Buckeye Beer Engine

I went to Buckeye Beer Engine for the second time last night and had another good experience. The décor of the pub is cool, with the 30 tap bar taking center stage. A number of tall tables with bar stools surround the large bar. Booths line two of the walls and several stand alone tables are also scattered throughout the eating area. Almost every wall is lined with empty beer bottles and it is neat just to stroll around and take a look at the collection. The walls are also covered with a variety of craft beer signs (though I cringed a little when I spotted an aluminum Utica Club advertisement).

 I started the night off with a 4 beer sampler which consisted of Weihenstephaner Original, Buckeye Aigre Bois d’Erique (made at the brewpub), Stone Smoked Porter, and Bear Republic Racer X. I started with the Weihenstephaner, which, surprisingly, I had never tried before. It proved to be a simple, yet highly drinkable German lager with hints of sweetness and bread, with a finish reminiscent of Czech Pilsner. The Aigre Bois d’Erique seemed to be Beer Engine’s attempt at a wild ale (aged in wine barrels for 10 months with the typical range of bacteria).  I wasn’t overly impressed by this one, but it was decent. A little sour grape flavor led to a very dry finish with notes of hay and barnyard. This one kind of reminded me of a sour saison, it that’s possible. I moved to the Stone Smoked Porter next and was not disappointed. Nice roasted malt combined with suggestions of coffee and dark chocolate and each sip finished very smooth. I finished with Racer X. The Beer Engine menu called it a “Strong Ale,” but this beer is really a Double IPA. The sweet malt backbone presented itself upfront before quickly transitioning into a tongue tearing dose of tropical hop flavors. It was tasty overall, but perhaps a bit cloying.

For dinner I ordered the fried bologna sandwich and was really impressed. I’ve never had bologna cut half an inch thick before, but it is quite tasty. Combine that with some sautéed onions and a pretzel roll and you get a winning combination. After dinner I had a Clipper City Holy Sheet Abbey Ale. It was a respectable representation of the style, with a lot of grape flavor up front, which mixed with some other dark fruits and then transitioned into a long, dry finish. Buckeye Beer Engine is definitely a place worth checking out in you’re in the greater Cleveland area.

Buckeye Beer Engine website

How to Properly Appreciate Craft Beer

This article first appeared in The Docket, the official newspaper of Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Last week I provided you with a basic introduction to craft beer and outlined some of the major differences between craft and its counterparts from much larger beer companies. In addition to being a great accompaniment to meals and a satisfying form of refreshment (qualities craft shares with many BMC[1] products), craft beer is a thing to be enjoyed and appreciated in its own right.

Craft brewers don’t dedicate their lives to producing high quality beers just so you can throw them back without a second thought. In order to fully appreciate everything these brewers pack into their beers it is important to use all of your senses. For those of you familiar with drinking fine wine, drinking and appreciating craft is similar in many respects.

Appearance: Take note of how your beer looks. Different styles come in a wide array of colors that you will come to appreciate. Most beers should have about an inch of foam (head) sitting atop the liquid after they are poured. Little to no head can be an indicator of a dirty glass or poor carbonation.

Smell and taste:  According to beeradvocate.com, smell comprises 90-95% of what you taste, so it is important to note the brew’s aromatic qualities. Malt and hops are the two main ingredients in beer that provide most of its taste and flavor.  Malts: sweet, roasty, smoky, toasty, chocolaty, nutty, caramelly, biscuity? Hops: dank / resiny, herbal, perfumy, spicy, leafy, grassy, floral, piney, citrusy? Don’t worry if you cannot detect most of these things when you begin to analyze aroma and taste. It takes time and experience. (Malt and hop descriptions referenced from Beer Advocate's Beer 101 section.) 

Mouthfeel: How does the beer feel in your mouth? Light, crisp, thick, watery, full, warm, maybe even chewy?

Drinkability: Is this a beer you could drink all night? Or is it more of a one and done? Keep in mind that not all craft beers are meant to be drank a six pack at a time. Heavier beers like stouts are meant to be sipped and savored slowly.

Beer of the Week!

Without further ado, let’s finally taste a craft beer! Feel free to drink along as you read my review of a local favorite, Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold. Like I said above, don’t worry if you don’t have all (or nearly as many) the same experiences I note in my review. I have tasted literally hundreds of beers and written reviews of almost as many. Your beer senses will develop with time.

Dortmunder Gold pours a brilliant orange/amber color with about an inch of off-white head. Aromas of fresh bread, caramel, and feint floral hops waft up from the glass. The flavor follows the nose closely - lots of pleasant sweet malt, biscuits, and some tropical hops that add a touch of bitterness on the back end. Hints of orange and lemon zest result in a fairly sweet and refreshing finish. Dortmunder Gold is light to medium in body. Its crisp flavors and relatively light body make it an easy drinking brew that you could easily have more than one of in an evening. This beer will pair nicely with some lemon-pepper haddock or grilled chicken. You should be able to find Dortmunder Gold at most stores in Cleveland that sell beer for $8 to $9 a six pack.

If you like this beer, you may also want to try: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Hoegaarden, Great Lakes Holy Moses 

Respect beer!

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[1] Bud/Miller/Coors – the three largest beer producers in the United States 

Introduction to Craft Beer

This article first appeared in The Docket, The Official Case Western Reserve University School of Law Newpaper

Beer - Not Just For Frat Boys

When people ask me about my interests and I say “beer”, I usually get one of two responses: either (1) they think I’m kidding and laugh or (2) they think I’m an alcoholic (and laugh). Happily, I am neither. I simply love beer. I love looking at it, smelling it, appreciating its fine nuances, and, of course, tasting it. Sadly, when most people think of beer they envision that yellow, watery liquid found in solo cups at college frat parties. While I will concede that these mass-produced American lagers serve well as ice cold refreshment and social lubricant, they most certainly are not the kind of brew I speak of. Rather, my love affair lies with the American craft beer industry.

What exactly is craft beer? According to the Brewer’s Association, a craft brewer is defined as a brewery that produces less than 2 million barrels (1 barrel = 31 gallons) of beer annually. Compare this to Budweiser’s annual production of over 90 million barrels. In addition, craft breweries are owned and operated by dedicated craft brewers (rather than business men looking to turn a quick buck) and have a vested interest in maintaining quality – even at the expense of market share. Craft brewers pride themselves on innovation and adding their own unique twists to historical styles.

This is all well and good, but why does it matter? In general, craft beer is of higher quality and much more flavorful than its macro-brewery brethren (ala Budweiser, Coors, etc.). As the founders of the widely respected craft beer website, beeradvocate.com, note, “[Large breweries] focus… less on flavor and more on mass-production and consumption, cutting flavor and sometimes costs with adjunct cereal grains, like rice and corn.” Craft breweries, on the other hand, try to use only the highest quality malt, barley, wheat and hops in their quaffable concoctions. For added dimensions, craft brewers will sometimes add ingredients that may surprise you. Pumpkin beer is a good example. Others include blueberry, coffee and even chocolate.

In the weeks to come I hope to pass on some of my passion for good beer to you. In my next article I will introduce you to the basics of appreciating a finely crafted beer and share my tasting notes on a local brew. In the meantime, we have an outstanding craft brewery right here in Cleveland: Great Lakes Brewing Company. Why not pick up a six pack the next time you are out and get a head start on the road to craft beer? Great Lakes’ Dortmunder Gold is a solid brew to start with if you’re not already accustomed to drinking craft. 

Respect beer!

Fun beer fact: Plato was once quoted as saying, “He was a wise man who invented beer.”

Introduction

Hi all,

My name is Dan and I have been really into craft beer for a little over a year now. I attend Case Western Reserve University School of Law and recently got a position on my school paper writing about craft beer. Since  then people have been constantly asking me about my opinions on all different beer topics; so I decided to start this blog. I by no means profess to be an authority on good beer, but I have learned a lot in the past year and have a decent enough knowledge base to begin sharing my thoughts. Feel free to comment on anything I post and contact me with any questions you may have.