Pumpkin Fest Menu IS UP!

The day has finally arrived! Well, sort of, anyway! The Cambridge Brewing Company has finally posted the menu for Saturday's upcoming Great Pumpkin Festival on their website and it looks really good. They haven't posted a beer list yet (way to skip the most important part!) but word is, there will be over 30 different pumpkin brews on tap, which is up from last year's event. Like last year, the giant white pumpkin full of Great Pumpkin Ale (see my review - it's GOOD) will be ceremonially tapped at 10pm. Food will be served from 4pm - 12am, confirmed beers Elysian Mr. Yuck (a pumpkin sour ale), Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela (ale brewed with pumpkin, spices and cacao) and Allagash Gouleschip (the world's first pumpkin LAMBIC ya'll) will be tapped at 5, 7 and 9pm, respectively. I for one simply cannot wait and plan to be there for the tapping of all three beers, the food, the ceremonial procession and any other Halloween beer-fueled hocus pocus that happens to go down. Make sure that you bring plenty of cash, or have your handy dandy preferred piece of plastic in your pocket, because admission is $10  plus beer tickets (you do get a cool souvenir glass as part of your cover though). Tickets are 4 for $5 with one ticket worth 4oz of beer. With most beers you'll have the choice between a 4, 8, 12 or 16 oz pour, so you do the math - each 16oz beer is $5. I actually don't think that that is an incredibly high price, as these are pretty cool brews and of course you are paying for the experience as well. Many of the beers you are going to be able to try on Saturday night are from breweries that don't distribute in this area, so in my opinion, the price is well worth the chance to sample and taste out of this world, off the wall, never to be tried again pumpkin ales. Last call will be at 12:30am and  there will be 3 pouring stations as well as 2 ticket booths scattered throughout the restaurant. If you want to get a table, you can only do so if all members of your party are present and everyone orders a meal. Sadly, you cannot hog a table for the whole evening (they're giving you a one and a half hour limit) and you can't make reservations. So get there early, stay late, bring plenty of money, and don't forget to grab your pumpkin beer glass and festival map at the door (free with the price of admission!). Have fun dudes and remember to drink responsibly!


Here's the menu:

Great Pumpkin Festival Menu (Table Service)

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin Bisque
Cranberry, Sage and Walnut Crumble,
Brown Butter Drizzle…6

Local Honey Glazed Pumpkin and Celery Root Timbale
Watercress and Arugula, Fried Procuitto, Aged Gouda, Hazelnut-Sage Vinaigrette…9

Grilled All Natural House Made Pork Sausage
Braised Collard Greens, Cascade Hop Infused Hot Sauce, Pumpkin Mustard Relish…10

North East Family Farms Braised Short Ribs
Pumpkin Gnocchi, Locally Foraged Wild Mushrooms, Tuscano Kale, Roasted Red Onion, Parmesan Reggiano and Truffle Butter…20

Pumpkin Ale and Honey Glazed Long Island Duck Breast
Curried Parsnip Puree, Roasted Bosc Pear,
Sauteed Swiss Chard…19

1 ¼ Pound Punjabi Pumpkin Steamed Native Whole Lobster
Local Leeks, Potatoes and Spinach, Cardamon Butter…25

Pumpkin Raviolis
Great Hill Bleu Cheese Cream, Sage, Hazelnuts and
Pickled Plympton Cranberries…18

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Pumpkin Ale Ice Cream, House Butterscotch…6

Pumpkin Churros
Cinnamon Sugar, House Made Nutella
with Taza Choclate…6

Pumpkin Festival Patio Grill Menu

All Items are 4 tickets

Choice of

Grilled Bratwurst or Bockwurst
Pumpkin Ale Braised Sauerkraut, Beer Mustard,
Pretzel Roll

Grilled Flatbread
Tuscan Kale, Fontina Cheese, Roasted Pumpkin
and Dried Cranberries
*Option to add Duck Confit

Grilled Autumn Vegetable Skewer in Pita 
Pumpkin Seed Hummus, Green Leaf Lettuce

Another Hit From Russian River!

If you are anywhere in the Boston area today, you are fully aware that summer is making its last stand. And not in a good way: it's 70 degrees outside, wet and humid as hell - not exactly what I'd call a crisp autumn day in New England. Though I was originally planning on writing about brown ale, the yummiest, most perfect late fall beverage, I've decided instead, in light of the weather,to discuss my most recent Russian River IPA experience. After all, on a day like today, only something super hoppy and light is gonna hit the spot. Guess summer's just not as over as we thought.....

A few weeks ago I wrote about losing my Pliny virginity. Lucky for me, my beer trading buddy out in California (what up Lindsey) hooked me up with a second bottle of Russian River IPA goodness, so the fun didn't have to stop there. I opened up my bottle of Blind Pig IPA over the weekend, and man, was it nice. Just as good as Pliny in my opinion, but at the same time so very, very different. While Pliny has a juicy fruitiness to it that is just delicious, Blind Pig exudes more grassy spiciness that is equally hard to resist. Both have a nice, fully rounded malt profile to balance out their extreme hoppiness, though Blind Pig is a little more toasty where Pliny is carmelly. Oddly, while Blind Pig comes in at 6.1% ABV, almost two full percents lower than Pliny, I found it slightly less drinkable, mainly due to the intense bitterness that accompanies each sip and hangs around for a while after swallowing. Both beers were really enjoyable and either would be perfect right about now. The fruity, citrusy, grassy, spicy hoppiness would really cut through this disgusting muggy-ness, and of course the slight buzz wouldn't hurt either! 

Haunted (Beer) Happenings This Week

Halloween is less than a week away and there is NO better way to partake in the seasonal festivities than drinking a whole lot of orange colored, pumpkin flavored beer. Before you start protesting that Halloween is just for children, let me clear the air - this is actually just a misconception and in fact, Halloween could arguably be the best, most universal and obviously, most fun holiday ever. It's true, just think about it: Unlike the other holidays we celebrate in the United States, Halloween does not discriminate - no matter your religion, national origin or relationship status, Halloween will not leave you out (sorry, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Valentines Day). In addition to being the most impartial and unbiased holiday around, Halloween is also the least stressful day of the year. For example, do you typically worry about your appearance, your behavior or your diet? Well on Halloween you can throw those anxieties out the window! Have a zit or circles under your eyes? Just play it off like you're wearing a costume! Are you tired and acting like a sleep-deprived freak? Just tell people you're sticking in character as a zombie all day. And as for your diet, there's no way any feeling, breathing human being could turn down the overwhelming amount of sweets and goodies being passed around on October 31st, so just accept the inevitable, call it a cheat day and promise to start again next month (which coincidentally is the following day). You also have no need to worry about finances on Halloween - first of all, how cheap is candy and a homemade costume and second, you'll have plenty of time to stress about that in the upcoming weeks leading up to every non-millionarie's nightmare - Christmas shopping. And finally, the number one reason Halloween rocks: it's the only day of the year when we can truly express ourselves without any fear of repercussions. Yes! Halloween is all about being someone other than yourself, so go out on that limb and be something crazy! You're stuck being plain old you the other 364 days of the year, so really, this is the time to let your creativity shine and your freak flag fly high! I'm always saying that sometimes you just have to go for it, people, and Halloween totally backs me up. So go all out, have a great time this week and attend as many of these awesome beer events as possible! You owe it yourself and that tiny inner-child you have inside of you :)

Can't Miss Haunted Happenings!

Tuesday, October 26:

ABC Octoberfest Beer Dinner (Amherst, MA)

Oktoberfest Beer Dinner @ the Dogwood Cafe (Jamaica Plain, MA)

Wednesday, October 27:

Mayflower Beer Dinner @ the Quahog Republic (Falmouth, MA)

Thursday, October 28:

Hoppy Halloween Costumed Beer Tasting @ Brookline Fine Wine (Brookline, MA)

Friday, October 29:

Beer Wars Dinner 2 @ McCormick & Schmick's (Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA)

4th Annual Dogfish Head Halloween Bash  (Worcester, MA)

Saturday, October 30:

Cambridge Brewing Company Great Pumpkin Fest 2010 (Cambridge, MA) --> Look for me here!!

Dogfish Head Hangover Brunch @ Armsby Abbey (Worcester, Ma)

Sunday, October 31:

Harpoon & Halloween Beer Dinner @ Gargoyles on the Square (Somerville, MA)

You should also check out Salem, Massachusetts' 'Haunted Happenings' website for a detailed look at all the scary-awesome-FUN events and activities taking place this week in the Witch City. Halloween only comes once a year guys, and trust me, you don't want to miss it!!!!!! 

Enjoy your tricks and treats this week : )

Pick of the Week: The Surprise Yourself Edition

Are your taste buds tired? It is Friday afternoon after all, so to answer my own question.... with another question, albeit a rhetorical one... what part of you isn't tired? The headaches and exhaustion you're probably suffering from after a long week of work I can't necessarily help you with - hopefully the weekend will take care of those - but taste bud fatigue, that I can help. Because I've been there. Obviously I love beer, all types of beer, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for anything. Don't get me wrong, I'm always in the mood for beer, but from time to time I just can't get myself excited about a bitter hop-bomb, creamy chocolatey stout or malty amber ale, regardless of how delicious they may be to me 99% of the time. At times like this, there's only one beer that will whet my whistle, and that beer is Rugbrød. 

Rugbrød is brewed by The Bruery, an already incredibly successful brewery that's only been around for a few years. They're located in California and their brews are typically difficult to locate around here - unless you know where to go. Marty's in Newton typically has a variety of their beers on the shelves and I saw bottles of Rugbrød at Redstone Liquors only last week. So get in your car and go there now, pick up a bottle and share in my delight while we ease the exhaustion of our poor overworked taste buds.

The reason why I always turn to Rugbrød when I'm just not in the mood for any beer I can think of is because it isn't like any beer I can think of. It's a Rye Beer and it really has a totally unique taste, full of all sorts of interesting and unexpected flavors. In the glass, it is a murky dark chocolate color with lots of foamy head that reduces itself down to about half a finger's worth and lingers. It smells super earthy with lots of bready malts and surprising hints of chocolate, coffee and dried fruits. The taste though, that's what keeps me coming back. Rugbrød has a very full taste, with lots of the bready maltiness you pick up in the nose. You can definitely taste the rye big time and it adds a nice spicy element to shake up the whole balance of the brew. Finally, with every sip I take I visualize caramel swirling through my glass, lending a slightly sweet and warm flavor that pleases my tired taste buds immensely. Though this beer is 8%, there is no noticeable alcoholic bite coming through, and the result is a very balanced and yes, very different, beer. Despite its very dark color, the beer feels incredibly light in the mouth and is full of carbonation - it literally prickles your tongue as if you'd just swallowed a big mouthful of Diet Coke, adding even more eccentricity to the experience. I'm telling you, if you are tired, if you are fed up with the usual 9-5 grind, if you are craving some excitement and change in your life - don't go out and buy that Harley or drastically change your hairstyle, not just yet. Pick up a bottle of Rugbrød and trust me, your whole outlook will change. 

Cheers friends and happy weekend!

If you only go to ONE beer event this month....

Check out the "October Events" page for a full overview of beer happenings this month and pay specific attention to one very special event taking place on the 30th.... the Cambridge Brewing Company's Great Pumpkin Fest 2010! This is BY FAR my most anticipated beer shindig coming up in the near future and I absolutely cannot wait until the 30th rolls around and I can get my pumpkin on. This will be the CBC's 3rd annual pumpkin extravaganza and if last year's party was any indication, it should be a rockin' good time. The party runs from 4pm-1am on Saturday night and the brewery will have 3 bars, including an outdoor beer garden, hooked up and ready to go. Costumes are of course recommended and I'll be there channeling the Wicked Witch of the West, had she been a hard core craft beer addict. Last year, over 1000 people showed up, so be sure to get there early or be prepared to wait in line. DO NOT get there after 10pm though, or you'll miss the main event of the evening.... the ceremonial tapping of a gargantuan (last year's weighed 200lbs) white pumpkin filled with cask pumpkin beer.


The brewery hasn't finalized the beer or food menu for this year's event yet, but they've promised over 22 pumpkin beers on tap and a menu that takes seasonal cooking to a whole new level. Take a peek at last year's offerings to get an idea of what kind of pumpkin craziness I'm talking about:


Cambridge Brewing Co. Beers:
* CBC Great Pumpkin Ale 4.2%
* CBC Spinal Pumpkin Barleywine 11.0%
* CBC Biere de Gourde (French farmhouse pumpkin beer) 5.5%
* CBC Olde Pumpkin Porter (the O.P.P.) 6.8%
* CBC Ich Bin Ein Kurbisweisse (Berlin-style tart wheat beer with pumpkin) 4.2%
* CBC Black Magic Stout (stout with pumpkin, ancho pepper & cacao nibs on cask) 3.8%

Guest Beers:
* The Alchemist Uncle Daddy (Pumpkin weizenbock with vanilla beans and nutmeg) 7.0%
* Allagash Brewing Co. Ghouleschip (The world’s first pumpkin lambic) 7.0%
* The Bruery Autumn Maple (Brewed with yams, spices, molasses & maple syrup) 10.0%
* Cape Ann Brewing Co. Pumpkin Stout (Brewed with pumpkin and spices) 7.0%
* Cisco Brewers Pumple Drumkin (Brewed with fresh Nantucket pumpkins) 7.0%
* Clipper City Brewing Co. Great Pumpkin (Super spicy imperial pumpkin ale) 8.5%
* Dogfish Head Brewery Punkin’ Ale (A full-bodied pumpkin brown ale) 7.0%
* Elysian Brewing Co. Mr. Yuck (Pumpkin Sour ale aged ten months) 5.1%
* Elysian Brewing Co. Jack o’ Bite (Barrel aged Scottish pumpkin ale) 6.4%
* Elysian Brewing Co. Hansel & Gretel (Ginger Pumpkin Pilsner) 4.5% 
* Iron Hill Punktoberfest (Uber Oktoberfest brewed with pumpkin, vanilla & spice) 7.0%
* Martha’s Exchange Pumpkinweizen (Pumpkin Hefeweizen) 5.1%
* Southern Tier Pumking (Pumpkin Ale heavy on the fresh vegetable taste) 7.9%
* Uinta Brewing Co. Punk’n (Crafted with pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves) 4.0%
* Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Imperial Pumpkin Ale (Spicy Imperial Pumpkin Ale) 8.0%

Annnnddddd the Menu:
* Pumpkin Apple Bisque, Beer Brown Bread Croutons, Cinnamon Crème Fraiche
* Autumn Salad with Roasted Pumpkin and Apple Cider Vinaigrette
* Pumpkin Pizza, Garlic Confit, Fingerling Potato, Kale, Vermont Goat Cheese
* All Natural ½ Pound Burger, Great Hill Bleu Cheese, House Pumpkin Pickles
* Sauteed Gulf Shrimp, Crispy Pumpkin Polenta, Baby Spinach, Chorizo Cream
* Pumpkin Ravioli, Pumpkin Seed Pesto Cream, Heirloom Apples, Whole Wheat Croutons
* Pork Tenderloin Scnitzle, Pumpkin Spaetzle, Broccolini, Apple Cider Cream
* Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Pumpkin Ale Ice Cream, House Butterscotch
* Pumpkin Pie Fritters, Cinnamon Buttercream, Pumpkin Curd


When this year's beer lineup and menu are released (and it should be any day now!) I'll be sure to post it right away.... Hopefully last year's menu got your interest aroused and your taste buds craving a little pumpkin somethin-somethin and I'll see you at the fest on the 30th! Look for me, the drunk witch... cuz I'm sure there won't be many of those! :) 

Raise your hand if you like buying beer.....

So maybe you've been reading my blog for a little while and you've become interested in trying some of the beers that I've mentioned or written about. Maybe your taste buds have been stimulated by my review of the Southern Tier Creme Brulee or your interest has been piqued by my incessant mentionings of the awesomeness of Berkshire Brewing Company. Maybe you're ready to progress from just reading about beer to actually going out, opening up your wallet and dropping a week's paycheck (if you're me) on a fridge full of goodies. But where do you go? 


Don't worry friends, I gotcha covered. 

A snapshot of Redstone's Craft Beer collection

There are a few really great beer finds in the Greater Boston area, though one in particular stands out as my personal favorite: Redstone Liquors in Stoneham, MA. This gem is hidden next to a Shaws supermarket inside a shopping plaza that is behind another shopping plaza, all located on on Rt. 28. Don't worry though - once you get there the first time, you will never have a problem locating it again....  it's so flippin' awesome that the (large) part of your brain dedicated to beer will lead you back there like it's following some sort of beer spidey sense. One of the main reasons I love Redstone so much, and I discussed this briefly in my review of their Grand Tasting back in September, is because they are extremely dedicated to forming good relationships with their customers. The guys who work there, with the exception of one or two, are extremely knowledgable about beer and extremely excited about craft beer as a hobby, and, well let's just face it, as a major lifestyle choice. They're all very helpful, not only in helping you locate the specific bottles you're looking for, but also will provide suggestions and truck-loads of information if asked. Even better, they'll answer your emails, put beers aside for you,  go out of their way to get in brews that you're looking for, and occasionally even put a special beer aside for you once you become buddy-buddy with them. Just last week, for example, Kamal let me know that he had put a Founders Nemesis aside for me, just because he thought I might like it. Clearly you can see that their incredible customer service is reason enough to stop by this hole in the wall, and I haven't even begun to mention how phenomenal their selection of craft beer is on a day to day basis. Trust me, you're going to want to set aside a few hours and a few bucks the first time you walk in here because it is very easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of their selection and end up, after much deliberation, purchasing more than you may be able to afford (then again, I'm living on a teacher's salary, so my budget may be more limited than most). Bottom line, Redstone Liquors is a must if you're looking to expand and extend your craft beer collection... and if you don't want to take my word for it, check out North Shore Magazine's "Best of the North Shore" List from 2010 where they took first place in the "Best Beer Selection" Category. 


Other great beer stores in this area include Andover Liquors in Shawsheen Plaza on North Main St., Andover, and Marty's in Newton. Both have pretty great selections, though Redstone definitely beats them out as far as customer service is concerned. Marty's in particular has an extensive selection of craft beer, including things that are typically hard to find. They also sell gourmet foods and fine wines. Andover Liquors also has a very nice selection of wine, though I'm not going to elaborate, because we're here to talk about beer people! Either of these two stores are worth stopping by if you are in the area or making your go-to beer store if you live close. I personally hit up Andover Liquors a lot because they are right down the street from me and sell bombers of Berkshire Brewing Co. for less than $4. This store doesn't seem to be a craft beer mecca either (meaning that people don't go out of their way to buy beer here) so they often have rarities after the bigger, more well known package stores sell out. Further north of town, Leary's Fine Wines in Newburyport and the Hampton Village Market in Hampton, New Hampshire are good stops for the craft beer enthusiast on vacation or living too far away to travel into Boston. The best beer store in all of Massachusetts, however - or so I've heard - is Julio's Liquors in Westborough....unfortunately, I have yet to make the trek out there, but when I do, you'll be the first to hear about it.....


For more information about the stores I mentioned and to find more package stores in your area, check out Beer Advocate's Beerfly Search Engine. Cheers and happy shopping! 

Seize the Brew or Wait It Out?

Beer from Short's Brewing Company is fantastically whacky, off the wall and DELICIOUS. Running the gamut from Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Short's Cake to PB&J and Uber Goober Oatmeal Stout, there is something for everyone in the Short's lineup, especially if you have a sweet tooth. I lusted after the PB&J beer concoction for almost a year before I was finally able to procure a mixed six pack of Short's brews in a trade (yes folks, sorry to get your hopes up but Short's is located in Michigan and, just like many other awesome brews out there in the beer world, is only distributed very narrowly. Just another reason to get into trading). Though I didn't actually receive any of the PB&J in that mixer-sixer, I did have the chance to try the Strawberry Short's Cake (tastes just like the real thing, buttery pound cake and all), the Mystery Stout (sweet and thick with hints of maple syrup) and the Sustenance Black Bier (very dark but surprisingly light, roasted and slightly burnt with hints of chocolate), as well as a few others. I really liked and enjoyed each one, as heart-wrenching as it was for me to open and drink what I thought might end up being the only bottle of each I'd ever get my hands on. As it turns out, I'm in the process of setting up another trade with Eric B., the dude who was ultimately responsible for my entry into the world of dessert beers, and will be receiving the PB&J as well as the Key Lime Pie in a couple of weeks (!!!!!). He's able to get the beers from his parents who live up in Michigan, so that's how I'm able to get them, but who knows - this next trade could be the last trade, these next bottles could be the very last Short's I ever drink. So, what do you think? What's your stance on hard-to-find beers? Do you open them up and enjoy right away or do you save them for a "special occasion"? I find that I go with the latter option more often than not, choosing to save my coveted beers until "the time is right", but then always have a hard time knowing when the time is totally right to go ahead and indulge. On one hand, the time is always right to crack open a delicious beer, but on the other, it's never exciting to see that empty spot in your fridge where that prize winning beer used to reside. It's stressful liking beer this much and it's super stressful not being able to get every beer you want any time you want!!! So what's your philosophy? Carpe Beer, seize the brew or wait it out? 

Want to get your beer brewed by Sam Adams?

It's the dream of all homebrewers everywhere, the realization of all those hours working tirelessly and often thanklessly in their kitchens toasting malts, boiling hops, transferring and measuring, transferring and bottling: the chance to make it to the big leagues and see their homebrewed creation hits the shelves of every local package store and overlarge Whole Foods beer section across the country. It's a long shot, a pipe dream, but you know what? Sam Adams wants to help you. That's right - Sam Adams wants to make all you homebrewer's dreams come true. 


Seriously. Sam Adams wants to brew and bottle and market and sell your beer. The only catch? It has to be the best beer they come across... and I'm assuming that they're going to have alot to choose from. It is a nationwide contest after all, and in the beer world, the possibility of getting your homebrew mass produced is just about as tempting as getting signed by an NHL team is to a peewee hockey player. However, somebody does have to win, and why shouldn't it be you?  I only wish that I was into (and better at) homebrewing, or I'd join the fray myself.... 


Read on for more information about the contest and last years winners: 


SAMUEL ADAMS ANNOUNCES LONGSHOT AMERICAN HOMEBREW CONTEST:

Samuel Adams honors specialty homebrews in a category all their own with an extreme twist on annual homebrew competition

Boston, MA - September 2010 -Innovative home brewers from Georgia and Illinois triumphed over more than 700 competitors to win this year's Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest - Category 23. Jim Koch and the Brewers of Samuel Adams beers, encouraged this year's entrants to incorporate unusual and unique ingredients into their recipes.

Georgia resident Richard Roper created a brew he named Friar Hop Ale, and Illinois resident Rodney Kibzey submitted his Blackened Hops beer. As avid homebrewers know, the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) classifies beer styles into 22 different categories depending on style and brewing process, and they reserve "Category 23" for beers whose ingredients are so unusual that they need a place all their own. This year, the brewers at Samuel Adams wanted to focus the annual competition on these innovative beers.

In addition to Richard and Rodney's winning brews, Samuel Adams also honors Employee Homebrew Winner Caitlin DeClerq for her Honey Bee's Lavender Wheat beer. All three winning homebrewers will have the opportunity to brew alongside the Samuel Adams Brewers in Boston. Their recipes will be bottled and available nationally in the 2011 LongShot Category 23 Variety 6-Pack. 

"I started homebrewing the first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager in my kitchen 26 years ago, and ever since then I've been passionate about creating unique and interesting brews that challenge the perception of what beer can be," said Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams beer. "This year we asked homebrewers to push the boundaries and brew their own one-of-a-kind beers. I was very impressed by the quality and creativity of the homebrew entries submitted to this year's Samuel Adams Longshot American Homebrew Contest - Category 23; Richard Roper's Friar Hop Ale, Rodney Kibzey's Blackened Hops and Caitlin DeClerq's Honey Bee's Lavender Wheat are all exceptional beers that will give American craft beer drinkers an opportunity to taste interesting ingredients and flavors that they may have never expected in a beer."

For more than 10 years, Samuel Adams employees have competed in their own annual homebrew competition. The staff contest challenges Samuel Adams employees to channel their passion and knowledge for craft beer by experimenting in their own kitchens. Once all the employee homebrews are submitted, Jim and the other brewers at Samuel Adams spend a day tasting the employees' entries, and they choose three finalists. Those three employee homebrewers attend the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and ask attendees to vote for their favorite. This year, GABF attendees chose Caitlin DeClerq's brew as their favorite.

A panel of industry judges including Jason Alstrom and Todd Alstrom of BeerAdvocate, Tom Dalldorf from Celebrator Beer News, John Holl, freelance beer writer, Julie Johnson of All About Beer, Bob Townsend from Southern Brew News, and Tony Forder of Ale Street News joined Jim Koch in selecting the consumer winners. Together, they selected the winning brews based on the American Homebrewers Association Beer Judge Certificate Program guidelines. Each beer was carefully evaluated on the aroma, appearance, flavor and mouthfeel of the beer as well as the overall uniqueness of the process ingredients used and creativity. 

The 2011 Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest - Category 23 Variety 6-Pack will be available nationwide in select retail stores beginning March 2011 for a suggested retail price of $9.99. The variety pack will include two bottles each of Richard Roper's Friar Hop Ale, Rodney Kibzey's Blackened Hops, and Caitlin DeClerq's Honey Bee's Lavender Wheat.

ABOUT THE WINNERS AND 2011 CONTEST

Richard Roper's Friar Hop Ale combines his love of hops with his affinity for spicy Belgian ales. To develop his recipe, Roper created a hybrid of two styles, uniting the big hoppy taste of an IPA with the spicy, fruity flavor of a Belgian. The toasty caramel sweetness from the malt and Belgian candi sugar mimics a Belgian ale, while the big citrus hop notes of an IPA balance the style. A spicy yeast fermentation and hints of orange and coriander round out the brew. Richard's Friar Hop Ale is a refreshing beer that can be enjoyed any time of year.

Rodney Kibzey's Blackened Hops is a perfect combination of deep roasted malt character and citrusy hop bitterness. Harnessing eight years of homebrewing knowledge, Rodney found that combining debittered dark malts and citrusy hops yielded a surprising and unique flavor for this brew. Its black color hints at roasted malt and coffee flavors, but it is the big hop character really steals the show. Packed with citrusy and piney American hops, this beer has a big flavor and clean bitterness. This is Rodney's second LongShot American Homebrew Contest win; he won in 2007 with a Weizenbock and his beer was included in the 2008 LongShot Variety Pack.

Caitlin DeClerq has worked as a member of the Samuel Adams sales team since 2006. She created her Honey Bee's Lavender Wheat with dried lavender petals, giving it a fragrant but soft aroma. A citrus tartness and slight sweetness from the honey and vanilla balance out the finish in this California resident's brew, perfect to sip while kicking back and relaxing.

2011 SAMUEL ADAMS LONGSHOT AMERICAN HOMEBREW CONTEST CATEGORY 23

Creativity is paramount in the 2011 Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest - Category 23. For a second year, aspiring homebrewers will be challenged to push the boundaries of traditional brewing by submitting original brews that don't fit into any of the traditional Beer Judge Certification Program style categories. 

Interested beer drinkers can go online in March 2011 to www.samueladams.com for contest rules, regulations and information on purchasing a homebrewing kit. In addition, they can download Jim Koch's video, "The Art of Homebrewing" offering his personal tips on making a successful homebrew. Winners will be announced at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival.

Jim Koch knows first hand the challenges and the personal rewards of creating a quality homebrew. He brewed the first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager in his kitchen in 1984. Now, 26 years later, Koch is a recognized pioneer of the U.S. craft-brewing revival. He continues to push the boundaries of brewing, by leading the charge in the extreme brewing category, and following his passion for elevating the craft beer-drinking experience. 

When Samuel Adams began offering its homebrew contest 10 years ago, it was Jim's dream that it would be a springboard for aspiring brewers, bringing attention to the quality of homebrewing, and perhaps launch a career or two. To date, Bob Gordash, winner of the 1996 LongShot Homebrew Contest, and Don Oliver, winner of the 2006 Samuel Adams Longshot American Homebrew Contest, have gone on to become professional brewers, turning their homebrewing hobby into a career as Jim did 26 years ago.


So what does everyone think? Gonna enter this year's contest? Better start brewing! 

The People's Pint Beer Dinner at Cambridge Common

Last night's beer dinner at the Cambridge Common was a fantastic time, as usual. With a slightly smaller crowd than what is typical at these events, the atmosphere was very cozy and intimate, with lots of space and time to ask questions and learn more about the beers and the People's Pint Brewery. Suzanne and Kate were there, though this was one of their very last events before they leave the Common to open their own craft beer store in Belmont in early November. I had the opportunity to meet their hand-picked replacement, however, and Ben seems to be totally ready and excited to pick up where the girls leave off. He assured me that they will continue to put on beer dinners at the Cambridge Common after Suzanne and Kate leave, which really got me excited. If you haven't been to one of these beer events yet, you really need to move it to the top of your "to-do" list. The atmosphere, food and beer really just can't be beat!

Pied PIPA

Last night's dinner featured 5 different beers from the People's Pint Brewery, located in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Never having tried any brews put out by them before, I was really looking forward to the tasting - and I wasn't disappointed. We were first served Pied PIPA, an American IPA with 5.2% ABV. This beer is brewed with Cascade hops and a special strain of Marris Otter malts, which is a slightly nutty English malt, creating an interesting dynamic between pine and citrus hoppiness and sweet caramel. The mouthfeel verged on sticky, and there were very slight hints of fruitiness on the backside, which was definitely different. While I didn't consider this beer outstanding, it certainly wasn't subpar either - the only thing keeping me from ordering it again was the overlong aftertaste of lingering bitterness. Though I enjoy a nice bitter IPA as much as the next hophead, I like to keep any aftertaste short - I'm not a huge fan of tasting my beer 30 minutes after my last swallow, and this brought my opinion of the Pied PIPA down a couple notches. 

Provider Pale Ale

Following the Pied PIPA, we were served our starter course (a Ploughman's Platter) alongside a glass of Provider Pale Ale. This is a clean, refreshing and crisp beer, with floral hoppiness and some nice biscuity malts. The mouthfeel is very light with a dry finish, and there are slight hints of herby sweetness throughout the brew. I thought that it paired really well with Ploughmans Platter, with the fresh bread highlighting the doughy malts and the beer's hop notes cutting through the creamy, slight heaviness of the cheddar cheese. This beer was extremely well balanced, in my opinion, and highly drinkable. It'd be nice to enjoy with any sort of sandwich lunch or cheese platter. 

Double IPA

Our third beer was a Double IPA brewed with over four pounds of Columbus and whole-leaf Centennial  dry hops per barrel. This beer is a must-try for all you hopheads out there, though for those slightly more bitter-shy, I'd suggest that you pair the brew with something similar to the salad we enjoyed along with it. The salad we were served was dressed in a Balsamic Vinaigrette, with lots of toasted walnuts and Gruyere cheese on top. The richness of the nuts and cheese really helped to reduce the sharpness of the extreme bitterness in the beer, which my companions really appreciated. The Double IPA tasted a little like Wachusett Larry DIPA to me, with lots of tropical hops and a strong grapefruit presence. The beer was slightly sticky however, verging on syrupy, and this probably would keep me from ordering more than one or two pints. So, though not super super drinkable (and why would you expect it to be at 8% ABV), this beer was really good and worth seeking out. 

Farmer Brown

Finally our entrees came, Short Ribs and Mashed Potatoes paired with Farmer Brown Ale, and Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Apple Chutney, Parmesan Risotto and '09 Slippery Slope. Interestingly enough, Slippery Slope is a Braggot, which has been described to me as 1/3 honey, 1/3 apple cider and 1/3 malts and barley. This beer was probably one of the most unique brews I've come across, tasting very fruity and liquory, almost exactly like a very delicious hard cider. I thought it was awesome and paired extremely well with the slightly spicy, slightly sweet Ginger-Apple Chutney on the salmon. Unfortunately, my companion thought so as well, and since the salmon was the dish he ordered, I was only able to steal a few quick sips while he was using the restroom. On the bright side, Farmer Brown, the beer that came with my meal, was one of the best brown ales I've ever tasted, and probably my very favorite beer of the whole night. The beer itself, as you can see from the picture, is extremely dark, bordering on black, and looks thick and flat. Do not be fooled, however, because the mouthfeel is actually really light, sort of medium to light bodied, and is highly, highly drinkable. The brew is heavy on pecan nuttiness, which I thought was awesome, with lots and lots of roasted grain and smooth malts present. Paired with the short ribs, the brew gave off a slight smokiness and a tiny bit of bitter coffee. Overall, it was phenomenal and I will be making the trek down to one of the few stores that the People's Pint distributes to in order to score myself a few bombers (heck, this stuff was so good I'd probably pack a lunch and head out to Greenfield to get myself a glass if it came to that). 

Oatmeal Stout

Our last beer, served with dessert, was an Oatmeal Stout. After the glory I experienced drinking the Farmer Brown, I was sure that the next dark beer would be a let down, but no, no, no. The Oatmeal Stout was delicious, especially paired with the dark, chewy, chocolate oatmeal brownie they served it with. It was very sweet, heavy on the milk chocolate, smooth, creamy and not super heavy either. The extreme sweetness of the chocolate present in the beer was balanced really well by some bitter coffee and roasted malts, resulting in a great, drinkable brew. Not a bad way to end the night at all, and again, there I was trying to steal a few sips from my buddies after I'd drained my glass. What can I say, I'm just a beer freak. 


Bottom line, you need to get yourself to a beer dinner at the Cambridge Common or risk missing out on one of the best experiences you may ever have in your life. Yes, I realize that sounds extreme, but guys!! These nights are so fun and so educational, you really can't help but have an awesome time. Hopefully I'll see you there next time... look for me, the girl trying to steal everyone else's beers.... : )


Cheers!!