Beers

Good news for those who have celiac disease – two American brewers now offer gluten-free beer.

– Passover Honey Beer is made by the Ramapo Valley Brewery of Hillburn, N.Y. It contains no barley nor any grain. It’s brewed with just honey, a “hint” of molasses, hops, kosher-certified yeast and water.

That may sound more like mead than beer, but Ramapo’s co-founder, Egon Lizenberg, insists that Passover Honey is a beer. “I haven’t seen any wine with hops yet,” he said. The federal labeling authorities apparently have agreed.

– Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery last fall began selling New Grist, an all-sorghum beer. In releasing the beer, the brewery noted: “New Grist is the first ‘official’ gluten free beer in the U.S., although it cannot technically be called ‘gluten-free’ until established governmental guidelines are determined for all products claiming ‘gluten-free’ status. In the interim, this Celiac-safe beer can be called ‘barley-free.’ ”

Corona Extra, the best-selling imported beer in America, is buying big twin signs at Times Square. The signs, which are scheduled to go up on Monday, each measure about 92 feet high by 35 feet wide and show open bottles of Corona with limes wedged into the necks.

[Via the New York Times, free registration required]

“Wines of the Times” means barley wines this month, as a New York Times (free registration) panelists curl up by the fireside with 25 or so.

The panel made Hog Heaven from Avery Brewing in Colorado its favorite, giving it 3-and-a-half stars. Flying Dog Horn Dog (Colorado), Anchor Old Foghorn (California) and J. W. Lees Harvest Ale 2003 (England) all received 3 stars.

The story notes:

The quality in general was so high that we could not possibly include all the ales we liked in our top 10. Not to be forgotten are ales like Dogfish Head’s Old School, which managed to mask its 15 percent alcohol behind fruitcake flavors; Young’s Old Nick, a creamy-rich British classic that is a mere 7.2 percent; and (Garrett) Oliver’s own Brooklyn Monster Ale, another creamy, balanced brew.

It also points out the difference between British and American offerings:

I was mightily impressed by the entire field. These ales were superbly brewed, and the range of styles was fascinating. Some – the British versions in particular – were sweet and creamy, yet not cloying, their complexity offering enough intrigue to keep me coming back for more. The American ales tended to be dryer, more robust and spicy, with heavy doses of American hops, which offer piney aromas and a pleasing bitterness.

Must be time to see if 2006 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot has arrived at the local beer store.

A Over T from Hogs Back Brewery, Surrey was named as the Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2006 by a panel of judges at CAMRA’s national winter celebration of beer. A Over T, which stand for Aromas Over Tongham, is a barley wine.

Gales Festival Mild won the silver. “Congratulations to Hogs Back. A Over T is a fantastic Barley Wine that fully deserves this accolade. I hope this will encourage more beer drinkers to try this style of beer,” said Steve Proscott, festival organizer. “It is also excellent news that Gales Festival Mild won the national Silver award. We hope this recognition will encourage Fuller’s to continue brewing this excellent brew at Horndean in Hampshire.”

Finding an old favorite on tap is as exciting as discovering a new beer, so it’s nice in winter to run across the draft version Ayinger Celebrator in a limited number of bars.

The Munich-area brewery only ships kegs of the doppelbock to the United States in winter. A few bars, like Falling Rock Tap House in Denver, stock up and keep it on tap all year. More often, it’s around only a short time and gone.

A few places to look for it: Seattle (Pike Pub), the greater Boston area (Hoseshoe Pub in Hudson, Ana Cara in Brookline, Moan & Dove in Amherst), Conneticut, Virginia (Capital Alehouse in Richmond), North Carolina (both Tyler’s), Georgia (Summits Wayside Tavern, Brick Store), Texas (Double Dave’s in San Antonio, the Ginger Man and Flying Saucer chains) and southern California (Heroes in Los Angeles, Forever Fondue in La Jolla).

The beer drinkers have spoken and Samuel Adams will brew a brown ale.

Samuel Adams Brown Ale joins the Samuel Adams Brewmaster’s Collection this month, and in February will be available in six-packs.

And all because consumers voted for it over Samuel Adams Bohemian Pilsner. Brown Ale received 6,649 votes in the Beer Lover’s Choice program and Bohemian Pilsner 5,109. Sam Adams offered drinkers samples at more than 400 tasting events during September and October, then they cast their votes.

Sam Adams Brown is brewed with a blend of two-row malts, as well as caramel, Munich and roasted Carafa malts. Brewers finished the beer with Spalt Spalter and English Goldings hops.

Laurie Daniel, who more usually writes about wine for The Mercury News, tells readers “the holidays are a great time to revisit beer. That’s because there’s a wonderful array of winter brews available now.”

She tastes a range and offers tasting notes, some you may know well and others you may want to get to know.

On Thursday, Oskar Blues Brewery will release two hand-canned seasonal beers in Colorado.

Gordon and Leroy both carry hand-applied labels, in part because only 400 cases of each beer have been produced. Microcanners must purchase their cans in lots of about 250,000 cans. That large number of cans is a hurdle to releasing small batches of canned seasonal beers.

“These beers are a canned gift to our fans,” says Oskar Blues founder Dale Katechis.

Gordon – previously available only on draft at the brewery’s pub – is made with six different malts and three types of hops, and dry-hopped with whole cones of Amarillo hops. It is 9.3% alcohol by volume, and has 85 IBU.

Leroy is an unfiltered American-style brown ale made with five different malts and four kinds of US and UK hops. A “session” beer, it checks in at 5.2% abv.

High Falls Brewing Co. has begun to package JW Dundee’s Honey Brown lager and American Pale Ale in flashy 16-ounce aluminum bottles as a single-serve product for bars, restaurants, groceries and convenience stores.

“We’re looking at this as a way for people to sample the product,” said High Falls Chief Executive Officer Tom Hubbard. “These are just more ways for us to gain the momentum of the craft line of products that we are offering.”

[From the Rochester Democrat& Chronicle]

Since North Carolina lifted the amount of alcohol allowed in beer, from 6% to 15% in August, the makers of more than 250 beers have applied for and gotten permission to sell brews in that higher alcohol range, according to data from the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.

Pop diva Madonna reiterates her affection for Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. Keighly News reports:

In a bout of friendly banter on his ITV1 show on Saturday, Maddona snapped back when Parky claimed that London-based Fullers was a “much superior pint”.

Quick as a shot, Madonna said: “I disagree. I think Timothy Taylor is the champagne of ales”.

He then asked: “Am I arguing with an expert?”

And she responded: “I think you are.”