Saison Rue Belgian-Style Ale, made with Rye and Brettanomyces

What a find in my own backyard.  Just a month ago I discovered and wrote about the wonders of a yeast called Brettanomyces, or “Brett” for short, that is normally viewed as a contaminant.  As the Orval beer I was drinking demonstrated, this “contaminant” can be used to add distinctive flavors to beer.  I sadly reported, however, that few breweries are courageous enough to take on the Brett challenge and that Orval is the last Trappist monastery that uses Brett in its the beer making process.

But tonight I selected a beer I have never tried from The Bruery, which is located right here in So Cal, in the City of Placentia.  Right there in black and white (actually more of a maroon and yellow), the label says it is made with brettanomyces and rye.  I feel like such a nub for not knowing a local brewery offered a Brett beer, but in my defense the label also says that it is offered only occasionally.  (Pretty brilliant actually.  When a vat gets contaminated with Brett, you bottle the stuff and call it a seasonal.)

But enough background; to the beer!  This is great stuff.  I am really becoming a fan of Brett if these two beers are illustrative.  The Brett provides a earthy taste that is unlike any beer you have likely tasted.  I didn’t like this Saison Rue as much as the Orval, but it is still very good in its own right, and the Orval is much more expensive.  You’d do well to give this one a try.  I give it an 89.

Cain F Straight Ligero (6 x 60)

I don’t often crave a specific cigar, but this one has been calling to me since I spotted it in my humidor.  It’s a dark, massive beauty, and the Ligero is the slowest burning part of the tobacco leaf, so I had to wait for sufficient time to devote to this stick.

Ligero refers to the leaves from the top section of the tobacco plant. Exposure to the sun creates a stronger, robust flavor, while producing an oily texture.  The Cain F (by Oliva) is made of three different Nicaraguan Ligeros, in a dark Nicaraguan wrapper.

The cigar presents with a perfect construction, with no soft spots and minimal veins and seams.  Upon lighting, it produces copious smoke with a strong spice/pepper and a slightly sweet taste.  Given the content, I anticipated some harshness, but it was very smooth.  Indeed, the strength can be deceiving, because the taste is medium in strength but it soon hits you right between the eyes.  By midpoint, the strength of the cigar is more evident. 

I was right about needing time for this monster; it was a two hour commitment.  But it was time well spent.  A very good cigar, earning it a 90 on The Morris Scale.

So the series just ended, and in the final episode Grace finally opens the box and finds that it contains Gurkha cigars.  Then in a final battle with evil, Grace is talking to some evil guy, who may or may not be the devil but who is responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing, and he comments that Gurkha cigars are the best you can get.

There you have it.  God smokes Gurkhas.  All I could think of is how much did Gurkha pay for that bit of product placement?  I think God could do better, but I did give the Gurkha Titan a 92 back in September of 2008, so I thought I would check to see if I still like them. 

Gurkha Titan 6.2” x 56

The Gurkha Titan is a 6.2 x 56 Honduran cigar with a Maduro wrapper.  The Titan debuted at the 2005 Retail Tobacco Dealers tradeshow, and with only 1,000 boxes made, it was only available to a small number of suppliers. The cigar begins with a combination of five year old Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Columbian fillers that are secured in a five year Nicaraguan binder. It is then finished with a dark 1996 Vintage Costa Rican wrapper.

The Gurkha Titan had a perfect burn and draw and yielded a long ash. Medium to strong the entire length, with lots of flavorful smoke tasting of spice.  The 92 I gave it last time was spot on; I still really like the Titan.  A very tasty smoke.

They run around $30 a stick individually from the discounters when you can find them.  CigarsDirect has them for $24 each in quantities of 16, which is $48 less than what Cigars.com charges for the same quantity.  I don’t like to commit to 16 of any cigar, so I watch for cigar bundle specials that include a Titan.  Cigars International recently offered a Gurkha “Top-Ten Sampler” for 30 bucks that included a Titan.

Old Scratch Amber Lager

I continue to be a real fan of the Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland, and its Old Scratch Amber Lager did not disappoint.

Old Scratch pours deep golden amber with a large, off-white head.  The nose is interesting, with a smell of toasted malts; almost like oatmeal.  The taste is malt and citrus, with a hint of bread and caramel.  The mouthfeel is perfect for a lager, and not at all watery.  Outstanding drinkability.  It’s not my all time favorite from the Flying Dog Brewery, but it warrants a strong 90 on The Morris Scale.

The Coors Light Home Draft system I reviewed a few days ago had grown pathetic in its efforts to provide me with a draft.  You start the tapper by twisting a cylindrical knob that releases the gas and pressurizes the container.  Whether due to a design defect or my wimpy grip, I couldn’t turn the knob all the way and the gas leaked out into the atmosphere, adding to global warming (which may ultimately be Coors’ plan, since higher temperatures necessitate more beer).  That yielded a tiny stream of beer from the tapper, requiring about five minutes to pour a beer.  I could have returned it to the store, but what fun would that be?  I wanted to see if I could outsmart the tapper.

Exerting the brut force necessary to break all the plastic tabs designed to prevent me from doing what I was doing, I was able to open the tapper and replace the CO2 cartridge.  Now I’m back to draft beer nirvana.

View the video for my MacGyver moment.

Two years ago, the ride terminated at a shopping mall, with a few booths and only Taco Bell food to eat.  The ride was great but the destination stank.  This year it was done in conjunction with the Irvine Lakes Blues Festival, so the finish was much more enjoyable since the riders had access to all the merchandise, food and beer offered in conjunction with that function, as well as the motorcycle stuff.  A great blues group called Larry Horne and Small Change was playing while I was there.

As for the ride, it followed the same route as last year, starting at the Santa Ana Auto Mall, going up the 55 to the 22, down to the Pacific Coast Highway for about a 20 mile ride along the ocean, then up Jamboree and over to Irvine Lake.  I had an epiphany and loaded an iPhone app called RunKeeper while I was waiting for the ride to start, to record the route we took.  The entire route, time and pace can be found here.  What’s really depressing, however, is that the program thinks I was riding a bicycle, and reports that for my 56.14 mile ride, at an average speed of 30.57 mph, I only burned 1500 calories.  I knew there was a reason I don’t ride a bike.

The ride is completely police escorted, and once it starts you never stop.  The Santa Ana Police Department did a great job stopping traffic at all the lights.

A friend invited me to join him on the 13th annual B.A.D. Ride, but it wasn’t much of a ride.   Riders started at any one of more than a dozen different motorcycle stores, and then rode to the Oak Canyon Park in Orange County in the Irvine Lake area.  For a fundraiser ride, I prefer rides like Ride the Coast, with 500 motorcycles riding as a pack for 70 miles.

But the B.A.D. Ride was a different animal.  The ride wasn’t the thing, it was the destination.  Once at the park, there were a number of vendors, a great blues band, and some pretty decent food.  I can’t comment on the lunch that came with the $40 ride donation, because it was a long line to get the food and I don’t do lines.  But there were a number of other food vendors happy to take your money with no lines. 

So, don’t do B.A.D. for the ride, but it’s a good cause and a great destination. 

Here’s six that I picked up for future reviews, saving $2 each.  Hey, 12 bucks is 12 bucks.  Total Wine takes its coupons very literally, so if the coupon says $2 off 22-ounce beers, don’t you dare show up with a 28-ounce beer and expect the discount.  No, I didn’t do that, but I did show up with a six pack assortment and the cashier fought me on it.  I won of course.

The micro-mini keg comes in a cardboard box, and for some reason the instructions suggest you keep it in the box even for use.  There is no reason to do so, and having the big box in your fridge looks lame.  Pull it out and there is a flat part on the bottom that keeps it from rolling around.  You twist a knob which activates the CO2 cartridge, and provides the pressure for the dispensing.  The dispenser worked great, and sure enough the beer tasted more like a draft Coors than a bottled Coors.  My only criticism is that the unit sits on its side for use, whereas I would prefer to have the tap on top so I could put the keg in ice for a party.  I imagine, however, the gravity factor would make that tough.

I’ve noticed at parties that regardless of the great beers I offer, there are always people who want to go with Bud or Coors.  Grab one of these for your next party, and you won’t have to endure the shame of multiple Coors bottles in your trash.  The company claims the beer remains fresh for 30 days in your fridge.  For an in-depth review of the system, go here.

Our roving Cigar Group met at TAPS Fish House and Brewery in Brea this week to take advantage of their cigar-friendly patio while watching the Lakers tank another game.  (Note to TAPS:  Put a second screen out on the patio.)  I’ve been to TAPS on a couple of occasions, but had not yet sampled their beers.  Here are some quick impressions from the sampler I ordered.

Creme Ale – Good, but I won’t be ordering a pint any time soon.

Oscura – Best beer of the bunch.  Supposedly uses a recipe by Austrian brewers who immigrated to Mexico during the 19th century, giving it a Mexican flare.  It is a dark brown lager, with a very nice toasty flavor.

Biere de Garde – Meaning, “beer to keep or to store,” or so they say.  By that, maybe they mean you’ll keep it in the fridge because you won’t want to drink it.  Not a good beer for my tastes.

Belgian White – A tasty unfiltered wheat beer, with strong citrus and a slight banana taste.  Quite good.

Hefeweizen – A good Hefeweizen, but not as good as what Oggi’s offers, and not in the league of In Heat Wheat from Flying Dog Brewery, one of my favorites.

Schwarzbier – A German-style dark lager.  Better than the Dale Bros. California Black Beer I recently reviewed, but still too thin and watery for me.  Someone must like it though, because TAPS says it received an award this year.

Irish Red – My second favorite of the bunch, but again not as good as the red offered by Oggi’s.

California Gold XPA – Not crazy with hops like an IPA, but if you are a hop head you should still be pleased.  I’m not, and I wasn’t.

Joya de Nicaragua Fuerte Serie B, Corona Gorda (5.0" x 46)

From what I read, Nicaragua is the fastest growing cigar manufacturing country in the world, and for good reason.  I’ve never met a Nicaraguan puro I didn’t like, and supposedly Joya de Nicaragua started it all.  This stick was no exception.  Many cigars start slow and turn into something special as you smoke, but a precious few invoke an immediate “oh yeah” from the first draw.  That was my reaction to this small, unassuming beauty.

The taste was strong with a mix of spice and leather, but without a hint of harshness.  The smoke was thick, voluminous and dark, as though to confirm the complex taste I was experiencing.  The construction and burn were perfect.  This is one great cigar, earning a 95 on The Morris Scale.

If you are interested, BestCigarPrices.com provides a detailed history of Joya de Nicaragua here.  But that site does not offer the Fuerte Serie B, which proved a little elusive.  The going price on the sites were I was able to find it was around $63 for a box of 20, which is a great price for such a quality cigar, but at the time I am writing this, Cigars International has them on sale for $40.  At $2 a stick, this may be the best cigar value I have ever found.

Orval Trappist Ale

You may not give much thought to the yeast used to make your beer, but it can make a huge difference in the taste.  If you have ever made your own beer, you may be familiar with a yeast called Brettanomyces, or “Brett” for short, that is normally viewed as a contaminant.  This yeast comes from wood, and can feed on wood, which can be a problem for breweries that ferment in casks.

But in the proper hands, Brett can be used to add distinctive flavors to beer, and is used in some sour beer styles.  If you want to experience a Brett beer (not in a sour style), Orval is the only Trappist monastery that uses Brett in its the beer making process.

The taste of the Orval Trappist Ale is amazing, especially if you take the time to really smell the beer before you take your first taste.  The aroma of Brett beer is sometimes described as damp wool.  The Orval smell is slightly citrus as well, but very distinctive, and totally belies what you are about to experience. 

This Belgium Trappist ale pours a golden brown with a frothy tan head so thick you could suspend a cherry on top if you were so inclined.  The wild Brett yeast brings an earthy taste, that is at the same time sweet, dry and citrusy.  The yeast taste was oddly reminiscent of the horrible yeasty beer I created during my first home brewing attempts, but in this case it is a perfectly balanced addition.

You need to experience this beer.  It’s a little pricey at $4.79 for an 11.2 ounce bottle, but this is a true experience.  Draft magazine rightfully rated this beer at 98.

I tried, Dale Bros., I really tried.  I tried to wrap my mind and taste buds around this beer, but I couldn’t make it work.  You see, in concept the California Black Beer is supposed to be a classic American Style Dark Lager, according to the brewery’s website.  So, it pours dark brown with a huge tan  head, and you think you are about to enjoy something akin to a stout.  But I had done my homework, and I knew this was a dark lager that is supposed to present as a lighter tasting beer.  The problem is, it’s not even a good lager.  It tastes flat and watery, with the thinnest mouthfeel I have ever experienced.  I drank all 22 ounces, trying to squeak out some appreciation of the slightly chocolate malt taste, but it just didn’t cut it.  I like Dale Bros. overall; they make some fine beers.  This isn’t one of them.  A very thin and watery 78 on The Morris Scale.

Graycliff Profesionale, Pirate (6.0″ x 52)

Those very nice folks at CigarsDirect.com apparently signed up BeerBikesButts for a complementary subscription to their Cigar of the Month Club, which turned out to be the same selection as the one I received from Cigar.com’s COTMC for April.  I know Cigars International and Cigar.com are the same company, but as far as I can tell CigarsDirect is not affiliated.  Rather, I think they must use the same wholesaler for their COTM clubs.

In any event, one of the cigars in the package was the Graycliff Profesionale, torpedo (along with a CAO Brazilia, La Gloria Cubana, Cuba Libre and Joya de Nicaragua Fuerte).  The Profesionale Series, also known as the Blue Label, received a 92 rating from Cigar Aficionado.  It consists of an extra-fermented Indonesian wrapper with a complex mixture of vintage, long-leaf tobaccos from Brazil, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

I was not as impressed as Cigar Aficionado.  The cigar unraveled slightly even with a careful guillotine cut.  The construction was otherwise good and the burn very good, but the taste was not very complex.  I picked up only mild tastes of pepper and cedar.  The intensity was on the light to medium end of the spectrum.  The smoke was very smooth and enjoyable, and this would be a great go-to cigar when you are in the mood for something light, or if you want a cigar that won’t compete with your meal or port.  The problem is, it’s a bit too expensive for my tastes as a go-to cigar, coming in at almost $400 for a box of 25.  I’ll give this stick an 89 for its smoothness, but only an 85 for the overall experience.  If you want to rate it yourself, CigarsDirect has it here.  As always, use code BBB for a 10% discount.