The first beer dinner, dubbed the Petrol-Beaver Dinner because of the collaboration with Ben Fullelove of the Petrol Station, was such a success that they collaborated on a second round just a few months later, and most recently, the clandestine beer dinner during Houston Beer Week 2011. So this, yet-to-be-named beer dinner, makes four.

This beer dinner was different; instead of Ben acquiring the beers and helping JJ pair them with food, it was Kyle White. Kyle is a good friend of mine, one of the most knowledgeable beer people I know, and works for Duff Beer Distribution. Also in the kitchen were three other chefs, Randy Rucker of the now defunct Conāt, and previously of Bootsie’s and Rainbow Lodge, Alvin Schultz from  Season 2 of MasterChef, and Troy Witherspoon from Petrol Station. Definitely a treat to have so much talent in the house, and for $85 it was worth it to me.

Appetizers:
Jester King La Petite Prince (Gravity Keg) paired with Fried Hominy, Popcorn with grapefruit zest, pepper and cumin, a mason jar of Ling Confit, and a jar pickles

To start, we had a gravity keg of La Petit Prince, a Farmhouse Table Beer by Jester kIng. Aptly named, as it is only 2.9% ABV, but full of flavor as most Jester king beers are. Troy dusted bowls of popcorn with grapefruit zest, pepper, cumin and a few other things I don’t remember, but it was addicting, as was the fried hominy. The small group of 33 or 34 hung out on the enormous patio enjoying the warm evening, until dinner started around 8.

At the table inside, before the first course, there were mason jars with two different little treats. The first was Ling fish confit with cauliflower and other vegetables and the second was pickles, prepared by Troy Witherspoon. I love pickles, so that was a no-brainer, plus Troy is very adept at the art of pickling. I got some pickled raspberries to go! The fish confit was a bit weird at first, but was very rich and salty, a great compliment to beer.

1st Course:
Baird Brewing Carpenter’s Mikan Ale paired with Ceviche: Salmon, Ling, Citrus, Chile & Herb

The beer in the first course is the only beer from the dinner I hadn’t had yet, the Carpenter’s Mikan Ale by Baird Brewing in Japan. This beer is brewed with the Japanese fruit of the same name. Mikan is like a tangerine, and it was reflected well in the slightly sweet and tangy beer with a hint of citrus hops. Mikan Ale is dry hopped with Cascade, which I wouldn’t normally like, but the extra citrus flavor went so well with the ceviche. The ceviche was such a good mix of tangy and hot, with good texture contrast between the smooth fish and crunchy radish slivers. JJ is known for his ceviches, and it’s almost required on his menus.

Carpenter’s Mikan Ale- Baird Brewing

Salmon & Ling Ceviche

2nd Course:
Brasserie Fantôme Saison paired with Arugula Salad, Carnitas, Pepitas, Grapefruit-Pequin Vinaigrette, Citrus Segments, Grilled Queso Fresco

The peppery arugula with its tangy-hot vinaigrette worked well with the slightly acidic, peppery Fantôme Saison. The carnitas were almost unnecessary, but who turns down pork? I sure don’t. The fatty, delicious pork did help cut the acid and spices from the beer and the rest of the salad.

Saison- Brasserie Fantôme

Arugula Salad

3rd Course:
The Alchemist Heady Topper paired with Seared Diver Scallops, Peruvian Wheat Risotto, Grilled Tomato Jus

Heady Topper was my least favorite beer of the night, to be expected though, as it is a double IPA. Admittedly, not my favorite style. The scallops, however, were so phenomenal. Rich and creamy with a perfect sear, and portioned well especially for me, I tend to like smaller pieces of scallop. The Peruvian wheat risotto was creamy and definitely new to me but was a great vehicle for the grilled tomato jus. I’m sure Heady Topper was a great pairing, but the bitter hop flavor was too much for me, I gave it away to an excited hophead.

The Alchemist Heady Topper & Seared Diver Scallops

4th Course:
New Belgium Lips of Faith Cocoa Mole paired with Anticuchos: Black Hill Ranch Lamb Heart, Sweet Potato, Ancho Chile

I really like Cocoa Mole, it’s chocolatey and spiced up with cinnamon, and ancho, guajillo, and chipotle peppers. This beer complimented the creamy sweet potatoes,  spicy ancho chile sauce and rich, melt-in-your-mouth lamb heart medallions. Neither the beer nor dish was lost against the other, each were big enough to stand alone, but definitely paired well together. I’m really enjoying trying different animal hearts lately, most recently the signature dish at brand-new Oxheart. The heart is so decadent, tender and silky in texture with a great lamb taste. This came in for 2nd place for me among the dishes of the dinner.

New Belgium Lips of Faith Cocoa Mole

Anticuchos- Lamb heart

5th Course:
Jester King/ Mikkeller Beer Geek Rodeo  paired with Tablas and Birria: Braised Short Ribs, Black Hill Goat, Roasted Beets, Guajillo Chile

This dish was prepared by both Randy Rucker and Jonathan Jones and was paired with the newest collaboration beer between Jester King and gypsy brewer, Mikkeller. This Imperial Oatmeal Stout brewed with smoked malt, chipotle peppers and Vietnamese coffee is big in terms of ABV and flavor. It has a big body that is supported with pepper, dark chocolate, coffee and roasted malt notes. The beer was definitely the star of this pairing, but the goat was tender and the chile sauce bridged the gap between the beer and the meat. The braised short ribs were a little dry for me, but the roasted beets and chile sauce gave it some necessary moisture.

Jester King/ Mikkeller Beer Geek Rodeo & Tablas And Birria

6th Course:
New Glarus Raspberry Tart paired with Smoked Blue Cheese Ice Cream, Granola, Berries

I can’t even tell you how my heart sang at the idea of a cheese dessert, I even got seconds. The smoked bleu cheese ice cream was creamy, tangy and had an extra layer of richness with the smoke. The contrast in texture and flavor from the crunchy granola and berries helped balance out the decadence of the ice cream. Plus, pairing it with a crisp, tart raspberry beer made it my favorite pairing of the meal, by far. New Glarus makes amazing fruit beers, like the Cranbic and the Wisconsin Belgian Red. They only distribute in Wisconsin, so this was definitely a nice final beer.

New Glarus Raspberry Tart & Smoked Bleu Cheese Ice Cream

I really hope JJ does more beer dinners at Concepción, because this was stellar. Granted, half the beers are unavailable in the Texas but I’m still interested to see what he can do with more local, Texas beers. The pairings were well executed, and while some dishes were a bit adventurous they were still approachable. Kudos to Kyle on his first beer dinner and job well done by JJ, yet again.

This camp beer featured 12 beers, smaller than the usual 20 or so, but having more than 12 sours would bring on palate fatigue and probably “sour belly” for some people.  I am fortunate that I have had all but one or two of these previously, so I knew what I was getting into, and most of this group of beers are on the more mild side of the sour spectrum. The beers were divided up into 3 rounds of 4 beers each, with breaks in between. Round one:

Camp Beer X: Sourpalooza- Round 1

Jolly Pumpkin Luciérnaga (The Firefly) | Belgian Pale Ale | 6.5% ABV
This beer, brewed in the Grand Cru tradition, features coriander and grains of paradise. It’s aroma gives you the sense that it will be tart, but that is the funky yeast smell which also dominates the flavor. Not sour at all, but dry and yeasty.

Crooked Stave Wild Wild Brett Orange (WWBO) | American Wild Ale | 6% ABV
Last year during GABF, we took a trip to Fort Collins to visit some of the local breweries, and Crooked Stave, who shares a facility with Funkwerks, was one of them. We tried both the WWBO and the Wild Wild Brett Rouge (WWBR, the next beer) while there, and while not quite tart enough for me, both lovely beers. The WWBO has a great funky brett and citrus aroma. The mouthfeel is dry and has a great slightly funky and citrus flavor. It is a light -bodied and refreshing beer. The citrus flavors come from oranges and coriander, great for the summer if you want something a little different than your standard poolside beer.

Crooked Stave Wild Wild Brett Rouge (WWBR) | American Wild Ale | 5.2% ABV
WWBR is brewed with Hawthorne berries, rose hips and hibiscus, giving the aroma a great floral note to go with the funky brettanomyces. It was a too carbonated for my tastes and very dry. The WWBR is less tart than the Orange, but the floral and citrus flavors combined with the earthy Brettanomyces is a great combination.

Odell Friek | American Wild Ale | 6.5% ABV
Friek, a little play on the word Kriek ( lambic style beer made with cherries), is a combination of the framboise and kriek styles, where it is fermented with cherries, aged in oak barrels, and finally, before the last blend, local raspberries are added. This beer has great cherry and raspberry flavors without being cloyingly sweet. It was a little dry and made your jowls pucker ever so slightly.

After a nice “break beer’, the Gingerbread Stout from Buffalo Bayou Brewing- the newest guys on the block, we started round 2.

Camp Beer X: Sourpalooza- Round 2

Jolly Pumpkin La Roja | American Wild Ale | 7.2% ABV
La Roja is brewed in the Flanders style, barrel aged and then it is blended from barrels that are anywhere from 2 to 10 months old. It is also unpasteurized and unfiltered. The aroma is acidic, slightly fruity and has earthy yeast and oak notes as well. The taste combines everything in the aroma and has a slightly sweet flavor as well. The acidity is nicely balanced with the sweet and earthy flavors.

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire | Saison | 4.3% ABV
Bam Noire was the darkest, most full-bodied Jolly pumpkin at the tasting, but not my favorite. It was very dry, and some of the nuanced flavors purported to be present seemed muddled to me, though acidity and a bit of fruity sourness was present, that’s about all I got.

Crooked Stave Pure Guava Petite Sour | American Wild Ale | 4.5% ABV
After the room got a whiff of this beer, the sound of everyone simultaneously puring the beer out into their buckets seemed to fill the room. Scaredy cats! Admittedly the aroma of funky, stinky cheese (some likened it to vomit) probably turns most people off of drinking anything, much less a beer, I soldiered through it. Bacteria and yeasts do whatever they please in a beer and sometimes it creates a really off-putting aroma. The beer is very light-bodied and a little dry. I did not taste any guava, but I’m sure it was the funk of the brettanomyces taking over everything in that beer. It is brewed with wheat and oats and also has coriander and sumac spices, but that all seemed to be lost.

The Bruery Saison Rue | Saison | 8.5% ABV
The aroma on this beer is dominated by rye and spices, it has a dry mouthfeel and spiced flavor. There is a hint of some fruit and sweetness, but that is quickly taken over by some bitterness on the end. No acidity or tartness to be found, though it is a good example of the breadth of the sasion/farmhouse category. This is probably my least favorite beer from the Bruery, which is relative because everything I’ve had from them is fantastic. The Hottenroth Berliner Weisse would have been a great addition to this tasting.

We had another break with another stout, that I don’t remember, but it helped cleanse the palate for the final round! 

Camp Beer X: Sourpalooza- Round 3

Rodenbach Grand Cru | Flanders Red Ale | 6% ABV
This Flanders was the only beer in the line-up that wasn’t American made. The aroma is full of vinegar and a certain sweetness from some dark fruits. The taste is very acidic, mouth puckering- probably the most sour beer of the day. It is also slightly sweet and full-bodied. I’ve had this several times and continue to notice different nuances beside the sourness each time; I think my palate is used to the sour now and it isn’t a shock every time I take a sip.

Telegraph Reserve Wheat Ale | Berliner Weissbier | 5% ABV
I really liked this one, it was pretty different from the rest of the line-up. While technically a Berliner weisse, it is brewed with wheat and they add lemon verbena, lactobacillus, and brettanomyces.  This gave the taste a yogurt and tart flavor that was dry on the tongue and very light-bodied.

Russian River Supplication | American Wilde Ale | 7% ABV
Russian River’s sours are as highly regarded as their famed IPA- Pliny the Elder. Supplication is aged in Pinot Noir barrels with cherries added in. The aroma is very acidic and you get hints of the cherries and oak. This beer isn’t for the faint of heart, your mouth will pucker (I love it!). You can taste the cherries without it being sweet and it is very dry on the finish.

Russian River Consecration | American Wild Ale | 10% ABV
Consecration is a bit more tame than Supplication in my opinion, though it is more full-bodied and sweeter, almost sticky. The sweetness in the aroma and taste come from black currants they add in before aging it. They also add brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus to each Cabernet barrel before it sits. Don’t get me wrong, it is quite sour- just not as much as Supplication.

Once again, another excellent Camp Beer! In June camp beer will feature ciders and other refreshing summer beers, I personally hope to see some Berliner Weisses! Then, in September we will see Stoutapalooza again, and to round out the year Cathy hopes to put together a special all Cantillon tasting for December.  Also, mark your calendars- Houston Beer week will be November 10-17th!

When you get to know Ben Fullelove, owner of The Petrol Station- one of the best craft beer bars in Houston, you’ll find out he has 4 kids, an awesome wife, and a sweet Lincoln. You’ll also discover that Ben’s dream is to open a brewery by the time he is 40. Legally, he can’t do this in Texas because he owns Petrol Station, says the alcoholic beverage code. So, how does one who can’t build a brewery in Texas realize those dreams? Contract brewing. Ben does not have licensing in any state to brew, but he has his brand- Brash Brewing, his recipes, and the funds to have someone else brew beer for him. Fullelove is the first to admit he is not a seasoned home brewer, but he is one of the most knowledgeable guys out there when it comes to beer. Ben has invested his time in reading and studying everything about the brewing process, hop varietals, and different malts and yeasts, so that he can develop recipes for beers that he wants to brew. It should come as no surprise that you won’t find a pale ale or an amber in Brash’s line-up, those aren’t Ben’s style.

So, when Gregg Berman, Owner of Clown Shoes Beer (who also contract brews) gave Ben the opportunity to join them at Mercury Brewing, home to Clown Shoes, Ipswich and several other beer brands, Ben jumped on it. Mercury reached capacity at their current facility but they are moving to a new location that will also be a brewpub, where all of the contracted beers can be sold.

Ben is visiting the Boston area in a few weeks to taste the first beer from Brash, a collaboration with Clown Shoes called Pimp. For this double brown ale, Clown Shoes will be brewing a double batch of Brown Angel, but of course it isn’t the regular 7% Brown Angel- they are ramping it up to 10% for this collaboration. Ben’s half is sort of a cross between a Belgian and a British brown- he used a bunch of Belgian aromatics and a ton of Belgian chocolate, with black patent malts, and surprisingly, not much hops. This beer is only being made once- 750 cases and a few kegs, so we will be lucky if it even makes it to Texas.

While in Boston, Ben will also be tasting his second beer from Brash- an imperial IPA. What a surprise! If you know Ben or visit Petrol enough, you know his taps are dominated by big hoppy beers. The Imperial IPA will be called The Bollocks; the recipe has 9 hop varieties, plus it will be double dry hopped, twice, and it is well over 100 IBUs. This probably won’t be my cup of tea, but no surprise there. The name and label design pull from Ben’s English heritage- featuring a British bobby cop and a Union Jack, in fact, almost all of his beer names and label designs will feature some recognizable English motif. We may not even see Ben’s beers, unless we get some trades going, or someone brings it back to Texas in a suitcase. They are still working out distribution issues- because Ben owns Petrol, and he will be making money off of the Brash beers, there may be a conflict in the TABC code.

By the end of 2012 Brash plans to release 4 beers, including the collaboration. After Pimp and The Bollocks, the next beer will be an imperial coffee milk stout called Smoglifter. The name comes from a coffee from Ben’s roasting days that he used to sell to Central Market. The label features our beloved Houston skyline in the background, but the complete design isn’t finished so I can’t share anything just yet. After Smoglifter will come a “regular” IPA in cans, called Droogs, a reference to the film A Clockwork Orange. He has over 10 recipes being worked on, like a Barleywine with French Oak chips that will be called Good Morning Wood, and a Belgian Strong ale as well.

The beers will start debuting in late summer in the Boston area and several other big markets in the Northeast, after Mercury moves into their new place in June, Brash will get going on their beers. Ben says he, “is trying not to get too excited”, and expects the criticism of his beers to be stronger than with other new beers in our market; Ben is honest in his opinions of beer and sometimes that doesn’t sit too well with brewers, especially as a high profile bar owner. Though, personally, if Ben did anything less than have the big, in-your-face beers brewed that he loves, I would be disappointed. This attitude is exactly where the name, Brash Brewing, came from. Sacha, Ben’s wife, came up with it and it definitely embodies Ben’s personality, his taste in beers, and the way he runs his business.

There are other options Ben is pursuing where brewing in Texas is concerned; he could turn Petrol Station into a brewpub. I’ve been told this has a good possibility of happening after they remodel the kitchen and acquire and develop the lot behind their current deck/outside patio area. Ben told me that he hopes contract brewing with Brash will allow him the opportunity to build a brewery here in Texas in the future, if the laws get changed. He hopes that going before the state of Texas after a year or more of making money in another state, because he can’t own a brewing business in Texas, will be eye-opening to our legislature that the beverage code needs an overhaul. Ben isn’t a political guy at all, but when Texas’ laws are standing in the way of obtaining his lifelong dream to own a brewery, he is willing to make a stand.

Let’s all hope that Texas’ beverage code does not stand in the way of tasting Brash Brewing Beers, there might be riots and chaos otherwise. Ben was trying really hard to keep this news under wraps for a while longer, but Gregg outed him last week in a post on the Clown Shoes blog. But, to the doubters, he wants everyone to remember Sam Adams’ humble beginnings as a contract brewer. I appreciate Ben taking the time to sit down with me to chat, hopefully we will have more news about the beers coming into Texas soon!

Revolver Brewing, Granbury, Texas

Back in July of 2011, Revolver Brewing popped onto the social media scene on Twitter. Shortly thereafter, they closed on a property of just over 16 acres in Granbury, Texas, about 35 minutes southwest of Fort Worth. The Revolver crew chose Granbury to be closer to family, though one of the team members is originally from Houston.

I first saw the name Revolver Brewing on their TABC permit applications; they have since received those, along with TTB permits and all of the necessary Development and Compliance permits from the county for construction. I did a little investigating and emailed one of the founders, Rhett Keisler, about getting an interview. He kindly told me to be patient while they got everything together, and just when I thought they had forgotten about me, Rhett emailed me back answering all of my questions!

So, just who are these guys, in small town Texas, opening a brewery? Well, there are 3 employees right now, one of which may seem familiar to you. Grant Wood, Revolver’s brewer, comes to them from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams), where he worked for the last 16 years. Some of his accolades while at Sam Adams include being the team leader for their “High Alcohol Brewing Projects”, which produced the world record holding Millennium and Utopia beers. Grant is originally from Texas, and has decided to return home this week to get their brewery started.The third partner is Ron Keisler, Rhett’s father, an instrumental part of their team since the very beginning. Their operation is wholly financed by their family.

Revolver plans to open in the summer of this year, and of course, host tastings and tours out on their property. They are actually looking for a DFW sales rep if anyone is interested! Rhett wouldn’t divulge any of their planned beers, but I’m sure with the experienced people behind them we can expect great things. They have purchased a customized 30 barrel brewhouse and tanks from Silver State Stainless in Nevada. They don’t plan to package any of their beers for the foreseeable future. He did note that, “It would be wonderful for our customers to have the right to buy craft beer to take home from our brewery. Texas wineries do it every day and have proven that this model works. We appreciate advocacy groups like Open the Taps that push for reducing those restrictions.”

How does one decide to open a brewery? For many it is a mere pipe dream. Rhett explained that after graduating from the University of Texas in the late nineties, he took a trip to Munich with his brother and had a realization about, “not only to what beer could be, but the way it is locally produced and respected as a food source. Texans are now doing the same thing – they are thinking about their beer the way they think about their barbeque.”

Out of curiosity, I asked, “Why the name Revolver Brewing?” To which he answered, “The revolver pistol is an iconic symbol of self-sufficiency in the American West. We hope to bring a bit of that spirit to our little brewing company.” I can’t imagine anything better.

You can follow Revolver Brewing on Facebook & Twitter to keep up with their progress!

Luckily, I didn’t have to look too far.

As someone who has watched many a home brew session (hey, I stir and stuff!), I have had the pleasure of seeing the many wonders present at DeFalco’s, arguably Houston’s best (and now only?) home brew supply store. If you have ever been, you know the two most knowledgeable guys in the store, James McDonald and Andrew Byrd. Though, you probably know them as “Jimmy”/”Biddy Red” and “Horse”, respectively. These guys know their way around hops, malts, equipment and the brewing process inside and out. So naturally, being frequent guests of the old Moon Tower and friends with the management, when the opportunity came up to start a brewery on-site at the Moon Tower space, they were the first choice. If you have ever had the beer they have been home brewing for over 6 years now, you know this was a stellar choice in brewers. Although the home brewing community will be sad to lose their expertise at the store, I (and surely everyone else) am excited for their new venture into the brewing world, their passion.

James & Andrew, in their natural state.

One of the two new shipping containers being used to renovate the old space, to expand the kitchen and the tap wall to 42 taps, will be a walk-in cooler for cold storage. The brewhouse will be set-up in part of the office space, behind the old ordering counter. I wasn’t even aware there was an office. They have a 3 1/2 barrel brewhouse on order from Portland Kettleworks and are expecting delivery in mid-February. That’s definitely cutting it close to the planned February reopening. To go with the shiny new brewhouse they also have two 7 barrel fermenters, meaning that they will be doing double batches for their standard beers. They also have two 1/2 barrel fermenters for special one-off beers. None of the brewhouse is automated, every step of the process will rely on the manual know-how from James and Andrew, though I don’t think that should worry anyone.

James and Andrew will have 2 of the 42 taps to start off with. One will usually be their flagship “Second Ward Stout”, the recipe for which they are tweaking; they have even brewed a few special versions of the stout, including a vanilla whiskey version. The other designated tap will be a rotating brew, basically whatever they feel like brewing. They have been given the reigns to the brewing side of the new Moon Tower-Inn, and I am confident that this was a wise choice.

They definitely plan to have growler sales and even a special Moon Tower-Inn pint night every so often featuring their house brews. Even though James wouldn’t say who, they also want to do some collaboration brews with other local brewers (the list isn’t that long). Of course, they plan to have beer dinners, or regularly available pairings to go with the awesome hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches and whatever else they put on the new menu. With the expansion of the kitchen, I can’t see them not adding items to the menu. They are even putting in bathrooms!

For now, it looks as though the only thing holding them back is the construction and arrival of equipment. Though I was told permits are in place, I didn’t see anything with Moon Tower in the TABC database, so apparently the permits are under some secret name, or have yet to be filed. Either way, this addition to the Houston craft beer scene should be welcomed with open arms. Not only is Moon Tower-Inn a great hang out spot, and a perfect place for live music, they will soon feature house made brews by some of the most talented guys in our city. Hopefully we will have more information soon on their grand reopening. I tried to convince James that he needs a twitter to tell everyone what they are up to, but I don’t think he bought it just yet.

You can follow Moon Tower-Inn on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with their progress.

Shiner R&B- photo by Aktherine O'Brien (http://www.katherineobrien.com/)

Randy prepared a 5 course menu with 5 Texas beers from all over the state, truly a fantastic representation of styles and breweries from Texas. It was also quite impressive for a bar in Shiner, Texas, population +/-2,000. Randy works very hard to get great beer for his bar, and it definitely showed at the dinner. Before the dinner I finally got to try one of Shiner’s new beers from their Brewer’s Pride series, the Ryes and Shine Rye Lager. I first saw news about the new beer back in October on Beer News (where else?) and knew I would have to have it. It was delicious, the chocolate and rye malts gave it sweet, caramel flavors and was a full-flavored light beer. Shiner does very well in that category.

Shiner Ryes & Shine

On to the dinner…

1st Course:
Citrus Salad with poached red snapper, gulf shrimp, fennel | Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #11

Citrus Salad & DR11

You know you’re in for a treat wen the first beer of the night is Saint Arnold’s wildly popular Double IPA from their Divine Reserve Series. Saint Arnold is making this a year-round offering, to the delight of Houston’s hop heads. I am not a big fan of this beer, but I, admittedly, do not like most IPAs. However, the citrus and seafood in the salad helped to cut through the bitterness and I quite enjoyed them both together. The fennel didn’t give off too much licorice flavor, and the crunch was a nice contrast in textures from the soft fish.

2nd Course:
Homemade Späetzle with fried onions, local oyster mushrooms | Shiner Old Time Alt

Späetzle & Shiner Old Time Ale

Beside the Ryes & Shine I had before dinner, Shiner’s Old Time Alt is another beer I have wanted to try. It only comes as part of the family reunion packs which is unfortunate, because I would definitely buy a 6-pack of this alone. If you want to try it, you may need to get a hold of it sooner rather than later, as it’s run at the brewery is over. The pairing was perfect, homemade späetzle with a German style brown ale. The mushrooms gave the späetzle a very earthy flavor and the fried onions were a nice contrast in texture. It needed a touch of salt, but I tend to put salt on everything. The Alt has a great caramel flavor and is truly a session beer at 4.2% ABV.

3rd Course:
Chicken Fried Axis, sweet potatoes, kurant “gravy” | Real Ale WT3F?!

Axis & Real Ale WT3F?!

This was, by far, my favorite pairing of the night. When I first tried WT3F?! I wanted it to be sour, but the brettanomyces plays very well with the barrel aged Tripel. There are great grassy and citrus notes to balance the funk of the Brett and the creamy mouthfeel I expect from Belgians. Axis is a variety of deer, originally from India, but transplanted in Texas some time ago. The coolest part of Axis deer (besides eating it) is their antlers; there is a period of time when their antlers have velvet on them. Anyway, the Axis was chicken-fried to perfection. The meat was juicy and tender, some of the best deer meat I’ve had (don’t tell my father). The sweet potatoes and kurant gravy were great accents to the Axis, giving it a sweet flavor that went well with the WT3F?!.

4th Course:
Coffee rubbed, smoked Akaushi beef rib with balsamic reduction and bone marrow | Rahr & Sons Chicory Cask Winter Warmer

Akaushi Rib & Chicory Winter Warmer

Akaushi beef is Japanese Wagyū beef, and Randy gets this from someone locally. The ribs probably needed a bit longer on the smoker, though I don’t mind rare meat, and definitely were over-salted. The pairing, however, was great. The sweet, boozy, spicy chicory cask of Winter Warmer from Rahr paired well with the salt and richness from the beef. Bone marrow is always a treat, I smeared the fatty, creamy marrow on the Shiner beer bread that Randy has for patrons at the bar; it was an excellent accompaniment to the big, rich beer.

5th Course:
Vegan Crème Brûlée, chocolate covered bacon | Jester King Black Metal

Crème Brûlée & Black Metal

The crème brûlée might be the first vegan dish I have ever seen at a beer dinner, and probably the first dish I’ve had that was advertised that way. I definitely think the idea was good, but the execution was less than favorable. I didn’t taste anything that was remotely like crème brûlée, and I missed the crispy, caramelized sugar topping. Luckily, there was chocolate-covered bacon to save the day. The chocolate and salty smoky contrast of the bacon paired very well with the Black Metal on nitro. I love Black Metal; the graphics and label story are enough to buy a bottle without knowing it is a fantastic beer. Dark fruit, caramel, roastiness, molasses and chocolate notes combine for “face-melting awesomeness”, as Randy put it.

Beside the food and beer pairings, the demographic of the attendees had to be my favorite part of the dinner. I was the youngest person in the room (more so than usual!), it felt like I was at a beer dinner with my grandparents! Though many of them were admittedly just there for the food, they were at least trying the beers, which is definitely exciting. They know Randy very well and treat him like their son, supporting all of his ventures. Anyway, the dinner was excellent, as I expected, and I cannot wait to go back and visit again!

Brian and Jennifer Royo, the owners of No Label, were in attendance to talk to everyone about their brews and gave us a nice bit of information, No Label is acquiring more warehouse space soon. While this will probably push back their timeline for getting a bottling line installed, it will free up space for more beer! I feel like I have been watching No Label since their inception and entrance into the Houston craft beer scene and it has been great to see them be so successful; they have continued growing, brought on their assistant brewer, John, full-time, signed with a local craft distributor, and are venturing into new styles of beer.

The pre-dinner aperitif was a mug of warm Leprechaun cider, that was infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, and a warm gingerbread cookie by Bread & Batter, a local Houston bakery. The warm, spicy and just a touch of sweetness in the cider was a great pair for the soft gingerbread cookie. I have not ventured much into cider (the same goes for mead), except for the occasional snakebite, so I liked trying it warm, perfect for the chilly night we had in Houston.

1st Course:
Savory Fritter | No Label’s experimental sour (!)

Savory fritter & No Label's experimental sour.

We started the dinner with a wonderful savory fritter that had olives inside and topped with an herb-cream sauce. Though, when Brian said the beer was their first attempt at a sour, I couldn’t have cared less about the fritter. The pairing was fine, it’s difficult to pair foods with tart beers, but the cream sauce and saltiness of the fritter paired quite well with the beer. They did not use a traditional sour mash or any bacteria, Brian did not want to run the risk of contaminating their new system, but it was a great experiment. They used cherries and some lactic acid on top of their Ridgeback Amber ale. I would love to see them delve into this style more, and I have a feeling Jennifer may be able to convince Brian and John!

2nd Course:
Almond crostini, prosciutto, caramelized apple | No Label El Hefe Hefeweizen

Prosciutto Crostini & No Label El Hefe

I have had No Label’s hefeweizen many, many times, and after working out the bugs in their new system, it has stayed very consistent. Bananas. Lots of bananas.  The bananas went very well with the caramelized apples and almond bread. The spice and banana flavors mixed well with the slightly sweet bread and caramelized apples, and what doesn’t go well with a little cured ham? The almond crostini was made by Bread & Batter, and while I don’t like nuts (yes, even almonds) I didn’t get the chalky aftertaste that gives me an aversion to nuts in the first place.

3rd Course:
Potato and Bacon Puree | No Label Ridgeback Amber Ale

Bacon and Potato puree & No Label Ridgeback

I love potato soup, especially in the winter. The potato puree was warm and filling and had a nice contrast in texture and flavors from the bacon and onions. It paired very well with the Ridgeback amber ale, named after their Rhodesian, that has a great caramel and hop balance.

4th Course:
Marinated beet, carrot, cucumber and pickled cabbage salad | No Label Black Wit-o

marinated beet salad & No Label Black Wit-O

I’m not against beets, they are just not something I seek out while dining. That said, they were great. There was a definite spiciness to the marinade that was calmed down by the beer, though it would have been nice to have more marinade, as there were a lot of vegetables on the plate. The crunch of the vegetables was nice and went well with the crispy sweet potato straws. The heirloom tomatoes needed a touch of salt, but otherwise I was pleased with the mix of flavors and textures on the plate, though it felt a bit disjointed. No Label’s seasonal, Black Wit-O (a black wheat beer, if you want to categorize it somehow) was a good pairing for the spicy marinade. I love their seasonal, it is 7% ABV, but you would never know it. A great beer to teach people that a dark beer doesn’t necessarily equate to heavy or thick.

5th Course:
Slow roasted beef short ribs with spaghetti squash, tomato, figs and onions | No Label Pale Horse Pale Ale

Beef short ribs & No Label Pale Horse

As soon as I put my fork to the short rib, it fell right off the bone. It was tender, but could have used a little more salt (maybe this is me?). The spaghetti squash was cut to look like pasta and had the figs, onions and roasted tomatoes mixed in. The juices from the beef rib were great on top of the “pasta” and gave the meat the salt that I wanted. I was most surprised by how much I liked No Label’s Pale Horse. Previously it was a tad too bitter for my tastes, but we learned that Brian and John tweaked the recipe where the malts were concerned. They replaced the previous 2-row malt bill with Marris Otter, giving it a lovely, rich caramel and nutty flavor that balances out the hops nicely. I don’t generally gravitate toward pale ales ever, but this I will be drinking more of. It’s especially nice to have this style be so drinkable from a local brewery.

6th Course:
House made ice cream beer float | No Label Chocolate El Hefe Hefeweizen

Beer float & No Label Chocolate El Hefe

I was very excited to try No Label’s Chocolate El Hefe, a chocolate version of their hefeweizen. Brian and John used chocolate nibs in the brewing process and I think the end result is excellent. The aroma was like a roasted banana split with definite chocolate notes. The beer had the spice from their hefeweizen, but was balanced by the chocolate. The chocolate seemed to make the beer much creamier than the regular El Hefe as well. The house made ice cream melted into the beer before I got to try a solid bite of it, but the float was great. Spices, chocolate, with the effervescence from the beer and creamy ice cream made for a great dessert.

I was very impressed with the dinner, especially such an affordable one. I hope Ziggy’s continues to do dinners like this with No Label (and any other Houston brewery, for that matter) because it is a great to see local, available craft beers paired with great, comforting dishes. Thanks to Brian and Jennifer of No Label and Kevin and Chef Samantha Bryan of Ziggy’s for a great beer dinner, keep us posted on the next one!

]]> http://lushtastic.com/2011/12/08/no-label-beer-dinner-at-ziggys-bar-grill/feed/ 2 lushtastic 1stcourse 2ndcourse 3rdcourse 4thcourse 5thcourse 6thcourse http://lushtastic.com/2011/12/02/preview-buffalo-bayou-brewing-company/ http://lushtastic.com/2011/12/02/preview-buffalo-bayou-brewing-company/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:43:47 +0000 Leslie http://lushtastic.com/?p=4017 ]]>

Ever since I found out about Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company making plans to open In Houston, I have been following Rassul (the founder) and crew on their journey towards getting into production, securing the permits, and of course, taste testing some beer for them! I first spoke with Rassul back in June to get the story about the new brewery and his unique business model. He plans to have only two beers on the market at any given time; one flagship beer, the 1836 Copper Ale, and the other will be a frequently rotating one-off. Rassul spoke to a group of about 15 people last night at the brewery about not wanting to call these one-offs “seasonals”, as that implies a certain timing or certain style profile. Ryan Robertson, the brewmaster, was also on hand to explain his brewing processes, the “peculiar” ingredients they are using, and future beer plans.

We started off with their 1836 Copper Ale, their flagship beer. Not quite a session beer, at just under 6% ABV, but something you can definitely drink more than 1 of and not feel bad about it. It wasn’t too hoppy, had a nice balance between the malt and hop profiles, their version of a “light beer”. Truly a flagship, something you can drink year round.

Buffalo Bayou Brewing's Flagship Beer: 1836 Copper Ale

As a special treat, there were four food stations set up at the brewery, each with a different dish that incorporated Buff beer in their dishes, or was inspired by the flavors of the beer. First up was Matt Schlabach (of the upcoming City Acre Brewpub) with his 1836 beer bread topped with beef, pork, garlic, and jalapeno sausage (steamed in some of his own beer), beer mustard and homemade sauerkraut. He also had some pickled green tomatoes to pair with the brat. I love anything pickled, so of course this was a winner for me. The sausage was flavorful and the beer bread was fresh and soft. The mustard and sauerkraut went very well with 1836, a nice refreshing beer to cut the acidity and spiciness of the mustard and sauerkraut.

Buffalo Bayou Brewing 1836 Copper Ale & Matt Schlabach's Beer Bread and Brat

Next we tried Buff Brew’s Hibiscus wit beer. They took a very traditional wit recipe and added Hibiscus flowers and fresh ground ginger. I loved the aroma, the beer smelled like funky Belgian beer with a tropical flair, almost like it was going to be a little sour (a girl can dream!). Even if it wasn’t sour, it had great flavor, especially as it warmed up a bit, really letting the nuanced ginger and hibiscus shine through the heavy yeast and spice flavors. To accompany the hibiscus wit, Monica Pope had prepared a pickled shrimp dish with shaved beets, tarator sauce, and walnut macaroon. The acidity of the pickled shrimp and sweetness of the macaroon paired very well with the citrus notes of the hibiscus wit.

Buffalo Bayou Brewing Hibsicus Wit & Monica Pope's Shrimp and Macaroon dish

After the wit, we moved on to a side-by-side of sorts. We tried a Belgian Dubbel that Ryan made, then the same base beer, but with Brettanomyces added in during the early stages of secondary fermentation. When I think of Dubbel’s, I think about malty, spicy and slightly sweet beers; this was the case for Buff’s dubbel, it had a nice dark fruit, figs and raisins, characteristic, but it was hardly sweet. The 9% ABV was hidden very well, which is important to me in judging a beers “drinkability”. They aren’t trying to brew the quintessential dubbel and honestly, it would be hard to put any beer up next to the big boys in this category: Rochefort 8, Westy 8, Maredsous, etc.

The interesting part was tasting the same beer that had the Brett added to it. It played very well with the dubbel, not surprisingly. The Brettanomyces didn’t add a funky flavor (yet, I imagine the longer this beer sits, the funkier it will become) but rather, almost a sweet, citrus note that made for an interesting play with the spices. I want to see this batch of beer develop in the next few months and try it again.

While trying both of the dubbels, I snacked on [more than 1] of Ryan Pera’s crostin’s. He used a Texas goat cheese, Revival Market lardo, autumn squash purèe and a Hibiscus wit gastrique. The squash’s sweet and spicy flavor paired very well with the soft goat cheese, and what doesn’t go well with pork fat?!

Ryan Pera's Lardo & Goat Cheese Crostinis

Last up was a desert made with my favorite Buff beer, their Gingerbread stout. Rebeccas Masson, or Sugar Fairy as she is known on twitter, made a syllabub ( a cross between a mousse and a pudding), topped with crème fraîche, spiced caramel sauce, crunchy pearls, sea salt and nutmeg. It was so decadent, but the spice and carbonation of the gingerbread stout helped cut through the sweetness of the syllabub. I’ve been fortunate to now have tried at least 3 small batches of the gingerbread stout, trying to pay attention to the minor tweaks that Ryan and Rassul keep telling me about. This version was a bit less sweet than the previous version that I loved, but the body was ramped up due to the sugar he substituted in this version. I really liked this version as well, but i missed the aroma of a gingerbread cookie from the last version that I adored so much. Then again, they aren’t brewing beers specifically for me!

Rebecca Masson's Ginger Bread Stout Syllabub

Overall it was a great event, Rassul and Ryan are obviously passionate and experienced and they have a great support team over at the Black Sheep Agency. Aimee and Hannah did an amazing job turning a building under construction into a sweet little holiday set-up. Their business model is unique and I love to hear about their plans for being involved in the community. The location of the brewery is great as well, nestled in a sort of a half-residential, half-commercial part of town. The beers were excellent and I can’t wait to see their progress. The guys are waiting on a few more city inspections and installation of the brew house and fermenters, but hope to have beer on the market by the end of December, early January. Exciting times for craft beer in Houston, to say the least!

For a set of [better] photos, check out Ronnie Crocker’s blog, Beer, TX.

]]> http://lushtastic.com/2011/12/02/preview-buffalo-bayou-brewing-company/feed/ 2 lushtastic buff-color-logo 1836 1836 & cityacre hibiscus-popedish revival-crostinis sugar-fairy http://lushtastic.com/2011/11/22/vic-anthonys-north-coast-beer-dinner/ http://lushtastic.com/2011/11/22/vic-anthonys-north-coast-beer-dinner/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:24:50 +0000 Leslie http://lushtastic.com/?p=3390 ]]> The grand finale of Houston Beer Week was the North Coast beer dinner put on by Vic & Anthony’s, which is fitting because they have this whole beer dinner down to an art. [Check out previous V&A dinners I've attended: Real Ale and Midsummer Dinner]

First Course:
Point aux Pins Oyster with Finger Chile, Apple and Tarragon | Le Merle

After the news of red tide and no more gulf oysters this season, I was definitely excited to see the first course include Point aux Pins from Alabama. The slaw had a nice balance of heat and sweet between the apple and chile and the tarragon rounded it out with a nice herb note. The Le Merle is a Belgian farmhouse ale and was a great pairing for the oyster. It is light, slightly sweet from the familiar Belgian yeast, and has a nice effervescence. It allowed the oyster to shine and even seemed to enhance the flavors of the dish by adding some brightness.

Second Course:
Head on Shrimp, braised greens in a smoky creole broth | Scrimshaw Pilsner

The smoky flavors from the shrimp and the broth paired very well with North Coast’s classic pilsner. The shrimp were large, cooked perfectly, and had absorbed great flavors from the broth. The braised greens needed a bit of salt in my opinion, but they were a nice complement to the smoky and slightly spicy broth.

Third Course:
Rabbit sausage, dates, Foie Gras, Citrus Relish | Ruedrich’s Red Seal Amber Ale

Finally we started getting into the meat (literally) of the menu with the cured loin wrapped in a rabbit sausage/foie gras/date forcemeat, topped with a citrus relish. They paired this with the Red Seal Amber Ale, which does have a nice hop bite. Luckily, the citrus relish and the richness from the sausage and foie gras balanced out any hop bitterness. This was definitely my favorite dish of the evening.

Fourth Course:
Brazos Valley Blue Cheese Tart with Sorrel and pumpkin vinaigrette | PranQster Belgian Style Golden Ale

Next up was a blue cheese tart with cheese from a local producer, sort of like an intermission dish between the big rich meat dishes that round out the rest of the dinner. The stinky, tangy cheese tart paired very well with the light, sweet PranQster. The typical Belgian yeast characteristics complemented the cheese very well. The sorrel greens with pumpkin vinaigrette and pumpkin seeds on top was a nice contrast of flavors to the rich, creamy tart by providing some acidity and a touch of nutty sweetness that paired very well with the golden ale.

Fifth Course:
Bacon wrapped boar loin with pearl onions, new potatoes, mushrooms | Brother Thelonius Belgian Style Abbey Ale

For the most part, if you put bacon-wrapped anything in front of me, I will be a happy camper. This was definitely not an exception. The boar was surprisingly tender and the in-house made bacon gave it a nice smoky, maple taste. The pearl onions, chanterelle, and oyster mushrooms were lovely, having soaked up some of the rich sauce and flavors from the loin. This dish needed a big beer to hold up to the rich flavors, and “Bro-T”, as my favorite bar calls it, fit the bill well. Tom Allen, the founder of North Coast attended the dinner as well, and explained the story of Brother Thelonious (and the other beers too). Not only is this a great beer, but it supports the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz that benefits young musicians. I love drinking for charity.

Sixth Course:
Venison and Kidney Pie, root vegetables, pastry lattice | Old Stock Ale 2011

Old Stock ale is one of my favorite beers, it was one of the first non-Shiner craft beers I ever had and have loved it ever since. I was hoping to see a vertical of this, but I’ve been told I’m a dreamer more than once. The idea of lamb kidneys in a “pie” was a little much for some people at the dinner, but I loved the richness the organs brought to the dish. There was also some mashed rutabaga hidden under the venison and lamb kidney that helped balance the richness. Old Stock ale is actually pretty hoppy when it is fresh, but has a nice malt profile to back up the hops. This dish also needed a big beer to stand up to the luscious flavors of the pie.

Seventh Course:
Spiced Chocolate Strudel, brown butter phyllo, cardamom, cinnamon, gingerbread sauce | Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

And finally, dessert. The only way I usually enjoy Old Rasputin is on a nitro tap, since it makes it more creamy and seems to help with the combined hop and roasted malt bitterness that I’m not a fan of. Luckily right after serving the dessert, they pulled out a special little surprise to end the night with, North Coast’s Grand Cru/ Twentieth Anniversary Ale. I thought this beer paired much nicer with the very chocolatey dessert. The beer is brewed with agave nectar and a special Belgian yeast strain that give it some citrus notes. This combination seemed to help cut through the rich strudel, and enhance the cardamom and cinnamon spices.

Overall, another great beer dinner in the V&A books. The culinary team has a knack for pairing flavors well together and they do so with locally available beers. While I love going to beer dinners where we get to try rare, new beers, being able to pair an upscale menu with beers they have on tap, or that you can find locally really showcases their abilities. In my opinion, North Coast beers are very delicate, well-balanced beers and the dishes paired with them highlighted this and neither one overpowered the other.

This was a very unique dinner experience; the group of 25 or so sat at a huge community table that they brought to the upstairs of Grand Prize specifically for the dinner. Lyle and Joshua, the guys from The Modular food truck, paraded their dishes around before preparing the individual plates, truly proud of their selections of protein. From one bucket of beef bones and one of turkey legs to two suckling pigs, we definitely weren’t leaving hungry! This was also my first time to ever try mead, I was expecting every glass to be full of a very heavy, sweet liquid, but I was wrong. Almost none of them were cloyingly sweet, except for the last mead, the 2003 Boysenberry mead that was sticky and thick like syrup. On the contrary, they were like heavy champagnes, dry with a touch of sweetness, and as they are made from honey, that flavor was predominant in almost every glass.

The Menu:
First Course:
Bone Marrow, with Smoked Eel Toast and Parsley Salad
Paired with Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar, 8% ABV.

Bone marrow is so rich, salty, and buttery, so the dry, sweet mead paired well with the huge trough. The parsley salad and toast made a great sandwich-like vehicle to get more bone marrow to my face. This was definitely a decadent way to get the dinner started.

Second Course:
Turkey Leg Cassoulet
Paired with Redstone Traditional Honey Mead, 12%

I had the chance to have Duck leg cassoulet (bean stew) when Lyle was at Feast and this was basically a replication of that, but with huge turkey legs. The Turkey was tender and fatty, a classic “medieval” protein dish paired with Redstone’s classic mead, a great combination.

Third Course:
Bone-In Roast Beef, with Yorkshire Pudding
Paired with Redstone Juniper Mead, 12% ABV

Next was the roast beef dish, served with a side of mashed rutabaga and a salad. The rutabaga was very creamy and buttery, with a nice earthy element that complemented the mead and the super fatty, rich roast beef. This mead was very different from the previous ones, Redstone added juniper berries during fermentation and it is made with two kinds of honey- orange blossom and desert blossom. The juniper provided a spiced, piney flavor to the mead that was very different.

Fourth Course:
Whole Roasted Pig, with Roasted Root Vegetables.
Paired with Redstone Sunshine Nectar (Apricot Mead), 8%

Finally the course I was most excited about, the pork. Originally this was going to be the third course, but they wanted to give the piglets proper time in the caja (roasting box). After Lyle used a big machete to “butcher” the roasted pig, he asked the group if they wanted any special cuts, and then passed the head around for people to get cheek meat and brains. I definitely grabbed some cheek meat to go with whatever else they piled on my plate. The skin of the pig could have been a bit crispier, but the meat was tender and flavorful. The root vegetables on the plate were definitely an afterthought for me, but balanced out the slightly sweet characteristic of the apricot mead with a nice roasted earthy flavor.

Fifth Course:
Sticky Toffee Pudding, with Vanilla-Cinnamon Mead Ice Cream.
Paired with Redstone Boysenberry Reserve 2003, 13% ABV

Like I noted earlier, this was my least favorite mead, it was entirely too sweet and had the viscosity of cough syrup. The dessert, however, was killer. The ice cream made with mead was sweet but the vanilla and cinnamon helped keep it from being overwhelming. The sticky toffee pudding was moist and the toffee sauce was rich and complemented the cake well.

The atmosphere of the dinner was an experience in itself, beside trying mead for the first time and having a protein feast that kept me full for the next day and a half. I loved how excited the Modular guys were to share their passion for cooking and the fun of butchering the meat with us. They made a special effort to give the dinner a medieval vibe, from serving the bone marrow on broken wooden pickets to the old-looking, burned-edges menu, they made it feel special. The best and probably strangest part of the night was our “gift”, the knife we used to eat with all night was ours to keep. I’m not sure I’ve ever been given a gift at any dinner, much less a sharp utensil, definitely a nice touch.

I hope The Modular guys take on another challenge like this, but with beer!