Category: Belgian

Left Coast Brewing Company Asylum Tripel

6/23/2017

There's no such thing as a bad tripel, that's just a fact of life. So when I saw Left Coast Brewing Company's Asylum Tripel at P.F. Chang's on an outing with some of my fellow MBA students, there was no question as to what I would order. It didn't matter that I had never heard of this brewery before. A tripel, if you don't already know, refers to a strong pale ale, typically made with a yeast that originates in Belgium, and up to three times the normal amount of malt. For those more familiar with the darker Belgian dubbel's or quad's, you may be in for a surprise when you see the light colored liquid pouring into your glass. The tripel is in a family all its own.

Left Coast Brewing Company produces six regular brews, including Asylum, and four seasonals. They began brewing in 2004, and seem to be growing at a steady pace (not surprising after tasting this delicious tripel). If you ever happen to be in San Clemente on a Tuesday or Sunday, be sure to check out their Bend and Brew Yoga series in the park.

Left Coast Brewing Asylum Tripel
Asylum Tripel is an explosion of fruits and spices with a thirst-quenching creamy head that I can't recommend enough.
Nose: Whoa! Banana, tropical fruits
Taste: Banana nut bread, spices

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Beers of Mexico #2: This lager has its roots in Germany

4/15/2015

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Ready for the second installation in my Beers of Mexico series? Then quick! Name a Mexican lager whose roots trace all the way back to 1800s Germany. Give up? Before you cheat and scroll down further, think back through your memories. Have you ever tried a Mexican beer that reminded you of a pilsner (think Stella Artois)?

Truth be told, I didn't know anything about this lager when I picked it up last weekend. I'm sure I've tried it before, but never really paid any attention to its distinct notes. Expecting a mellow lager, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a flavor profile that lands smack in the middle between a Stella and a Corona.

Ready for the big reveal?

One more clue...

"Stay thirsty my friend!"

Our mystery beer is Dos Equis lager. Dos Equis is Spanish for XX, as the beer was first produced in 1897 to celebrate the arrival of the twentieth century. This beer was first crafted by a German brewer named Wilhelm Hasse who emigrated to Mexico under the short-lived Second Mexican Empire of Maximilian I (for kicks, check out the wiki on this fascinating period), hence its similarity to European pilsners. Today, thanks to the most interesting man in the world, Dos Equis remains a popular Mexican import in the U.S., and throughout the world.

Dos Equis is brewed by Cuauhtemoc-Moctezuma Brewery (CMB), one of the two mega breweries in Mexico (the other is Modelo), but it is itself a subsidiary of Heineken. CMB has been in business since 1890, when a group of Austrian and Mexican businessmen joined forces to start a brewery. Other recognizable imports from CMB include Sol and Tecate, among others.

Dos Equis Lager:
Nose: Like a Stella, with a light, sweet finish
Taste: I'd put it right between Stella and Corona. A smooth oaky start, with the distinct limey notes of a Mexican lager, pilsner hints and a floral essence.

Recommendation: If you've been avoiding Dos Equis lager just because it's too mainstream, why not give it a try, then tell us what you think!

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25. Golden Monkey Tripel

3/31/2015

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Imagine an American beer that tastes like it's straight off the plane from Belgium. That's the Victory Brewing Company Golden Monkey.

I tried Golden Monkey on a whim. It was on tap at the local tavern and listed as a tripel. I had never heard of Victory Brewing or their Golden Monkey ale, but I never refuse the chance to try a tripel. I was not disappointed with my choice.

The term "tripel" (or triple) may have originated in Belgium in the 1930s. The Oxford Companion to Beer notes that Westphalle Abby was the first to use the term, using it to refer to their strongest ale. To me, the definition is simple: delicious!

Victory Brewing Company is located in Downington, a small, unassuming town on the East side of Pennsylvania. The founders, Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, have been friends since 5th grade. They learned their brewing craft in Germany. And it shows. Golden Monkey tastes very much like it's European cousins.

Founded in 1996, Victory Brewing is committed to sustainability. They re-purposed a Pepperidge Farms factory for their brewery. And their heating system recovers approximately a third of their energy for reuse. On top of that, they use solar panels to harness the power of the sun, compost 73 tons of food from their brewery restaurant every year, and allow a local farmer to recycle their wet, used grain as a feed supplement for his cattle.

Not bad, eh?

Golden Monkey Tripel Ale
Nose: Sweet coriander, clove, light honey
Taste: Crisp floral notes, mildly bitter finish; lemon peel and grapefruit rind.
Recommendation: Try this delightful and savory American-Belgian tripel wherever you find it (For me, it was on tap at the local tavern for $4).

Victory is of the last breweries in the U.S. to use hop flowers. Most use hop pellets.

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22. This Crisp Fruity Cider is a Burst of Sunlight

3/8/2015

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Disclaimer: Ciders never used to appeal to me. Given that there was anything else available on tap or in a bottle, I would have chosen it over any kind of cider. But that may be changing. This is the third cider in a row that I've tasted and can't stop raving about (you'll find the others here and here).

Stella Artois Cidre
Stella Artois' Cidre (not a misspelling) is a crisp, fruity burst of sunlight. But you shouldn't be surprised. The Artois brewery has been making outstanding beer in Leuven, Belgium since the 1700s. While their flagship pilsner, Stella Artois, may be looked down upon in the UK (where it's derogatorily referred to as "wife beater"), here in the U.S. it still maintains its reputation as an elegant import, best served ice cold.

Stella makes two ciders: this hand-picked apple cider, and a pear cider. But I have yet to see the pear cider on a shelf anywhere. If anyone knows where to buy it, please leave a comment.

Traditionally, cider makers are competing with beer breweries, providing a gluten free alternative to grain based beverages. But while Stella cider can hold its own against any beer you want to match it with, its crisp and airy mouth feel easily crosses the line to match up against champagnes and white wines as well. And this is intentional. When formulating the recipe they would use to break into the burgeoning global cider market, Stella boldly decided to aim at white wine drinkers. So says Adam Oakley, a VP at Amheiser-Busch InBev, the corporate conglamorate that owns Stella Artois (1).

Although marketed as a Belgian cider, the Stella you'll buy in the U.S. is actually made from American apples in Baldwinsville, New York, not far from Lake Ontario. I would love to get my hands on a bottle created in Europe for a blind testing. Again, if you know where to find one, leave me a note at the bottom of this article.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Crisp and sweet, with a "pop" like a champagne. Mild fruity characteristics.

Taste: Sips are light and airy, filling the mouth with fruity bubbles. Apple (goes without saying), peach. Unlike most hard ciders, Stella is not overly sweet. Think champagne, not apple juice.

Recommendation: Run to your local Ralphs, Kroger, Marsh or liquor store and pick yourself up a 6-pack. Stella Cidre seems to come and go from shelves around here. So when you see it, do not hesitate. Buy it.

(1)http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stella-artois-uncorks-stella-artois-cidre-in-the-united-states-on-may-13-206398941.html

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Left Coast Brewing Company Asylum Tripel

Beers of Mexico #2: This lager has its roots in Germany

25. Golden Monkey Tripel

22. This Crisp Fruity Cider is a Burst of Sunlight

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