When it comes to beer in its modern conception, I basically
think of four cultural traditions: the pristine lagers of Germany; the earthy,
nutty ales of England; the idiosyncratic, yeast-driven ales of Belgium; &
the hop-forward extremities of the US.
Sure, there are lots more complexities & creative nuances, but if
you really simplify things, those are pretty much the “big four” beer players
in the world right now & their overarching contributions. Many other countries have their own brewing
traditions, maybe that have been lost to time, maybe that have never really
expanded much out of tight niches, tucked away in some small province or
village somewhere. Craft brewing has
permeated just about every corner of the globe at this point, giving some of
these “secondary markets” the chance to flex their brewing muscles & join
the party.
I always perk up when
a beer from outside the canon of brewing countries lands on the shelves. More often than not, these are from small,
artisanal breweries, taking cues from the more “mainstream” countries but
definitely translating them through their own cultural filter. The results are often intriguing – an IPA
made in Norway, for example, may both resemble & completely invert the
archetypes that inspired it. I’d long
had in mind a Top Shelf Thursday showcasing beers from the “non-big-four”
countries, & with the fervor of the World Cup over the past few months,
July seemed like a good time. Okay, so
it wasn’t that timely, with the Cup
ending almost two weeks before the tasting, but no-one ever accused me of being
real topical.
Foregoing the usual Danish brewers (a pair of twins known as
Mikkel & Jeppe), we instead began with Amager Bryghus, off the small Danish
island of Amager. Their Fru Frederiksen,
a slightly smaller, hoppier version of Herr Frederiksen imperial stout, was an
approachable, roasty kickoff to the tasting.
The Netherlands may be known for a notoriously skunky lager,
but Brouwerij de Molen offers a viable alternative to that jolly green giant. Their Molenbier was brewed to emulate an
English strong ale, offering some flavors of molasses & an interesting
gourd-like character (a perfect example of a region’s brewing “dialect”, familiar
but spoken with a different tongue).
Scotland’s Black Isle Brewery, using all organic
ingredients, came through with a native classic. Their Export Scotch Ale resonated with the
maltheads, delivering a solid bread & caramel base with the alcohol
surprisingly subdued for 7.9%.
Italy’s a country known for its vineyards, so the most
intuitive beer style from a winemaking culture would be a Flanders-style
red. Panil’s Barriquee offered tart,
vinous notes, accentuated by aging in Italian wine barrels.
We didn’t have enough “tertiary” beers to fill a tasting
entirely, & it would be disingenuous to throw a World Cup tasting without
Deutschland. Representing Germany was G.
Schneider & Sohn’s Aventinus, a quintessential weizenbock, with strong
notes of overripe banana, clove, & at a warming 8.2% ABV.
France is often overshadowed by the brewing rock star to the
north, but its biere de garde style, a slightly sweet, maltier farmhouse ale,
has a cult following. Brasserie
Saint-Sylvestre’s Gavroche exemplified it quite well: earthy, rustic, but
full-bodied & with a subtle hint of nougat.
Norway’s Haandbryggeriet, made up of four guys that brew in
their spare time, really hit it home with their wheat imperial stout, Dark
Force. It was cool seeing a small,
artisanal brewery nail such a big, flavorful style, with great notes of coffee,
chocolate, & an assertive alcohol character that didn’t kill the enjoyment. Highly recommended.
Same goes for Rigor Mortis Abt from Quebec’s Brasserie Dieu
du Ciel! This abbey-style quad had a
great nose, giving off plum, caramel, & baking spice, but with a dry finish
in the taste. Dieu du Ciel’s label art
never fails to impress, either.
We couldn’t help but put a power player in for the US, in
Deschutes’ Mirror Mirror, an English-style barleywine aged for ten months in
pinot noir, tempranillo, & malbec barrels.
This rich, sweet, complex ale hit strains of dried fruit, brown sugar,
oak, with an aftertaste that lingered & evolved, expressing about all that
a barleywine can. This is a truly
wonderful beer.
The Belgian ambassador did not disappoint either: Bink Grand
Cru from Brouwerij Kerkom. A Belgian
strong dark ale aged on American oak, the Grand Cru brought great flavors
typically found in a BSDA – grape jelly, stone fruit, molasses – with round
compliments of maple & vanilla, presumably from the oak.
It was fun to veer off the beaten path & taste beers
that speak their own language. It was
also very rewarding to return home. As
always, thanks to those who ventured out, sharing their opinions, opening their
minds & their palates. As the
climate continues to heat up next month, we’ll explore a family of beers born
in the west coast sun.
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