Ah, Thanksgiving. This year I had plenty to be thankful for: a supportive family, money to pay the bills this month, and three beers to complement America’s most famous feast. But now—now my beers are gone, and I am thankful for nothing! I kid.

The aperitif, Duvel, which I mentioned in my last article, was a bubbly, golden highlight to the pre-meal warm up. After dinner, Moylan’s Old Blarney Barleywine settled our stomachs. With the fowl of the hour, however, we drank The Bruery’s Autumn Maple. The label says they used yams, molasses, maple syrup, and fall spices to make this strong Belgian-style ale; I think the brewers emptied a fully stocked horn o’ plenty into the mash tun. But the beer was good—for the most part.

My 750 ml bottle unleashes a dark brown torrent. Carbonation roars skyward in a mushroom cloud of foam—then crashes down and disappears before I can jot a note about its creamy, off-white color (I have a good memory). So where’s the head? Did someone slip Diet Coke into my beer bottle again? I take a sniff—which is difficult without a head—and detect maple syrup immediately. My first sip reveals more maple syrup chased by sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and spicy Belgian yeast. Its body is light with cola-like carbonation. An intensely sweet brew, but aside from that, there’s not a ton going on here. The flavors don’t kick you in the teeth and shout “taste it!” the way a Chimay Blue or De Dolle Oerbier does. Autumn Maple simply didn’t linger long on my palate.

But it tasted pleasant and received several compliments from guests, which makes me think it might make a good gateway into the style. If you like your strong ales sweet but simple, Autumn Maple (and its well-hidden 10% ABV) will probably make you a very cheerful drunk. I, however, was hoping for a bit more boldness and complexity. Perhaps a bit of cellaring would transform Autumn Maple into the beer it strives to be.

Thursday: My top five winter beers!

Got some nice stuff in the mail today. Thanks to Freddy and Kobus @ European Bug-In!
One of the biggest VW meetings, 3-4-5 July 2009 in Belgium (Chimay International Raceway). See you there!

More info about the event:
http://www.europeanbugin.com/

At last! My first entry in the Beer Pioneer series. With each new edition, I’ll find and rank beer hotspots in a distant city. Although this time the city is downright contiguous: Phoenix, Arizona … where I currently live. Let’s avoid eye contact with that awkward moment and dive right into the expedition log, which I’ve transcribed from notes taken during my explorations.

Tuesday, November 3rd – Embarkation

At dawn, my goodly wife, Erin, and I will set out with a stout mule and one week’s supply of salted elk. We seek a land where the macrobreweries’ shackles cannot bind our hands.

In the market, I bought a scouting hawk named Google. He reappeared this morn in the “magic window” with news of promising beer settlements. The beast seems to place credence in something called “user reviews”—I know not if I trust this newfangled devilry. But embark we must. Winter bares its teeth behind us.

November 4th through 12th – The West Valley

Per Erin’s request, I’m dropping the half-assed frontiersman act. I hope I can return the coonskin cap.

We’ve braved the liquor stores suggested by Google. Most in the West Valley sold standard fair; few excited me. One proprietor, when asked about craft brews, led me to a freezer and nodded stoically at Blue Moon. I smiled and backed away slowly. (I have no problem with Blue Moon; it just happens to be a Coors product.) Chains like Total Wine, Whole Foods, and AJ’s boast the best selections so far.

But wait! I’ve wandered into one that seems … different. Smells different, anyway. It’s called Magnum’s Cigar, Wine, and Liquor. The exterior mimics an average liquor mart, but inside it reeks of cigars and high society. Bottles housing fine wine and liquor sit regally on shelves, and all along the far right wall you’ll find row after row of beer. Quite a selection, too. The merchandise is a bit overpriced, but if you can handle that and the smoke (and its barely-in-the-West-Valley location), Magnum’s won’t disappoint.

Alas, my search continues. Driving west along Bell Road (where many sub par liquor stores dwell), I see an unexpected sign. It reads What Ale’s Ya. A beer pun!? I stomp the brakes so hard I nearly give my car a Flintstone’s makeover.

Upon entering the store, I don’t notice any bottles—only brewing equipment. It’s a local homebrew store! Modest in size but arranged with purpose, What Ale’s Ya exudes hospitality. The owner, Chuck, approaches promptly but without any obnoxious buy-this-or-you’re-an-idiot salesguy aggression. His manner announces that he knows beer, which he soon confirms by speaking. He showed me the (affordably priced) starter kit, took me back to investigate the barley, and chatted with me about beer for 30 minutes. I’ll definitely be going back to What Ale’s Ya.

November 14th through 22nd – The East Valley

Last night I discovered the BeerFly feature on Beer Advocate. This handy system spits out beer hotspots like a jackpotting slot machine. To be honest, I don’t have the time to visit them all, as I am currently not immortal. But I’ll hit several and report back with favorites.

Whooshing sound!

I’m back. The East Valley was brimming with beer destinations (no fair!), but I returned with two favorites: Papago Brewing Company and Sun Devil Liquors.

Sun Devil Liquors trounced the other stores in the ASU campus area (except Tops Liquors, its sister store, which was almost equally awesome). Inside you’ll discover a dimly lit room that runneth over with bottles. They even have themed areas! My favorite was the “Iron Curtain” section, where they’ve amassed tons of Eastern European imports. I did notice dust on a few bottles, but every beer I bought was fresh. Just keep an eye on those expiration dates.

Oh, the best part! After you enter, fight the urge to bear-hug the bottles on your left and keep walking forward. See that staircase twisting down to the right? At the bottom you’ll find a stylish tasting room with several beers on tap and the rest available for sampling from the bottle. In case you’re wondering, yes, I did wet myself. It was uncomfortable.

Let’s move on to Papago Brewing Company, a little brewpub crammed into a Scottsdale strip mall. It may not sound impressive, but wait till you see their beer menu. Of the 30 beers on tap, I saw craft brews, imports, and several Papago originals. What choice did I have but to sample one of each?

The Papago brew, dubbed Orange Blossom, was a hefeweizen with distinct citrus flavors. Light and refreshing, almost like a witbier—I can understand why it’s popular. Next I chose something more my speed: the Chimay tripel. Huge, spicy malts balanced by subtle hops and earthy yeast … in other words, standard Chimay awesomeness. But the night’s best brew awaited me in The Abyss, an imperial stout from Deschutes brewery. This towering ale smelled of bourbon, coffee beans, and oak; tasted like bitter chocolate and roasted malt; and had the mouthfeel of maple syrup. Yet it was surprisingly drinkable. One word can describe it: balanced.

Papago Brewing Co. respects beer. Each ale arrived in appropriate glassware (the tripel even came in a Chimay chalice!), and the interior design pays homage to great breweries around the world. And I haven’t even mentioned the rear wall lined with beer-stuffed coolers. At Papago, beer lovers can find respite. It’s an oasis for the brew-minded.

One cautionary note: Before you go, you might want to check your tolerance for boozed up college students; it’s just down the street from a state university, after all, and things were getting a little loud by the time I left. But it should be fine for a weekend lunch or midweek dinner.

Conclusion

Because everyone loves lists, I’ve narrowed it down to my top three spots:

1. Papago Brewing Company
2. Sun Devil Liquors/Tops Liquors
3. What Ale’s Ya

For the next Beer Pioneer … I, uh … I actually have no clue which city I’ll explore. It could be LA, Portland, Brussels (quite a jump from Phoenix, I know), or somewhere else entirely. You’ll just have to wait and see. And so will I!

WEDNESDAY: I’m taking Thursday off for obvious reasons, but you can expect a short Thanksgiving beer pairing guide on Wednesday!

It was the end of a very long work week. I’d just recovered from one of those nasty bugs that was percolating round and round that sick building I work at. It was late and DC suggested we go for burger and beer at Smokin Frogz. That place was so packed we almost had to stand. We were lucky to get a table after a short wait.

The burgers were very good though: meaty and juicy. Although mine was a mushroom burger, the mushrooms hardly registered. Such a pity since the rest of the burger was good. There was soft bun and thoroughly melted cheese to top it all off.

We were delighted to spot some harder to find beers on the menu. DC went for the Chimay Red and I had the Little Creatures Pale Ale. The Chimay Red was rich and malty but also quite hoppy. Surprisingly for something so malty and dark, it was rather fruity with a hint of apples. The Pale Ale was very forgettable: light and smooth but nothing much. It seemed like the Little Creatures took flight before putting in the flavour.

The beer was also very heady! It was probably a combination of exhaustion, post-illness fatigue, a late dinner and the alcohol. One moment I was telling DC that the beer had gone to my head too fast and the next I was waking up from a faint, flat out on the floor. It must have been rather alarming to the rest of the customers. I was lucky that DC was there and also had the help of another diner who was a nurse. We’d arranged to meet a couple of his friends there for drinks but they showed up only to help haul me to car and get to A&E to be checked out. Such a pity since the Chimay was good and fairly cheap (less than $10 I think).

Smokin Frogz
879 Bukit Timah Road

[post script: I'm OK, don't worry. The hospital couldn't find anything wrong, so all's well.]

Last night, after enjoying a free Applebees dinner for Veterans Day (which came with dollar draft beers of Fat Tire), I headed to the Dog and Duck Pub with a few friends. The Dog and Duck has a relaxed, old world feel and plenty of great beers on tap. I implored my friends to forgo their typical Bud Lights and try something new.

Joseph looking forward to tasting the Chimay Blue.

Joseph tried out the Chimay Blue. The Chimay brewery is actually in a  Belgium’s Trappist Monastery. And those monks sure know how to brew a beer. There are four varieties of Chimay. I think Joseph tried the Chimay Blue.

It is a stout beer, with %9 alcohol by volume. You pay for that stoutness and quality. It cost my friend $6.75. Note that he got it in a special beer goblet. I was taken aback by the price and appealing presentation. Joseph described the taste as sweet and very unique. He offered me a sip and it reminded me of Christmas. Overall, he gave the Chimay an impressive 4.25 out of 5 mugs on the Austin Brew Scale. Worth the price!

Sam is satisfied by his Summit Pale Ale.

Sam tried out the Summit Pale Ale after the recomendation of the bartender. He said the Summit hit the tongue hard and bit with strong hops. He said there was also a distinct aftertaste after setting the brew down. Overall, he enjoyed his departure from Bud Light and gave the beer 2.5 out of 5 mugs.

Enjoying the relaxed atmophere at the Dog and Duck and my 1554.

I tried the 1554 by New Belgium Brewery. The beer pours like a dark coffee with little head. The beer has a chocolaty malty flavor, but surprisingly isn’t overwhelmingly strong. Its mellow taste goes down smooth with a light body. I give the 1554 a 3.5 out of 5. A good cold weather beer.

The Dog and Duck is a good end to a hectic day!

Ah voilà enfin une bière qui a du caractère … !!! La Chimay fait partie de ces bières de légende, celles que les aïlleuls conseillent aux plus jeunes. Sa robe noire donne à cette bière un vrai caractère. Sa couleur et son éclat dans le verre ne déçoivent pas en bouche. Volupteuse, elle dispose de ce léger goût cuivré qui fait vibrer les papilles.

Il s’agit d’une bière d’exception à déguster en compagnie de connaisseurs exclusivement. Accompagnée d’un bon saucisson de bistrot ou d’une carbonnade flammande (le bœuf bourguignon pourrait aussi l’accompagner avec justesse), la Chimay bière des pères trappistes saura enjoliver chaque coup de fourchette !

Caractéristiques techniques :  
- Brasserie : Abbaye de Scourmont
- Fermentation : haute
- Type : Trappiste, brune
- Alcool : 9 °
- Pays : Belgique
- Site web : Chimay
- Ma note : 10/10

Welcome, November! To start off the month, let me introduce this tiny sliver of cheese that I discovered last week in one of the many cheese stands in the St. Lawrence Market. It is a very special piece of cheese and one I was very surprised to come across. Not only does it come from the Chimay monastery, a trappist brewery in Belgium that ranks amongst my favourites, the rind of the cheese is soaked in Chimay beer.

The cheese was part of a larger dinner involving a gouda with walnuts, homemade vegan cashew cheese and zucchini dip. The Chimay cheese was soft and creamy, with a taste reminiscent of onion rye. (Or so I thought. Soph said nutty.) Did the beer give lots of flavour? It’s hard to say, but it was still a tasty cheese regardless.

Of course, we needed a beer to go with all these cheeses and, luckily, I had a bottle of Chimay Rouge (or Première) kicking around. This is a favourite of mine and I was excited to see how it would go with their cheese. The verdict: meh. They weren’t opposing flavours, but there also was not much going for them. The beer probably would have been better for a cheese with a bit more sweetness or a slightly spicy one, but I also have very little knowledge of pairing beer and cheese. This is mainly because I am particular about the cheese I eat (nothing too stinky, please!), but apparently camembert and stouts go well together, so this won’t be the last pairing.

Chimay Rouge on Ratebeer

Today: 375mL. Year-to-date: 22.9L.

by Hugh Jend

We at TTAB will all remember ‘helping’ our daddies with “Spot The Ball”, which used to be collected by the ‘Pools Man’ on a Thursday evening.
Whilst “nostalgia ain’t wot it used to be” we’ve decided to run with a more satisfying version of the old favourite.
We’ve cunningly hidden a lampost (with piano wire noose) in the photo below.
All we ask you to do is to print it off, draw where you think the lampost is situated & send it…somewhere, anywhere- don’t care!
Don’t bother asking if there is a prize on offer, we’ve quaffed it all.

Did I Win

In the past month and a bit, it has probably become pretty obvious that most of my drinking is done at home. There are so many reasons for this: it’s cheaper, I can chose from a variety of activities (TV, movies, music, reading, some combo of these things) and it can be done solo. There have been very few times when I’ve gone out to have a drink by myself, most of the time when I’m going to meet up with someone eventually. But I had a really exhausting day Saturday and wanted have a beer at a bar. Bars have their appeal too: different beers, music that you aren’t sick of (though you may be soon if it’s bad!) and the ability to eavesdrop on conversations. I’ve always thought of sitting at the bar by yourself as the exclusive ability of men over fifty who are probably drinking whiskey to forget about the pains of life. As of yesterday, I know this isn’t true.

The Victory Cafe was on my way home, so I popped in and grabbed a seat (which turned out to be quite comfortable – it had a back and everything – making me think that they actually wanted people to do this on a regular basis. The TV at the bar was another clue). I ordered a pint of Mike Duggan #9 IPA and cracked open the new Nick Hornby novel. Sometime later, I paid and left. Not exactly a thrilling story, but a breakthrough for me. On to the beer, it was absolutely wonderful, though I’m not sure of it being an IPA. To me, it still seems like a tweaked, calmer Tankhouse. It had a bitterness that really stayed in your mouth, but not quite as harshly as a Tankhouse does. Really looking forward to his new brewery opening up!

Much later that night, I had a Chimay Blanche (or White or Cinq Cents) for only the second time in my life. The first time I had it was years ago and it did nothing for me, which was disappointing as their other beers are so great. I was hoping that my tastes had changed over the years and I would be stunned by it, but… it was still not my thing. Perhaps it is because I’m so used to triples being sweet that this hop-bomb was off-putting. It was also very dry, but there was something in the bitterness that didn’t meld with the other flavours. Maybe it needed to be aged or maybe it’s better in a corked bottle, but I think I’ll just stick with the other two for now.

Chimay Blanche on Ratebeer

Mike Duggan #9 IPA on Ratebeer

Today: 830mL. Year-to-date: 14.65L.

The Armstrong Beer Debate.

It’s not about the bike, it’s about the beer. As Joe Lindsey pointed out in his always hilarious Boulder Report, Lance Armstrong has three mugs of beer going at once. An impressive stunt, not unlike climbing Alpe d’Huez with several chimps on your back — only a superstar could pull that off.

In one hand, he’s got a pen and signed contract for a lucrative sponsorship deal with Anheuser Busch’s Michelob Ultra. In the other hand, he’s holding a Coors Light while trying to convince Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to bring the old Coors Classic stage race back to life, despite a massive hole in the state budget. Bike race, fund bankrupt schools, bike race, fund bankrupt schools, and the winner is….

And in his third hand — yeah, you knew Lance was super human — he’s dumping out a glass of Shiner Bock, his favorite Texas beer. The one he guzzles in the off-season unless, suddenly, there’s a multi million dollar deal for Michelob Ultra — see hand number one.

That’s plenty of suds to juggle and Twisted Spoke is sure that Radio Shack boss and buddy Johan Bruyneel is also pushing a big Belgian style ale toward Lance. Four hands on Armstrong? With a name like that anything is possible.

But let’s shove the money off the table and focus on the beer. Michelob, Coors and Shiner Bock are the wrong choices. As usual, the savvy Bruyneel is the closest to knowing the right beer choice for Lance. A step back for a moment — not from the bar, from said question.

First, what beer truly reflects Armstrong’s “lifestyle,” matches his product gestalt and defines the most famous endurance athlete in history? The answer lies in the Texan’s legendary devotion to all phases of training as July and the Tour de France draw near.

As Bruyneel and coach Chris Carmichael know, Lance goes into what he calls Elevated Monk Status. A monastic state of pure, unalterable, fiendishly focused dedication to the cause of winning another yellow jersey.

We’ve arrived at the Duh Conclusion: Lance should be drinking the monk’s beer, a Trappist Ale from Chimay, Orval or say, Westmalle. A natural fit considering that Trappist ale originated in La Trappe, France. Le Tour, always Le Tour — Lance knows that. (You think Bernard “Badger” Hinault, winner of five tours, would drink a light beer? Sacre bull-crap, mes amis.)

The racer's brewski.

So yeah, you’re hanging with Lance in his backyard in Austin late next summer. He’s explaining how he nailed that pistelero Contador to the wall and Three Stooge-Slapped little Andy Schleck in the 2010 Tour.

Then he looks at you and says, “yo, grab a few cold monks from the cooler.” Sounds weird but you’ll get used to it. Because a Chimay ale will whomp a watery Coors or limp Michelob. It will put hair on your chest, like a trappist hair shirt. You may even start a Gregorian chant or give your bikes to charity. You may quote old scripture in French or recite threshold data from Lance’s old training logs. Don’t get too carried away, okay?

Twisted Spoke thinks it’s not too late: Lance, drop the Michelob Ultra. The Elevated Monk Status beer is the only way to go.

By Hugh Jend

After the amazing success of this toppermost feature, we have decided to give our loyal readership/contributors yet ANOTHER chance to probably NOT win a complimentary bottle of “possibly, the finest beer on the planet”.
In order to be considered for this bottle……blah blah blah.

Quantas vezes você foi a um super mercado, uma distribuidora ou empório na espectativa de encontrar aquela cerveja belga descrita como maravilhosa por muitos sites especializados em cerveja, mas teve de voltar pra casa de mãos abanando ou com as mesas cervejas de sempre?

Pensando nisso, resolvi publicar aqui no Beer Affair uma lista de lojas virtuais 100% dedicadas a venda de cervejas nacionais e importadas e que são mais do que confiáveis. Vale lembrar que algumas dessas lojas virtuais são lojas físicas também, ou seja, você pode optar por comprar via internet ou ir até a loja e realizar suas compras.

Lojas Virtuais são realidade há tempos. No caso das cervejas, é uma ótima alternativa para quem não encontra determinada cerveja em seu bairro ou cidade. Algumas cervejarias vendem algumas de suas cervejas via internet também e estas serão listadas logo abaixo.

Eisenbahn
http://www.eisenbahn.com.br

A Eisenbahn é uma das melhores cervejas brasileiras. Criada pela Cervejaria Sudbrack, de Blumenau, Santa Catarina – e comprada pelo grupo Schincariol, embora isso nada tenha afetado na qualidade das cervejas -, a Eisenbahn é uma das poucas cervejas brasileiras muito bem recebidas pelo público internacional. è a primeira a seguir a lei de pureza alemã da cerveja e toda aquela história que nós, bons “cervamaníacos” sabemos.

Em 2005, realizei uma compra na loja virtual deles: copos, um caneco, uma camiseta e algumas cervejas. No dia seguinte, uma atendente me telefonou para informar que a camiseta que escolhi já não estava mais disponível e qual produto eu gostaria de receber no lugar da camiseta – simpática e atenciosa, pro sinal. O pedido chegou na mesma semana, impecável!

Como nem sempre podemos encontrar todas as variações de Eisenbahn por aí, recorrer a loja virtual deles é mais do que preciso. E recomendável.

Belgian Beer Paradise
Beer – RJ: Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 580 SL 213 – Ipanema – Rio de Janeiro – Tel: (21) 3256-2595 / 3256-2594
Beer – SP: Rua Inhambu, 385 SL 16 – Moema – São Paulo – Tel: (11) 3596-7190 / 3596-7150
http://www.beerparadise.com.br/

O nome já diz tudo: um paraíso de cervejas belgas. A Belgian Beer Paradise já teve um post dedicado aqui no Beer Affair e merece ser citada mais uma vez por aqui.

O site não é uma loja virtual, porém mostra as cervejas que eles possuem e seus preços. Lojas físicas em Ipanema, no Rio de Janeiro e em Moema, em São Paulo.

Imigrantes Mercantil Bebidas e Alimentos
http://www.imigrantesbebidas.com.br

Quem é de São Paulo pode ir conferir a variedade na loja física da distribuidora; já estive na loja física deles umas duas vezes. Os preços são bons para vários tipos de bebidas alcóolicas especialmente deivdo o fato da Imigrantes ser uma distribuidora. Eles também contam com uma boa opção de cervejas importadas e nacionais. Duas amigas minhas já realizaram pedidos na loja virtual deles e aprovaram o serviço como um todo.

Fique atento a promoções casuais realizadas no site, como reduzir o preço de cervejas como Guinness, Erdinger e Paulaner.

Cervejas importadas encontradas (destaques): Guinness, Coopers (vários tipos), Harp, Kilkenny, Jen Lain, Paulaner (vários tipos), Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier, Hofbrau Munchen, Old Speckled Hen, Warsteiner, Abbot Ale, Wexford Irish Ale.

Nono Bier
http://www.nonobier.com.br

A Nono Bier talvez seja a loja de cervejas & cia mais conhecida na internet. A variedade de cervejas importadas é de encher os nossos olhos e de nos fazer salivar: site muito bem organizado separando as cervejas por países, vendendo kits e acessórios (canecas e copos). Se você quiser comprar barriletes, também encontrará uma larga opção na Nono Bier.

Cervejas importadas encontradas (destaques): Guinness Special Export, Wexford Irish Cream Ale, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen, Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel (possui os outros tipos de Franziskaner também), Krombacher, Paulaner Salvator, Chimay Trypel (tem vários outros tipos de Chimay também), DeuS, Duvel… Enfim, a lista é imensa! Dê uma passada na Nono Bier e confira!

EVITE SE PUDER

Loja de Bebidas
http://www.lojadebebidas.com.br

Se auto intitula “a maior loja de bebidas da internet”. Eu não costumo levar esses títulos a sério. Comprovei que não é a maior loja quando o quesito trata-se de cerveja: a lista de cervejas nacionais e importadas é bastante aquém do esperado pelo slogan da loja (a Imigrantes, que também trabalha com todo o tipo de bebida, tem um acervo bem maior que o deles). Mas, vai que você deseja comprar alguma cerveja que tenha só lá e não nas outras lojas que citei antes.

Submarino e Americanas também vendem algumas poucas cervejas nacionais e internacionais. Mesmo nível da “maior” loja de bebidas da internet.

I celebrated the end of the frugal Federer Menu (thank goodness!) with a battery of beer and sausages.  Thursday night I was on my way home when Robert Howell presented the honey pot to my Pooh: whiskey at the Tile Bar (First Avenue at 7th Street).  Having thus generated an appetite, we dined at the Great Jones, the exactly correct place to eat on a tight Thursday night.  The “creole wings” there are outstanding: fried wings swimming in a spicy sauce, a deep kind of heat, with layers of flavor, substantial, hierarchical, with a foundation.  After this I ate a sausage sandwich, dressed with onions and peppers, and drank a few beers.  (Robert confessed a compulsion to always leave the dinner table straightaway, after eating, in the manner of something like a guilty conscience; with this I could generate no empathy, but downed a beer quickly so that we could depart.)  The evening was finished around the corner at Swift, where several courses of Chimay induced our profession of the best writers in English; there was substantial overlap, including Joyce, Nabokov, and Faulkner, and a few duds (his proposal of Cheever, by my lights; my proposal of David Foster Wallace, by his).  Robert and I were in graduate school together, and this conversational path was a return to the way that graduate students talk to each other when drunk, which is to say a return to something much more innocent and decent than what passes for conversation in adulthood.

My brain doused with Chimay, I slept badly and woke up even worse, but after a breakfast cheeseburger there was a stunning reversal, and I enjoyed a seminar on Book I of Aristotle’s Ethics, before beers in Hell’s Kitchen and dinner at the little Hallo Berlin on Ninth Avenue, which serves the most delicious little sausage sandwiches imaginable, topped with fabulous sauerkraut and red cabbage.  They also have this amazing potato salad, potatoes and cucumbers, just bright and tangy and wonderful, and bowls of that amazing red cabbage, and delicious fried pierogi, and much more besides.  It seems like simple stuff, but it’s not really: the cabbage and the ‘kraut and the sausage and all quite different, but of course they belong together, so that you can’t imagine them apart as you’re eating it.  I can’t think of anywhere else in town where this kind of basic German food is so consistently dished up.

After this I visited a birthday party at the newly opened 48 (on 48th Street near Sixth Avenue), and a pair of vodka martinis didn’t do it for me: it may have been the idea of a birthday party, or the idea of another sleazy midtown lounge, or something else, but when I attained the stairs up to my apartment, I was sober as hell.

Foto: Echoman

Em tempos de acordo internacional entre Brasil e o estado do Vaticano, que a poucos dias foi aprovado em nossas combalidas câmaras políticas, abrindo caminho para o ensino religioso e a isenção fiscal das PUCs, fico a pensar: a igreja Católica fez algo de bom nessa vida? Antes que você,  ateu querido que nos lê, fique todo animado em dar um grandioso NÃO, eu te afirmo que SIM, os grandes Abades da Bélgica criaram a Chimay.

A Cica trouxe do uruguai dias atrás essa ótima Chimay, uma cerveja de aroma frutado e sabor aromático conseguido pela elevada “temperatura de fermentação, bem como a posterior fermentação na própria garrafa”. A Chimay que estacionou em nosso freezer é a Rouge, Trappist (caridosa) com 7° de teor álcolico.

A Chimay é feita pelos Monges Trappist que “iniciaram a produção de cerveja na abadia em 1861/62 e foram os primeiros na Bélgica a comercializar a sua cerveja, o produto é feito pelos Monges dentro dos muros da Abadia e as receitas da comercialização das cervejas revertem para obras de caridade, de acordo com os princípios a que devem obedecer os produtos trapenses autênticos”, bem melhor que pedirem isenção fiscal como a CNBB aqui no Brasil, né?

Abadessa, essa pinta bebia todas que nem a Cica.

Uma salva de palmas aos Abades da Bélgica que trabalham e uma sonora vaia ao acordo entre o Brasil e o Vaticano.

A palavra abade, que provém do substantivo latino abbas, abbatis, através da sua forma acusativa abbatem – a qual, por sua vez, deriva do siríaco abbâ (através do étimo hebraico ab) –, significa pai e tem sido utilizada como título clerical, no Cristianismo, com diversas acepções (pároco, cura de almas, prelado de mosteiro ou congregação religiosa, monge, etc), ainda que se refira, na sua acepção original, à vida monástica e a quem governa uma abadia. Na Igreja Ortodoxa e em outras Igrejas orientais, o título que o é comparável é o de higúmenos ou arquimandrita. Em língua portuguesa, o feminino é abadessa. (Lucio Uberdan)

Brewery Name and Location: Bieres de Chimay (Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont) of Chimay, Belgium

Name of Brew: Chimay Cinq Cents Tripel

Style of Brew: Tripel

Purchase Info: $10.49 for 25.4oz bottle

ABV: 8%

Ingredient Info:

Nutritional Info:

Vessel Used for Tasting: White wine glass

Aroma/Olfactory: Banana, raisin, yeast, corriander, wheat and alcohol.

Visuals/Appearance: An incredible pillowy off-white head sits atop the hazy golden orange brew.

Taste/Flavor: The flavor has the same notes as the nose.

Palate/Tactile: Dry and medium bodied.

Tasting Backstory: Back in the day, before I really got into craft beer, when I was a plucky 19 year old waiter, an older coworker spoke to me about the best beer he had ever tasted. A beer brewed by Trappist monks in Belgium. This beer, Chimay. I tried the red label Chimay not long after and was not all that impressed. I did not see what the big deal was… Now, though, I do. And although it is not the best beer I have ever tasted, it is a damn fine beer and the white label is the quintessential Belgian tripel. What makes it great is that it is just right. Not too spicy, too boozy, too bland or too anything. On of the better tripels and almost worth the bloated price.

Rating: 9/10

Value Rating: 6/10

Ruth's Chris and Chimay White: A winning combination

Ruth’s Chris and Gulf Distributing hosted a great Chimay tasting Monday night. For just $10, we enjoyed Chimay Red, White and Blue alongside seared Ahi Tuna and stuffed mushrooms in the bar area of the steakhouse, all while John Lasseter of Gulf Distributing shared his knowledge of the Trappist brewery and their three beers.

If there was any suggestion I could make for a future tasting, I’d suggest starting it a little later; 5 p.m. on a weekday is a tough time for people to make if they’re working. Pushing the time back an hour or two would probably result in a better turnout, and would prevent the overlap of the beer discussion and WNSP’s Sports Drive radio program, which was broadcasting live from the same room. Otherwise, the event was a great time. Keep an eye out here and on the Facebook page for info on more events like this.

The benefits of working at a liquor store is that when it is your birthday your bosses give you beer as a gift. This year they got me the best gift yet, Chimay’s Grand Réserve. One of my bosses, Geoff, told me that this was the best beer he had ever had until he tried another high end Belgium beer than knocked his socks off. I can’t remember the name of that beer, but I will be trying that since I have now had the best beer I have ever had!

The Chimay Grand Réserve was about as expensive as most bottles of wine, coming out to around 16 bucks, and boy was it worth it. I guess it would have been more worth it if I had actually bought it, but it was equally as satisfying to receive it as a gift. When I opened the bottle it was like opening a fine champagne. The cork went flying and so did the aroma into the air. The light roasted malt taste is spectacular and is so smooth it’s scary. The right amount of bitterness and the greatest chocolate taste in the finish maybe even a light taste of coffee and almonds. This Trappist beer is by far my favorite beer and I am only dreaming of having the one that will top this exceptional Belgium beer.

Bem, como nós almoçamos e jantamos quase todos os dias em restaurantes nas últimas duas semanas, eu acabei experimentando várias cervejas neste período. Como está muito devagar colocar uma a uma (e minhas aulas estão para começar…), resolvi fazer um “mega post” falando de 9 cervejas… (faltaram 3 para uma caixa ) Lá vai:

Orval

Esta fica numa categoria parecida à da Westmalle; lembra bastante a Chimay, mas é menos encorpada. Como gosto de cervejas fortes e encorpadas, continuo preferindo a Chimay. Faz alguns dias que a bebi, então terei de experimentá-la novamente para colocar mais detalhes.

Estaminet

Finalmente vou falar de uma cerveja pilsen, categoria “premium”. Eu gosto de cervejas pilsen, mas acho chato elas dominarem o mercado brasileiro da forma como dominam; acho que por isto demorei um pouco mais para experimentar uma cerveja deste tipo. Voltando à Estaminet, ela tem cor clara e brilhante, muito límpida. No primeiro gole ela dá a sensação de ser super amarga, mas logo depois esta sensação desaparece e fica apenas um sabor muito agradável, de uma cerveja saborosa, macia e muito, muito boa.

Hoegaarden

Lembram da Brugs Witbier? Pois é, esta também é uma witbier, mas eu não sabia disto, esta informação fundamental não estava no cardápio e, como ela parece ser bem conhecida, nunca ia imaginar isto. O maior mérito dela é não ter o mesmo sabor pronunciado da Brugs, ser um pouco mais “aguada”. É mais ou menos como dizer que seu maior mérito é não ser tudo que deveria ser… Talvez o único motivo para experimentá-la de novo seja curiosidade, pois li que as witbier ficam praticamente brancas quando estão bem geladas (por isso também são chamadas de white beer). Talvez bem gelada ela seja um pouco mais palatável.

De Koninck (Bolleke)

O legal desta cerveja é que ela tem um “apelido”: Bolleke, que na verdade é o nome do copo em forma de bowl da De Koninck, a cervejaria que a produz. Agora falando da cerveja em si, eu não lembro muito bem dela Só lembro que gostei, era uma boa cerveja, mas também nada de espetacularmente especial.

Westmalle Tripple e Leffe Tripple

Estas duas são muito boas mesmo. São cervejas claras, mas muito fortes (9% de álcool e acima). Elas são claras e apresentam-se um pouco turvas, mas nada tão exagerado quanto uma witbier. Apesar de serem assim tão fortes, tem um sabor muito suave, nenhum amargor exagerado nem presença marcante do álcool. A Westmalle é um pouquinho mais encorpada; eu gostei mais dela e a Fernanda, da Leffe. Mas qualquer uma delas me deixaria muito contente.

Kriek

Desta eu escapei Um colega do curso a pediu para experimentar e seu comentário foi: “Hum, parece cereja. Hum, cheira como cereja. Hum, tem gosto de cereja! É, não dá para acertar todas…”. Acho que não preciso falar mais nada.

Brugge Tripel

Mesma categoria das Westmalle e Leffe Tripple descritas acima. Mas esta é um pouco mais sem-graça. Experimentei quando visitamos Brugge, já que era uma cerveja local.

Lesage

Outra cerveja que experimentei em Brugge. Como ela estava em destaque no cardápio imagino que não seja uma cerveja muito comum de se encontrar (também não lembro de tê-la visto em nenhum dos restaurantes/bares de Leuven). Ela é uma cerveja blond, mas tem uma coloração um pouco mais intensa, não é dourada. É muito saborosa e também não dá nem sinal de seus 7% de álcool.

Ufa, depois desta maratona acho que não tenho mais nenhuma na lista para escrever… A não ser a Stella Artois, que não é mais novidade aí no Brasil. Mas admito que é ótimo ter a opção de pedir uma Stella quando você não está a fim de pensar muito no que vai beber…

Ruth’s Chris is hosting a Chimay Red, White and Blue tasting Monday night. John Lasseter from Gulf Distributing will be on hand to talk about the Belgian brewery and their three brews. $10 per person. Call 476-0516 for reservations.