Saturday May 19, 2012 – 2-6pm

In celebration of Craft Beer Week, Bear Foot Sports will promote a specialty tasting of fresh and delicious summer and seasonal beers at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina on Hilton Head Island.

Hilton Head Taste of Summer will be educational and informative, showcasing refreshing Craft Beers including: Pilsners, Hefe-Weizens, American-style wheats, Pale Ales, Fruit Beers, Summer Ales, Ciders and more. A percentage of proceeds from the event will go to benefit two local charities: Palmetto Animal League and the Hilton Head Rotary Club.

Hilton Head Taste of Summer Craft Beer Festival will feature a variety of about 60 different beers from 20 Craft Breweries. These beers are refreshing, flavorful, and fun. The Beer Festival will also feature summertime foods from six to eight Hilton Head area restaurants plus live rock & reggae music.

Find out more at http://hiltonheadbeerfest.com!

Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival
Saturday November 3, 2012 – 2-6pm

The Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival returns to the Calhoun Street Promenade in downtown Bluffton this Fall.  The 2nd Annual International tasting event will feature over 125 International & Craft Beers, Food Court, Live Music and more.

Last year’s Inaugural Festival featured a well behaved crowd of over 1,000 people.  Our guests enjoyed 30 different unique styles of beer from around the world, featuring 27 American Craft Breweries and over 30 International Breweries including 18 from Belgium. The event raised $2,800 for Palmetto Animal League plus many of their dogs got adopted.

Please make plans to join us at the 2012 Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival, one of the premier tasting events in the South East.   More details coming soon.

Cheers!

Thank you for coming out to our First Annual Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival.

We had an amazing, well behaved crowd of over 1,000 people, sampling over 125 different beers from 30 different unique styles of beer.

A few years ago, if someone had told me that we could draw 1,000 people to a craft beer festival in Bluffton, we’d have told them they were crazy.

Thanks PAL Volunteers!

We hope everyone had a GREAT time!  And we look forward to doing this bigger and better next year.

We’d also like to thank our volunteers from the Palmetto Animal League who enthusiastically poured the beers.

Your humble Beer Fest webmaster was too busy working at the festival (and occasionally sampling the beers and talking to fellow beer lovers) to take any pictures, so if you took any pictures, please share them on the Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival Facebook page.

Lots of people were asking where they could buy some of the more unusual beers available at the festival.  Growlers on Hilton Head (near Fuddrucker’s and Piggly Wiggly in the strip mall across from Shelter Cove Mall) is probably the best bet in the area for some of the more unusual beers.  For Bluffton itself, Piggly Wiggly probably has the largest selection of beer.

If you’re having trouble locating a beer that you tried at the festival, drop us a note on our Facebook page, and we’ll ask the distributor to provide more information on local availability.

Thanks again!

The Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival will be held on Saturday, November 5th, 2011 from 2:00 – 6:00 pm at The Promenade in Historic Downtown Bluffton, South Carolina.

For this final post before the Inaugural 2011 Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival, I wanted to share a beer list that sorts the beers by style.  Before I explain the different beer styles, I want to also say a few words about the alcohol percentages that appear next to all of the beers on the beer list.

Alcohol Strength of Beer

To encourage responsibility, we are listing the alcohol percentage strength of beers at the festival.  To better understand these percentages, let’s think first about a typical beer.  Bud, Miller, Coors, Yuengling, Corona, and Heineken all fall into a general category of beer that most people think of when they think of beer.  This style of beer is known as a lager or a pilsener, but we’ll get to that shortly in the style overview.  As an important reference point, all of these six mainstream beers have a an alcohol content percentage of 5.0% by volume (abbreviated as ABV).  Yuengling and Corona are actually slightly less at around 4.5% ABV.  Typical light beers have an alcohol content of around 4% ABV.  As a further point of reference, and common misconception, the common version of Guinness Stout (Draught) has an alcohol content of 4.2% ABV.

There is a common misconception about alcohol strength in beer that comes from laws about beer.  While wine and hard liquor have pretty much always used a measurement of alcohol by volume (ABV), different states and municipalities have often regulated beer based upon a measurement of alcohol by weight (ABW).

Some western states had laws that limited beer sold in convenience stores to 3.2% ABW, or roughly 4% ABV … in other words a typical light beer.

Other common regulations in different states limited supermarket sales to 4% ABW, or roughly 5% ABV, which is the strength of a typical mainstream American beer.  This led to a misconception that European lagers were usually stronger than American lagers … they are not.  The misconception came about because states were regulating beer strength using the ABW measurement, while people would see European beer bottles with labels showing the strength using the ABV measurement.

Until 2007,  South Carolina had a law that limited beer that could be sold to beer of 5% ABW or lower (6.25% ABV).  Because many craft breweries had some beers that were above this level of strength, they did not bother selling any of their beers in South Carolina.  If they couldn’t sell their complete line of products in the state, they simply chose to focus their marketing of product to other states.

In contrast to beer, wine has a much higher alcohol content, typically in the 12% to 15% ABV range.

We believe it is important for you to understand these percentages while at the beer festival, and we are making every available effort to publish this information.  The idea is not to encourage you to find the beer with the highest alcohol content.  The purpose is to help you to better control your alcohol intake.

Our serving sample size is 4 ounces.  The idea is to give people an opportunity to taste more different beers that they might not otherwise try.

The festival emphasis is on quality, not quantity.  Do not drink and drive.

Now let’s get on to the beer list grouped by style of beer…

Beer Style Overview

At its core, all beer is brewed from four basic ingredients:  malt (processed grains – usually barley, sometimes wheat or rye), yeast, water and hops.  Malt is what gives beer its sweetness.  The natural sugars produced by the grains in the malting process are processed by the yeast to induce a fermenting process that creates the alcohol.  The yeast can also impart a distinctive taste to the beer.  Finally, hops are added to add a bitterness to the beer.  Originally they were added as a preservative, but over time, the spicy/bitter characteristics of the hops have come to represent the unique taste of beer compared to other alcoholic beverages.

Many of the mainstream American lagers use adjuncts such as corn or rice in addition to the grains.  The adjuncts are used to lower the cost of producing the beer, and also tend to produce a beer that is lighter in body and taste.  While frowned about in the proud beer nation of Germany, many craft brewers add additional herbs and spices to create unique tastes.

It is amazing is how many different and unique styles of beer can be created from just these four basic ingredients.

American Craft Pale Lagers & Golden Pilseners

Pale Yellow Beer as it should be

The Pale Lager/Pilsener style of beer is what would be considered the most common style of beer in the United States, and around most of the world.  Pale golden in color, fizzy, and with a moderate amount of hops for bitterness/fresh taste.  Bud, Miller, Coors, Yuengling, Corona, and Heineken all fall into this general category of beer that most people think of when they think of beer.

• Joe’s Premium Pils - Avery Brewing Company – Boulder, CO (4.7%)
• Sankaty Light Lager - Cisco Brewers - Nantucket, MA  (3.8%)
• Session Lager- Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (5.1%)
• Palmetto Aftershock – Palmetto Brewing Company - Charleston, SC (Carolina Common Lager)
• Pig Pen Pilsner – Piggly Wiggly Pig Swig - Charleston, SC (4.5%)
• Dockside Pilsner – Thomas Creek Brewery - Greenville, SC (4.5%)
• Prima Pils - Victory Brewing Company - Dowington, PA  (5.3% German Pilsener)

European Pale Lagers & Golden Pilseners

Proudly brewed by Brewmaster Steve Urkel

The golden pilsener style of lager beer originated in Europe, and is named after Pilsen (Plzen), which is located in what is now the Czech Republic.   It was first brewed in 1842 by the brewery that would eventually be named Plzensky Prazdroj,  better known by its German name Pilsner Urquell (the original pilsener).  The beer style quickly gained popularity and copycats in Germany and across Europe.  Over time, many of these brewers developed their own unique twists on the original style.

• Stella Artois - Stella Artois - Leuven (InBev), Belgium (5.5% Belgian Lager)
• Pilsner Urquell – Plzensky Prazdroj, a. s. - Plzen, Czech Republic (4.4% Czech Pilsener)
• Warsteiner Pils – Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein, Germany (4.8% German Pilsener)
• Claro! – Bavaria Brewery - Lieshout, The Netherlands (5.0% Dutch Lager)
• Daura - Estrella Damm - Barcelona, Spain (5.4% Spanish Lager)
• Estrella Damm Draft - Estrella Damm - Barcelona, Spain (5.4% Spanish Lager)

Amber Lagers (Oktoberfests, Amber/Red Lagers)

Cheers!

Oktoberfest beers are stronger, maltier lagers, with more of an orangish/copperish color.  Before modern refrigeration, these beers were most typically brewed in March (Marzen) and kept in cold storage over the summer months.

• Brooklyn Lager - Brooklyn Brewery – Brooklyn, NY (5.2%)
• Spaten Oktoberfest - Spaten-Franziskaner Brau - Munich, Germany (5.9%Marzen/Oktoberfest)
• Warsteiner Oktoberfest – Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein, Germany (5.0% Marzen/Oktoberfest)

Dark Lagers (Black Lagers/Schwarzbiers)

Dark lagers (Schwarzbier in German) are very closely related to the pale lagers/golden pilsener.  Despite the dark color, they are relatively light without the roasted or smoky flavor that is common to  many other dark beer styles.  They are typically slightly sweeter and less bitter than the pale lagers.

• Session Black- Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (5.4% Schwarzbier/Black Lager)
• Howl - Magic Hat - South Burlington, VT (4.6% Schwarzbier – Black Lager)
• Warsteiner Dunkel – Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein, Germany (4.9% Munich Dunkel Lager)
• Guinness Black Lager - Guinness - Dublin, Ireland (4.5% Euro Dark Lager)

Strong Lagers (Bocks, Imperial Pilseners)

Revenge of the Lagerheads

Bock beers are stronger lagers, usually brewed with a higher malt content that imparts a richer sweeter taste.  Bock beers typically are lower in hops, and have extremely low bitterness.

By contrast Imperial Pilsners have both a higher malt content, and an increased concentration of  hops, with the bitterness of the hops slightly overpowering the malt.

• Full Sail LTD Series 02 – Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (6.4% Maibock/Helles Bock)
• Persephone Imperial Pils- Grand Teton Brewing Company - Victor, ID (8.7% Imperial Pilsner)
• Spaten Optimator - Spaten-Franziskaner Brau - Munich, Germany (7.6% Doppelbock)

American Blonde Ale

American Blonde Ales are golden ales, usually extremely refreshing, with a slightly fruity taste that comes from the use of ale yeast instead of lager yeast.  While not extremely common as a bottled beer, they are commonly brewed by brewpubs that use these ales to introduce lager drinkers to ales.

• Red Brick Blonde – Red Brick Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA (5.7% American Blonde Ale)

American Pale Ale

Northern Comfort

Pale Ales are moderately hoppy ales with light bitterness.  Unlike pale lagers, the color of a pale ale is in the orange/copper range, with the pale being in comparison to brown ales.  English Style Pale Ales use English hops which tend to have a more floral taste and aroma.  American Pale Ales use American hops which tend to have a more citrus (astringent) taste.  Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the original American Pale Ale.

• Restoration - Abita Brewery - Abita Springs, LA (5.0%)
• Old Yankee Ale - Cottrell Brewing- Pawcatuk, CT (5.0% American Pale Ale)
• Sweetgrass APA- Grand Teton Brewing Company - Victor, ID (6.0% American Pale Ale)
• Patriot Pale Ale – RJ Rockers Brewing Co. - Spartanburg, SC (6.0% American Pale Ale)
• 420 Extra Pale Ale – Sweetwater Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA (5.4% American Pale Ale)

English Style Pale Ale

Bombs Away!

Pale Ales are moderately hoppy ales with light bitterness.  Unlike pale lagers, the color of a pale ale is in the orange/copper range, with the pale being in comparison to brown ales.  English Style Pale Ales use English hops which tend to have a more floral taste and aroma.  In addition to the floral taste there is a fruity taste, but not citrus.

• Whale’s Tale Pale Ale - Cisco Brewers - Nantucket, MA  (5.6% English Pale Ale)
• Monty Python’s Ale - Black Sheep Brewery PLC - Ripon, North Yorkshire, UK (5.0% English Pale Ale)
• St Peters Organic English Ale - St. Peter’s Brewery Co. Ltd - Bungay, Suffolk, UK (4.6% English Pale Ale)
• Charles Wells Bombardier - Wells & Young’s Ltd - Bedford, UK (5.2% Extra Special Bitter – ESB)

Belgian Style Pale Ale

Click to view the add that tries to explain this one

Belgian Style Pale Ales are similar to English Style Pale Ales, but use a yeast that is more characteristic of other Belgian beers.  Belgian yeast strains such as Brettanomyces (“Brett”) are used to produce a yeasty flavor characteristics that beer lovers instantly identify as Belgian.

• Ommegang BPA Belgian Pale Ale - Brewery Ommegang (Duvel USA)- Cooperstown, NY (6.2% Belgian Pale Ale)
• Palm - Brouwerij Palm - Steenhuffe, Belgium (5.4% Belgian Pale Ale)

American IPA

The first IPA is the toughest

IPA, or India Pale Ale, was a style originally developed in England.  Beer being shipped to English colonists in India was given an extra dosage of hops to act primarily as a preservative. The additional hops, of course, resulted in a more flavorful, bitter beer.  American IPAs tend to be far more aggressive and assertive than English IPAs.

• Avery India Pale Ale - Avery Brewing Company – Boulder, CO (6.5% American IPA)
• Two Hearted Ale - Bell’s Brewery - Galesburg, MI (7.0% American IPA)
• Mystic Bridge IPA - Cottrell Brewing- Pawcatuk, CT (6.0% American IPA)
• Full Sail India Pale Ale – Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (6.0% American IPA)
• Harpoon India Pale Ale – Harpoon Brewery - Boston, MA (5.9% American IPA)
• Celebration Ale – Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA (6.8% American IPA)
• Torpedo Extra IPA – Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA (7.2% American IPA)
• Stone IPA – Stone Brewing Company - Escondido, CA (6.9% American IPA)
• Sweetwater IPA – Sweetwater Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA (6.7% American IPA)
• Class Five IPA – Thomas Creek Brewery - Greenville, SC (5.5% American IPA)
• Hopdevil – Victory Brewing Company - Dowington, PA (6.7% American IPA)
• Westbrook IPA- Westbrook Brewing Company - Mount Pleasant, SC (6.8% American IPA)

English Style IPA

IPA, or India Pale Ale, was a style originally developed in England.  Beer being shipped to English colonists in India was given an extra dosage of hops to act primarily as a preservative. The additional hops, of course, resulted in a more flavorful, bitter beer.  American IPAs tend to be far more aggressive and assertive than English IPAs.

• Newcastle Winter IPA - Newcastle - Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, UK (English IPA)

Belgian Style IPA

Hop me!

Belgian Style IPAs are a recent style development, combining the IPA taste with Belgian yeasts.  American brewed Belgian Style IPAs tend to be lighter bodied and have more of the citrus hop taste.  Hopus, from Belgium, as a maltier body, with the hops having a more pronounced European flavor … more floral than citrus … and delicious.

• Hopus - Brasserie Lefèbvre SA - Rebecq-Quenast, Belgium (8.3% Belgian IPA)

American Imperial IPA

Double the pleasure

In the beer world, the “Imperial” prefix has come to represent stronger and more assertive versions of a particular style of beer.   The American Imperial IPA style, sometimes referred to as Double IPA, is a stronger and hoppier IPA.  Get your bitter beer face ready!

Note:  Hop heads should also try the Victory Yakima Glory.  We’ve categorized it as an American Dark Ale, but it is an extremely hoppy beer that some could argue is a dark imperial IPA.

• Steelhead Double IPA – Mad River Brewing Company - Blue Lake, CA (8.6% American Imperial IPA)

American Amber/Red Ale

Pig Swig, not Pig Swill!

Amber and Red Ales have a lot in common with English Pale Ales.  They are full bodied, malty, and less aggressively hopped than pale ales.  Sweeter and less bitter.

• Bell’s Amber Ale - Bell’s Brewery - Galesburg, MI (5.8%American Amber/Red Ale)
• Avalanche Ale - Breckenridge Brewery, Breckenridge, CO (5.4% American Amber/Red Ale)
• Full Sail Amber- Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (5.5% American Amber/Red Ale)
• Jamaica Red Ale – Mad River Brewing Company - Blue Lake, CA (6.5% American Amber/Red Ale)
• Palmetto Amber - Palmetto Brewing Company - Charleston, SC (American Amber/Red Ale)
• Pig Swig Pig Tail Ale – Piggly Wiggly Pig Swig - Charleston, SC (5.5% American Amber/Red Ale)
• Pyramid Juggernaut Red Ale – Pyramid Brewery - Seattle, WA (5.6% American Amber/Red Ale)
• Laughing Skull – Red Brick Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA (5.4% American Amber/Red Ale)

American Dark Ale

A Quest for Glory!

American Brown Ales tend to be full bodied and moderately hopped with more attention to the malty taste of the beer.  Note:  We’ve included Victory Yakima Glory in this category, but it is more aggressively hopped and will likely appeal more to IPA fans.

• Ellie’s Brown Ale - Avery Brewing Company – Boulder, CO (5.5% American Brown Ale)
• Brooklyn Brown - Brooklyn Brewery – Brooklyn, NY (5.6% American Brown Ale)
• Bitch Creek ESB- Grand Teton Brewing Company - Victor, ID (6.0% American Brown Ale)
• Yakima Glory – Victory Brewing Company - Dowington, PA (8.7% American Black Ale)

English Style Brown Ale

Wickedly good

English Style Brown Ales tend to be full bodied and lightly hopped.  Far more attention is focused on the malty taste of the beer, with only a light hop bitterness.

• Turbo Dog - Abita Brewery - Abita Springs, LA (5.6% English Brown Ale)
• Bell’s Best Brown Ale -Bell’s Brewery - Galesburg, MI (5.8% English Brown Ale)
• Nut Brown - New South Brewing Company - Myrtle Beach, SC (5.4% English Brown Ale)
• Newcastle Werewolf – Newcastle - Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, UK (English Brown Ale)
• Hobgoblin - Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd - Witney, Oxon, UK (5.0% English Brown Ale)

American Strong Ales & Winter Warmer

Look at me, I'm giving out wings!

Winter warmers are stronger dark beers that are brewed to be enjoyed on cool fall and winter evenings.  They are often spiced with flavors associated with the holidays such as nutmeg and cinnamon.

We’ve included Bell Ringer in this category, because although it is lighter in color and has no extra spices, it has a strong malty taste that is ideally suited to a cool fall or winter evening.  Well done RJ Rockers!

• Bell Ringer – RJ Rockers Brewing Co. - Spartanburg, SC (8.5% American Strong Ale)
• Harpoon Winter Warmer – Harpoon Brewery - Boston, MA (5.9% Winter Warmer)
• Winter Hook - Redhook Brewery – Seattle, WA (5.9% Winter Warmer)
• Sweetwater Festive Ale – Sweetwater Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA (8.6% Winter Warmer)

Porters & Stouts

So many legs, so little time!

Porters and stouts have a deeper malt flavor that comes from a darker roasting of the malt.  American Porters tend to be more hopped than the original English porters.  Stouts tend to have a darker, more burnt roasting of the malt.  Normal stouts are very lightly hopped.  Imperial Stouts are stronger and can be aggressively hopped.

• Bell’s Porter - Bell’s Brewery - Galesburg, MI (5.6% American Porter)
• Vanilla Porter - Breckenridge Brewery, Breckenridge, CO (4.7% American Porter)
• Old Leghumper Porter – Thirsty Dog Brewing Company - Akron, Ohio (6.7% American Porter)
• Siberian Night Imperial Stout – Thirsty Dog Brewing Company - Akron, Ohio (9.7% Russian Imperial Stout)
• Youngs Double Chocolate Stout - Wells & Young’s Ltd - Bedford, UK (5.2% Sweet Stout)

Belgian Style Witbier (Wheat Beer)

You might want to see a doctor about this

Wit is Dutch/Flemish for white, and refers to a refreshing style of wheat beer that is popular in Belgium.  Cloudy, with a pale yellowish color, this Belgian style of wheat beer is traditionally spiced with orange peel and coriander.  Many brewers experiment with alternate spices to produce a unique taste.  Witbiers are refreshing, and usually have quite lively carbonation.

Hoegaarden is the archetypal Witbier from Belgium, being considered the original Witbier.  Even thought Hoegaarden was only first brewed in 1966, at that time, all previous witbiers had ceased production, and Hoegaarden led a rebirth of that particular style of beer.  Blanche de Bruxelles is another excellent example of the style from Belgium,  having more of a lemony taste than orange.  Avery White Rascal has somewhat mixed reviews on Beer Advocate, but it is one of my favorites in the style.  Personally, I’m looking forward to Westbrook White Thai from Charleston, which takes a different approach on the spices, opting for lemongrass, ginger and Sorachi Ace hops.  It’s interesting to see so many Witbiers on the list … I have yet to try the others.

• White Rascal  - Avery Brewing Company – Boulder, CO (5.6% Witbier)
• Grey Lady - Cisco Brewers - Nantucket, MA (4.8% Witbier)
• UFO White (4.8% Witbier)
• White Ale - New South Brewing Company - Myrtle Beach, SC (4.6% Witbier)
• Westbrook White Thai- Westbrook Brewing Company - Mount Pleasant, SC (5.0% Witbier)
• Blanche de Bruxelles - Brasserie Lefèbvre SA - Rebecq-Quenast, Belgium (4.5% Witbier)
• Hoegaarden - Brouwerij van Hoegaarden (InBev), Hoegaarden, Belgium (4.9% Witbier)
• Steenbrugge Wit - Brouwerij Palm (Steenbrugge) - Steenhuffe, Belgiuml (5.0% Witbier)
• Inedit - Estrella Damm - Barcelona, Spain (4.8% Witbier)

Belgian Strong Golden Ale

Wanted: Shoulders to go with this head

As the golden pilsener lager took over Europe, people became more reluctant to drink a beer that they couldn’t see through.  Ale brewers in Belgium responded to this challenge by creating strong golden ales. Golden but extremely pale in color, from appearance these beers can be easily mistaken for a mainstream lager.  (Except that if properly poured, many of these beers have one of the most intense foamy heads that you will ever see on a beer.)  These beers tend to be deceptively strong, with a distinctive yeasty taste with a light hint of fruit balanced against just the right amount of hops.

• Leffe Blonde - Abbaye de Leffe S.A. (InBev) - Dinant, Belgium (6.6% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)
• Affligem Blond – Affligem - Opwijk, Belgium (6.7% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)
• Delirium Tremens - Brouwerij Huyghe - Melle, Belgium (8.5% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)
• Omer Belgian Blond – Brouwerij Bockor - Bellegem, Belgium (8.0% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)
• Duvel - Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat - Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium (8.5% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)
• Saxo - Brasserie Caracole - Falmignoul, Belgium (8.0% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)

Belgian Style Tripel

Perfection in a Glass

When I think about Belgian beer, the first thing that comes to mind is the Westmalle Tripel.  Victory’s Golden Monkey is an excellent American interpretation of the Belgian Tripel style of beer that originated with Westmalle Tripel.   Tripels range in color from golden to light amber.  They are relatively strong in alcohol, with a typical range of 8% to 10% ABV.  Tripels are usually bottle conditioned with a yeast sediment.  They tend to have a unique balance of sweetness and bitterness.  Westmalle, in particular has a deceptively smooth and light feel to it, despite having an alcohol content of 9.5% ABV.

If you’re not familiar with Westmalle Tripel, I’d strongly encourage you to try it.  We also have Maresdous Tripel (also known as Maredsous 10) available.  Maredsous is from the brewers of Duvel.  It is a bit stronger than the Westmalle at 10% ABV, and is more amber in color.  Maredsous Tripel has a more pronounced, and very welcome, bitterness and a bit more of an alcohol taste in the finish.

Another Belgian Tripel we are pouring is Tripel Karmeliet.  Tripel Karmeliet is a bit lighter in alcohol at 8.5%, more golden in color similar to the Westmalle, and tends to be a bit sweeter and maltier in its taste.

• Golden Monkey – Victory Brewing Company - Dowington, PA (9.5% Tripel)
• Tripel Karmeliet - Brouwerij Bosteels - Buggenhout, Belgium (8.5% Tripel)
• Maredsous Triple - Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat - Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium (10.0% Tripel)
• Westmalle Triple - Brouwerij Westmalle (Trappist) – Malle, Belgium (9.5% Tripel)

Belgian Style Dubbel

Dubbels are a Belgian Brown Ale style, usually richer and fruitier than English Style Brown Ales.  The bottle conditioning and yeasty taste also results in a more “earthy” taste.  Despite being brewed in America, Ommegang is one of the best examples of this style in the world.

• Ommegang Abbey Ale - Brewery Ommegang (Duvel USA) – Cooperstown, NY (8.5% Dubbel)
• Steenbrugge Dubbel - Brouwerij Palm (Steenbrugge) - Steenhuffe, Belgiuml (6.5% Dubbel)

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Do you see the pink elephant too?

When is a dark Belgian ale a Dubbel, and when is it just a strong dark ale?  Dubbels are usually in the 6% to 7% ABV range.  Ommegang is a bit strong for the style, even if its taste is spot on.  The strong dark ales tend to have a more pronounced smoky, roasted taste, and often have additional spices added to complement the roasted malt.

• Delirium Nocturnum - Brouwerij Huyghe - Melle, Belgium (8.5% Belgian Strong Dark Ale)
• Nostradamus - Brasserie Caracole - Falmignoul, Belgium (9.5% Belgian Strong Dark Ale)
• St. Feuillien Cuvée De Noël - Brasserie St. Feuillien - Le Rœulx, Belgium (9.0% Belgian Strong Dark Ale)

Belgian Style Quadrupel

This one goes to 11

Just as the Tripel style got its name as somewhat of a marketing gimmick to indicate that it was stronger than a Dubbel, the Quadrupel style’s name is to signify that it is stonger than a Tripel.  While there is some debate over what the stylistic qualities of a Quadrupel are, they are generally dark, malty, sweet, and have extremely high alcohol content (10% to 12% ABV).

• St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus - Watou, Belgium (10.0% Quadrupel)
• La Trappe Quadrupel - Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V. (Trappist) - Tilburg, The Netherlands (10.0% Quadrupel)

Farmhouse Ales (Saison, Biere de Garde)

... an answered prayer

Traditionally brewed in the fall and winter months, then cellared until the following summer, farmhouse ales represent a style of beer brewed in rural Belgium and northeastern France.  Saison is the Belgian style, and Biere de Garde is the French style.  Both styles are very yeasty and herbal, with Saisons tending to have a bit more hop bitterness.  That said, if you think the French only make wine, you owe it to yourself to try 3 Months, which is a world class beer.

• The Grand Saison Belgian Farmhouse Ale – Grand Teton Brewing Company - Victor, ID (7.5% Saison)
• Ovila Abbey Saison – Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA (7.0% Saison)
• 3 Monts - Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre - Saint Sylvestre Cappel, France (8.5% Biere de Garde)

German Style Hefeweizen (Wheat Beer)

Meal in a Glass

A cloudy, brighter yellow (compared to Belgian Witbier) wheat beer, brewed with a German yeast that imparts hints of banana, clove, and sometimes bubble gum.  Heavier in body compared to the Witbier.  Germany’s greatest contribution to the world of beer styles.  Dunkelweizens are darker, stronger hefeweizens.

• Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse - Spaten-Franziskaner Brau - Munich, Germany (5.0% Hefeweizen)
• Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel - Spaten-Franziskaner Brau - Munich, Germany (5.0% Dunkelweizen)
• Konig Ludwig Weiss – Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein, Germany(5.5% Hefeweizen)

Other Wheat Beers

Buckwheat Before Dark

There are some wheat beers that we just didn’t feel comfortable lumping into a particular style.  Breckenridge’s Agave Wheat is almost a light Witbier spiced with agave.  Pyramid’s Haywire Hefeweizen is somewhere between a Witbier and a Hefeweizen.  Buckwheat After Dark … we’re just going to have to wait and see about this one.  I’m giving RJ Rockers the benefit of the doubt that it is going to be delicious because they did such an excellent job with Bell Ringer, another beer we had difficulty categorizing.

• Agave Wheat - Breckenridge Brewery, Breckenridge, CO (4.2% Herbed/Spiced Beer)
• Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen – Pyramid Brewery - Seattle, WA (5.2% American Pale Wheat Ale)
• Buckwheat After Dark – RJ Rockers Brewing Co. - Spartanburg, SC  (5.6% American Dark Wheat Ale / Dunkelweizen)

Sour Beers

The Original Old Tart

If you made it this far, you’re in for a treat.  Taste any of these beers and marvel that they are still brewed with the same four basic ingredients as other beers, because they don’t taste like you’d expect a beer to taste.

Flanders Red Ales are unique, full bodied sour ales from Belgium.   A combination of aged hops, a distinctive yeast, and oak barrel aging results in a delicious sour ale.   First time tasters are often amazed to find out that there is no fruit or other flavoring to produce the sour taste.   To represent this unique Belgian style, we will have Rodenbach and Duchesse de Bourgogne.

Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by carefully cultivated strains of brewer’s yeasts, Lambic beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation.  It is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley of Belgium. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavour: dry, vinous, and cidery, usually with a sour aftertaste.  Like with the Flanders Red Ales, aged hops also contribute to the sour taste.  Lambic ale is usually used as the basis for Belgian fruit beers.

Gueuze is a blending of multiple vintages of lambic.  An older and younger lambic are blended and undergo a secondary fermentation process to produce a drier, more sour, and highly carbonated (Champagne like) beer.  Traditional Gueuze is extremely sour and often has a sour apple type of taste.  While some consider the taste to be an acquired one, even those who do not like the taste are amazed that this beer is brewed with only the four standard beer ingredients:  water, malt, yeast and hops.  You owe it to yourself to try the Oud Beersel Oud Gueuze.

• Bell’s Oarsman Ale - Bell’s Brewery - Galesburg, MI (4.0% Berliner Weissbier)
• Oud Beersel Geuze - Brouwerij Oud Beersel - Beersel, Belgium (6.0% Gueuze)
• Rodenbach - Brouwerij Rodenbach - Roeselare, Belgium (5.2% Flanders Red Ale)
• Duchesse de Bourgogne - Brouwerij Verhaeghe - West Flanders, Belgium (6.2% Flanders Red Ale)

Fruit Beers

It’s next to impossible to describe these four fruit beers with just a few sentences.  These are beers brewed with fruit additives.

• Purple Haze - Abita Brewery - Abita Springs, LA (4.2% Fruit Beer – Raspberry)
• #9 – Magic Hat - South Burlington, VT (5.1% Fruit Beer – Mystery Fruit)
• Sweetwater Blue – Sweetwater Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA (4.9% Fruit Beer – Blueberry)
• Floris Apple - Brouwerij Huyghe - Melle, Belgium (3.5% Lambic – Fruit)

Ciders

And finally, these ciders aren’t beers at all.  But we wanted to offer something that could serve as a refreshing palette cleanser, and cider is an excellent companion to beer.

• Crispin Original - Crispin - Minneapolis, MN - (5.0% Hard Cider – Apple)
• Crispin Pear - Crispin - Minneapolis, MN (5.0% Hard Cider – Pear)
• Harpoon Cider – Harpoon Brewery - Boston, MA (4.1% Hard Cider – Apple)

Double the Pleasure

Will I stampede directly toward the Steelhead Double IPA or Persephone Imperial Pilsener?  Or will I start with a Pale Ale (we’ll got quite a few good ones) and gradually build up my hop tolerance level?

Hop me

Will I resist the temptation to start with Yakima Glory or Hopus?   (Resist?  Who am I, Superman?)

Will I have a sudden craving for Oud Beersel Gueuze?  Or Rodenbach?

Liquid Gold

Will the Trappist beers from Westmalle and La Trappe show me mercy?

Festivus for the rest of us

If there’s a chill in the air, will I be drawn to the Winter Warmers from Sweetwater and Harpoon?

Or will I start with a refreshing Witbier or Saison?

Or maybe one of the three ciders?  (I like me a good scrumpy.)

The pressure of the decision is weighing on me.  To help ease my mind, I need some more mindless beer commercials … won’t you join me?

Finding Truth at the Bluffton BBQ

Lagerheads usually emerge at night. They orient themselves toward the bar with the brightest lights. Visible lights from buildings or streets near the bar may disorient the Lagerheads, and may cause them to lose their way.

Beware the powerful flapping jaws of the Lagerhead.

Always observe Lagerheads from a distance and refrain from using flash photography.

Do not harass a Lagerhead. Don’t touch or prod one to move.

And by all means, always stay at least 50 yards away from a Lagerhead during mating season.

While not quite an endangered creature, remember that Lagerheads are protected by the Town of Bluffton.

Support the Humane Society

I kid the Lagerheads … but it’s all in good fun.  (In case you’re new to the area, the above is just a parody of Hilton Head and its Loggerhead Sea Turtles.)  Don’t be a beer snob.  There are too many craft beer lovers that discover the bitter glory of an IPA, and begin to cast a condescending glance toward lager and lager drinkers.  Let’s face it, Bluffton is a lager town. And pale yellow fizzy lagers are, of course, the best selling type of beer in the world.

If you’re a beer snob who only drinks IPAs, this weekend we challenge you to try a lager.   We’ve got at least 22 of them for you to choose from, so you don’t really have an excuse.  While I haven’t tried them all, I can tell you that Victory’s Prima Pils is a good choice for an IPA fan.

And if you’re already a lager fan, we’ve got you covered.  I’d recommend starting with something you’ve never had before … maybe Joe’s Premium Pils or Brooklyn Lager, or maybe one of the Oktoberfests.   We’ve got a great selection of American craft lagers and European lagers.  In addition to the more typical pilseners, we’ve also got some bocks (stronger and usually sweeter), dark lagers (usually a bit mellower than the pale lagers), and an Imperial Pilsener from Grand Teton Brewing Company that I can’t wait to try.

Here are the lagers we’re expecting …

American Craft Lagers

Joe’s Premium Pils - Avery Brewing Company - Boulder, CO (4.7%American Pale Lager)
Brooklyn Lager - Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY (5.2% American Amber/Red Lager)
Sankaty Light Lager - Cisco Brewers - Nantucket, MA (3.8% Light Lager)
Session Lager - Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (5.1% American Pale Lager)
Full Sail LTD Series 02 - Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (6.4% Maibock/Helles Bock)
Session Black -Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR (5.4% Schwarzbier/Black Lager)
Persephone Imperial Pils - Grand Teton Brewing Company - Victor, ID (8.7% Imperial Pilsner)
Howl - Magic Hat - South Burlington, VT (4.6% Schwarzbier – Black Lager)
Pig Pen Pilsner – Piggly Wiggly/Thomas Creek (4.5% American Pale Lager)
Dockside Pilsner - Thomas Creek Brewery - Greenville, SC (4.5% German Pilsener)
Prima Pils - Victory Brewing Company - Dowington, PA (5.3% German Pilsener)

European Lagers

Stella Artois - Stella Artois (InBev) - Leuven, Belgium (5.5% Euro Pale Lager)
Pilsner Urquell - Plzensky Prazdroj, a. s. - Plzen, Czech Republic (4.4% Czech Pilsener)
Spaten Oktoberfest - Spaten-Franziskaner Brau - Munich, Germany (5.9%Marzen/Oktoberfest)
Spaten Optimator - Spaten-Franziskaner Brau - Munich, Germany (7.6% Doppelbock)
Warsteiner Pils - Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein, Germany (4.8% German Pilsener)
Warsteiner Oktoberfest - Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein, Germany  (5.0% Marzen/Oktoberfest)
Warsteiner Dunkel - Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein, Germany (4.9% Munich Dunkel Lager)
Guinness Black Lager -  Guinness – Dublin, Ireland (4.5% Euro Dark Lager)
Claro - Bavaria Brewery - Lieshout, The Netherlands (5.0% Euro Pale Lager)
Daura - Estrella Damm - Barcelona, Spain (5.4% Euro Pale Lager)
Estrella Damm Draft - Estrella Damm - Barcelona, Spain (5.4% Euro Pale Lager)

And if you need one more reason to love lager, think of the commercials man!  Where would modern civilization be without Bitter Beer Face?

Why else would we argue so much over whether it tastes great or is less filling? (Or find such guilty pleasure in watching others make the argument?)

To get you in the mood for some international lager, here’s a random sampling of entertaining lager commercials from around the world …

This list is subject to change.  There are still a few beers and breweries for which we are awaiting final shipment confirmation that may be added to this list.

The Bluffton International & Craft Beer Festival is this Saturday, November 5th, 2011 from 2:00 – 6:00 pm at The Promenade in Historic Downtown Bluffton, South Carolina.

Click on any of the beer names below to read reviews for the beer on Beer Advocate.

AMERICAN CRAFT BREWERIES

Abita Brewery - Abita Springs, LA
Purple Haze (4.2% Fruit Beer – Raspberry)
Restoration (5.0% American Pale Ale)
Turbo Dog (5.6% English Brown Ale)

Avery Brewing Company - Boulder, CO
Avery India Pale Ale (4.7% American IPA)
White Rascal  (5.6% Witbier)
Ellie’s Brown Ale (5.5% American Brown Ale)
Joe’s Premium Pils (4.7%American Pale Lager)

Bell’s Brewery - Galesburg, MI
Bell’s Amber Ale (5.8%American Amber/Red Ale)
Bell’s Oarsman Ale (4.0% Berliner Weissbier)
Bell’s Best Brown Ale (5.8% English Brown Ale)
Bell’s Porter (5.6% American Porter)
Two Hearted Ale (7.0% American IPA)

Breckenridge Brewery, Breckenridge, CO
Vanilla Porter (4.7% American Porter)
Agave Wheat (4.2% Herbed/Spiced Beer)
Avalanche Ale (5.4% American Amber/Red Ale)

Brewery Ommegang (Duvel USA)- Cooperstown, NY
Ommegang Abbey Ale (8.5% Dubbel)
Ommegang BPA Belgian Pale Ale (6.2% Belgian Pale Ale)

Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Brown (5.6% American Brown Ale)
Brooklyn Lager (5.2% American Amber/Red Lager)

Cisco Brewers - Nantucket, MA
Whale’s Tale Pale Ale (5.6% English Pale Ale)
Sankaty Light Lager (3.8% Light Lager)
Grey Lady (4.8% Witbier)

Cottrell Brewing- Pawcatuk, CT
Mystic Bridge IPA (6.0% American IPA)
Old Yankee Ale (5.0% American Pale Ale)

Crispin - Minneapolis, MN
Crispin Original (5.0% Hard Cider – Apple)
Crispin Pear (5.0% Hard Cider – Pear)

Full Sail Brewing Company - Hood River, OR
Session Lager (5.1% American Pale Lager)
Full Sail India Pale Ale (6.0% American IPA)
Full Sail LTD Series 02 (6.4% Maibock/Helles Bock)
Full Sail Amber (5.5% American Amber/Red Ale)
Session Black (5.4% Schwarzbier/Black Lager)

Grand Teton Brewing Company - Victor, ID
Sweetgrass APA (6.0% American Pale Ale)
Bitch Creek ESB (6.0% American Brown Ale)
Persephone Imperial Pils (8.7% Imperial Pilsner)
The Grand Saison Belgian Farmhouse Ale (7.5% Saison)

Harpoon Brewery - Boston, MA
UFO White (4.8% Witbier)
Harpoon India Pale Ale (5.9% American IPA)
Harpoon Winter Warmer (5.9% Winter Warmer)
Harpoon Cider (4.1% Hard Cider – Apple)

Mad River Brewing Company - Blue Lake, CA
Jamaica Red Ale (6.5% American Amber/Red Ale)
Steelhead Double IPA (8.6% American Imperial IPA)

Magic Hat - South Burlington, VT
#9 (5.1% Fruit Beer – Mystery Fruit)
Howl (4.6% Schwarzbier – Black Lager)

New South Brewing Company - Myrtle Beach, SC
Nut Brown (5.4% English Brown Ale)
White Ale (4.6% Witbier)

Palmetto Brewing Company - Charleston, SC
Palmetto Aftershock (Carolina Common Lager)
Palmetto Amber (American Amber/Red Ale)

Piggly Wiggly Pig Swig - Charleston, SC
(Brewed by Thomas Creek Brewery, Greenville, SC)
Pig Pen Pilsner (4.5% American Pale Lager)
Pig Swig Pig Tail Ale (5.5% American Amber/Red Ale)

Pyramid Brewery - Seattle, WA
Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen (5.2% American Pale Wheat Ale)
Pyramid Juggernaut Red Ale (5.6% American Amber/Red Ale)

Red Brick Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA
Laughing Skull (5.4% American Amber/Red Ale)
Red Brick Blonde (5.7% American Blonde Ale)

RJ Rockers Brewing Co. - Spartanburg, SC
Patriot Pale Ale (6.0% American Pale Ale)
Buckwheat After Dark  (5.6% American Dark Wheat Ale / Dunkelweizen)
Bell Ringer (8.5% American Strong Ale)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA
Celebration Ale (6.8% American IPA)
Torpedo Extra IPA (7.2% American IPA)
Ovila Abbey Saison (7.0% Saison)

Stone Brewing Company - Escondido, CA
Stone IPA (6.9% American IPA)

Sweetwater Brewing Company - Atlanta, GA
420 Extra Pale Ale (5.4% American Pale Ale)
Sweetwater Festive Ale (8.6% Winter Warmer)
Sweetwater Blue (4.9% Fruit Beer – Blueberry)
Sweetwater IPA (6.7% American IPA)

Thirsty Dog Brewing Company - Akron, Ohio
Old Leghumper Porter (6.7% American Porter)
Siberian Night Imperial Stout (9.7% Russian Imperial Stout)

Thomas Creek Brewery - Greenville, SC
Class Five IPA (5.5% American IPA)
Dockside Pilsner (4.5% German Pilsener)

Victory Brewing Company - Dowington, PA
Hopdevil (6.7% American IPA)
Golden Monkey (9.5% Tripel)
Prima Pils (5.3% German Pilsener)
Yakima Glory (8.7% American Black Ale)

Westbrook Brewing Company - Mount Pleasant, SC
Westbrook White Thai (5.0% Witbier)
Westbrook IPA (6.8% American IPA)

BELGIUM BREWERIES

Abbaye de Leffe S.A. (InBev) - Dinant
Leffe Blonde (6.6% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)

Affligem - Opwijk
Affligem Blond (6.7% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)

Brasserie Lefèbvre SA - Rebecq-Quenast
Blanche de Bruxelles (4.5% Witbier)
Hopus (8.3% Belgian IPA)

Brouwerij Bosteels - Buggenhout
Tripel Karmeliet (8.0% Tripel)

Brouwerij Huyghe - Melle
Delirium Tremens (8.5% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)
Delirium Nocturnum (8.5% Belgian Strong Dark Ale)
Floris Apple (3.5% Lambic – Fruit)

Brouwerij Bockor - Bellegem
Omer Belgian Blond (8.0% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat - Breendonk-Puurs
Duvel (8.5% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)
Maredsous Triple (10.0% Tripel)

Brouwerij van Hoegaarden (InBev), Hoegaarden
Hoegaarden (4.9% Witbier)

Brouwerij Westmalle - Malle
Westmalle Triple (9.5% Tripel)

Brasserie Caracole - Falmignoul
Nostradamus (9.5% Belgian Strong Dark Ale)
Saxo (8.0% Belgian Strong Golden Ale)

Brouwerij Oud Beersel - Beersel
Oud Beersel Geuze (6.0% Gueuze)

Brouwerij Palm - Steenhuffe
Palm (5.4% Belgian Pale Ale)

Brouwerij Rodenbach - Roeselare
Rodenbach (5.2% Flanders Red Ale)

Brouwerij St. Bernardus - West Flanders
St. Bernardus Abt 12 (10.0% Quadrupel)

Stella Artois - Leuven (InBev)
Stella Artois (5.5% Euro Pale Lager)

Brasserie St. Feuillien - Le Rœulx
St. Feuillien Cuvée De Noël (9.0% Belgian Strong Dark Ale)

Brouwerij Palm (Steenbrugge) - Steenhuffel
Steenbrugge Wit (5.0% Witbier)
Steenbrugge Dubbel (6.5% Dubbel)

Brouwerij Verhaeghe - West Flanders
Duchesse de Bourgogne (6.2% Flanders Red Ale)

CZECH REPUBLIC BREWERIES

Plzensky Prazdroj, a. s. - Plzen
Pilsner Urquell (4.4% Czech Pilsener)

ENGLAND BREWERIES

Black Sheep Brewery PLC - Ripon, North Yorkshire
Monty Python’s Holy Grail Ale (5.0% English Pale Ale)

Newcastle - Tadcaster, North Yorkshire
Newcastle Winter IPA (English IPA)
Newcastle Werewolf (English Brown Ale)

St. Peter’s Brewery Co. Ltd - Bungay, Suffolk
St Peters Organic English Ale (4.6% English Pale Ale)

Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd - Witney, Oxon
Hobgoblin (5.0% English Brown Ale)

Wells & Young’s Ltd - Bedford
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout (5.2% Sweet Stout)
Charles Wells Bombardier (5.2% Extra Special Bitter – ESB)

FRANCE BREWERIES

Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre - Saint Sylvestre Cappel
3 Monts (8.5% Biere de Garde)

GERMANY BREWERIES

Spaten-Franziskaner Brau - Munich
Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse (5.0% Hefeweizen)
Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel (5.0% Dunkelweizen)
Spaten Oktoberfest (5.9%Marzen/Oktoberfest)
Spaten Optimator (7.6% Doppelbock)

Warsteiner Brauerei - Warstein
Konig Ludwig Weiss (5.5% Hefeweizen)
Warsteiner Pils (4.8% German Pilsener)
Warsteiner Oktoberfest (5.0% Marzen/Oktoberfest)
Warsteiner Dunkel (4.9% Munich Dunkel Lager)

IRELAND BREWERIES

Guinness - Dublin
Guinness Black Lager (4.5% Euro Dark Lager)

NETHERLANDS BREWERIES

Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V. - Berkel-Enschot
La Trappe Quadrupel (10.0% Quadrupel)

Bavaria Brewery - Lieshout
Claro (5.0% Euro Pale Lager)

SPAIN BREWERIES

Estrella Damm - Barcelona
Daura (5.4% Euro Pale Lager)
Inedit (4.8% Witbier)
Estrella Damm Draft (5.4% Euro Pale Lager)

South Carolina has come a long way in the past few years, where we are now seeing great beers being delivered here that aren’t available in neighboring states.  South Carolina is only one of two states east of Illinois in which Grand Teton beers are available.  However, based upon the great reviews they’ve been getting, this is likely to change.

Sorry Cheech, not that sweet grass

Sweetgrass APA and Bitch Creek ESB are the two most popular Grand Teton beers.

Sweetgrass APA was a gold medal winner in the American Pale Ale category at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival.  Dry hopped with Cascade and Amarillo hops (60 IBU), this  pale ale borders on IPA territory.  My favorite review of this one on Beer Advocate describes it as a pine cone dipped in orange juice.

Bitch Creek ESB is oddly enough, not an ESB.  ESB, or Extra Special Bitter, is an English style of beer.  In this case, however, the brewery claims that it stands for Extra Special Brown, making Bitch Creek ESB an Extra Special Brown ale.  Reviews suggest this is a hoppier (54 IBU) brown ale which would be a good diversion for an IPA lover looking for a change of pace.

The Grand Saison Farmhouse Ale is the brewery’s effort at brewing a Saison, the original Belgian farmhouse style of ale.  We’ve talked about Saisons a few times in these countdown posts, discussing them in the T Minus 14 and T Minus 6 posts.  Grand Teton’s Saison gets a pretty good review from the Alstrom Brothers on Beer Advocate, so we look forward to giving it a try.

Revenge of the Lagerheads

Rounding out the Grand Teton brews to be available at the beer festival, the one I’m most curious about is the Persephone Pils Imperial Pilsner.  This one gets a glowing review from the Alstrom Brothers on Beer Advocate.  And I have to confess, I have never tasted an Imperial Pilsner.  With other beer styles, the Imperial prefix is generally used to designate stronger beers, so it would appear that this is a maltier, hoppier (70 IBU) take on mainstream pilsner lager.

All in all, this looks like an excellent beer to try for anyone who normally prefers a lager.  But the good reviews also suggest that those beer snobs who generally look down at lager with a condescending stare may want to use this opportunity to become a little more open minded.  Drink this one with moderation, however, as it is rather strong at 8.75% ABV.

At the time, I had been brainwashed (by years of reading Beck’s beer labels) into believing that the Reinheitsebot, also known as the Germany Beer Purity Law of 1516, was the best law ever created by a government.  Considering the current state of world affairs, it very well may be, but that’s beside the point.

I didn’t know which to be more offended by, a suggestion that Belgium brewed better beer that Germany, or that this so called friend of mine was reading Esquire … a magazine that I considered to be a bit too cosmopolitan.

Belgium = Beer Paradise

We ordered the Belgian beer that was on the menu, it was one of those fruit beers. If I remember correctly, it was a cherry beer, Lindeman’s Kriek.  A bit sweet, and in my mind, not a beer.  But my friend persisted, not all Belgian beer is like this.

The next day, when we boarded the plane to go back home, he handed me a copy of the magazine he had been reading.  The article was curiously compelling.  Its author had briefly been to Belgium several years earlier and had tasted a beer named Affligem Tripel.  The experience haunted him.  He had never before tasted a beer like it, and he feared that he would never taste it again.  He plotted ways that he could get himself back to Belgium, or better yet, find an affordable way to bring Affligem Tripel to him in the states.  I wish I could find a copy of that article again, as in many ways it was inspirational in my quest to explore different types of beer.

A few weeks later, my well-read friend passed on an article about the Orval monastery in southwestern Belgium.  This was the first article that introduced me to the tradition of monastic brewing, which was still being practiced at Trappist monasteries in Belgium.  There are five Trappist breweries in Belgium, plus another one just a few miles north of the border in The Netherlands.  The idea of monks brewing beers for hundreds of years was interesting to me.  But even more interesting was the way that the author talked about the Orval beer.  In the words of the author, Orval was a world class beer, one of the best beers in the world, but one of the most interesting things about Orval was that no two batches of the beer tasted quite the same.  It was all top quality, but there were subtle differences that aficionados enjoyed discussing.

The seeming inconsistency perplexed me.  Wasn’t it important that recipes and formulas be followed to the letter to ensure quality?  I later learned that the reason for these differences was less to do with recipe or formula, and more to do with bottle conditioning.  Bottle conditioned beers complete the fermentation process in the bottle, and can develop different characteristics as they age.  Orval is one such complex beer.

We had a trade show coming up the following spring in Hanover Germany.  A rather out of the way location in northern Germany, Hanover was either 3-1/2 hours from Frankfurt or 4 hours from Amsterdam.  We decided that we’d fly in and out of  Amsterdam.

This was my first trip to Europe, and my wife wanted to go to Paris.  So we decided to fly to Paris, spend a few days, then drive to Amsterdam, passing through Belgium.

We paid a visit to the Abbaye d’Orval, and my fascination with Belgian beer slowly turned into an obsession.

The key to understanding the appeal of Belgian beer, is to have an appreciation of variety and individuality.  There is not a single style of Belgian beer.  Instead there are at least a dozen different styles of beer, numerous sub-styles, and many other beers that are too unique to be categorized into an existing style.

Perfection in a Glass

When I think about Belgian beer, the first thing that comes to mind is the Westmalle Tripel.  I talked about Westmalle Tripel in the T Minus 16 post.  Victory’s Golden Monkey is an American interpretation of the Belgian Tripel style of beer that originated with Westmalle Tripel.   Tripels range in color from golden to light amber.  They are relatively strong in alcohol, with a typical range of 8% to 10% ABV.  Tripels are usually bottle conditioned with a yeast sediment.  They tend to have a unique balance of sweetness and bitterness.  Westmalle, in particular has a deceptively smooth and light feel to it, despite having an alcohol content of 9.5% ABV.

If you’re not familiar with Westmalle Tripel, I’d strongly encourage you to try it at the beer festival.  We’ll also have Maresdous Tripel (also known as Maredsous 10) at the festival.  Maredsous is from the brewers of Duvel.  It is a bit stronger than the Westmalle at 10% ABV, and is more amber in color.  Maredsous Tripel has a more pronounced, and very welcome, bitterness and a bit more of an alcohol taste in the finish.

Another Belgian Tripel we’ll be pouring is Tripel Karmeliet.  Tripel Karmeliet is a bit lighter in alcohol at 8.5%, more golden in color similar to the Westmalle, and tends to be a bit sweeter and maltier in its taste.

We’re also expecting a nice selection of Belgian golden and blonde ales.

Wanted: Shoulders to go with this head

Duvel is, of course, the most commercial of these beers.  Golden but extremely pale in color, from appearance it can be easily mistaken for a mainstream lager.  Except that if properly poured, Duvel has one of the most intense foamy heads that you will ever see on a beer.  Duvel is a deceptively strong golden ale (8.5% ABV) with a distinctive yeasty taste with a light hint of fruit balanced against just the right amount of hops.

After World War I, Duvel was originally named Victory Ale.  After an avid drinker described the deceptively strong golden ale as “a real devil of a beer”, the beer eventually took on the name Duvel.

I believe we’ll also have the lower alcohol version of Duvel, known sometimes as Duvel Single or Duvel Green.

Other Belgian golden/blond to be featured at the beer festival include Delirium Tremens (discussed in more detail in the T Minus 13 post), Saxo, Omer, and Affligem Blond.

In a somewhat similar style, we are also expecting one Biere de Garde, a traditional blonde bottle conditioned beer from northeastern France (bordering Belgium).  Traditionally brewed in the fall and winter months, then cellared until the following summer, these farmhouse ales are very similar to the Belgian Saison style.  Both styles are very yeasty and herbal, with Saisons tending to have a bit more hop bitterness.

3 Monts, from France, will be representing the Biere de Garde style.  Representing the Belgian Saison style, we’ll have St. Feuillien Saison from Belgium, and the Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison, a recent American take on the Saison style.  (Ovila was discussed in more detail in the T Minus 14 post.)

This is not a Boilermaker

Skewing to more of an amber color, Belgian Pale Ales tend to be far less hoppier than American Pale Ales, with more of malty taste.  Representing that style, we will have Palm and the American brewed Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale from Duvel’s American subsidiary.

I’m also excited that we have been able to source Hopus for the beer festival, one of my favorite newer beers to come out of Belgium in the past couple of years.  As someone who loves both Belgian beer and IPAs, if I have one criticism about most Belgian beer, it is that there is too much restraint when it comes to hops usage.  I like a variety of different beers, but after a few days in Belgium, I will find myself occasionally craving something with more of a hop bite.  Hopus is an excellent strongly hopped Belgian Pale Ale.

The Original Old Tart

As the color spectrum turns darker, I’m also excited that we’ll have two Flanders Red Ales.  These are unique, full bodied sour ales.   A combination of aged hops, a distinctive yeast, and oak barrel aging results in a delicious sour ale.   First time tasters are often amazed to find out that there is no fruit or other flavoring to produce the sour taste.  To represent this unique Belgian style, we will have Rodenbach and Duchesse de Bourgogne.

As we turn to the even darker ales, we’ve got at least one Dubbel, two Quadrupels, and two other Strong Dark Belgian Ales.

Ommegang Abbey Ale is an American made ale in the style of a Belgian Dubbel, brewed by Duvel’s American subsidiary.  Truth said, even though it is made in America, it’s probably the best Dubbel, slightly besting the Westmalle Dubbel.  Ommegang a rich, earthy and fruity dark ale that is perfect for this time of year.

Just as the Tripel style got its name as somewhat of a marketing gimmick to indicate that it was stronger than a Dubbel, the Quadrupel style’s name is to signify that it is stonger than a Tripel.  While there is some debate over what the stylistic qualities of a Quadrupel are, they are generally dark, malty, sweet, and have extremely high alcohol content (10% to 12% ABV).  Representing this style at the beer festival are La Trappe Quadrupel (from the Koningshoeven Trappist monastery, located a few miles north of the Belgian border in The Netherlands), and St. Bernardus Abt 12.

Additional Strong Dark Belgian Ales to be on offer at the beer festival include Nostradamus and Delirium Nocturnum.

As if that weren’t enough, there is one other major Belgian category that I’ve yet to discuss, fruit beers and Lambic/Gueuze.

Roll out the barrel (of gueuze)

Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by carefully cultivated strains of brewer’s yeasts, Lambic beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation.  It is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley of Belgium. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavour: dry, vinous, and cidery, usually with a sour aftertaste.  Like with the Flanders Red Ales, aged hops also contribute to the sour taste.

Lambic ale is usually used as the basis for Belgian fruit beers.  While we’d love to offer more, at this point, it looks like the only Belgian lambic fruit beer that we will have on offer is Floris Apple.

Gueuze is a blending of multiple vintages of lambic.  An older and younger lambic are blended and undergo a secondary fermentation process to produce a drier, more sour, and highly carbonated (Champagne like) beer.  Traditional Gueuze is extremely sour and often has a sour apple type of taste.  While some consider the taste to be an acquired one, even those who do not like the taste are amazed that this beer is brewed with only the four standard beer ingredients:  water, malt, yeast and hops.  You owe it to yourself to try the Oud Beersel Oud Gueuze.

I love writing and talking about beer … but I’d rather be tasting it … less than a week to go now until Saturday, November 5.

A British Git Drinking Belgian Wit

P.S. – In all of my excitement, I completely forgot to mention Belgian Witbier.  We talked about this beer style in yesterday’s T Minus 7 post.  Wit is Dutch/Flemish for white, and refers to a refreshing style of wheat beer that is popular in Belgium.  Wit beers are typically cloudy and pale in color, with hints of fruit flavors, such as lemon or orange and coriander.  Hoegaarden is the archetypal Witbier from Belgium, being considered the original Witbier.  Even thought Hoegaarden was only first brewed in 1966, at that time, all previous witbiers had ceased production, and Hoegaarden led a rebirth of that particular style of beer.  We’ll also be pouring several American interpretations of the Belgian Witbier style, including Cisco’s The Grey Lady, Harpoon UFO White, Avery White Rascal, and Westbrook White Thai.  Avery White Rascal has somewhat mixed reviews on Beer Advocate, but it is one of my favorites in the style.  I’m looking forward to Westbrook White Thai which takes a different approach on the spices, opting for lemongrass, ginger and Sorachi Ace hops.

Northern Comfort

Cottrell Brewing is based in Connecticut, equidistant between Hartford, CT and Providence, Rhode Island.  Their Old Yankee Ale is rated A+ by the Alstrom Brothers on Beer Advocate.  Checking in at 5% alcohol by volume (the same strength as a Budweiser), the reviews make this look like an excellent session beer.  Citrusy, leafy hops, balanced against a medium bodied biscuity malt taste.

The name might not play well in other parts of the south, but if this one tastes as good as the descriptions suggest, the Old Yankee might just decide to retire around these parts.

Cottrell will also be featuring their Mystic Bridge IPA.  Reviews suggest this IPA is a bit restrained, with characteristics similar to Altanta’s Sweetwater IPA.  Moderately hoppy, but not extreme.  I look forward to giving it a taste.

An epic piece of tail

Cisco Brewers is based in Nantucket, Massachusetts.  They are best known for their Whale’s Tale Pale Ale, which rates an A- with the Alstrom Brothers on Beer Advocate.  The brewers describe this beer as being an English style pale ale, hopped with East Kent Goldings Hops.  These English hops are typically not used in American Pale Ales or IPAs, so I’d suggest giving this one a taste to see if you notice the difference (usually more floral, less citrus/grapefruit).

Also from Cisco, we’re expecting to be pouring The Grey Lady, which is brewed in the style of a Belgian Witbier.  Wit is Dutch/Flemish for white, and refers to a refreshing style of wheat beer that is popular in Belgium.  Wit beers are typically cloudy and pale in color, with hints of fruit flavors, such as lemon or orange and coriander.  Hoegaarden is the archetypal Witbier from Belgium, and we’ll be pouring this at the festival as well.

Speaking of Wit Biers, we will also have Harpoon UFO White, Avery White Rascal, and Westbrook White Thai, so there will be a few others to compare The Grey Lady with.  Avery White Rascal has somewhat mixed reviews on Beer Advocate, but it is one of my favorites in the style.  I’m looking forward to Westbrook White Thai which takes a different approach on the spices, opting for lemongrass, ginger and Sorachi Ace hops.

Before I forget completely about Cisco Brewers, we’ll also have their Sankaty Light for lager drinkers.

What happens on the bus trip stays on the bus trip

Our fearless beer fest leader Mark used to organize an annual bus trip to see a Jacksonville Jaguars game.

And you know what they say, boys will be boys. Before we’d even left the parking lot at 9am, our bus full of guys was like a college frat house party. Sadly it was more Revenge of the Nerds than Animal House, but the nerds were still a college fraternity, so the analogy still works.

Now when it comes to this trip, there’s a strict gag order in place.  What happens on the bus trip stays on the bus trip.  So I don’t want to break any confidences by telling this story.

Way to go Chuck!

The football game is over, and we’re on the bus ride back home.  Our story now turns to focus on a friend, who for the purposes of this story, we’ll call Chuck.

Chuck doesn’t get out that much, and maybe the chili wasn’t sitting well with him, or maybe it was the bratwurst, or perhaps he had overindulged in adult beverages. But as Chuck leans back in his bus seat, he throws up down the front of his shirt.

Immediately he breaks out into tears, crying like a school girl, sobbing “My wife is going to leave me. I’m just a miserable old drunk and now I’m going to die alone”.

Our fearless leader Mark turns to him and says “Listen Chuck, it’s not that bad. You can get out of this. Take a $10 bill and put it in your shirt pocket. When you get home, tell your wife that you had a couple beers and some guy on the bus puked on you. Tell her that he gave you the $10 to pay for the shirt to be cleaned.”

Chuck looks disbelievingly at him and says “That just might work. Thank you.”

The bus pulls back into town and Chuck’s pals take him straight home.  When he walks through the front door, his wife is waiting for him and she is mad. She takes one look at him and screams “I can’t believe it. You’re drunk. I warned you but you just don’t care. I’m moving out.”

Chuck says, “Stop honey. Let me explain. True I did have a couple beers, but I’m not drunk.”

She says “Look at you! Your shirt is covered with vomit!”

Chuck says “I didn’t do this. A drunk guy next to me on the bus threw up on me. He put a $10 bill in my shirt pocket to pay for the dry cleaning. You can see for yourself.”

Wait for the punch line...

Chuck’s wife reaches into his pocket and pulls out some money. She looks at it, then to him, and says “But this is a $20 bill?”

Chuck looks at her and shrugs “Oh, I forgot. He crapped in my pants too”.

Don’t be Chuck. Obviously this story is complete fiction, but it made me laugh because I’ve met a couple of Chucks over the years.  This story is also a reminder to drink responsibly. The Bluffton Beer Festival is about quality, not quantity.

Credit where credit is due …. this story originally appeared at http://www.worlddrinkingtour.com/tell-me-story-about-chuck-norris.