Lambic Heaven (even if you think you don’t think you like it)

May 7, 2013 by Lora Rae

Last night I started my fun at Madison Craft Beer week at an event that was a little out of my element: a Belgian Beer Tasting. First off, I know a lot more about American breweries than anything else. Second, I’ve been guilty of writing of Belgian beer as either too fruity, or too filling. I had the opportunity to try some great Lambic, and learn a little about just how it’s brewed, and why the environment is so important.

The event was at Brasserie V, where it’s routine to have a lot of good European beer with the cheese and food to match. Not only did we get to try five beers, we got to heard about the beer, the place they were brewed, and ask a lot of questions about it. They guy in the picture above is Jordan, he was our “tour guide” for our time at Brasserie V – and he has a bottle of the last beer we drank. If you have the opportunity to ask your bartenders or folks from brewing companies any questions at all, you should – you might learn something really valuable.

We started with Timmerman’s Blanche Lambicus. It’s a simple, straight forward Lambic on purpose. It’s fruity, tart, sparkly, and light enough to go down easy. My first thoughts when I drank it were about all the different kinds of cheese it would taste great with – but then again, that’s just me. This was a straight forward Lambic, but it wasn’t what folks generally think of. A lot of times we think of fruity red beers that fill you up as if you’ve just eaten a whole meal – this isn’t that. In fact, a lot of those red beers we know are just really “Lambic style.” Lambic has been around long enough that it really needs to be brewed in certain places in Belgium in the right river valley that has just the right microorganisms in the environment – and barrels with just the right character to make sure it ages just right.

The next great beer we tried was the Bourgogne de Flanders, also from Timmerman’s. This is a Lambic infusion. It’s a nice, smooth Belgian Brown from a wine cask infused with unsweetened Lambic. It’s light and smooth with just enough sweetness that comes from the light appley & pear flavors. It’s a great new take on a Lambic, and this beer is one of the first to try it. Getting creative with Lambic is exciting because Belgium has law about what you have to put in your beer. In Lambic’s case, it’s 30% wheat malt. When folks think about beer laws – they usually think of Germany, but they are everywhere.

The next three beers we tried were from Malheur. We tried the 10% ABV Malheur 10 that is flavorful & creamy, but at a weight you can tolerate. It’s strong, but it really taste like it – just watch out if you drink it too fast. This beer would be a really nice addition to fruit or a nice summer salad in book. It’s strong enough that having some crunchy fruits and vegetables to offset it would be great – and it would really complement the peachy taste.

If you like strong beer, and still can’t handle any fruit or sweetness in your drink, the Mahleur 12 may be the last to convince you. Yes, I said 12. This one is dark, and the fruit flavors are closer to that of brown fruits and dried fruits. It’s still nice and creamy – and Brasserie V usually carries it in bottles.

The last beer was exciting – and not easy to find, so needless to say we didn’t get a lot of it. The Mahleur Brut Reserve is a nice beer that is fermented with champagne yeast. So this is nice bubbly, but not as sweet as you might think – and it still tastes like beer. All I have to say, is just try it if you can. If you’re at a bar that serves a good range of Belgian beer, ask about it. It’s a creative brew with a straightforward flavor hard not to like.

For a person from Milwaukee who worked with a lot of foreign beer – I was curious to see what Jordan liked right here in Wisconsin. His two favorite breweries here are Central Waters in Amherst & New Glarus… in New Glarus. He also mentioned he thinks that Central Waters Bourbon Barrel beer. So from someone who does this for a living – those spots are worth a trip.

The folks at Brasserie V were great. Jordan tolerated a lot of questions – and the regular staff there was quick to make more recommendations based on what we said we liked. To the Lambic and fruit beer haters of the world – I understand you, but it’s time for you to expand your palette, and go on a Lambic adventure.

The crowd was also amazing. My personal favorite new friend was one of the folks who works at Sweet Mullets Brewing company where they do everything from make completely hop free beer to use jalapenos in their brewing process. We talked about beer but also about her visits to national parks and pre-retirement career where she worked for NASA. If you can come out to Madison & you haven’t yet – get here. So far the experience is totally worth it on every level from the actual beer – to the conversation.

More information on the Location:

Brasserie V: @BrasserieV on twitter, & www.brasseriev.com to find them on the web

Vintage Beer Saves My Day

April 27, 2013 by Lora Rae

Most times that I am going to go somewhere that brews its own beer – I plan ahead, at least a day. This time was different. I was having a bad morning. I had gotten a lot of bad news, I was behind on work, and my schedule had been thrown off by some meeting cancellations This meant I could head to Madison, WI a little earlier that day than I had planned. Since it was a bad day, I texted my best friend in true Wisconsin fashion and said “when can you leave work to have a drink,” and she responded (again, as only a good Wisconsin friend would, “2:30.”

We walked into Vintage’s downtown location (there are two locations) closer to 3, and they let us start even though they didn’t open until 4. I had a Three Floyd’s Alpha King waiting for me – which made the day better right away. We started talking to the bartender about different places to get great beer. Unfortunately he had to leave to go brew some, but it was nice to know we had good, beer educated company. We looked at the list of beers brewed at Vintage Brewing Company. I told my friend I usually try four or five. She suggested we try all the beers available, so we did.

We started with the Bees Knees Crème Ale. It’s a great match for anything – and a wonderful standard beer if you’re looking for one. It tastes a lot like Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss – with a little bit of a creamier blend. There’s really no way you won’t like it.

Next we tried one of everyone’s favorites, Better off Red Ale. It has a mild molasses smell, starts off with a bitter taste, but goes down nice, smooth, & easy going. It’s a great afternoon beer in my book. If I lived in Madison, I’d have this one after work all the time.

The Rye Bock was on its way out, but we got one of the last tastes. If you get a chance to try it you should. It tasted a little lighter than an average bock – but the flavor was really full. I wouldn’t recommend trying it with a nice dinner that you really want to taste – because it might off set you. But like any good spot in Wisconsin, Vintage has a lot of nice fried food favorites that would go well with this one.

For those of you who would prefer to have whisky instead of beer, the Dedication Abbey Dubbel is your kind of beer. It tastes like a nice whiskey and water, with a medium texture that’s perfect for beer lovers. So if you can’t decide between your favorite whiskey – and your favorite thing on draft, the Dedication is for you. But it’s strong, so be prepared for a kick.

I was most excited for the Woodshed IPA. This was another great example of a good warm weather IPA. If you’re a wheat beer, or fruity beer lover, but want to stop drinking beer that makes you feel full after two pints, this is a great transition. It has enough hops to satisfy the Pale Ale & IPA lovers of the world too. It’s a good hoppy, citrusy balance of wonderful springtime taste.

Last we tried the Scardy Cat Stout. It’s a nice, light, oatmeal stout with a full creamy flavor. This one is great as your last drink after dinner.

After we were done with the beer – we went to Dottie Dumpling’s Dowry for one of the best burgers you’ll have in Madison to end the day. It was overall a really uplifting experience and a great way to improve my mood the Wisconsin way.

I really liked my visit to Vintage. The staff knew exactly what they were talking about when it comes to beer – and I am all in to visit their brewing location on South Whitney Way next time I get to Madison. What’s great is that this stuff is made from all local ingredients (which you can also find lists of on their website). Vintage Brewers are great at making the beer light enough in texture that it’s easy to drink – but full enough in flavor that you appreciate the creativity across the board. That results in a lot of great anytime beers. On a scale from “This beer tastes like pennies,” to “I’m drinking anything else, ever,” this selection is like… a 6.9, and the experience as a whole is a 7.2. What I’m saying is, you should go if you’re in Madison & need a few hours to relax.

Things to Google before you Go:

Dottie Dumpling’s Dowry (it’s nearby – you have to go)

Wisconsin Hops

Wisconsin Cheese

Beer with the Anderson Family

April 14, 2013 by Lora Rae

If you ever take a trip to Madison, Wisconsin, one of the spots I’m sure you’ll visit for beer is the Great Dane – a brew pub that has four great locations in Dane County. Something a lot of folks don’t know is that there is also a location in Wausau, Wisconsin – a place that you think is “up north” if you’re from out of state. Really, Wausau is in central Wisconsin, and this is a great stop is you’re visiting breweries in the area (among them are Central Waters, O’So, & Point). I should say that all of the Great Dane locations have different beers at different times – but do keep their staple beers everywhere.

The treat about this trip is that I was with my family. My mother, father, & I were visiting my sister who is working in Wausau. I’m happy to say that this post includes special commentary from my dad. My dad grew up on a farm in Northeast Wisconsin and worked his way up with my mom to make sure we had a nice place in the suburbs. He embodies Wisconsin because of his hard work, his excessive love of hunting, planting vegetables, wearing flannel & sweatpants together, and his understanding that you need to bring cheese & venison jerky with you on every long trip so that you have something to eat in the case you get stranded and need a snack.

So now that you have some background – we’ll get to the beer. Folks will tell you that you absolutely have to try the Crop Circle Wheat. My dad said “Tastes kinda fruity. Reminds me of the old feed mill.” I say it’s a smooth creamy wheat beer with a lemony flavor. The texture is super unique & it’s worth a try. Be aware that this beer fills you up, and you should make sure you’re staying awhile, or waiting a second to order your food if you’re going to have it.

If you wander around a UW-Madison on game day, you’ll for sure find someone with a t-shirt that says “Grateful Red.” That’s also the name of a beer here. My dad says “Kinda reminds me of briar rabbit molasses.” It might be because I am too young – but I have no honest to God idea what that means. This is a full flavored red lager that is a little creamy with a slight bitter molasses edge. While it’s flavorful – it’s very light and is easy to have with a meal. It offsets some good Wisconsin deep fried food very well.

If you’re a brown ale fan – you’ll probably like the Otter’s Brown. It’s not complicated and very light. The taste starts sweet, and just when you don’t think it’s that creative, there’s a nice bitter after taste. It’s well put together but honestly just not one of my favorites. I could work with it if it were a little heavier & had a bit more flavor. My dad had a profound opinion of this one saying, “This is pretty good.”

Next, let’s talk Emerald Isle Stout. This come’s highly recommended by my sister. She says, “It tastes like coffee – good coffee. It was recommended to by a really nice man who works here.” What you don’t know about my sister is that she is a former (but well- seasoned) Starbucks employee and overall coffee enthusiast and snob. This stout was a little light for my taste – but she loves it.

Last, the Schwartz Bock. My dad says, “This is really good. This is my favorite.” It was my favorite of the day too. It was a medium weight beer that you could drink easily, with a well measured, complex taste. It has a caramely hint & a chewy texture with a nice full, bitter finish. Don’t drink it too fast – or you won’t appreciate it.

There are a lot of great staples & rotating beers here. In my experience, the wait staff members are usually local folks and know what they’re talking about – so feel free to ask questions. On a scale from “don’t bother” to “you’re an idiot if you visit Wisconsin without going here,” it’s a solid 7.5 and a good spot in my book. Just to draw you in a little more – if you’re a mac & cheese fan, that goes up to an 8.

Things to Google before you go:

John Stoner, Fitchburg Farmer

Beer Soap (because you can get them at some locations)

Fauerbach Brewery

More Info:

About the beer: http://wausau.greatdanepub.com/location-beers

Follow them on Twitter: @greatdanepub

A Spot Too Often Missed in Downtown Green Bay

March 23, 2013 by Lora Rae

Our biggest industry in Wisconsin is tourism. One of the reasons is because a bunch of people come to Green Bay every year for Green Bay Packer games. Downtown Green Bay is an area usually missed by football tourists, but if you’re also a craft beer lover, you should make the quick drive over. One of the treasures downtown is Hinterland Brewery. Hinterland Brewery also distributes locally, so it’s a great thing to pick up and bring home.

First – if you’re thinking of having dinner here, be prepared to pay a little more. If you’re super hungry for a good bear and a big greasy cheeseburger, this isn’t the place. They have a lot of reasonably portioned, well crafted, locally grown food. So if you want to go somewhere where you’re sure to try some new, creatively put together food, this is the spot for you.

But I am more concerned with the beer.

True to form, I started out with their Pale Ale – the go to beer at Hinterland. It tastes and smells grainy & floral toned hops. I loved this one because the texture was really unique. I felt like I could feel the grain on my tongue when I was drinking it & it gave my beer a really fresh edge. The Pale Ale is a medium weight & is a great start to the night at 5.3% ABV.

Another staple at Hinterland is their Luna Stout. This stout is medium weight and goes down super smooth. This is a perfect fit if you’re a creamy coffee lover. If you don’t like coffee – don’t get this. Like most stout – this comes best after dinner, but you honestly could have it any time.

By far & away in my mind, the best year- round- beer at Hinterland is their Amber Ale. First I should point out that a lot of times when you go to a brew pub & order “The Amber,” you’re getting a lager. This is ale. In a nutshell, ales are more flavorful because they are brewed differently and often use more ingredients. So this Amber is heavier than you might expect and has a strong roasty – piney flavor, & even has a hint of a sweet after taste. This is a must have if you’re in Green Bay.

I want to mention quick just two seasonal beers. First is the Cherry Wheat. If you’re overwhelmed by the ales and stouts are a dark, scary thing to you, the cherry wheat can be a safe space. It’s a clean, crisp, wheat beer that doesn’t overdo it – and obviously have hints of sour Door County Cherry. Door County Cherries are famous here – and they make just about cherry everything up there. If you’re in Wisconsin for a while and making your way to Door County – you’ll know Shipwrecked in Egg Harbor also makes cherry wheat. Hinterland’s is better.

In honor of the 40-50 degree difference between the weather now, and this time last year I want to mention the Winterland seasonal. The winterland is medium weight with a full malty flavor – but what makes it special is the tart juniper berry aftertaste. It’s a great beer for the end of your night.

I should also mention if you’re coming here with non-beer lovers, there’s a good selection of wine & scotch here too – so everyone should have a great time!

The last thing to point out is that the staff here is good. They know their beer, and they know their menu. They’ll be able to walk you through your beer and food choices successfully. They’re also smart. I haven’t had a trip to hinterland without having a conversation with the staff about current events, and NPR radio show, or how Green Bay is working to rebuild its downtown area. Overall – I’d rate this place a 9/10 on the awesome scale. Hope you all can make a trip here after the next Packer game!

Things to Google Before You Go:

Science Friday on NPR (just for conversation with the nice host)

Hagemeister Park Green Bay (the park – and the restaurant)

Kavarna Coffee (a great place nearby)

Duck Heart (because yea… it’s on the menu)

More Info on Hinterland:

About the beer: http://www.hinterlandbeer.com/Beer.html

Follow on Twitter: @hinterlandbeer

Want to start beer tasting & learning more? I have the place for you.

March 1, 2013 by Lora Rae

Titletown Brewery is more than a brew pub… it’s become a neighborhood hot spot in Green Bay. Whether you’re a veteran beer lover, taster, & enthusiast, or… usually drink Bud Light in someone’s basement, there is a spot for at the bar, and better beer for you to try.

Titletown is a great place in particular if you’re not an avid craft beer drinker and want to go somewhere with no judgment, but a world of opportunity to learn about Wisconsin’s great beer tradition – and a little bit about the Green Bay Packers while you’re there – hence the name Titletown.*

I’d like to share a couple of my personal favorites at Titletown, and start with the beers that won’t overwhelm you if you’re just starting to learn about the amazing world of beer. I have two go – to beers at Titletown. The first is the Johnny “Blood” Red. This is a tried & true Irish Red Ale that has just a tad more of a roasted taste than usual. It’s a great starter if you’re out for dinner, because it’s not quite light – but by no means heavy & you’re sure to finish it before your meal arrives in time to order yourself a beer to have with dinner.

My second go – to beer, as an IPA lover, is the Green 19 IPA. Number one, it smells great. It’s all around a great introduction to IPAs as it pretty medium all the way around on intensity. It has a clean floral – citrusy taste with medium hop bitterness. If it’s too much for you – call me a hop head and be upset.

The next beer to highlight is their Bamberg Brew which the menu describes as a “Smoked Oktoberfest Style Amber Lager.” Obviously that’s a long title, so let me simplify. I tried it and immediately thereafter said “This tastes like bacon.” Try it.

If you’re a beginner and scared of darker beer – go ahead and try the ZizaniAle – it’s a brown ale with an ounce of wild rice per pint. I absolutely loved it. Dark doesn’t mean heavy – and this one is light, smooth, full of smoky flavor, and goes down nicely. It’s a great beer to eat with the beer cheese fondue (that you should totally order), because it will quench your thirst and keep you feeling fresh without sacrificing taste.

If you pop in during the next few weeks – you’ll for sure see signs for the Perle Pale Ale. In Wisconsin, we like our creative hop blends, but this beer is brewed with 100% Perle hops that have a minty –spicy flavor giving it clean, crisp, full taste. It’s also a bit smoother than your average Pale Ale. This Pale Ale is worth a try, and a great beer to grab a growler to go & take home to family & friends. It’s hard not to like.

Things to Google Before You Go:

Green 19 Aaron Rodgers

Johnny “Blood” McNally

Sno- Cap Root Beer

Lombardi Trophy

Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Depot

More Info:

On the beer: titletownbrewing.com/beer

Follow on Twitter: @titletown

*Titletown refers to the title of Green Bay, WI being Titletown, USA as they won the first Super Bowl, and the Super Bowl Trophy is named the Lombardi Trophy. I know there are a few other cities that feel like they deserve the title based upon accomplishments in recent years. If you’re one of those believers, don’t bring it up while you’re in Green Bay unless you want a history lesson about the greatness of our city, our team, their fans, and our all- around awesome spirit for and unparalleled dedication to the Green Bay Packers.

Lakefront Brewery & their “2nd Best” Dark Beer

February 5, 2013 by Lora Rae

I spent last weekend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – where you just can’t pass through without at least one brewery tour. I spent my time at Lakefront Brewery. This brewery tour is a good deal – 7$ for four 6 oz samples plus a pint on the brewery at select local pubs that serve their brews. What I’m trying to say – is you’re going to want a good brunch or lunch before you get started, especially if you want to squeeze more than one brewery in.

The highest brunch recommendation I have is Trocadero (@ztrocadero on Twitter, http://www.trocaderogastrobar.com/ on the web). They serve brunch until 3pm on Saturdays, and 9am to 9pm on Sundays. They have a great selection of everything brunch, and personally I would recommend that you make sure to order the doughnuts as an appetizer and ask about their Bloody Mary menu. There are three Bloody Mary’s that are always on the menu + the special that you should totally ask about.

Now you’re full – on to the beer.

You can come to the Lakefront Brewery prepared by reserving your spot online beforehand – but they always leave space for walk – in’s, so if you arrive 30-40 minutes early, you should be able to get a tour ticket, and get yourself a beer or two before you start. Make sure you don’t get too caught up in conversation so you budget your time & make sure you have a full beer when your tour starts.

You’ll know your tour is starting because someone will yell for you. Yes, yell. Your Brewery Navigation Specialist will probably stand on a chair and yell about your 2 minute warning… and let you know when you should run over to the front of the hall to start out your tour.

Once your tour starts, make sure you’re ready to participate. The Brewery Navigation Specialists at Lakefront don’t accept anything other than 100% participation. If you think you know the answer to a question – answer, & if they ask for a volunteer – raise your hand (you’ll probably get a free beer out of it).

I don’t want to spoil the tour, but you should be ready for some awesome jokes & some stunning visual aids.

During the middle of the tour you’ll get a pit stop to refill on your beer, where I recommend that you try a taste of the award winning Eastside Dark. It will probably be described to you as “if you don’t like dark beer, you should still try this,” and you should – you’ll still like it. The New York Times called it the 2nd best dark beer in America. When you’re on the tour I dare you to ask what the first is.

After your pit stop for more beer – you’ll see how the beer is bottled, packaged, & sent out.

Lakefront has great beer & an amazing brewery tour. Look them up here: http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/beer

Just to entice you a little more, here are some great things to Google before your tour so that you come prepared:

The Difference Between Ale & Lager*

Falcon Punch

Ingredients in Beer

Laverne & Shirley Theme Song Lyrics

*For this one, I seriously recommend just typing in “The Difference Between” and looking at the google auto completes before you type “Ale & Lager,” it will give you faith in humanity.

Beer with Lora Rae

Tag Archives: Wisconsin