I’m currently reading one of John Irving’s novels, and there is a section in it where a European guy is criticizing the US because of our “Puritanism” compared with the more open minded Euros.  The character in the book was discussing pornography, but it got me to thinking that we’ve come a long way, baby. Sure, Americans seem to be uptight about a number of things still, in particular from my perspective the whole anti-drinking thing which is at a fever-pitch right now, but at the same time, can you believe we have a candidate with a very serious chance at the US presidency who not only is of an ethnicity that is representative of less than 13% of all Americans, but who freely admits in one of his very own tomes that he smoked pot?  His response to whether or not he inhaled is “that’s the point”.  It sort of blows my mind that we’re at a point as a nation where we can look beyond that. Just a few years ago, maybe Reagan’s era, there is no way its possible that someone with that background could have been president.  Well, just something I was thinking about.

A lot of people ask me what kinds of foods pair well with beers, and I have to respond that a better question would be “what kinds of food don’t pair with beer?” because there is usually a beer for whatever cuisine you might be interested in eating.  Just for example, why don’t we pick spicy, southwestern or Mexican food?  There are a couple of ways to go, but I think to get the right flavor contrast it makes sense to go with a medium bodied lager, one that finishes with some sweetness. I especially like German style Märzens for spicy Southwestern flavors. The spice contrasts nicely with the sweetness from the malt, while not being further exacerbated by too many hops.  Additionally, I think that the somewhat higher alcohol content breaks down the oil on the tongue which tends to sustain the burn, further enhancing the experience.  Give it a try the next time you have those tacos.

Happy Independence Day Americans.  I know, the weather isn’t exactly cooperating here in NYC, but we can make the best of it indoors.  If you got a chance to see the Macy’s fireworks spectacular last night, its worth risking the weather, I can assure you. I have seen it many years in a row from my friend’s 32nd floor East River apt. located right at 34th Street.  A perfect view, but, believe it or not, I didn’t want to see it again this year. You know: been there, done that. 

Unibroue Friday night at the Belgian Room was kick-ass.  Special thanks to our long time friend Enrique Suarez, roving Unibroue Ambassador-at large, for being such a tremendous host that evening. Everybody, I mean everybody there, and it was a full house, was drinking Unibroue Beer. Congratulations to the 12 different winners of the gift packages.  Those packages were sweet. Two 750s of La Fin Du Monde with glassware!  There were 12 happy campers who left the Belgian Room Friday night. We also debuted the Quatre Centieme, a really delicious, lightly colored Belgian Ale made with all barley malt and only lightly hopped. Folks, this beer is a true winner. It has a long, luscious finish that never dies. It kicks you with 7.5% alcohol by volume, sort of on the low end for a Belgian Strong Ale.   It isn’t released yet in the United States, so keep your eyes open or travel north to  Montreal.  It’ll be worth the trip, and if you haven’t yet been to Montreal, its a great vacation town.  Unibroue beers are wonderful.

Its a bit quiet in NYC this holiday weekend. I recommend going out for  a pint, or joining me tonight on Governors Island. I’ll be bringing a couple of bottles of nice Unibroue beers I received as gifts, and the NY Philamarnic (did I spell that right?) is playing on a big lawn there. Boats are leaving from Battery Park every half hour, and they are free. Should be a good show.

Shite!  My stocks are taking a beating. The whole market is getting manhandled. Thankfully I recently dumped my Anheuser Busch holdings after Inbev made their infamous offer.   I sort of figured Bud wouldn’t bite, so my timing was good for a change.

Speaking of dumping Bud,  people automatically assume I hate Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.  Well, I don’t hate them. Sorry. In fact, in certain ways, I admire Anheuser Busch. First, my friends who work there tell me its a good company to be with. Second, if nothing else, their product is of a consistent high quality. Admittedly, its not my beer of choice; I am usually looking for more flavor. Nevertheless, I can recognize quality when I see it.

Second, I don’t disdain AB for being big.  How many small companies wish they were big? Its the American way.  Sometimes smaller businesses just “cash out”.  Doesn’t make them bad.  Same way I feel about Samuel Adams beers. By craft standards, they are pretty big.  To me, they are making good beers. Thats what I care about. Quality. Job One.

Strong ales, are, well, strong after all. Alcohol strength comes immediately to mind.  In order to get that higher alcohol content, and to make the beer tasty, additional ingredients are used to achieve these beers. That doesn’t just make the beer cost more, it also makes them richer in flavor, and very often, infinitely more complex.

Take Kuhnhenn Tenacious Cassi for example.  This is one strong beer. You do not, I repeat: do not want to just slam down this brew. Its a sipping beer.   Alcohol warmth is immediately apparent, but not in a bad way. There is a depth of fruity flavor in this brew which makes the alcohol strength an interesting component.  Its almost indescribable, so you’ll have to show up at Hop Devil Grill this weekend to give it a try. There will be a special barrel of 2005 Anchor OSA as well, Brooklyn Monster 2006, Stone Old Guardian, Rogue Old Crustacean, and more, more more.   That old convention that you need to imbibe lawnmower style beer like Corona Light during the warm months is as useful as the tradition that white wines go better with chicken than reds.  To blazes with ridiculous acceptations.  We can decide for ourselves.  Now, there is a keg of Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock too. Remember, these are beastly strong ales, despite their wondrously velvety mouthfeel and fruity texture and taste. They are also very pricey, so they are served appropriately enough in wine glasses.  Other strong ales in beer goblets.  Quality peeps, quality over quantity is the name of the game when consuming strong ales. The buzz comes along anyway.  Saturday and Sunday.  Hop Devil Grill. Czech it out.

Yes, I don’t elaborate enough, I am well aware of that. (insert winking smiley face here). Rogue. Yeah, thats the stuff. I really can’t say enough about them. People say, “thats that Dead Guy beer, right? Its been around a long time. Not that good.” Well, I beg to differ. Dead Guy was one of my first loves. Rogue affectionately refers to it as a Maierbock after its brewer’s surname, but its no longer made like a traditional bock beer from what I know. Its now fermented with Rogue’s proprietary ale yeast, code-named “pacman”. Alright, so its not a code. Lemme have some fun here. Anyway, its a pretty big beer, eight percent alcohol by volume, and with a load of hops. Nevertheless, I don’t qualify this as a hoppy beer. The hops are carried along by a beautiful, malty sweet undercarriage that is anything but cloying. If it weren’t so strong, this might be my session beer of choice.

If hops is what you want, try Rogue’s take on an English ESB. Typically malty, Rogue’s Brutal Bitter lives up to its name. Its a hoppy beast of a beer, but like all things Rogue, its balanced nonetheless. A good drinking brew for such a hop monster. For those super-duper, dyed-in-the-wool, over-the-top, dedicated hop-heads, there is I2PA. The 2 is supposed to be one of little ones, denoting “squared”. The story goes that except for Bert Grant’s this is the original Imperial India Pale Ale. Some call it the “Double IPA”. I call it pretty damned good, but you gotta love hops to enjoy this ’cause thats where all the emphasis is.

If you want something fun, not so darn hoppy but drinkable, something you can share with your girlfriend if you have one, or if you are a girl with a bit of a sweet tooth yourself, I recommend the Hazelnut Nectar. Its a real, nut-browny this one, swathed in hazelnut nectar, just like the name says it is. It is a little sweet, but its not missing hops. They are there in ample supply to give this fine brew the Rogue imprimatur, sort of the official Rogue calling card. Balance, nonetheless I call it.

Also fun, if a bit on the dry side, is a beer made with juniper berries. I don’t know what good juniper berries are for, except John Maier is much like other great chefs in that I understand they are being used in dishes other than gin these days. I mention chefs because in my mind, that is what a brewer is. He is a beer chef. And, like most chefs, most brewers make a dish or two that is great, but the preponderance of what they produce is only good. Not great. John Maier is one of those rare chefs, an Alain Ducasse of the beer world. Almost all of his dishes are delicious beyond words. What I am really trying to say is get your collective arses down to Hop Devil Grill tomorrow night, Thursday, June 19th and share some Rogue with some of your friends, be they rogues themselves or not. Cheers