I’m not sure what it’s called and I don’t really give a shit because it’s really good! I’m not sure why Peter kept serving me all of that sweet shit but I LOVE IT!!! That’s right I said it, I love it. This is why I heart Brooklyn. Sadly, again, there are no wings, nothing to eat…I want the full experience. Bring on the next beer…with some hot wings this time.

	This is one of those beers that I can smell for hours, it is so floral. The aroma was a bit overwhelming for her at the beginning as I thought, “Oh no another one she hates!” But, then she turns to me and says “I love this Beer”. Wow, I never thought I would hear those words from my wife. Maybe “this is good”, or “I could drink this”, but a “I Love this” was not one I expected. Then again it is an awesome beer and guess what is going to be a regular staple in my house. A couple months back I compared the Brooklyn-Schneider and the Scheider-Brooklyn Hopfen-Weisse, I think I may have to get a bottle of the German version to see if Dani likes it as well. Garrett, please don’t stop making this beer!

3 months 10 beers – Attempt #4 – Brooklyn-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse is a post from: Simply Beer

As most of you know, I’m on the wagon this month, but does that stop me from getting a fabulous review for you about Brooklyn’s two finest new beers? Nope, I had help from my friend John Kleinchester over at Beertography.com help me out.

Sorachi Ace

Back in early 2009, my friends and I homebrewed an IPA with six ounces of Sorachi Ace hops in the kettle. Needless to say, the lemony characteristics of the Sorachi dominated the brew and it was pretty unbalanced. So when I saw that Brooklyn Brewery would be producing a brew with Sorachi Ace as the main hop, I was worried that it too would be too much lemon flavor for me. Luckily (and not surprisingly), Brewmaster Garrett Oliver knows exactly what he’s doing. Brooklyn’s Sorachi Ace has a pale yellow, very clear appearance with good head retention. From the nose you get pine, cracked pepper and most of all, lemon zest. Taste is all lemons up front and then the pine comes through on the back end with a slightly dry yet sweet finish. The drinkability here is pretty high as long as you don’t mind the taste of the lemony Sorachi. Definitely my favorite of the two new beers unveiled.

Buzz Bomb

This is known as a Braggot Ale, which beeradvocate.com describes as “made by blending spices and herbs with mead and beer, to produce a strong concoction with uncommon flavors.”. I hadn’t read that definition prior to trying it last night, but Mr. Oliver definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. 25% of the fermentables in this come from honey from the Finger Lakes region in NY. The beer pours a cloudy yellow and laces the glass slightly while retaining minimal head. You can really tell right away that they used Belgian yeast in this one when you smell it. Balancing out the aroma are notes of bananas, esters, a twinge of farmhouse funk and even a tiny bit of grape. The taste of this brew is unlike any I’ve ever had before. Its very sweet but not overpoweringly so. Just as Sorachi’s focus is lemons, Buzz Bomb zeroes in on the honey. It has mead-like qualities while still remaining malty and almost reminds me of beeswax…in a good way. Despite being sweet, it still goes down rather easy, especially for being 8% which is virtually undetectable. I’d say the only deterring factor for the Buzz Bomb is that I can’t really imagine enjoying more than a glass because of the sweetness. But still a very original and interesting beer that I’d recommend everyone try.

Brooklyn Brewery Socahi Ace & Buzz Bomb Ale release is a post from: Simply Beer

Garrett Oliver introducing one of the 8 Brooklyn Brewery beers we sampled.

Zinfandel being poured for one of the later cheese courses

There was no shortage of beer being poured.

Garrett Oliver, also a comedian!

1st course, Halibut Crudo, Avocado, Orange Tapioca, Malden Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil paired with Assyrtiko Hadzidakis 2007 and Brooklyn Cuvee de Cardoz. The fish and the sauce worked together beautifully with spices in the beer.

2nd course: Salmon with mushrooms and Baby Bok Choy paired with a rare Robert Sinskey Vineyards Vin Gris 2009 and Brooklyn Local 1. While the Rose and salmon were a wonderful combination, the mushroom got the better of the wine, while the Local 1 was able to nicely compliment the whole dish.

One of my favorite beers, Dark Matter, with Garrett Oliver in the background. I was lucky enough to be seated next to him for the dinner.

3rd Course: Dry Rubbed Flank Steak, Spinach Gratin Potato paired with Neyen Espiritu Apalta 2005 and 2010 Dark Matter. This was a tough pairing to pick a winner, but the Dark Matter was able to handle the seasoning of the beef a bit better. Note, the wine retails for $60 a bottle.

Cheese Course: 3 cheeses, 3 Beers, and 3 Wines.

Cheese Course(right): Queso del Invierno, a winter cow/sheep tomme cheese Paired with Vin de Savoie “Abymes” Labbe 2008 and Brooklyn Local 2. The big winner here was the beer, it fit the texture and flavor of the cheese wonderfully

Cheese Course (middle): Pleasant Ridge Reserve, a cow Alpine cheese paired with Pavese Morgex et de la Salle 2008 and Brooklyn Monster Ale 2008. This beer is awesome, but I thought the wine was actually a better fit with the cheese.

Cheese Course (left): Echo Mountain Blue cheese, a cow/goat firm blue paired with Mauritson Dry Creek Zinfandel 2008 and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2009. This was one intense blue cheese. The Black Chocolate Sout work really well, but the Zinfandel was amazing and just edged out the Black Chocolate Stout for this pairing.

Black Ops!

Vin de Savoie “Abymes” Labbe 2008 used in the Cheese Pairing

Desert Course: Chocolate Flourless Cake with Peppercorn whipped cream paired with Vinedo de los Vientos “Alcyone” Tannat Dessert Uruguay NV and Black Ops 2009. Hands down Black Ops was the clear winner. Unfortunately the peppercorns really blasted the wine, while the Black Ops was able to handle the spice quite well. Take away the peppercorn whipped cream and it would have been much closer.

The Showdown – Fred Dexheimer vs Garrett Oliver is a post from: Simply Beer

As one of the lucky few who actually had Dark Matter when it was an employee only private release a couple years ago, I was extremely excited to try their latest creation.  The original version of Dark Matter was the house brown ale aged in bourbon barrels, which I thought was amazing and according to Garrett Oliver, was over a year old when I had it last summer.   What we had last night was not the same ‘ol brown ale.   The Brewmaster’s at Brooklyn Brewery created a special 7.5% version of their brown ale for this release.

Brewmaster's Reserve Dark Matter

Check out it’s stats:

Malt: British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Wheat, Belgian Aromatic, Roasted Barley
Hops: Willamette, Cascade, U.S. Fuggle
Yeast: Brooklyn House Ale
Barreling: Four months in a blend of bourbon and rye barrels of differing ages
OG: 18 deg. Plato
ABV: 7.5%

Garrett Oliver and I checking out Dark Matter aging in Bourbon Barrels in Dec '09

Here is a bit from Brooklyn about how they describe it, before I give my two cents:

Cosmologists tell us that the universe was made by a massive explosion called the Big Bang. And in this Big Bang was created a material called “dark matter”, which accounts for 95% of the mass of the universe and actually binds the universe together. Well, that sounds pretty heavy. But it’s theoretical. Here in Brooklyn, our cosmology is a bit different.

In the beginning, there was Black Ops. Or perhaps not. Beer does have its mysteries. Anyhow, they say that back in 2007, a small amount of Dark Matter was created alongside Black Ops, but very few people had an opportunity to taste it. The Brooklyn Brewing Team decided that this shortage was unfortunate – plenty of Dark Matter for themselves, but not enough to share with all their friends. So last autumn they decided to recreate Dark Matter and open up the Brooklyn Barrel Room to a wider world. Brooklyn Dark Matter is a robust brown ale aged for four months in bourbon and rye whiskey barrels. Some barrels previously held Black Ops, some hosted The Manhattan Project, others came straight from the distilleries as soon as the whiskey was decanted. We’ve blended these barrels to create a beer full of caramel and chocolate flavors heightened by vanilla-like oak notes and hints of the barrels’ previous tenants. The result is a smooth, rich beer that really loves food, from fried or roasted chicken to char-grilled steak, barbecue, pork chops and even monkfish. And on some chilly evening in late winter, or perhaps the first warm night of spring, we hope that you may be tempted to believe that Dark Matter really does bind the universe together.

– Garrett Oliver

Cheese pairing from Bedford Cheese Shop

Since I didn’t take any notes while tasting the beer, I have to give you some highlights and over all impression.  Dark Matter, well it is just that!  A super dark brown ale, in the dim light of the brewery there was almost no visible color except for a hint of mahogany and garnet around the base of the tulip glass.  But color is not why you are drinking a beer like this, it is for the aroma and taste.  The aroma was nicely intense with vanilla, whiskey, oak, and hints of black cherry and currents.   I quite enjoyed the flavor of this beer, a big whiskey profile right up front with a complimentary nutty / oaked flavor that was not to be outdone by caramel and chocolate. 

Overall, this is one of the strongest additions to an amazing lineup of the Brewmaster’s Reserve series.  My only complaint, which I expressed to Garrett Oliver, it is a Draft Only beer.  For über beer geeks like me and the other folks there, we’d be bang down doors to get a corked Bottle Referemted version of this beer to both drink now and to cellar.  Well, Garrett’s response to me in Dec was that was one of the reason for the massive expansion the brewery is about to undertake, so they can expand both there capacity and bottle conditioning programs.

Sharing Dark Matter with Chris(left) from IDrunkThat.com. Photo from IDrunkThat.com

As with every Brewery Release party, the beer is the focal point, but It’s the people that make the party memorable.  Both Garrett Oliver and Eric Ottaway from Brooklyn Brewery were easily accessible and very friendly, taking the time to talk to everyone who wanted to chat.  I also would be remised if I didn’t mention the incredible group of Beer Bloggers and Beer Folks that I met and shared Dark Matter with, Allen, Chris (idrunkthat), Genevieve (thehopshoney), Clare(beergoggins), John(beertographer), Stevie(BasicallyRed), Deverie(HurraBier), and Charlotte(charlottecus).

Cheers!

Dark Matter Release Party at Brooklyn Brewery is a post from: Simply Beer

All proceeds will be donated to World Cares Center, a nonprofit group working within Haitian communities. World Cares Center fosters sustainable, locally-led disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts. World Cares Center’s work supports groups such as EDEYO, a Haitian school founded by Montclair residents in Port au Prince, My Father’s House Orphanage, the Family Health Clinic and many other local groups in Haiti.

Be a part of an incredible evening & support a truly great cause at Amanti Vino’s first ever Wine vs. Beer Competition Dinner:  Cru Vs Brew!

Join Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer & Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster Garrett Oliver as they square off to pit their respective expertise against each other alongside former Top Chef contender Ariane Duarte’s amazing gastronomical line-up

When: Tuesday, March 23rd @ 7:30pm

Where: Woman’s Club of Upper Montclair, 200 Cooper Avenue

All net proceeds from the evening will be donated to World Cares Center, a nonprofit group working within Haitian communities. World Cares Center fosters sustainable, locally-led disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts. World Cares Center’s work supports groups such as EDEYO, a Haitian school founded by Montclair residents in Port au Prince, My Father’s House Orphanage, the Family Health Clinic and many other local groups in Haiti.

• Wine Geek and Hop Head Tickets ($160 per person) - $80, or half of the ticket price will be tax deductible and donated to World Cares Center.
• Wine and Beer Connoisseur Tickets ($500 per person) – Attendance to a VIP cocktail party (6:30pm to 7:30pm), a seat at Garrett and Fred’s table, an autographed copy of Garrett’s book, The Brewmaster’s Table and more!

As we mentioned above, the theme of this event is a competition!  Fred and Garrett are tasked with  selecting a wine (from Amanti Vino) and beer (from Brooklyn Brewery) to pair with each of Ariane’s challenging, mouth watering courses described below.

At the conclusion of each course, a panel of judges (including Peter Kennedy from Simply Beer) will evaluate the success of Fred and Garrett’s pairings and select a winner.  But wait, you count too!  We will also poll the audience after each course and will include your vote in the tabulation.

Grab a napkin…
Upon arrival: Brooklyner Weisse (Bottle conditioned)

1st Course: Snapper Crudo, Avocado, Orange Tapioca, Malden Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Wine: Assyrtiko Hadzidakis 2007
Beer: Brooklyn Cuvee de Cardoz 2009

2nd Course: Szechwan Peppercorn Salmon, Baby Bok Choy
Wine: Robert Sinskey Vineyards Vin Gris 2009
Beer: Brooklyn Local 1

3rd Course: Dry Barbecue Rubbed Flank Steak, Spinach Gratin Potato
Wine: Neyen Espiritu Apalta 2005
Beer: Brooklyn Dark Matter

4th Course: A selection of Artisanal Cheeses (donated by Tallmadge Cheese Market)

Dessert: Everyone’s favorite…Chocolate Flourless Cake!
Wine: Vinedo de los Vientos “Alcyone” Tannat Dessert Uruguay NV
Beer: Black Ops 2009

Let the pairings begin!

A limited number of tickets have been reserved for Simply Beer readers.  To purchase tickets to Cru vs Brew, please  call (973) 509-WINE (9463) and mention Simply Beer.  Act quickly, these tickets are sure to sell out extremely quickly! If you are unable to join us, but would like to make a donation to World Cares Center, please contact Sharon Sevrens at sharon@amantivino.com.

We look forward to sharing this amazing evening with you in support of a worthy cause!

Fred Dexheimer vs Garrett Oliver – Cru Vs Brew – A Fundraiser for Haiti is a post from: Simply Beer

Unfortunately we do not have any pictures of the bottling line, but for a very cool reason.  Most of those bottle of Brooklyn Black ops you’ll be enjoining over the next couple of months have been bottle by a group of mentally challenged adults who come in and work on the bottling line though a local out reach program that Brooklyn Brewery is part of.  Out of respect to the people working the bottling line we opted not to photograph the line.

However, we did have an amazing tour of the brewery, including the brewery, fermenters, warm and cold rooms, barrel room, and an amazing tasting at the end.  Check out these photographs taken by Richard Alva:

Fermentors

Primary Boil

Hops Pellets waiting for the boil

Cleaning

Steam, 50bbl Fermenters in the Background

Rice Hulls, used to aid sparge

Bottle Refermentation. Pressure gauges to determine carbonation levels.

Garrett Oliver and I checking out Dark Matter aging in Bourbon Barrels

Oak!

My Favorite Bourbon Barrel Stout! I wanted to grab a case and run... that would be bad Karma.

Interview with Garrett Oliver - Sampling Brooklyner Weisse, Wild 1, and Black Ops

Garrett Oliver tasting Black Ops

Thanks again to Rich Alva for the photography and Corey Greenberg for the video work.

Photo Tour of Brooklyn Brewery is a post from: Simply Beer

I found this to be a great interview, so we are bringing it to you unedited and uncut.  Cheers!

Interview with Brooklyn Brewery’s Brewmaster, Garrett Oliver is a post from: Simply Beer