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Beer Break Vol. 2, No. 27
Beer from the boot
April 11, 2002
OK, passing a large glass shaped like a boot and full of beer around a table, with each member of a party trying to drink a lot and then send it along without a) spilling a drop and b) lowering the glass is more about drinking than stopping to taste the beer.
And it doesn't help that some drinking games are rated on the "boot factor," but we still think they can be fun. They come in a variety sizes, so you can order a beer for a group or just enjoy a large glass of your favorite (perhaps German style) beer on your own. The Great Taste of the Midwest even handed out small boots as its festival tasting glass two years ago.
So we thought it was time to answer two questions:
Why a boot? The story goes that during a grueling siege on a town, a Persian general promised his troops he would drink his beer from his boot if they could finally take the town. The troops took the town and the general had to deliver on his promise. Having the good sense not to drink from a vessel where his toes had been, he had a friend fashion him a new boot made out of glass.
How to you drink from one? Yes, it makes a difference. You want to drink from the side of the boot rather than the back, because otherwise air will get trapped in the toe. In the long run that means you'll be taking on more air, filling your stomach faster and leading to more, well, burping.
Tasting notes
SAM ADAMS UTOPIAS MMII
Brewed by Boston Beer Co. in Boston
Rod Kasper of the Baltimore Sun writes:
When I tasted a sample, I fell in love with it. It had a pleasing, nutty aroma, a smooth combination of malt and grape flavors, and a pleasing, faintly sweet finish. One glass and I was ready to fade gently into the sweet night. I could get hooked on this stuff, if I could afford it.
SAM ADAMS MILLENNIUM
Brewed by Boston Beer Co. in Boston
In October of 1999, Stephen Beaumont wrote:
I still love the aroma more than the flavour and think that it will be a much better ale in a decade or so, but I was able to pick up more nuances of flavor behind all of that sweetness up front. There is a definite complexity in this beer that, given time, I believe will emerge and make it a wonderful late night tipple. If you have $200 per 750ml bottle to spend and a good cellar in which to store it, you could be in for a real treat in 2010 or even 2020.
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