The Beer Geek Reviews The Brews
OLD RASPUTIN RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
North Coast Brewing Co, Fort Bragg, California

Stout lovers, listen up... this is a great time for you to head to the Owl Club... Jeff has one of the best stout's you'll ever have on tap now! It's Old Rasputin from North Coast... a truly incredible stout! Yup, this one's definitely a colon clencher; a strong, rich, chewy brew with intense, roasted, coffee-chocolate flavors, yet with tremendous fruity aromas. This stout really has a kick to it as well, because, unlike regular dry Irish stout's (like draught Guinness) which tend to be rather light beers at around 4% abv, this imperial stout hovers around 9% abv! This high alcohol content, which has a warming effect on the palate, makes Old Rasputin seem like it has a shot of liquor in it. Indeed, with the highly roasted malts and extra hops, this espresso-like stout reminds me of a full-bodied woman... Monda. When Jeff pours you an Old Rasputin, you'll have to sit back and relax, because it takes 3-4 minutes to pour the perfect pint of this remarkable brew. Note the phenomenal cascading effect when poured, and marvel over the smooth, creamy crown that radiates a beautiful deep copper color. Sip this brew slowly and enjoy the incredible taste sensations.
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout has won a number of medals at major competitions, including 4 gold and 1 silver. Leave it to Jeff to track down another classic and bring it to the Owl Club.
Great job! Definitely two mugs up to the Ale Draper and to the brewers of this great stout!

The Beer Geek Reviews the Brews: Porters

Well, it's the middle of winter and all through my house, lot's of beer bottles are stirring, and my bottle opener too.  That means Porters... yeah baby! This is the time of year to kick back in front of the fireplace, plop your loins on the couch, and enjoy a nice hearty porter.  There are a lot of good one's available, and this is a good time to review them.  But first, let me give you a quick summary on what porters are all about...

Porters were most popular in the 1700s here in North America and in England.  They were on the scene before stouts and were very popular among the porters of the London markets.   Porters were very popular among the Founding Fathers as well... Samuel Adams and his buddies Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were known to slam porters big-time in the taverns up and down the east coast.  Porter is a very dark brown to almost black ale; it can be referred to as the cousin of stouts.  It ranges from a medium to robust body with an abundance of roasted malt; it covers the spectrum from a light malty sweetness to a much stronger roasty grain flavor, with pronounced caramel and toffee attributes.  If poured properly, the crown will be thick and creamy.  The ABV generally ranges from 4.5-6.5%.  Let's try some...

DESCHUTES BLACK BUTTE PORTER
Bend, Oregon

This is a great porter, it's that simple.  Tina put it best when I asked her what she thought of it and she replied, "it's as big and bold as Bubba's hog!" I'm not quite sure what she meant by that, but by the look on her face she seemed to be pretty excited about it.  Black Butte is very dark with a mild chocolate character.  It is very smooth and its coffee-like trait make it soothing to the palate.  This is one of Deschutes' most popular beers for good reason and is almost always available at the Owl Club.

SIERRA NEVADA PORTER
Chico, California

Sierra's Porter is excellent, of course.  This porter is medium-bodied with a nice coffee-like aroma; its roasty aftertaste is not overbearing and it affords a moderately hoppy/fruity balance.  A great porter as an introduction to the style.

ANCHOR PORTER
San Francisco, California

This is a "strong" porter... almost black, robust, and beautifully rounded... like Tina's buttocks.  This porter is chewy; it has a dense, thick crown and a rich toffee-like flavor.  I love this beer.  A little stronger flavor than Sierra's porter, but a very nice balance; this beer is truly a meal in a bottle.

SAMUEL ADAMS HONEY PORTER
Boston, Massachussetts

This is a much stronger porter than you might think; I was surprised myself.  I expected a milder style brewed more to appeal to a larger market, but no way baby! This is a pretty strong porter indeed... dark and rich, very roasty and a bit more towards the dry side.  The honey is almost non-distinguishable.  Although a little more carbonated than the others, the crown is still thick and smooth.  Remarkably, this porter finishes cleanly, even so it has an aggressive taste and a bit of a bite.  

ALASKAN SMOKED PORTER
Alaskan Brewing Co.
Juneau, Alaska

This beer is brewed with glacial runoff, so you know its smooth! Alaskan Smoked Porter has won more awards than any other beer at the Great American Beer Festival.  This porter is brewed with dark-roasted malts and smoked over an alderwood fire.  This is truly a unique beer in its own right... the smokey aroma and the coffee-like flavor compliment each other beautifully... and believe me, the smokey aroma is very pronounced.  This is a rich, hearty brew that really makes you relax.  If you can find it, don't hesitate for a minute to buy it!

For dark beer lovers that find stout a bit on the dry side, try a porter... you won't be disappointed.  Jeff always has a few great porters available, just ask!

See you at the Owl !

(2/4/98)

Review The Brews Archive:

Winter Brews (12/9/98) Abbot Ale (7/19/98) Boddington's (7/19/98) Old No. 38 Stout (6/2/98) Swan Lager (5/13/98) Sierra Nevada IPA (3/10/98) Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale Deschutes Black Butte Porter Pyramid Snow Cap Ale Sacramento Brewing Red Horse Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale Belhaven Scottish Ale Tucher (10/30/97)

Eye of the Hawk (10/16/97) Pyramid DPA Budweiser Coors Miller Pabst Michelob Busch

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The Beer Geek Talks Technical

The Correct Way to Pour the Perfect Glass of Beer

Let's talk about pouring beer, a very important step in enjoying the pleasures that a good beer has to offer.  If you really want to enjoy a quality craft brew, you need to get off this drinking out of a bottle kick.  If you drink micros out of the bottle, you're really missing out on the beauty of the beer; so just kick-back, relax, and pour the beer.  Here's some tips on the perfect pour:

The first thing you need to do is procure a nice beer glass.  Ideally, you would want a glass that will hold the entire brew plus have a little more room for the foam crown (notice if you use a German beer glass, you'll always see a mark on the back of it showing the size, like "0,5 L", with still a good inch of room above the mark for the foam).  Next, it's important to have your beer at the right temperature; generally 45-50 for lagers, 50-55 for ales.  If you're taking the beer out of the fridge, put it on the counter for about 10 minutes or so.  Believe me, this is critical, absolutely critical, to getting the full flavor of the beer.  In the U.S. we've been brainwashed by the big bullies (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.) to believe beer must be served ice-cold.  This is a bunch of crap.  Complete garbage; let me tell you why:  Drinking beer cold kills the flavor.  When drinking beer cold, less carbonation is released which doesn't allow the beer to bloom and give off the nice aroma you expect.  When the cold beer flows over your palate, it basically just knocks-out your tastebuds so you can't taste many of the beers flavors.  (Is this why the big bullies want you to drink their beer cold?  Do they have something to hide?  Yup, their beer sucks)   Do you see any micros using gimmicks like "cold filtered", "double chilled", or "ice brewed"?  Have you seen "Sierra Nevada Ice" in the stores lately?  How about "Double Chilled Widmer Wheat" or "Cold Filtered Anchor Steam"?  Gimme a break.  The taste and aroma of the beer really comes out when you enjoy it at the right temperature.  Back to the pour:  take your craft brew and pour it directly into the center of the glass.  Do not tilt the glass.  As the beer level rises, continue to lift the bottle; about a 3 to 4-inch drop from the bottle to the top of the foam is what you want.  Stop pouring and let the foam rise to the rim of the glass.  Wait.  Let the beer grow.  When the beer separates from the foam and the foam takes on a "dry" shaving cream look, you're ready for the second pour.  Again, pour directly into the center of the glass holding the bottle 3 to 4 inches above the foam.  When the foam rises above the rim (it won't flow over like Bud), stop.  Wait.  Let the beer grow.  Now top it off with another brief shot into the center from 3 to 4 inches.  Stop.  Wait.  Let the crown settle.  It should take on the thick shaving cream look with a firm texture to it.  (With the average beer glass, the beer level will be about an inch below the rim with the foam rising up about an inch and one-half).  The crown will rise above the rim by about one-half inch or so.  Finally, tilt your head back and let the brew flow onto your palate (don't worry, the foam won't flow over).  You'll see how smooth it is.  The hops will dance on your tastebuds!

The reason for pouring so aggressively is to blow-out the carbon dioxide.  This makes the beer smooth as it should be without the bite of the carbonation.  Beer shouldn't be harsh on your tongue like a cold soda, but rather just tingle your tongue.  If you pour the beer out slowly or drink out of the bottle, you're swallowing all the CO₂ and will end up feeling bloated.  If you pour the beer as I just described, the CO₂ is released and the beer becomes smooth, the aroma becomes prominent, and the crown, or head, of the beer cannot be understated.  It tells you a lot about the brew.  The finest brews should have foam with tiny bubbles that is thick and rich, unlike Bud, etc., which has large bubbles that disappear quickly and look like dishwater.

Finally, two other quick notes:  When pouring wheat bears, pour them a little less assertively because they produce more foam anyway.  You can tilt the wheat beer glass at the beginning until the beer level is half way up the glass, then continue to pour straight into the middle.  With bottle-conditioned brews, or home brews, leave the last little bit of beer in the bottle when you pour; this yeast sediment may have too strong a flavor (there's nothing wrong with it, but it will give your beer a more yeasty flavor).

I hope you'll try the correct pouring method with your favorite brews.  Believe me, it is a beautiful experience; I wouldn't steer you wrong.  Of course you could continue to be like a primitive savage and drink Bud Ice from the bottle with your buddies and belch and toot all day, but I know you're more sophisticated.  If you're taking the time to try all the great craft brews out there, take the time to pour them right.  You'll be glad you did!  Prost!

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