, mayor sanders beer, silva stout

Green Flash Brewing Co. has been open in their new Mira Mesa location for a little over a month now, but tomorrow (Saturday, July 22nd, 2011) they’re holding their official grand opening from 12-4pm.

Mayor Jerry Sanders will be on hand to tap the inaugural cask at 1:30pm and in addition to their solid standard lineup they’ll have at least two special beers: Lil’ Freak gets tapped at 1pm and Silva Stout at 3pm.

Admission is free, you just have to buy your beers.

Green Flash is working with Brew Hop and a few local bars to provide complimentary buses to the event.

From what I’ve been told buses will leave from Churchill’s Pub in San Marcos at 11:10am, and 1:20pm with stops to pick more people up at Lumberyard Tavern in Encinitas 35 minutes later before heading on to Green Flash. Buses will also leave from Hamilton’s Tavern at 11:15am and 1pm, stopping at  Toronado at 11:45am and 1:30pm and O’Brien’s Pub at 12pm and 1:40pm before heading up to Green Flash. Buses are scheduled to depart Green Flash back to those bars every couple of hours up until about 4-5pm.

As always check with the individual bars to confirm times and for more info.

This Weekend’s America’s Finest Beer Festival Canceled

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america's finest beer festival

The folks behind this weekend’s America’s Finest Beer Festival, which was slated to begin tomorrow at 3pm have asked me to help get the word out that the event has been canceled. The text below was posted to their website this afternoon.

According to West Coaster tickets purchased through Ticketweb will be refunded automatically.

New Belgium Super Cru

Tags

fat tire, new belgium 20th anniversary, super cru

Super Cru is New Belgium’s 20th Anniversary beer and a tribute to (or super version of?) Fat Tire. It’s an amazingly wonderful smelling beer. It’s a very lively beer with a wonderful pear smell, tart and fruity (as it is brewed with Asian Pear juice). Bready malts and a little bit of caramel or toffee come through in the first sips. There’s a spicy bite towards the end of the taste, possibly due to the Saison yeast used.

But as Super Cru warms it becomes more difficult to drink. The 10% ABV starts to become more apparent and the sweetness, both from the fruit juice and the large malt bill present themselves front and center. Super Cru is by no means a terrible beer, but it isn’t a great beer either. I picked this 22oz bottle up for $8 at BevMo which I feel was a pretty good price for what I got. I’d recommend drinking it on the cold side, split the bottle with a friend if possible or pour a small glass and keep the remainder in the fridge until you’re ready for more.

Farmhouse Friday: Stillwater Cellar Door

Tags

cellar door, stillwater artisanal ales

While I’ve only have a few examples of it, I’m a big fan of sage in beer. I had been meaning to try something from Stillwater Artisanal Ales and the mention of sage in Cellar Door jumped out at me. I drank this on a hot day and it was perfectly light and refreshing.

It felt a little thin, but that probably helped make it more refreshing. The first tastes are pretty sweet (possibly due to the wheat) and citrusy, Cellar Door uses Citra hops which are not one of my favorite hop varieties. As the beer warms the citrus fades into the background and the sage steps up a bit to balance things out. There isn’t a strong sage presence, just a hint which mellows out the citrus perfectly well. There’s some earthy spiciness, which could be due to the Saison yeast or the sage (or both) in there as well.

All in all Cellar Door is a solid beer, and absolutely perfect for a hot summer day. I picked this bottle up at Olive Tree Market in Ocean Beach for $11.49 for a 750ml bottle. I’ve also seen beers from Stillwater at Best Damn Beer Shop downtown.

Photo: Creative Commons – flickr user walknboston

Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Troegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout

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jason fields, Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Troegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout, kevin sheppard, stone collaboration, stone homebrewer collaboration, Troegs brewing company

Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Tröegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout is the collaboration beer that resulted from Stone’s AHA (American Homebrewers Association) Rally this past March. Homebrewers Jason Fields and Kevin Sheppard teamed up with John Trogner, Head Brewer of Tröegs Brewing Co. in Harrisburg, PA and Stone’s Brewmaster Mitch Steele to brew a production run of their stout after taking top honors out of the 40 entries judged that day.

According to a new release from Stone, the beer includes a blend of dark-roasted specialty malts, Callebaut chocolate liquor, vanilla beans and 9000 pounds of dark cherries. Sounds intense. So how is it? Intensely good.

It’s black, letting no light through even when I hold the glass up to the light. I can’t quite but my finger on the smell, it’s roasty, with cherries and chocolate coming though but there’s a lot going on with it.

Due to the cherries the taste starts out surprisingly sweet for a stout (but not overly sweet), with a great cherry flavor. The finish is more bitter a mix of cherries and chocolate leading to one of the most fantastic after tastes I’ve ever experienced from a beer. As soon as I swallow the taste of delicious dark chocolate fills my mouth, a taste much different than anything I tasted while the beer was still in my mouth.

I didn’t think to take the temperature of the beer until I was halfway through with it, but this is one that shouldn’t be served too cold. I let it sit out for about 10-15 minutes before tasting it and the smells developed more as it warmed. The notes above are while drinking it between 59 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit which seemed to be a good temperature. As it got warmer, above 65 degrees a more unpleasant bitterness appeared, still not bad, but I’d recommend trying to drink it right around 60 degrees.

This one is a winner and a beer I highly suggest you search out when it is released July 25th. Stone produced 2448 cases and it will be distributed in 23 states. Like most (all?) Stone collaborations beers to date this one comes in single 12-oz bottles with a suggested retail price between $2.49 and $3.49. Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Tröegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout is 7.3% ABV and 37 IBUs.

Note: This bottle was provided to me free charge by Stone Brewing Co. for sampling purposes.

Update: You can see a video Stone made about the beer below.

San Diego Beer Events July 15th – July 20th

Tags

2011 Bourbon Barrel-aged Santa’s Little Helper, 7th annual tj beer fest, christmas in july, Dupont Avec les bon Voeux, green flash treasure chest, tijuana beer festival 2011

If you know of anything that isn’t on the events calendar, please email events@sandiegobeerblog.com to get it added.  Not all of the beer events happening in a given week make it on the list below, I pick one or two per day to avoid information overload. Make sure to check out the Events page or the calendar below this post for all the week’s events. As always, events are subject to change, check with the venue putting on the event before hand for more details.

Lots of beer related stuff going on this weekend and into next week.

O’Briens Pub will hold the first of two “Christmas in July” parties happening this weekend on Friday. They’ll have plenty of Christmas/winter beer on tap and in bottles including one of my favorites, Dupont Avec les bon Voeux. The next day The Lost Abbey/Port Brewing celebrates the release of 2011 Bourbon Barrel-aged Santa’s Little Helper with their own party. They ask that you bring a $15 new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots as the price of admission. Make an additional $15 cash donation and you get to pick a gift from under their Christmas tree which will include rare bottles, Port Brewing & Lost Abbey gear and tickets to their Barrel Night during San Diego Beer Week. Food, entertainment and photos with Santa will all be provided.

Looking to try some beers you’ve never had before? Grab your passport and head to the 7th Annual Tijuana Beer Fest happening Friday and Saturday from Noon-2am on Revoluccion in downtown Tijuana. It’s an easy walk from the border (take the trolley or park near the border). I’m unsure about how much tickets are, but last year they were pretty cheap. Read more about last year’s festival here.

Manzanita Brewing Company out in Santee is celebrating their one year anniversary with a party. They’ll have three food trucks on hand and of course plenty of beer. The $5 admission goes to Beer for Boobs a breast cancer charity. That $5 admission also gets you a Manzanita glass and five 4oz tasters.

Tuesday is Chicks for Beer at The High Dive with Green Flash Brewing Co. and their Belgian Pale Ale Treasure Chest among others. As the name implies Chicks for Beer is ladies only.

Wednesday brings with it the monthly DrinkAbout, free shuttles provided by Brewery Tours of San Diego that stop at some of the best beer bars in Normal Heights, University Heights, South Park and North Park.

Farmhouse Friday: Pretty Things Field Mouse’s Farewell

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field mouse's farewell, jack d'or, pretty things beer and ale project

Jack D’Or might be the flagship beer of Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, I would pick their other Saison, Field Mouse’s Farewell if I were forced to choose between the two (that’s not to say that I don’t like Jack D’Or, I just prefer Field Mouse’s Farewell). They’re both roughly in the “Saison” style, but very different beers.

Field Mouse’s Farewell is described as a “rustic golden ale brewed with barley, oats, wheat and rye” on the label, which still leaves quite a bit to be discovered about the beer. Their website does a bit more explaining, stating that it’s “Mostly inspired by Nord Pas de Calais “biere de garde” and Wallonian saison styles”.

As far as I know it just showed up in San Diego for the first time recently (along with a few others from Pretty Things) but it’s listed as a late spring seasonal on their website, so I don’t expect it to be around much longer. I found it at Bottlecraft, and I’ve seen it at Olive Tree Market and Best Damn Beer Shop as well.

Field Mouse’s Farewell is a bit on the sweet side upon the first sip, but finishes dry like a Saison should. A little bit of bitterness sneaks in towards the end of the swallow, but I don’t think anyone would describe this beer as bitter. The oats add a nice silky feel to the beer which plays nicely off the slight sweetness.

Like most Saison’s this is a pretty yeast driven beer with a distinct spiciness. There was quite a bit of sediment in the bottle which I was careful to avoid pouring into the glass at first. After drinking most of the beer in the glass pictured to the left I poured more in, letting some of the yeast from the bottle get into the glass. As expected it got much more cloudy and the taste changed quite a bit. The yeast flavors came out much more with an earthy mustiness as well as strong fruity banana flavors. I wouldn’t describe either way (less yeast sediment in the glass or more) as being better than the other, just different. I highly suggest trying it both ways to see which you prefer.