When in Brugges! Things to eat edition.

Not going to lie, the train to Brugges was a little bit hectic, in a super embarrassing way.

I consider myself an avid train riding professional. I am not talking, "oh I can get around the New York City subway on a weekend" train rider. I am talking, "I know exactly where I need to stand on the platform to be closest to the exit I want or to make the connection without having to wait" train rider. So when I travel internationally, I have no problem riding the train, I actually prefer it. But when you throw a foreign language in there, I like to give myself extra time. Fast forward to Belgium, I thought it would be smart to buy my ticket to Brugges when I arrived in Belgium (a day ahead) so that I wouldn't have to wait in line the morning of (all good in theory). Turns out despite me buying the ticket from the teller, a full day in advance, and she spoke English, I still ended up with the wrong ticket to Brugges.

Happily, everyone in the Brussels area speaks English well, and the the conductor took pity on me, (so even though I bought a one way ticket) I was able to continue on to Brugges no problem. But shout out to that conductor - you are my hero! And I cheers my super cute cup of espresso to you!

I spent most of my morning enjoying the walk from the train station around the outskirts of town. But as I mentioned in my previous post, I was aiming to make the climb to the top of the bell tower as one of my first activities in town. I highly recommend grabbing a quick snack outside the bell tower before jumping in line - I opted for frites! (Check out that close up below). There are two stands immediately outside the bell tower. Both are excellent. Just make sure you choose your sauce wisely. As a German girl, I opt for frites with mayo. But there are other awesome sauces including a curry ketchup that are just as good!

If you grab the fries and plan to jump in line immediately, be sure to finish the fries before you enter the ticket office. The teller will spot you from across the room and yell at you in front of everyone that "no food is allowed upstairs." Jokes on her, I got my money's worth.

After working up an appetite climbing stairs, I was super excited about eating a real meal in Brugges! I had the Rick Steve's guide in hand, and he had recommended a ton of local beer halls to check out. A place where you can enjoy delicious Belgian beer and local fare. However, most of these places are only open during "lunch hours," say from 11:30-2pm, so if you wait until late in the day to eat, you will miss the boat!

I think I came on the perfect storm of a Monday, that was also a holiday, and waited a bit too long to grab lunch, so sadly most of the places were closed already for lunch and sadly I couldn't come back for dinner. And one location was so hidden I never found it, like Diagon Alley hidden. But if you have the opportunity to eat there - definitely go for it!

When the local favorites are closed, I decided to find what was out there for "beer with a view." I ended up at Develorium Grand Beer Cafe (at this point, my sixth attempt to find a open establishment). While the cafe leaned towards the corporate vibe, you could not beat the view, and the beers were delicious.

Above you can see I ordered the tasting tray with the (from left to right) liefmans fruitesse, maredsous abbaye, and la chouffe. This was actually the first time I had la chouffe, but it is a beer you can find easily in the U.S., so if you are craving a taste of Belgium at home and it's on the list, I highly recommend it.

I closed my day with a tour at Half Moon Brewery. It was excellent! The tour is offered in English and fills up early! So I recommend booking the tour first thing in the day if you arrive in Brugges without a reservation. The tour takes you all over the brewery, you learn a lot of history and actually have an opportunity to view the city from a nice deck! 

Even better, your ticket includes a full beer in their bar afterwards - I opted for the blonde. Completely refreshing after a full day of walking. 

And with that last sip of Belgian beer, it was time to say good-bye to Brugges and hello Amsterdam, the next leg in my journey. Check back for more fun tips about eating and drinking in Amsterdam coming soon!

Cheers!

The Nerd-Off Series: Belgian Style Ale vs Pinotage

So what is the Nerd-Off Series?  All too often, when hanging with friends in the alcoholic beverage industry, you find the boys officially in the beer camp and the ladies loving wine. In an effort to learn more about beer and prove to the boys that wine is a wonderful drink - I have enlisted the blog's resident beer guy, Anthony, to nerd out about beer and wine.

So what are the rules? Kelley picks a wine, Anthony picks a beer and we exchange, taste, review and share our thoughts here. Enjoy!

Anthony's Pick: Goose Island's "Sofie"

Hiya there wine nerds! Today I have the absolute pleasure of describing a beer that I had bought for Kelley called Goose Island's "Sofie." Goose Island is a very popular brewery located in the state of Michigan and probably most well known for its barrel aged stout, Bourbon County Stout. However, this time around, I thought Sofie, which is a Saison style brew, would be the perfect selection for Kelley because she had mentioned she was a fan of Saisons. Saisons are pale-ales, known for their light and fruity flavors and high carbonation. And since Kelley is predominantly a wine drinker, I chose this beer because it almost drinks like a sparkling wine and I feel that it is a beer that both beer and wine drinkers can appreciate. It also does not hurt that this beer happens to be aged in wine barrels.

Sofie is currently rocking a solid 98 on the beer rating website, ratebeer.com. And this is no surprise since it represents a true example of Saison-style brew. When poured from the bottle, Sofie will appear as a hazy golden color accompanied with a fast dissipating white head. When taking in Sofie’s aroma, one can detect hints of lemon, grapefruit and a slight hint of wheat. After taking a sip, the drinker will taste exactly what they smelled - right up front there is a lot of citrus flavor, with a slightly sour finish. The carbonation of this beer adds an effervescent quality to this beer that would be quite agreeable to sparkling wine drinkers.

Since this beer is light to medium bodied as well as slightly dry it would be best served with a light meal, such as a salad or sushi. I for one enjoyed this beer with a few rolls of sushi and, I can say with a great deal of confidence, that it was one of the better food and beer tastings I have ever put together. What's even more exciting is that most sushi restaurants are BYOB, so if you chill one of these bad boys for around two hours before you leave to go to the restaurant, you will be ready to rock when you arrive at the restaurant.

If after this post, you find that you must try the Saison style of beer, you should check out the following offerings to satisfy your Saison cravings: Ommegang Brewery’s Hennepin ale, Brooklyn Brewery’s Sorachi Ace and Saison Dupont, which is brewed by Brasserie Dupont.

Prost!

Kelley's Thoughts on the Goose Island "Sofie."   What can I say - Anthony really hit a home run with this beer. Not only is it my favorite style of beer, the brewers at Goose Island really did this style justice. After pouring the beer I thought it smelled somewhat like a German Heifewiesse. But after tasting this beer, it was clear it was something different. The refreshing citrus flavors of orange and grapefruit were very prominent. As Anthony suggested above, I paired the beer with sushi. When I go for sushi, I frequently go overboard with wasabi. This means the underlying flavor of my favorite sushi dishes is spice. Turns out, this was an awesome pairing with the beer. The heat from the wasabi almost pulled the fruit flavors out and amped them up a notch. Nothing but appreciation for this beer and food pairing. Yum!

Kelley's Pick: Pinotage from South Africa

I picked Pinotage because Anthony mentioned a while back that he was a barbecue fan. I love Pinotage because it has the dark fruit flavors, medium-body, with tons of smoke and spice on the finish. For more information on Pinotage, check out my earlier post describing the basics. Until next time!

Cheers!

Skunked Beer: How to Tell and What to do about it?

There’s a Skunk in Your Beer!?

That’s right folks, time for another article about beer! Today’s topic is one that has caused quite a bit of conversation among beer drinkers all around the world. What causes a beer to be “skunked?" A beer that has been skunked is one that is flawed and usually rendered undrinkable due to a chemical reaction caused by both natural and artificial light sources. When a beer is skunked it tends to take on the scent of a skunk and can taste almost rubbery. Needless to say, one should never be stuck with a skunked beer. This post will offer some tips on how to avoid this rotten reaction.

It may be surprisingly to learn that light, not just heat, is the primary cause of skunked beer. When light reacts with the hops compounds (a primary ingredient in almost all commercial beers), it provides the energy necessary to boost the sulfuric compounds present in beer. These sulfuric compounds often have strong, almost offensive odors (think the smell of gas). 

So what are our friends in the beer industry doing to protect us from skunked beer? The answer lies in --- packaging!  Every vessel that a beer can go in plays an important role in whether or not the beer is susceptible to skunking. However, some examples of packaging are better than others at protecting beer - let's consider the following:

Metal Containers

The best packaging for beer may not come as a surprise. Metal containers, such as kegs and beer cans, are the best packaging to protect your beer from that, oh so dangerous, blue light. The metal surface prevents light from reaching the beer and keeps your beer unskunked.  

Colored Glass Bottles

If you are not drinking from a keg or a can, your next best option is a brown bottle. If exposed to light long enough the brown bottle does not stand a chance, but for the most part it does a very good job of keeping your beer fresh. Just don’t leave your beer out in the sun for too long. Following brown bottles is green bottles. Unlike brown bottlers, green bottles are rather lousy at protecting your beer. Beers in green bottles tend to get skunked very quickly after being exposed to direct light sources.

Clear Glass Bottles

Lastly, clear bottles are the worst at protecting your beer from the light. A very famous beer company puts their beer in clear bottles, and by the time you are ready to drink one of those bad boys, there is a high probability it is already pre-skunked. I am not going to say which brewery ... but let’s just say they use a lot of beaches in their advertising and recommend that you jam limes into the bottle. (Perhaps in order to hide the skunky smell).

As mentioned above, one of the more popular misconceptions when it comes to skunked beers is that it is triggered by a change in temperature. For example, if you take a beer out of a fridge and let it get to room temperature, it will increase the odds of it becoming skunked. Luckily, this is not true! The primary way that a beer will get skunked is light. When it comes to temperature, beer may also become skunked if you go from one extreme to another. So if you taker your beer in the cooler, to the inside of your car, on a 95 degree day, then you might see some negative effects on your bottle of beer.

To surmise, the amount of light your beer is exposed to plays a very important role in whether or not it is at risk to skunking. Also remember, moving your beer from a cold environment to a warm environment, for the most part, will not have that much of a negative impact on your beer. Now get out there, keep your beer out of the sun, and use remember these tips to enjoy skunk free beer!

Cheers!

Beer 101: The Perfect Pour

“While wine will always have my heart, I have to give a tip of the hat to America’s favorite fermented drink - beer! I am excited to introduce one of our first posts on beer from our newest guest blogger Anthony!”

— Kelley

Photo Source.

Howdy wine nerds! Now don't be alarmed. I'm not here as a beer fanatic hacker to commandeer the wine blog and only talk about fine brews. Some people may think beer is not the most exciting topic, but I could not disagree more. To me, beer is just as versatile and steeped in history as its grape-based counterpart. And through a series of blog posts, I will try and make beer believers out of everyone who happens to stumble across this website (if you're not already).

I will sum up what my personal story is rather quickly. My name is Anthony. I work at a liquor store in northern New Jersey. I love beer. Don’t get me wrong - I like nothing more than drinking a fine wine every now and then, as well as drinking nice scotches and bourbons, but when push comes to shove I am a beer guy through and through. Then one day after work, Kelley and I were discussing the alcohol industry and when she suggested I guest post, I was happy to step up. But let's get to the more important part of this post… the beer.

So where do we start when talking about beer? I like the idea of starting at the very beginning. When I say beginning, I am not talking about the history of beer or how beer is made, but the beginning of a beer-drinking night. And every beer-drinking night starts with one important thing every beer drinker should know - how to fully execute a perfect pour.

For the most part, a bottle or can of beer does not come with a set of detailed directions like a T.V. dinner might. It may be surprising to the beer-drinking novice to think that there are very specific ways to pour a beer - but do not let that get to you too much because no matter how you pour a beer it is still going to taste delicious. This article is meant to share the “proper” way to pour out a beer so that you can get maximum enjoyment out of your beer purchase.

Before we even start thinking about pouring the beer, we want to get it to the proper temperature. This may come as a surprise to you, but a beer does not need to be as cold as the Rocky Mountains for it to taste its best. In fact, most beers should not be that cold at all, and many beer styles have different temperatures that they should be drunk at to enjoy properly. For example: IPA’s (India Pale Ales) should be served at 45-50 °F and a stout or porter should be served at around 50-55°F. Beer reference guides can easily be found on the internet super highway just in case you want to get your beer at the correct temperature.

Once the beer is at the correct temperature, you can now uncork/open it and prepare for that elusive perfect pour. When it comes to pouring beer, I prefer what beer expert Randy Mosher has to say on the matter: “Pour the beer right down the middle of the glass, wait for the foam to settle, and if needed, pour a little more.” There is no need to dribble beer down the side of a tilted glass like a wimp, Pour it down the middle of the glass with some vigor. It may take a little time to fill the glass, but just be patient because the beer will be fantastic in the end. Hold on a second though, do not forget that every beer has a certain glass that will accentuate the beer’s particular style. It may be helpful to do some research as to what kind of vessel will work with different beers. It is not a necessity, but boy would you look like a true beer nerd if you were drinking an imperial stout out of its proper glass (a snifter glass!).

The last step in this process is the greatest step of all, and that is to enjoy the beer. Kick back and relax because you have followed all of the proper steps when it comes to the perfect pour, and you are now ready to get the most out of your beer drinking experience.

Have specific questions on beer for Anthony? Leave a comment below! Otherwise, stay tuned for more awesome posts on beer!

Boston: American Craft Beer Festival

Dear Enthusiasts! I think it goes without that I enjoy a good glass of wine. Ok, Ok - I may be a bit obsessed! But realizing that wine is not the only fermented beverage out there - this blog will finally cover a beverage that America's drink 20.8 gallons per person last year... you guessed it - Beer! 

History of Beer in America:

Dare I even try to address the history of this important beverage? Since there are some very high odds that I would not fully encompass the history of beer in this introductory post - I will just throw out a few fun facts:

• In 1587, Virginia colonists brew ale using corn.
• In 1643, Samuel Cole is the first to be licensed in Boston to operate a tavern.
• In 1754, George Washington enters a beer recipe into his notebook.
• In 1820, Brewers report business off due to increased consumption of whiskey.
• In 1935, Canned beer introduced by American Can Company and Krueger Brewing Co. of Newark, New Jersey.

Picture from ACBF - can you

 spot the awesome yellow pants?

American Craft Beer Fest:

With my first weekend in Boston, I decided visit the American Craft Beer Fest. Per the event handout, the ACBR is the "largest and most diverse celebration of American craft beer on the east coast." And they weren't lying - there were over 140 brewers there, serving 4-6 beers. So I grabbed my glass and started tasting as many beers as I could in the three hours I had.

Ranking System:

As I started ranking beers, it became quickly obvious that I needed to create a ranking system. So with the help of a few friends, we used the following (not-so-scientific) system:

1. Beers that drink like One Direction sounds (lowest)
2. Meh 
3. I'd have another but...
4. Beers that are awesome like a black skirt - goes with every occasion!
5. "Dance on the ceiling" good! (highest)

My Tasting Card:

In three short hours, I was able to taste beer from 22 different breweries. The results below are listed by brewery, beer type and score:

Relic Brewing Co.

 (Plainville, CT), Madeline Belgian Blonde - 4

Mayflower Brewing Co.

 (Plymouth, MA), Pale Ale - 2

The People's Pint

 (Greenfield, MA), Wheelman's Wheat - 3

*Night Shift Brewing

 (Everett, MA), Snow American Stout - 4.5

      White Coffee Stout with great texture and I really enjoyed the coffee taste.

Moat Maintain Smoke House & Brewing Co.

 (North Conway, NH) Matilda's Red Ale - 2

Idle Hands Craft Ales

 (Ipswich, MA), Triplication - 3.5

*Enlightenment Ales

 (Lowell, MA), Enlightenment Brut (Biere De Champagne) - 3.5 

      Definitely a floral scent and complex beer.

Kennebec River Brewery

 (The Forks Pit, ME), Summer Ale - 2

                                                                    Whitewater Wheat - 4

Port Jeff Brewing Co.

 (Port Jefferson, NY), White's Beach Wit - 1

                                                                 Party Boat IPA - 2

Mystic Brewery

 (Chelsea, MA), Welkin Ringer (E.S.B.) - 3.5

Long Trail Brewing Co.

 (Bridgewaters Corners, VT), Maple Maibock - 4

Otter Creek Brewing

 (Middleberry, VT), Copper Ale - 4

*Clown Shoes

 (Ipswich, MA), Barley Wine - 5

Redhook Brewery

 (Portsmouth, NH), Wise-cracker - 3

Anderson Valley Brewing Co

 (Boonville, CA), Wild Turkey Burbon Barrel Stout - 4

Somerville Brewing Co. (Slumbrew)

(Somerville, MA), Happy Sol Hefeweizen - 3.5

Wachusett Brewing Co.

 (Westminster, MA), Blueberry - 2.5

Smuttynose Brewing Co.

 (Portsmouth, NH), Short Batch #11 - 2.5

Green Flash Brewing Co.

(Denver, CO), San Diego Saison - 4

Sixpoint Brewery

 (Brooklyn, NY), Apollo Kristalweizen - 2

*Maine Beer Co.

 (Portland, ME), Mo Ale - 5  This beer was great, definitely worth finding and trying again!

If the brewery is starred above - its definitely worth seeking out at your local store! Happy tasting!

Cheers!