The Happy Imbibe

The Little Weissbier That Could: Hefeweizen

Wheat beer is actually a big family with three distinct sections, American wheat, Belgian Witbiers, and, the subject of the next couple of weeks posts, the German Weissbier, more specifically, Hefeweizen. 

Brewing with wheat is one of the oldest brewing traditions in the world. In the early days of beer, brewers were at the mercy of products that were available and sometimes that meant barley while other times it meant wheat. Most of the time, however, a combination of the two was used to get the beer brewed. By the middle ages agriculture had progressed to the point that most brewers were able to use only barley in their beer, but the use of wheat had by no means disappeared. 

Brewers in Bavaria are thought to have brewed the first modern Weissbier in the 1400’s. Weissbier means “white beer” in German and one of it’s most common variants is known as Hefeweizen, or “yeast wheat” (hefe = yeast, weizen = wheat). Weissbier was immensely popular at its inception and outsold many other popular styles at the time. Not surprisingly, this aroused jealousy on behalf of the clans and factions in Bavaria at the time. 

The rights to brew Weissbier were wrestled forcefully from hand to hand in typical mediaeval fashion until they were secured by the Schneider family in 1852 which, after years of declining popularity, marked the triumphal reentry of Weissbier into popular German society. 

The rest, as they say, is history. Today almost every brewery in Bavaria produces a Hefeweizen and many American craft brewers have created their own versions of the style. Hefeweizens are usually very pale to slightly amber in color and have a cloudy appearance due to proteins from the wheat and the unfiltered yeast remaining in the beer. 

Wheat gives these suds a crispness and clean flavor while producing massive heads with incredible retention (thank you, proteins). The flavors lean toward fruity esters reminiscent of banana and clove with flavors of bubblegum, smoke and green apple popping up occasionally. These distinct flavors are almost entirely a product of the yeast used to brew these unique beers. 

Hefeweizens usually finish clean with a hint of acidity and a sweetness that, coupled with the fruity flavors, comes across as candy-like. Stay with us as we delve into the world of Hefeweizens in Alabama over the next couple of weeks! 

What We’re Drinking: Wheat Beers

                                                  (photo courtesy of Caleb Chancey)

As summer sets in, my ultra-sensitivity to heat begins to rear its ugly head. This truly is my Achilles heel and most Alabama summers are positively unbearable for me. As a result, I’m always on the search for something new to beat the heat. 

This year, I’ve found wheat beer. In today’s modern beer world, wheat beers carry a stigma of girly, fruity drinks. You’ve seen it before, a bottle of Blue Moon with a big slice of orange sticking out of it. A sad sight, indeed, but there’s more to wheat than sweetened, boring beer swilling. 

Wheat beers have been brewed for longer than recorded history can trace. Where there’s beer, there’s barley and where there’s barley, there’s wheat. Since brewers have been using whichever grains have been on hand since beer brewing began, wheat’s introduction to the beer world was inevitable. Wheat is actually used in a lot of different beers, but the category of “Wheat Beer” contains several distinct styles. 

Hefeweizen: This Bavarian brew is quite possibly the best known style of wheat beer. A host of delicious flavors and a storied history make Hefeweizens a beguiling choice. You may also come across a Dunkleweizen, which is simply a Hefeweizen brewed with a darker malt. Notable Hefeweizen brewers include Gordon Biersch, Weihenstephaner and Paulaner among others. 

Witbier: Oh, Belgium…This particularly flavorful and diverse brewing region has also given us one of the distinct styles of wheat beer. Very similar in appearance to Hefeweizen, Witbier is normally spiced with coriander and bitter orange peel, though many different spices may be used as part of the brewers secret recipe. Belgian yeast strains and this unique spicing give these brews a flavor profile that’s very distinct from it’s Bavarian cousin. 

Other Varieties: Wheat beer actually represents a pretty large family of beer. Some others include Kristall Weizen, a sparkling, filtered Hefeweizen, Berliner Weisse, a sharply sour wheat beer often sweetened with flavored syrups, and Weizenbock, a wheat beer brewed in the bock beer tradition. In America, craft brewers have applied their own creativity to wheat beers creating a rather broad style known as American Wheat Beer. 

Some of these other styles are easy to find, but some are nearly extinct. We may pop a review or two in when we can find one of these rarer styles. Over the next month, however, we’ll dive into wheat beers sticking mainly to Hefeweizens and Witbiers. 

Stay tuned for a refreshing look at summer’s quenching brews!

2011 Brewfest: Thoughts and Praises

Hello there! So sorry for the long absence. As many of you know, things in Alabama have been topsy turvy for the past couple of months. I’m happy to report, however, that all is well on The Happy Imbibe’s front!

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the annual Birmingham beer celebration sponsored by Free the Hops, Brewfest. Every year this celebration brings together some of the finest beer available to the Alabama public, including old favorites as well as new and exciting beverages. 

This year was no different, but one thing in particular caught my attention. As I strolled through the tents and tasted beer after beer, I was mostly underwhelmed. For the most part, new beer in Alabama (with a few exceptions), has been good, but not great. Run of the mill styles with nothing astonishingly new to offer except different packaging and brewing locations have been the norm for the past year. 

With one exception: Alabama. 

By far the most exciting beer I sampled at Brewfest was from our very own state. It was a marvelous experience tasting Belgian styles and strong ales crafted with precision and care by Alabama brewers. Of particular worth mentioning were the Saisons from Blue Pants Brewing in Huntsville and Avondale Brewing in Birmingham. Seriously tasty, refreshing stuff!

I was also able to taste a Belgian Dubbel and an Old Ale from Straight to Ale in Huntsville that were both surprisingly good. As always, Good People Brewing is leading the pack with a seemingly endless run of creativity spurred on by successful experimental brews and the Alabama beer-drinking public’s warm embrace of their delicious canned offerings. 

I couldn’t think of a better way to kick start the posting again than a hearty pat on the back to Alabama’s brewers. Everyone’s doing a great job and I’m proud to be a part of something so new and exciting. Here’s to more stellar Alabama-born beer!

The Classic: Saison Dupont

Brasserie Dupont, located in Tourpes, Belgium, produces what is perhaps the most well-known of the saison style beers, Saison Dupont. The brewery was founded in 1950 on a working farm that already had a rich history of brewing in the region. Saison Dupont’s rise to international popularity in the 1980’s helped spur along Brasserie Dupont’s notoriety and today the brewery is often cited as one of the best in the world. 

Today we’ll have a taste of Dupont’s namesake beer, Saison Dupont. Originally named Saison Vielle Provision, this beer has been praised greatly by drinkers all over the world and was even recognized by Men’s Journal as the best beer in the world in 2005. Whether you think Saison Dupont is the best or not, it is an undeniably delicious beer. 

Saison Dupont opens with a hazy, golden pour that raises a rocky, white head which dissipates quickly leaving a persistent lacing behind. The aroma is at once fruity, earthy and musty with notes of lemon peel and leather. The first sip is astounding. An initial blast of carbonation is followed by soft citrus fruits, fresh earth, barnyard and a sparkling pale malt sweetness with peppery notes. Saison Dupont signs off with an unforgivingly dry hop zing and a quinine-like bitterness.  

This is one for the history books. It’s uncompromising in its complexity and flavor profile, leaving the drinker astounded, even perplexed. Saison Dupont is an elegant beer with a superior flavor. Buy this NOW. 4.5 out of 5. 

Great Divide Colette: American Saison Worth Sipping

Denver, Colorado’s Great Divide Brewing has a reputation as one of the best breweries in the world. In seventeen years, Great Divide has crafted some of the best known brews in their style, many of which are hard-hitting, flavor bombs like the Yeti Imperial Stout and the Hercules Double IPA. 

In 2009, Great Divide introduced a saison and in 2010 it was renamed Colette. In typical Great Divide fashion, Colette is a faithful representation of the style with a unique “Great-Divide-ness” to it. 

Colette pours golden yellow with a creamy head that dissipates quickly leaving a sticky lacing behind. Aromas of citrus and leather immediately hit the nose. At first sip it’s clear that this beer is a knockout. Sweet malt upfront gives way to musty funk with notes of muscadine grape and a rustic, appetizing astringency. 

Great Divide has done it again. Colette is a really fantastic beer and I’m looking forward to enjoying this during the coming Spring months. It’s a seasonal brew, though, so get it quick before it’s gone! 4 out of 5. 

Golden Saison: Tommeyknocker Goes to Wallonia

The beauty of American craft brewing is in its innovation. With breweries producing all kinds of spins on antiquated styles and even creating brand new styles, the United States is a good place to be for the craft beer lover.

Tommyknocker Brewing in Idaho Springs, Colorado has been a part of that movement for 16 years and they’re still going strong. Housed in a historic inn and located in the middle of the gold rush route to the west, Tommyknocker brings a unique perspective to craft beer and it’s many devoted fans appreciate that.

Today we’ve got Golden Saison, an interesting take on the saison style. Golden Saison opens with a sunny, yellow-orange hue that’s slightly hazy. A lively head springs up and dissipates quickly leaving a decent lace behind it. Aromas of white grape and tart apples greet the nose. At first sip, this beer shows a decent malt sweetness with a little barnyard funk and a refreshing tartness. The heavy carbonation give the mouthfeel a boost with a little touch spice. After the initial taste, however, the flavors fade and I’m left with a rather bland, carbonated brew.

Over all, Golden Saison was an average beer. The flavors fell rather flat after the initial sip. It’s a great, light sipper and would make a fantastic pool side brew. However, the flavor just isn’t there for me to give it much credit as a good saison. 2.5 out of 5.

Brewing With Miles: Bitches Brew

Bitches. 

Brew. 

Bitches Brew. We got our hands on some and last night we cracked it open. Boy, oh, boy. 

A couple of weeks ago, Brian and I decided to purchase a bottle of the coveted Bitches Brew by Dogfish Head Brewing. The beer celebrates the 40th anniversary of jazz prodigy (and one of my all-time favorite musicians) Miles Davis’ release of Bitches Brew, the landmark fusion album. Bitches Brew is a mind-bending experience musically and, now, gustatorily. 

As soon as we cracked the bottle, we were greeted with a musty, sweet aroma. The pour was black with a hint of iridescence, a tiny bit of light just barely revealing pretty red-brown highlights. A decent, dark tan head formed, but dissipated quickly leaving a decent lacing behind. The aromas were spectacular here. Chocolate, earth, flowers and more that I can’t describe. 

The flavor was more complex than I could have expected. This beer is a mixture of imperial stout and honey beer with gesho root performing the role of hopping. It starts with a big body and a heavy, roasty sweetness reminiscent of imperial stout. After that initial taste, the flavors tumble into dry cocoa powder, floral, perfumy notes, a slight, honey-like sweetness and a solid anchor of earthy, musty notes and fruity esters. 

Bitches Brew wraps up with a super dry finish and a lingering cocoa and floral aftertaste. I highly recommend seeking this one out. As a one-off, bottles of Bitches Brew are hard to come by, but well worth the trouble. Drink up! 

Foret: Dupont Does Organic

Brasserie Dupont, located in Tourpes, Belgium, is the world-renowned brewer of one of the best saisons available to the majority of the beer drinking public, Saison Dupont. Since 1950 Dupont has been creating farmhouse ales as well as other delicious Belgian ales, most of which have gained international acclaim. 

Belgium (and the rest of Europe), it seems, has fallen to the organic revolution. Dupont currently brews several organic styles and today we’re having a taste of one of their organic saisons, Foret.  

A loud hiss as I remove the cork greets the ears. Foret pours hazy yellow-orange with a big, rocky white head that vanishes quickly leaving a sticky lacing behind. The initial aromas are grassy and rustic from grains and withered hops. This gives way to a tart, almost phenolic aroma. The flavor starts with lemon peel, tart fruit and a slightly sweet malt and finishes with herbaceous hops and an indistinct spicing. 

This is an altogether average saison. Definitely not bad, Foret is worth trying, but not worth spending a great deal of time or money on. This would be great after mowing the lawn on a hot summer afternoon. 3 out of 5.

Ommegang Hennepin: Homegrown Belgian Saison Done Right

The surge of American-made, Belgian-style beers has created a cornucopian selection for the Belgian crazed drinker. Indeed, these unique stylings are delicious and, often times, much preferred to the more expensive “real deal.”

Many of these, however, lack a certain…terroir. The flavors inherent to the Belgian countryside simply aren’t there because, well, they aren’t brewed in Belgium. Every now and then, however, we get a brewery capable of producing some really stellar brews that, though not quite the real thing, are really damn close.

Enter Ommegang. This brewery has been producing fine Belgian ales in Cooperstown, New York since 1997 and is even owned and operated by Duvel, the same company that produces the self-titled, ubiquitous Belgian Pale Ale. Today, in honor of our jaunt into the world of Saison, we’re having a taste of Ommegang’s Hennepin, a delightful interpretation of the Saison style.

Hennepin pours a beautiful sunrise yellow with a pillowy white head that billows complex aromas. This beer smells of spicing (clove, cardamom) and fresh, tart apples with a nice dose of earthy funk. The taste follows suit with an apple-like acidity, musty, leathery flavors and a pleasant malty sweetness up front to balance it out. Hopping is rather tame and serves only to balance the beer.

Overall, this is a really tasty Saison and one of my go-to favorites. It lacks the complexity and flavor of some of the heavier hitters, but for under $10 per four pack, you can’t go wrong. Go try it. 3.5 out of 5.

The Saisons are Upon Us!

If I was asked to choose one style of beer to be stuck with the rest of my life, I’d pick Saison. These Wallonian masterpieces are chocked full of complex flavors that never seem to end. There’s always something new to experience in a good Saison, which is why they’re also particularly promiscuous with food pairings. 

But before I go on waxing poetic about this marvelous style, let’s cover a little history. 

Originally, Saison wasn’t a distinct style. Instead it was simply a beer brewed by southern Belgian farmers in the Autumn or Winter for farm hands to drink during the harvest time. In those days, pure water was scarce, yet the farm workers were in constant need of refreshment and nourishment during long labors in the fields under the hot sun. The solution came in the form of beer.

The challenge faced by these Belgian brewers was crafting a brew that was as refreshing as it was sustaining. That meant low alcohol and high nutrient content, a particularly difficult balance to strike in the days before refrigeration. However, these farmers managed to crank out pale colored brews in the range of 3% ABV that would be stored through the Autumn and Winter for consumption during the harvest. 

At their inception, Saisons weren’t bound by any particular flavor profile or ingredient regimen. These were truly beers of artesian character and each one was unique. Ingredients varied from malted barley to wheat and even spices. Today, however, many brewers mimic the flavors of Brasserie Dupont’s world-famous Saison Dupont. This shouldn’t be regarded as a bad thing; Saison Dupont is an enviable and exceedingly delicious beer by all standards. 

Despite it’s former title as a “dying” style, Saisons have experienced a resurgence and are responsible for many of the new beers emerging from craft brewers across the world. Today’s Saisons are usually pale colored, relatively highly hopped (for a Belgian style, anyway) and possess characteristic wild or rustic flavors. These beers reflect a depth and complexity usually reserved for higher alcohol beers, but remain in the 7% range, just low enough to enjoy a couple in a sitting. 

For the next few weeks, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at Saisons in all their Belgian glory. Stay tuned!