2012 Beer Dinner Schedule | Aroma Thyme Bistro

May 11th : Six Point Beer Dinner 

June 5th to 19th : French Beer Week

  

June 15th : TBD Beer Dinner 

  

July 21st to August 3rd  : Belgium Independence Day 

  

July 8th to 20th : Montreal Beer Week

  

Sunday August 12th : Ommegang special release Flights

August 17th : Flying Dog Friday with brewery owner Jim

  

Sunday September 9th : Brooklyn Flights

  

September 21st : Weyerbacher Beer Dinner

  

September 22nd to October 7th : Oktoberfest 2012: 

  

October 8th to 18th  : Chimay Trappist Beer and Sausage Festival

October 19th : Lagunitas Beer Dinner 

  

November 4th  : Ommegang 3 Philosophers Flights

  

November 9th : Dogfish Beer Dinner  

December 9th  : Beer and Cheer: invite only 

Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner

What: Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner
Where:Aroma Thyme Bistro
165 Canal St.
Ellenville.NY
When:Friday November 11th
$49 per person
RSVP 845 647 3000

We are celebrating Sierra Nevada’s 30th Anniversary Beer releases of 2010.  These are very rare and limited releases that are no longer available.  But we stocked up on them!

Sierra Nevada Ovila , Saison

A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila Abbey Saison brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America. Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative-but also refreshingly dry and drinkable. With earthy and spicy aromas, this rustic Saison has note of green grass and a faint citrus tang. The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and a dry, peppery finish. A portion of the proceedsfrom this ale go toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plan crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.

Crab & Tomato Confit Napoleon

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Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Charlie, Fred & Kens Bock, Heller Bock

Charlie Papazian and Fred Eckhart are the men who launched a thousand breweries. Their writing on the art of homebrewing and steadfast promotion of beer culture helped propel the craft brewing movement. Charlie and Fred agreed to work with us on this special ale in honor of our 30th anniversary. This Imperial Helles Bock is a testament to the ever-evolving brewer’s art. Bold yet balanced with distinct toasted malt character, moderate sweetness and clean and floral hops.
Savoy Spinach, Sweet & Sour Budda’s Hand

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Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Our Brewers Reserve - Grand Cru
American Strong Ale

Brewers Reserve is a special ale highlighting our pioneering history and the innovative spirit that has carried us through all these years. Is is a marriage of our three most acclaimed ales: Oak-aged Bigfoot, Celebration Ale, and fresh Pale Ale blended together and generously dry-hopped. Come join us in celebrating thirty years with this most special brew. Drink it now, or save it for a future anniversary of your own.

Pan-Seared Duck Breast, Blood Oranges
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Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Jack & Kens Ale, Barley Wine

Jack McAuliffe was the first American "micro" brewer. His tiny New Albion Brewery in Sonoma, California inspired countless dreamers to start small-scale breweries of their own. Jack agreed to guest brew this very special ale with us in honor of our 30th anniversary. This Black Barleywine Ale is a nod to the legendary ales New Albion served at their legendary summer solstice parties. Rich with bittersweet and roasted malt flavors, balanced with whole-cone American hops, this robust ale should age gracefully for years.

Creamy Local Wild Hive Polenta, Porcini Mushrooms & Great Hills Blue
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Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Fritz & Kens Ale, Imperial Stout

First of series. Fritz Maytag, owner of San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company, is regarded as the founding father of the craft brewing movement. Frtiz agreed to guest brew this very special ale with us in honor of our 30th anniversary. As a nod to the dark ales and stouts that seduced both Fritz and Ken in the early years, we bring you this pioneering stout, a rich and roasted ale, perfect for aging, and worthy of your finest snifter. Enjoy!

Chocolate & Cherries

About Sierra Nevada:  

The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was established in 1980 by homebrewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi.Located in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the top craft breweries currently operating in the United States. Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the second best-selling craft beer in the United States, behind the Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It is currently the sixth-largest brewing company in the United States. The brewery produced 786,000 barrels of beer in 2010.The brewery was named "Green Business of the Year" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 for its practices in sustainability.In 2010, Sierra Nevada Brewing partnered with the Abbey of New Clairvaux, with the monastery beginning production of Trappist-style beers in 2011. The Abbey has not yet been sanctioned by the International Trappist Association, and therefore the monastery will not be brewing official Trappist beer.The brewery currently employs about 450 people.The brewery is powered by solar energy, having 10,000 solar arrays covering its rooftops and parking lot.In all, the brewery uses 2.6 megawatts of solar electricity on premesis. It also has built a charging station for electric vehicles on its premesis.The company processes used cooking oil from its restaurant for biodiesel use in its delivery trucks. In 2009, it reached an agreement with a local ethanol company to produce high-grade ethanol fuel from its discarded yeast. Spent grain is sold to local cattle ranchers for livestock feed; spent water is sent to the brewery's own water treatment plant, where it is reused, mainly as drip irrigation for its fields.Over 99.5% of the brewery plant's solid waste is diverted from landfill.

Sierra Nevada is the largest buyer of organic hops in the United States. It also farms its own organic hops and barley for use in its annual Chico Estate Harvest Ale release.

About Aroma Thyme: 

Aroma Thyme is known for their "stealth health"(Zagat). The Bistro has an award-winning wine list from Wine Spectator Magazine and over 200 beers. Aroma Thyme is certified green by The Green Restaurant Association. Marcus Guiliano is the chef & owner of Aroma Thyme Bistro located in the bountiful Hudson Valley of New York. Chef Guiliano has been an advocate for over 10 years on healthy, sustainable, local & real food. He found his mission in cooking when he reversed over a handful of medical conditions including 28 years of asthma. For more information visit http://www.chefonamission.com

Ithaca Beer Dinner

                        What: Ithaca Beer Dinner and Pairing                                   

When: Friday October 21^st, 7pm                   

Where: Aroma Thyme Bistro, 165 Canal St Ellenville

Details: Five course and five beers for $49 per person

Hudson Valley Camembert, Pears & Baby Mustard Green

Ithaca White Gold

Curried Soda Noodles, Nectarines

Ithaca Flower Power

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops, Fennel & Lemon Salad

Ithaca Thirteen

Roast Pork Loin, Local Rhubarb Confit

Ithaca Cascazilla

Hazelnut Bavarian Crème, Chocolate Hazelnuts

Ithaca Nut Brown

Ithaca Beer Co. – A Story about the Little Brewery that Could

Ithaca is a city with a strong sense of community and a passion for locally produced products. There are many local wineries, however people always questioned why there was no local brewery. Dan Mitchell, the founder of the Ithaca Beer Company, set out to answer that question by creating a brewery that would exemplify “The Spirit of the Finger Lakes”.

The original concept for the brewery began in 1995, but it wasn’t until December of 1997 that the brewing system was purchased. It was discovered by chance after investigating another system in Texas that looked great on paper, but wasn’t adequate for the needs of the brewery. After passing on that system Dan had some time to kill and decided to travel around. During a visit to a brewpub in Austin, TX he discovered what would become our brewing system. He went in and asked them what kind of beers they made. They told him that they had stopped making beer and were actually preparing to sell their system. After checking it out the purchase was made and a month later the system was shipped up to Ithaca.

Five months of renovation took place at our 606 Elmira Rd. location to turn it in to a functional brewery. After all the hard work renovating and setting up the equipment we were ready to begin the actual process of creating beer! The operation started small with only a couple of people (Dan and our previous Brew Master Jeff Conuel) doing everything that needed to be done to get the business off the ground. From the making of the beer, the packaging, the selling, and the mountains of paperwork necessary to operate a brewery they did it all. In December of ’98 the brewery officially opened.

Since then, we’ve come a long way and grown considerably through lots of tireless work by a very dedicated staff.  Just recently our hard work paid off when we were awarded 2 medals at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado in 2008.

Ithaca Beer Company now sells beer throughout New York State, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Ohio. Other states are in the works as we continue to expand our capacity. Even while growing we haven’t forgotten our commitment to crafting quality beers and being a part of the community that has supported us. As always we strive to capture the spirit of the Finger Lakes and share it with you.

About Aroma Thyme:
Aroma Thyme is known for their "stealth health"(Zagat). The Bistro has an award-winning wine list from Wine Spectator Magazine and over 200 beers. Aroma Thyme is certified green by The Green Restaurant Association. Marcus Guiliano is the chef & owner of Aroma Thyme Bistro located in the bountiful Hudson Valley of New York. Chef Guiliano has been an advocate for over 10 years on healthy, sustainable, local & real food. He found his mission in cooking when he reversed over a handful of medical conditions including 28 years of asthma. For more information visit http://www.chefonamission.com.

Dieu du Ciel!

The tiny ‘Dieu du Ciel!’ brew-pub, just at the edge of Montrèal's city center, has developed an incredible reputation and a devoted following in only a few short years. The young brewer, Jean-François, has never had any formal training as a brewer, but he is a natural, with superb skills and flawless instincts. 

‘Dieu du Ciel!’ is a common exclamation, meaning ‘God in Heaven!’ more or less, which is undoubtedly the most polite oath you are likely to hear in Montrèal – a city with a well-known penchant for turning religious sentiments into profanity.

Dieu du Ciel! Beers

 
1. Dieu du Ciel! Aphrodite
"Black ale with aromas and flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon and roasted malt. The vanilla and cocoa marry nicely, without out-competing each other, to produce a surprisingly well balanced beer. This beer is mildly hoppy, but the cocoa introduces a touch of bitterness. Its colour may be intimidating, but it is a very smooth beer within reach of most beer drinkers. This highly appreciated dessert beer is brewed with organic fair-trade cocoa and first rate vanilla beans."

2. Dieu du Ciel! Corne du Diable American IPA
Corne du diable (French for "Horn of the Devil") certainly lives up to its sinister name. In the style of the classic English India Pale Ale, it reassures you of its refined and refreshing character. But it draws influence from the IPAs of the west coast of North America in it's aggressively hoppy nature and seductively sweet malt character.
An evil beer in the best possible way, this sharply bitter red ale pierces the palate and packs a powerful hop aroma from dry-hopping, while simultaneously alluring drinkers with smooth, malty, caramel and toffee sweetness.

3. Dieu du Ciel! Dernière Volonté Abbey Ale
"Dernière Volonté (French for "Last Will") is a mix of Belgian and English brewing traditions. Complex flavours of hop flowers and spicy, fruity esters from our Belgian yeast are perfectly balanced with the robust flavours and aromas of malt. The finish is commandeered by an assertive aroma from dry-hopping."

4. Dieu du Ciel! Équinoxe du Printemps
Équinoxe du Printemps (French for "spring equinox") is the quintessential marriage of two great traditions: beer brewing in Scotland, and maple syrup production in Quebec. At the first draught, the mouth is overcome by woody, malty flavours, sustained by a discrete touch of sweetness. The aftertaste brings about the flavours of maple, which are sufficiently present to be appreciated, but never overwhelming the typical flavours of a Scotch Ale."

5. Dieu du Ciel! Péché Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout
If you love really good coffee and really good beer equally, you will be thrilled with Péché Mortel. If coffee isn’t your cup of tea, and caffeine makes you bounce off the ceiling, then just put the bottle down and find something else to drink. This beer is all about coffee. Indeed, you may have seen ‘coffee stouts’ before, but no brewer has ever married coffee and beer so naturally and seamlessly.

And this isn’t just any stout, but an imperial stout, which means that it is modeled on the strong, rich, and very complex stouts that were made in England in the 19th and early 20th centuries exclusively for shipment to Russia, where they were a special favorite at the court of the Czars.

A warning: Between the caffeine buzz, and the 9% alcohol by volume of this singular brew, you may find yourself a little disoriented. What is this, a morning pick-me-up and a drowsy night-cap, all in the same bottle? It’s just too much pleasure all at once, and that’s why the brewers named it Péché Mortel, which is French for 'Mortal Sin.' Unfortunately, we can’t say that it’s good for you. In fact, it’s a sure thing you’re going to Hell for this . . .

In Montréal, where this beer is made, they like a little sin now and then. A great big Mortal Sin is even better. The tiny ‘Dieu du Ciel!’ brew-pub, just at the edge of the city center, has developed an incredible reputation and a devoted following in only a few short years. The young brewer, Jean-François, has never had any formal training as a brewer, but he is a natural, with superb skills and flawless instincts. This Imperial Coffee Stout is the first beer he’s put in bottles, and the first to arrive in the U.S. It is made in ridiculously small batches – no more than 50 cases at a time, only three or four times a year. It is, of course, exceedingly rare, and rather expensive. But hey, as the Pope says, you have to pay for your sins.

6. Dieu du Ciel! Rigor Mortis Abt
"Strong brown ale inspired by the beer brewed by Belgian Trappist monks. Very little bitterness, this beer has intense malty and sweet flavours, mixed with the taste of chocolate and caramel. It presents complex red fruit and spice flavours due to the type of yeast that is used during the brewing process. This beer is at its best only after it has aged for six months. The Rigor Mortis are complex beers designed and brewed with patience and care in the tradition of the great Belgian Abbey beers.Rigor Mortis Abt is brewed only once a year, and is sold in April until stocks last."

7. Dieu du Ciel! Rosée d'Hibiscus
"The Rosée d’Hibiscus is a soft spoken wheat beer. The rose colour comes from the hibiscus flowers added during the brewing process. The aromas and flavour of this tropical flower are very prominent in the beer, giving it a slight acidity and a very agreeable fragrance. It is the perfect thirst quencher on a hot summer day.This beer won a gold medal (fifth place amongst 10 gold medal winners) at the adjudicated "MBeer" contest during the Mondial de la Bière in Montréal in 2007."

8. Dieu du Ciel! Route des Epices Rye Pepper Ale
"Route des épices (French for "Spice Route") is a rye beer brewed with both black and green peppercorns. Initially, the beer reveals flavors of fresh grain and malt, which give it notes of chocolate, caramel, and fruit. The pepper flavor and aroma is fully revealed in the finish, which leaves a pleasant, spicy, tingling sensation on the tongue."

9. Dieu du Ciel! Solstice d'Hiver
This noble winter beer is brown in color with flaming red highlights. Its taste is delicately sweet and liquor-like with a hint of burnt caramel coming from the malt and a prolonged boiling time. It is a very bitter beer with aromas of hops and alcohol, and flavors reminiscent of red fruit brought by the English-type yeast used to ferment it. The aftertaste is accentuated by the wonderful flavor of hops.
Solstice d'Hiver is brewed only once a year, and is then aged for 4 to 5 months before being sold. This aging process is necessary to achieve an ideal equilibrium between the sharp bitterness and the other flavors in the beer.

Achel

Achel is the smallest of the seven Trappist breweries, one of only two where monks are actually brewing.

The Saint Benedictus Abbey of Achel is the first monastery to take up brewing in Belgium since 1931, and is one of only six Trappist breweries now operating there. In fact, the Abbey is located partly in Holland and partly in Belgium, but the brewery is in Belgium. Since 1999, Achel has offered two splendid draught beers – Achel 5° and Achel 6° – which are available only at the pub on the grounds of the Abbey. Bottled beers from Achel, including the newer Achel Blonde and Bruin, and the huge Achel Trappist Extra, which are all hard to find even in Belgium, are now available here in the USA.

The monastery of the "Achelse Kluis"

Somewhere in an out-of-the-way place of the Flemish Country, hidden between fields and forests on the boundary with the Netherlands, situated near the water of the "Tongelreep", you find the "Achelse Kluis". For more than three centuries this place has been hallowed by "Ora et Labora", pray and work, according to St. Benedict's spirit.

Already in 1656 there was in the isolated place of the land of Achel, belonging to Liège's Princedom, a place of prayer for the catholic people from the protestant Netherlands. Petrus van Eynatten, coming from Eindhoven founded here a community of hermits in the year 1686. From that time on the "Achelse Kluis" is a real jewel in the Capine's countryside, a center of prayer, contemplation and spiritual life. A tradition only interrupted by the expelling of the brothers from their convent by the French Revolution, but again continued by the Trappistmonks from the abbey of Westmalle, who founded here the St. Benedict-convent in order to live a life of prayer, labor and study in the spirit of the Cistercians-order. Waste land had been reclaimed, agriculture and cattle-breeding became prosperous. The community of the St. Benedictus-Abby or the "Achelse Kluis" (which means hermitage of Achel), got settled. Daughter-houses had been founded in Echt, Diepenveen, Rochefort and Kasanza (Congo).
After World War II one even started on the same place to build a new abbey. The old buildings had been partly broken down, but only two and not four of the planned wings of the convent has been realized. More than a century the monks of the Achelse Kluis were pioneers in the primary sector of agriculture and cattle-breeding (model-farm with a lot of first prizes) and handcraft (bakery, cheese-making, cabinet-work, forgery, printing-office, and a bras shop). After a failed attempt to get themselves involved in the secondary sector of industry, in 1989 the largest part of the agriculture grounds was sold to the Dutch National Forest Administration and the Flemish Region in behalf of the nature reserve and from that time the abbey is entirely committed to the tertiary sector of services (shop) selling books, CD's, religious articles, reception (guesthouse) and a small brewery

Ommegang Aphrodite

 

Brewed by Brewery Ommegang (Moortgat)
Style: Fruit Beer
Cooperstown, New York USA

In Greek mythology, Aphrodite rises from the foam of the waves of the sea, enchanting all who see her, and inciting thoughts of love and lust where ever she goes. We could hardly say it more eloquently. Our Limited Edition Aphrodite Ale is ethereal, intriguing and mysterious – as the Goddess Aphrodite must have been. Aphrodite has champagne-like carbonation, much as the foam of the waves of the sea. Plus enchanting flavors with whispers of raspberry and pear, and hints of funk and tartness created by the Brett yeast. The refreshing dryness comes from the unusual combination of Ommegang and Brett yeasts, and incites feelings of love and thirst, though we don’t know about lust. Grains of paradise are infused into the nectar, and when poured Aphrodite is crowned with a luxuriously shimmering rose-pink head.

Tasting Notes:
Pours nice reddish pink with a nice fluffy white head that lasts. Great looking beer, carbed perfectly. Aroma is a bit subdued, but has notes of some pear, apricot, apple, some slight floral, funky brett notes, touch of earth, grape notes in there as well. Taste is rich, tart and delicious, the fruit complimenting very well. Creamy mouthfeel is pretty spot on. Tastes include tropical fruit, pear, dried apricot, apple, tart funky notes as well in there some barnyard and musty earth, complimenting with some nice floral hibiscus notes as well. Tasty, tasty brew, no sign of the alcohol at all. Refreshing, easy to drink.

Liefmans Goudenband

Brewed by Liefmans (Moortgat)
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Oudenaarde, Belgium

This top fermented brown ale is being brewed with the best malts and the finest selection of hop. This is a provision beer which can be kept in a good cave for several years.Liefmans Goudenband is an unsurpassed old brown ale with the richness and complexity of a vintage wine.

The first written reference to the brewery goes back to the year 1679. Consequently we know for sure that the brewery is over 300 years old. Around 1770 a certain Jacobus Liefmans establishes himself as a brewer in Oudenaarde.

In 1905, due to trouble finding a successor, the brewery was sold to the businessman Pierre van Geluwe. In those days the brewery was situated near the Krekelput. In the deed of sale it was expressly stated that the name Liefmans should be preserved at all times in view of the ancient tradition in Oudenaarde.

When the brewery had to be expanded once again in 1923 and problems arose with respect to water collection, premises were purchased on the banks of the Schelde, notably near the Aalststraat.Around 1930 they moved into the new premises and for the very first time the largely renovated brewing equipment was used to brew.

After the sudden and unanticipated death of Paul van Geluwe de Berlaere in 1972, succession became once again a problem. In 1974 the family finally came across the major English Vaux conglomerate which showed interest as it was looking for channels to introduce its beers on the Belgian market.

The English have no doubt left a clear mark on the corporate identity of the Liefmans brewery.In 1985 the brewery became the property of a Belgian-Zairian bank and the malt-house De Wolf from Aalst.In the late 1980's the new owners decided to resell the brewery. The takeover in 1990 by breweries Riva from Dentergem secured the future of this historic brewery and gave it a new aura.The brewing premises and equipment have been upgraded and the brewery, with its rich industrial archeology, will from now on be open to the public.

The beer fanatics can come down here to witness how industrial archeology and state of the art technology go hand in hand. In taking this initiative, the management intends to contribute to the preservation of Belgium's beer patrimony.Brewery Liefmans makes Goudenband a complex beer with lots of character.

Tasting Notes:
Dark brown pour with ruby edges and a small tan head that fades fast. Sweet and sour aroma with vinegar and sweet cherries - which reminds me of balsamic vinegar, which always a turn off for me. The flavor is a bit tart with oak and malty bitterness but it’s also a bit watery. Decent flavors, but a bit one dimensional and watered down.

Southern Tier Flights or Pints!!! Southern Tier Appreciation at Aroma Thyme !

What: Southern Tier Flights or Pints!!! Southern Tier Appreciation at Aroma Thyme
When: August 15th to August 25th
Where: Aroma Thyme Bistro
165 Canal St Ellenville NY 12428
www.aromathyembistro.com
845 647 3000

 On tap:
IPA
Harvest
Mookah
Porter
Plus in bottles:
Back Burner
UnEarthly

All tap beer available in flights or pints!!!

In operation since late 2002, Southern Tier Brewing Company of Lakewood, New York, has grown to produce over 30,000 barrels of beer annually. The hand crafted ales are now available in more than half of the United States, as well as parts of Australia, Denmark, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Ontario, British Columbia, and the United Kingdom.
Founders Phineas DeMink and Allen "Skip" Yahn started the brewery with the vision of reviving the practice of small batch brewing to a region rich in brewing tradition. In 2002, with equipment gained from the purchase of the Old Saddleback Brewing Co. in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the Southern Tier Brewing Company began production in the Stoneman Business Park just outside of Lakewood, New York. By 2003, select varieties of small batch ales were locally distributed, and by 2005, sales covered the majority of New York State and Pennsylvania. Before launching a successful roster of seasonal beers, the brewery produced Pilsner, Mild Ale, and an India Pale Ale.

Southern Tier immediately garnered regional attention and demand for the product was quickly outgrowing their modest facility. In 2009, a new 20,000 square foot building was built for the purpose of brewing innovative, high-quality beer to accommodate an expanding customer base. In this new facility, the small brewery was able to grow and offer the product both nationally and internationally, while still satisfying its loyal hometown fans.

Steadily growing, throughout 2010 it became clear that more beer needed to be produced to satisfy a growing customer base. 800 barrels of fermentation vessels has been added to the production area and a 7500 square foot addition has been added for use as a conditioning room. The constantly running brewhaus has also been expanded and updated. In early 2011 the company replaced its bottling line with the most high-tech, state of the art bottling line of its size in North America. It fills, caps and labels an impressive 8,000 bottles per hour, with the ability to package 12,000 per hour at full speed.
Awards & Press

As it expanded, Southern Tier began to bolster more national recognition. BeerAdvocate magazine listed the brewery in their top 50 American breweries in their June '07 issue. One of the small brewery's very big beers, 'Unearthly' Imperial India Pale Ale boasts awards for "Best Beer in NY State" by the 2007 Tap New York Beer Festival, and the 81st "Best Beer in the World" by BeerAdvocate in their May '07 issue. The October '07 issue of Bon Appetit magazine featured a beer pairing article complementing "Hoppe" Imperial Extra Pale Ale. With 12 beers given an 'A' score by BeerAdvocate, it's easy to understand this small brewery's big success.

More recently, Southern Tier's classic India Pale Ale ranks amongst the seven top beers of 2010 as declared by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. In an article describing the 2010 American Craft Beer Festival, the Massachusetts Daily Collegian declared Southern Tier's Oak Aged 'Unearthly' Imperial IPA to be their favorite brew at the event. October hails the seasonal Pumking ale, with Beverage Underground saluting it, and the Chicagoist naming it "Beer of the Week" for its robust pumpkin flavor.
Internationally, Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale won a silver award amongst other Pale Ales at Singapore's Beerfest Asia 2010.

Oktoberfest 2011 September 17th to October 3rd

 What: Oktoberfest 2011
When: September 17th to October 3rd
Where: Aroma Thyme Bistro
165 Canal St Ellenville NY 12428
www.aromathyembistro.com
845 647 3000

Celebrate Oktoberfest at Aroma Thyme!
 

On tap for Oktoberfest

Ayinger Oktoberfest
Hofbrau Weiss
Celebrator
Victory Fiest Beer
Plus we have Paulaner HefeWeiss and Weihenstephaner Dunkel (My favorite) in bottles
 

Some of the food specials for Oktoberfest
 Bratwurst
Pork Schnitzel & Blue Cheese Spatzle
SauerBraten

History of Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a 16–18 day festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the Munich event.

The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October, to mark the 200-year anniversary of the event. The festival is held in an area named the Theresienwiese (field, or meadow, of Therese), often called Wiesn for short, located near Munich's center.

Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich with a minimum of 13.5% Master Spice is allowed to be served in this festival. Upon passing this criteria, a beer is designated Oktoberfest Beer. Oktoberfest Beer is a registered Trademark by the Club of Munich Brewers. Those Breweries are members of this exclusive Club. In alphabetical Order -Augustinerbräu -Hacker-Pschorr Bräu -Hofbräu -Löwenbräu -Paulanerbräu -Spatenbräu

Large quantities of German beer are consumed, with almost 7 million liters served during the 16 day festival in 2007. Visitors may also enjoy a wide variety of traditional fare such as Hendl (chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white sausage).

The original "Oktoberfest" occurred in Munich, on October 12, 1810.

The Oktoberfest is known as the Largest Volksfest (People's Fair) in the World.In 1999 there were six and a half million visitors to the 42 hectare Theresienwiese. 72% of the people are from Bavaria.15% of visitors come from foreign countries like the surrounding EU-countries and other non-European countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and the Far East.

The Mussel Tussle at Belgium Comes to Cooperstown

Brewery Ommegang’s yearly festival, Belgium Comes to Cooperstown will receive a new and exciting twist this year as 6 chefs have been invited to compete in a “Mussel Tussle” cooking competition.

The competition will be based around a standard of Belgian fare: moules or in English, mussels. This fast-paced competition will challenge the chefs integration of local the farmers’ market and fine food stores, preparing a mussel dish to be judged during the festival. The winning dish will be selected by the attendees of the festival.

The winning chef will receive:
• La Creuset cookware set
• $500 Cash prize
• Winning recipe featured at Café Ommegang
• Winning Chef and representative restaurant showcased on Ommegang website for remainder of 2011

Participating Chefs include:
Lucy Townsend of Lucy Townsend Catering – Cooperstown, NY
Ric Orlando of New World Bistro & New World Restaurant – Albany & Saugerties, NY
Marcus Guiliano of AromaThymeBistro – Ellenville, NY
Bart Vandaele of Belga Café – Washington, DC
Tommy Harder of Blind Tiger – New York City, NY
Matt Molloy of Meadhall – Cambridge, MA

Each day leading up to Saturday’s event, we will be showcasing an interview with each chef and discovering their insights into why great beer deserves great food.

 Chef Marcus Guiliano

Chef Lucy Townsend is the first of the featured chef and is the hometown pick for the competition. Chef Lucy has been a part of the Great Beer Deserves Great Food program for several years, catering local beer dinners at Brewery Ommegang and hosting Ommegang events at Templeton Hall, her catering venue in downtown Cooperstown.

L.M.TOWNSEND CATERING began with a dream back in 1978 when owner Lucy Townsend graduated from Dartmouth College with a major in art and embarked on a career in food service leading her from a job cutting and weighing cheeses in a gourmet shop, to employment ranging from chef aboard a hotel boat on the River Thames, to salad girl for a family owned restaurant, kitchen manager at a bistro, and manager of a Rockefeller Center restaurant.

Lucy''s Chicken Breast Stuffed With Spanish Ham Red Pepper Romesco Sauce with Hazelnuts and Almonds,Saffron Pilaf and Artichoke Hearts paired with Ommegang Abbey

Lucy began work on her own catering business in 1989 in Cooperstown, NY and some of her first clients remain loyal to this day. Although corporate functions and wedding receptions comprise a large part of sales, Townsend Catering is also expert at providing services for private dinners, cocktail parties, brunches and barbecues.

Lucy's Mexican Chocolate Streusel Cake Cinnamon Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce paired with Three Philosophers

Be sure to check back each day as we will be interviewing each Chef that competes in the Mussle Tussle, and subscribe so that you can help join in the Great Beer Deserves Great Food movement and discover great chefs, restaurants and event around the country.

Green Flash Brewing Co

Mike and Lisa Hinkley took their interest in the craft beer industry to a new level in 2002 when they founded Green Flash Brewing Company. Former pub owners, Mike and Lisa jumped into brewing, and in 2003 renowned brewmaster Chuck Silva joined the team.With Chuck on board we began brewing premium style beers, modern twists on traditional styles, and our beers began to develop a following. Cutting edge brews, Green Flash Brewing Company’s beers don’t fit traditional guidelines, instead we let our hybrid, benchmark beers blaze their own trail.

Located in Vista, CA, we specialize in brewing assertive and distinctive beers, such as our West Coast I.P.A.: an award-winning beer whose wide acceptance has helped define a category. We also brew seasonal, collaborative and barrel-aged beers.

Our award-winning beers are on draft and bottled and are available throughout the United States in bars, restaurants and retail outlets.

People

"A small team of people making great beer".

Every person on their team contributes to the success ofbeers, and  rely on them to continue to bring a new, fresh approach to brewing beer. Here’s to the team that brews, bottles, markets, sells, and delivers the brews of Green Flash Brewing Company.

List of beers

West Coast Style Ales

West Coast IPA

Hop Head Red Ale

Imperial I.P.A.

Double Stout

Barleywine Style Ale
 

Belgian Inspired Ales

Le Freak

Trippel Belgian Style Ale

Grand Cru

Summer Saison
 

Seasonal and Special Releases

30th Street Pale Ale

Palate Wrecker Double I.P.A.

Fizzy Yellow Beer - Bohemian-Style Lager

Retired Beers 

Extra Pale Ale (Limited Release)

Nut Brown Ale (Limited Release)

Ruby Red Ale (retired)

Sixpoint Craft Ales

 

 Sixpoint Craft Ales was founded in 2004 by Shane Welch, a former homebrewer that originally grew up in Milwaukee. The microbrewery is located in a 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) factory in in Red Hook, Brooklyn that formerly manufactured filing cabinets. Sixpoint began business by only distributing kegs to local bars and restaurants; instead of bottling its beer, filling growlers at bars were the only way for customers to drink the beer at their homes.The Sixpoint logo is a combination of the brewer's hexagram and the nautical star

List Of Beers

Sweet Action

Apollo

BrownStone

Belgian IPA

Rebel Lion

Express

Groundskeeper Spilly

Diesel

Gorilla Warfare

Bengali Tiger

Boshoi

Righteous Ale

Belgiam Rye

Grand Crue

Gemini

 

Dogfish Head Brewery

 

Dogfish Head Brewery is a brewing company based in Milton, Delaware founded by Sam Calagione. It opened in 1995and produces 75,000 barrels of beer annually. Dogfish Head has been a rapidly growing brewery - it grew nearly 400% in between 2003 and 2006.The brewery was featured prominently in the documentary Beer Wars. It is the subject of the currently-airing Discovery Channel series Brew Masters, which premiered Sunday, November 21, 2010.The brewery takes its name from Dogfish Head, Maine where founder Sam Calagione spent summers as a child.

Products 

Dogfish Head's output tends toward experimental or "extreme" beers, such as their tongue-in-cheek "Liquor de Malt," a bottle-conditioned malt liquor which typically comes in its own brown paper bag. Their products often use non-standard ingredients, such as green raisins in their "Raison D'Être". Some of their beers, including the WorldWide Stout, 120 Minute India Pale Ale, and the raspberry-flavored strong ale Fort, are highly alcoholic, reaching 18% to 20% alcohol by volume (typical beers have around 3% to 7% alcohol by volume).

One of Dogfish Head's more notable odd beers was a green beer called Verdi Verdi Good, produced in 2005 and sold only on draft. The beer was not colored green artificially; rather, the green color was derived from brewing a Dortmunder style beer that contained spirulina, or blue-green algae.

Pangaea, first released in 2003, is a Belgian-style strong pale ale made with ingredients from every continent on Earth, including: crystallized ginger from Australia, water from Antarctica, Basmati rice from Asia, and more.The name Pangaea refers to the super-continent of the same name which is theorized to have existed about 250 million years ago.

IPAs 

Dogfish Head's signature product is its line of India Pale Ales (IPAs), which are offered in three varieties: 60 Minute, 90 Minute, and 120 Minute IPA. Their names refer to the length of the boil time of the wort in which the hops are continuously added. The longer hops are boiled, the more hop isomerization takes place, and the more bitterness is imparted to the beer. The 60 Minute is described by the company as "A session IPA brewed with Warrior, Amarillo and Mystery Hop X. Bottle-conditioned 6-packs and draft available. 60 IBUs." To further enhance their beers, Dogfish Head introduced a device in 2003 jokingly called Randall the Enamel Animal, an "organoleptic hop transducer module" which "Randallizes" a given beer by passing the beer through a large plastic tube filled with a flavor enhancer, often raw hops though adaptations with fruits and coffee beans, amongst others, have taken place. The alcohol in the beer lifts oils off the raw hops and imparts even more hop flavor and aroma to beers that were already hoppy to begin with.

A fourth IPA variety, the 75 Minute IPA, was developed in 2008, and is currently produced in very limited quantities, and typically distributed to vendors in firkins. The beer—nicknamed "Johnny Cask" and featuring a mascot resembling a young Johnny Cash tapping a firkin with a mallet—is made from a mixture of the 60 and 90 Minutes IPAs, and undergoes a separate cask conditioning which further includes the addition of maple syrup.As a variation on the 75 Minute IPA, the Alehouse 75 is also available. It is a mixture of the 60 and 90 Minute offerings, yet is served in a standard Sankey-style keg, rather than a firkin.

Ancient Ales 

In the late 90s, Dogfish Head started a unique "Ancient Ales" series, in which beer recipes were created based upon the chemical analysis of residue found on pottery and drinking vessels from various archaeological sites. These beers have been produced in collaboration with molecular archaeologist Dr. Pat McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, four such brews have been crafted, and only one (Midas Touch) is produced year round. The others are produced on a limited basis.

    * Midas Touch Golden Elixir (first released in 1999). A strong ale based on residue found on drinking vessels from the tomb of King Midas, dating back to the 8th century BC. Defining ingredients include Muscat grapes, honey, and saffron. (See section below for more information.)
    * Chateau Jiahu (first released in 2006). A spiced strong ale based on residue from pottery found in the Neolithic village of Jiahu (in central China), dating to the 7th millennium BC. Some defining ingredients include rice flakes, wildflower honey, hawthorn fruit, and Chrysanthemum flowers. As of 2009, this is the oldest known beer recipe to be brewed in the modern age.
    * Theobroma (first released in 2008). A chocolate beer based on residue found on pottery discovered in Honduras dating to approximately 1200 BC. Some defining ingredients include Aztec cocoa powder, honey, and annatto.
    * Ta Henket (released in 2010, only available on draft at Rehoboth Beach brewpub). This beer was created to incorporate ancient ingredients and techniques described in Egyptian hieroglyphics. It was brewed with emmer, loaves of hearth baked bread, dom-palm fruit, chamomile, and zatar. Fermentation was carried out by a native Egyptian saccharomyces wild yeast strain captured from the air in Egypt.

Currently Dogfish Head brewery only dispenses approximately 1,700-1,800 cases per month to distributors. At the time of discovery Midas Touch Golden Elixir was the oldest fermented beverage recipe discovered. Dogfish Head brewery still today holds the record with a 9,000 yr old recipe used for Chateau Jiahu, which was released in July 2007.

The ingredients for the original 7.5% abv recipe in 2001 included yellow muscat grapes, lightly toasted 2-row barley malt, thyme, honey and saffron. The ingredients for the current 9% abv recipe include barley, white Muscat grapes, honey and saffron.

Microdistillery 

Dogfish Head also operates a microdistillery at the Rehoboth Beach brewpub.Spirits are hand-distilled in a small pot still and often, like their beers, tend toward unique and non-traditional formulations. The distillery is very small; Dogfish Head spirits are distributed only in Delaware and a handful of other states. Select brews (including many of the brewery's seasonal and one-off selections) can be found in 27 states across the country. Dogfish Head also licenses "Dogfish Head Alehouse" with three locations in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Falls Church, Virginia, and Fairfax, Virginia. Beer-paired food and vintage bottles of Dogfish's seasonal beers are available at their alehouses, as well as kegged offerings of their staple beers.

List of beers brewed

60 Minute IPA    

90 Minute IPA    

Indian Brown Ale    

Lawnmower    

Midas Touch    

Palo Santo Marron    

Raison D'Etre    

Shelter Pale Ale    

120 Minute IPA    

Bitches Brew    

Black & Blue

Burton Baton    

Chateau Jiahu    

Fort    

Hardtack    

Hellhound On My Ale            

Immort Ale    

Liquor De Malt        

My Antonia        

Namaste    

Noble Rot    

Olde School Barleywine

Pangaea    

Red & White    

Sah'tea    

Squall IPA        

Theobroma    

World Wide Stout    

Aprihop        

Chicory Stout    

Festina Pêche        

Punkin Ale    

Wrath of Pecant        

Portamarillo        

Life & Limb    

Saison du BUFF        

Poppa Skull

Unibroue Brewery

 

 Unibroue is a brewery located in Chambly, Quebec, Canada that was started by Quebec native André Dion and Serge Racine. It was purchased by Sleeman Breweries Ltd. in 2004, which itself was taken over by Sapporo in 2006. The company was incorporated in 1993, exporting to the United States (under the name "Unibrew") in 1994.Unibroue was founded by André Dion and Serge Racine. They had acquired 75 % of La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. in Lennoxville, in 1990, purchasing the remainder of the shares at the end of 1991 when they transferred their interest in La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. to Unibroue. By 1992, La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unibroue. It then changed its corporate name to Brasserie Broubec Inc. and subsequently merged with Unibroue in July of 1993. It was bought by Sleeman Breweries Ltd. in 2004. Sleeman was then purchased by Sapporo in 2006.

At Unibroue,they create unique-tasting craft beers using traditional brewing methods. Our beers are unlike any other product on the market, and no two are alike. Each one has a distinctive character defined by taste, color, texture, and density.

Know-how

To craft their beers, they draw inspiration from the great brewing traditions developed over the last two centuries by Trappist monks in Europe—particularly in Belgium. Their beers preserve all their protein and part of their yeast, making them truly worth savoring.

Methods

All Unibroue products are made using a combination of the same basic ingredients: water, malted barley, malted wheat, wheat, yeast, hops, sugar, fruit, and spices. With the exception of La Bolduc and our U beers, our products are brewed using a traditional bottle fermentation method in which fresh yeast and pure sugar are added just before bottling. They are only partially filtered, which is what gives them their distinct appearance and natural cloudiness. This brewing method results in strong, intensely flavored and highly effervescent beers. It is almost exactly the same process used to make champagne. The only difference is that while the lees is extracted from champagne using a local cooling process, it is left to settle at the bottom of our bottles once the natural fermentation and saturation (carbonation) process is complete. This process requires strict quality controls because the addition of chemical additives or preservatives would kill the yeast. It is this method that produces the distinctive Unibroue flavor

Unibroue makes a wide range of beers, although there is a focus on Belgian-style brews, such as their Maudite ("Damned"), La Fin du Monde ("The End of the World"), and Don de Dieu ("Gift of God"). Most of Unibroue's beers are bottled "on the lees", or containing yeast sediment. This practice provides additional fermentation after bottling, resulting in a beer which ages well if kept in the dark and unrefrigerated, and allowing it to be relatively cheaply shipped to international markets. The yeast gives Unibroue beers a cloudy appearance and provides a characteristic element to the taste.Unibroue brews and bottles the Trader Joe's Vintage Ale.

Ithica Brewery

 

Ithaca is a city with a strong sense of community and a passion for locally produced products. There are many local wineries, however people always questioned why there was no local brewery. Dan Mitchell, the founder of the Ithaca Beer Company, set out to answer that question by creating a brewery that would exemplify "The Spirit of the Finger Lakes".The original concept for the brewery began in 1995, but it wasn't until December of 1997 that the brewing system was purchased. It was discovered by chance after investigating another system in Texas that looked great on paper, but wasn't adequate for the needs of the brewery. After passing on that system Dan had some time to kill and decided to travel around. During a visit to a brewpub in Austin, TX he discovered what would become our brewing system. He went in and asked them what kind of beers they made. They told him that they had stopped making beer and were actually preparing to sell their system. After checking it out the purchase was made and a month later the system was shipped up to Ithaca.Ithaca Beer Company now sells beer throughout New York State, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Ohio. Other states are in the works as we continue to expand our capacity. Even while growing we haven't forgotten our commitment to crafting quality beers and being a part of the community that has supported us. As always we strive to capture the spirit of the Finger Lakes and share it with you.

 

Ithaca Beer Brands

Year Round:

Apricot Wheat

CascaZilla

Flower Power India Pale Ale

Nut Brown

Pale Ale

Seasonals:

Cold Front Belgian-Style Amber Ale

Ground Break American-Style Saison

Partly Sunny Wheat Ale Brewed w/ Spices

Excelsior! Series:

Brute
Golden Sour Ale

Le Bleu
Sour Bleuberry Ale

White Gold
Rustic pale wheat ale

Old Habit
Strong Rye Ale

AlpHalpHa
Double Honey Bitter

THIRTEEN
Double Hoppy Wheat Ale

TWELVE
Monastery Style Quadrupel Ale


ELEVEN
Malt Beverage with Coffee Added

TEN
Imperial American Extra Special Double Red Ale