Top Shelf Thursday: November 2012

Our Top Shelf Tastings have gotten to be a consistent draw here at the House.  We’d originally organized one as part of Steel City Big Pour Week, a way to showcase some of the specialty beers in our inventory.  So often we encounter customers wanting to try something but balking at the sticker price, so we thought, why not have a way for folks to try some of the higher end bottles without having to risk dropping money on something they’re not sure if they’ll enjoy?  We wanted the tasting to be affordable, so we designed the price-tag first & then picked beers that we thought folks would like: $15 for ten 2-ounce samples seemed right.  The September tasting garnered good feedback & continued interest, so we had an October tasting, & just held the November tasting last night, each one selling out quicker than the last.  As long as momentum keeps up, we plan to continue having one each month.  Keeping the attendance limited gives the tasting a relaxed, intimate vibe, & allows for conversation between attendees & staff.

We also decided it would be good to starting posting a “wrap-up” of each event.  And while normally there’d be a picture of the flight, unfortunately, technical foul-ups prevent us from doing so this time (sorry, no beer porn!).  Instead, we’ve linked each one to a photo & some more info 

We kicked off with a newer release from Mount Pleasant’s Helltown Brewing: their Spiteful Saison, a Belgian-style farmhouse ale with a spicy, floral nose & nicely rounded body.  This seems to be another sign that the folks at Helltown really know what they’re doing & are capable of making some great, versatile beers. 

Next up was Leon, a Belgian-style pale ale from Swedish gypsy brewer Omnipollo, brewed at Brouwerij DeProef in Belgium.  Conceived as an “all-night drinker”, Leon is fermented with champagne yeast, giving it dry, crisp finish.

 Following that was Brasserie Caracole’s Saxo, a smooth, honey-like Belgian blonde (with a charming label).  Saxo is made with just 2 organic malts, raw wheat, & Saaz hops, showing how a simple recipe can yield such interesting, complex results.

 Our fourth course was the Chimay Tripel on draft, served in Chimay goblets that attendees kept as souvenirs.  The most ubiquitous Trappist beer, the Tripel is distinct for its very dry character. 

Up next was Caldera Brewing’s Vas Deferens Ale, a strong Belgian-style dark brewed with orange zest, orange bitters, & dark candy sugar.  The beer’s name & label are infamous, but no-one knew why Caldera chose to call it that – if anyone knows, please fill us in!

 Southern Tier’s Pumking was up next, to help mark the season as a standard-bearer of the style.  There was some discussion as to whether baking spices are added in brewing, as none are listed among the ingredients on the label or on-line, but it’s hard to ignore the pumpkin pie quality. 

A point of comparison was the spiced & oak-aged Oak Jack from Uinta Brewing in Salt Lake City.  The spices were definitely apparent with this one, as was the toasty, oaky character imparted by the wood. 

By this time the ABVs were climbing, as we moved to Port Brewing’s Older Viscosity, a barrel-aged American strong ale tipping the scales at 12%.  Somewhere between a barleywine & an imperial stout, this one packed in a ton of flavor. 

Both the Older Viscosity & the Angel’s Share, from Lost Abbey, are creations of brewmaster Tomme Arthur, a big name among beer geeks.  The Angel’s Share, aged in bourbon-barrels for 12 months, leaned more toward the caramel quality of a barleywine.

 And rounding the evening off was the original bourbon barrel-aged stout: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout, a huge, intensely warming beer at 15% ABV.  Bourbon County is an expertly crafted classic that envelops your whole mouth, & many were thrilled to find that the acquisition of Goose Island by Anheuser-Busch InBev has not compromised the quality of a landmark beer. 

So all in all, not everybody likes everything (the big barrel-aged brews were too much for some), but everyone finds something that hits a chord for them.  We at The House have a great time curating the line-up & throwing these little shin-digs, & the best part about being part of The House is the people.  And the beer.  But specifically, sharing the beer with people.  If you’ve missed out on these in the past, we hope to see you in January.  And if you miss that one, don’t worry, we’ll catch you the month after.