Captain Lawrence Kolsh Beer Review & Tasting | Craft Beer Reviews

Eric & I love Captain Lawrence. Here we are tasting the Kolsh. Eric has never even heard of a kolsh and I very rarely drink them. To me it's more like a warm spring day beer. Sort of the first lighter beer after Winter.

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Marcus Guiliano, Chef and Owner of Aroma Thyme Bistro located in Ellenville, NY in the scenic Hudson Valley. Aroma Thyme is know 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.
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My Chef H Rating System

100 pts perfection, most likey not available because I will try to buy everything that is available
95-99 pts- this beer rocks, go out of your way to get some
90-94 pts- awesome beer all around
85-89 pts- solid beer, but maybe lacking one quality like finish, body, nose
80-84 pts- depending on the price it's a toss up. This beer is just ok and may be lacking two qualities like finish, body and/or nose
70-79 pts- not recommended, has no like-able qualities
under 69 pts- just a mistake or maybe stored wrong. off notes and you will most likely pour it down drain

New Strongest Beer Weights in at 60%

Dutch brewer claims world’s strongest beer

By Ben Berkowitz, REUTERS

Last Updated: July 29, 2010 10:58am

AMSTERDAM - A Dutch brewer with a penchant for competition has laid claim to creating the world’s strongest brew: a beer that is some 60% alcohol by volume.

“You don’t drink it like beer, but like a cocktail — in a nice whisky or cognac glass,” brewer Jan Nijboer told Dutch news agency ANP.

Nijboer’s Almere-based brewery, ‘t Koelschip (The Refrigerated Ship), sells the new beer, which is 120 proof and dubbed “Start the Future,” in a one-third litre bottle for $45 each.

Nijboer told ANP he developed the new brew to keep up with Scottish outfits that were also pushing the boundaries of beer’s alcohol content.

His previous record-holder, a beer called Oblix that was 90 proof (45% alcohol by volume), was eclipsed by a Scottish beer that reached 55%.

That beer, dubbed “The End of History,” was announced last week by a small brewery called BrewDog. Only 12 bottles were made, each housed inside a stuffed dead animal and sold starting at $780 each.

“It has become a little competition,” Nijboer said. “You should see it as a joke.”

Keegan Hurrican Supper Kitty

We have 2009 Supper Kitty say no more. www.aromathymebistro.com

The New Hipster Beer, PBR is Making a Comeback

Marcus & Eric are tasting Eric's favorite summer beer today, PBR. PBR is an American classic that that gaining popularity again.

Cask Beer Night, Gearys Hampshire Special Ale, August 13th 2010

Cask Beer is back Friday August 13th, 2010 at Aroma Thyme Bistro in Ellenville NY. Chef/Owner Marcus Guiliano is pleased to announce the second Friday of every month as Cask Beer Night! The tapping starts at 3pm and goes until the cask is empty. Aroma Thyme will we serving Gearys Hampshire Special Ale.

Gearys Hampshire Special Ale
Hampshire has a huge toasted malt flavor balanced by assertive hoppiness. The finish is long and lingering with the malt and hop notes blending with alcohol warmth. Two row English malts (pale, crystal and chocolate); Cascade, Mt. Hood and East Kent Golding hops.

Availability: year round
Original gravity: 1070
Two row English Malt (pale, crystal and chocolate); Cascade, Mt Hood and East Kent Golding hops.

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CASK-CONDITIONED BEER ('REAL ALE') IN THE U.S.A.
What exactly is real ale?
Cask-conditioned beer, often referred to as 'real ale', is brewed from only traditional ingredients and allowed to mature naturally.

The unfiltered, unpasteurized beer still contains live yeast, which continues conditioning the beer in the cask (known as 'secondary fermentation'); this process creates a gentle, natural CO2 carbonation and allows malt and hop flavors to develop, resulting in a richer tasting drink with more character than standard keg ('brewery-conditioned') beers.

Real ale is always served without any extraneous gas, usually by manually pulling it up from the cellar with a handpump (also known as a 'beer engine'). This is the traditional way of brewing and serving beer; only a few decades ago did filtered, pasteurized, chilled beer served by gas become normal.

The only place in the world where cask-conditioned beer is still commonly available is Britain.
Is there much difference to keg beer?
Keg beers are generally sterile filtered and pasteurized as part of the brewing process. This kills the yeast, preventing any further conditioning, and the beer is then racked into sealed, gas-pressurized kegs. Such beers generally taste blander than their cask-conditioned counterparts, and the use of flash-chillers or cold rooms (*very* cold!) is standard as part of the serving process. That said, some microbrewers rack cask beer into kegs - though these are usually served with extraneous gas.

In many common brands of keg beer, cheap ingredients ('adjuncts') such as rice or maize are mixed with the malt to cut costs, but resulting in a 'light' beer with hardly any aroma or flavor. Chilling and the absorption of extraneous gas jointly mask the lack of flavor - with carbon dioxide you get an unnaturally fizzy pint; with nitrogen (or mixed gas with a larger nitrogen ratio) you get a pint with an unnaturally smooth and creamy head - either way these beers are always refreshing but usually taste of very little. Micro-breweries generally avoid the use of cheap adjuncts, so their keg products usually taste far superior to the nationally available brands. Also, all beers imported from Germany are required by that country's laws to be free of non-traditional ingredients.

I'm not criticizing all keg beers, simply outlining the often little-known qualities of real ale by comparison. There are many really tasty ales which are 'keg' (but plenty more which aren't tasty!), though well-kept cask versions of the same brands would undoubtedly be found to be even more flavorsome if compared side-by-side.
But keg beer is 'normal' -
what's it got that real ale hasn't?
Keg beers have a much longer shelf life, especially when compared to a partially full cask. Real ales have to be manually vented and tapped, and left to settle (or the customer gets a cloudy pint due to the presence of yeast and protein - though harmless if drunk like this). Also, real ale will start to taste of vinegar (known as 'oxidising') if left in a part-full cask for too long. This is caused by acetic acid forming from a reaction with oxygen in the atmosphere.

Keegan Mother's Milk Stout Tasting.m4v

It's time for some Keegan Ales Mother's Milk. Keegan is a local brewey for us here in the Hudson Valley. And their Mother's Milk is one awesome stout. www.aromathymebistro.com

Ommegang Hennepin Ale Tasting & Review

Ommegang makes awesome Belgium style ales in in upstate NY. Kevin and Marcus are tasting their Hennepin.

Hudson Valley Restaurants Aroma Thyme Bistro

2nd Annual International Great Beer Expo

Click here to view photos from the 2009 International Great Beer Expo!

Join us for the 2nd Annual International Great Beer Expo

30+ Brewers/75+ Brews

Set on the great lawn nestled into the picturesque property at the Neversink Valley Area Museum in Cuddebackville, NY, the INTERNATIONAL GREAT BEER EXPO will be held on Saturday, July 24th, from 2-6PM.

Orange County’s best international beer festival will feature more than 30 international breweries from across the globe presenting more than 75 of their finest brews for sampling.

The event will take place rain or shine on Saturday, July 24, 2010, from 2:00pm – 6:00pm (doors open at 1:30).

General admission tickets are $40 ($55 at the door if tickets are still available) and include a tasting glass and the ability to sample 2 oz. pours from any participating brewery.

A pay-one-price ticket allows adults 21+ to enjoy a fun day of beer sampling, beer education, and live entertainment. The event will help raise funds for the Neversink Valley Area Museum.

The 2nd Annual International Great Beer Expo July 24, 2010

Be there to experience the flavors of award-winning brews from prestigious U.S. and international brewers.

The event will be held at the Neversink Valley Area Museum in Cuddebackville, NY (Orange County). A limited number of tickets will be sold, but everyone who purchases a ticket will get in. Tickets are sold in a limited quantity to insure that everyone who purchases a ticket will be able to sample the beers they want and move around with ease. No tickets will be sold once the event sells out. The event will take place rain or shine, under a tent, on the grounds of the Neversink Valley Area Museum.

There will be plenty of water and food available for purchase, special demonstrations and entertaining programming. If you really love great beer, this is festival for you. The beer list will continue to grow as more brewers sign on, so check back often.

The event will feature great food from local vendors and music from local performers. Click here to see the food that will be available at the expo. It will also feature special programming by experts in their field. The event will help raise funds for the Neversink Valley Area Museum. The event is produced by Starfish Junction Productions.

Lagunita's Lucky #13 Cask Beer Night at Aroma Thyme Bistro

Cask Beer Night is this Friday July 9th at Aroma Thyme Bistro in Ellenville NY. Our next cask beer is Lagunita's Luck #13. The cask is taped at 3pm and goes until it is empty.


Lagunita's Lucky #13

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
From the first day of the first mash of the first recipe in the first space to this oasis 13 years on the road; We have worked hard to walk in the footsteps of our hero brewers. The Esteemed brewer of California's best Pale Ale, the Noble Brewer of the planet's only legal Steam Beer, and Oregon's Rebel Brewer from Newport. Thirteen years down the road, we have found our own voice as brewers but our admiration for the Great Ones has not dimmed one bit. If we walked well down the hero's path ourselves, perhaps we too have been an inspiration for others. Beer is a Bronze Age business and we feel honored to have left our footprints on its path into history, at the same time leaving our flavors on your buds. Thanks for your trust over the years and we hope you enjoy this specially brewed Hi-Gravity Auburn offering. Beer Speaks. People Mumble!


******************

CASK-CONDITIONED BEER ('REAL ALE') IN THE U.S.A.
What exactly is real ale?
Cask-conditioned beer, often referred to as 'real ale', is brewed from only traditional ingredients and allowed to mature naturally.

The unfiltered, unpasteurized beer still contains live yeast, which continues conditioning the beer in the cask (known as 'secondary fermentation'); this process creates a gentle, natural CO2 carbonation and allows malt and hop flavors to develop, resulting in a richer tasting drink with more character than standard keg ('brewery-conditioned') beers.

Real ale is always served without any extraneous gas, usually by manually pulling it up from the cellar with a handpump (also known as a 'beer engine'). This is the traditional way of brewing and serving beer; only a few decades ago did filtered, pasteurized, chilled beer served by gas become normal.

The only place in the world where cask-conditioned beer is still commonly available is Britain.
Is there much difference to keg beer?
Keg beers are generally sterile filtered and pasteurized as part of the brewing process. This kills the yeast, preventing any further conditioning, and the beer is then racked into sealed, gas-pressurized kegs. Such beers generally taste blander than their cask-conditioned counterparts, and the use of flash-chillers or cold rooms (*very* cold!) is standard as part of the serving process. That said, some microbrewers rack cask beer into kegs - though these are usually served with extraneous gas.

In many common brands of keg beer, cheap ingredients ('adjuncts') such as rice or maize are mixed with the malt to cut costs, but resulting in a 'light' beer with hardly any aroma or flavor. Chilling and the absorption of extraneous gas jointly mask the lack of flavor - with carbon dioxide you get an unnaturally fizzy pint; with nitrogen (or mixed gas with a larger nitrogen ratio) you get a pint with an unnaturally smooth and creamy head - either way these beers are always refreshing but usually taste of very little. Micro-breweries generally avoid the use of cheap adjuncts, so their keg products usually taste far superior to the nationally available brands. Also, all beers imported from Germany are required by that country's laws to be free of non-traditional ingredients.

I'm not criticizing all keg beers, simply outlining the often little-known qualities of real ale by comparison. There are many really tasty ales which are 'keg' (but plenty more which aren't tasty!), though well-kept cask versions of the same brands would undoubtedly be found to be even more flavorsome if compared side-by-side.
But keg beer is 'normal' -
what's it got that real ale hasn't?
Keg beers have a much longer shelf life, especially when compared to a partially full cask. Real ales have to be manually vented and tapped, and left to settle (or the customer gets a cloudy pint due to the presence of yeast and protein - though harmless if drunk like this). Also, real ale will start to taste of vinegar (known as 'oxidising') if left in a part-full cask for too long. This is caused by acetic acid forming from a reaction with oxygen in the atmosphere.

Ommegang Zuur Beer review

Ommegang Zuur is out. Eric & I taste Ommegang's new Flemish Sour Brown Ale.
Ommegang Zuur Flemishg Sour Brown Ale:
Aroma is a nice balance of malt and acidic sourness and light cherry character. Very refreshing and not overly acidic. slightly hazy brownish red with a nice reddish brown, tightly beaded head. the sourness is not overly tart, very well balanced and pleasant slight malt sweetness provides some balance.