Off Tap.: August-September 2017

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Before there were hops

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3 Daughters LaBREWtor y

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Founders DKML

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Off Tap. is a bimonthly publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.

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F LORIDA I NSPIRED. TAMPA B REWED COPPERTAIL BREW ING CO.

M EG H A N GU A R IN O

An unassuming building with a simple,

The brewery sports a row of tap handles,

Then there’s Free Dive IPA, the go-to brew

modern vibe—brick, metal and big wooden

some of which are local guest beers. On tap

for hop heads all over Florida. A mix of citrus

doors—is tucked away behind an exit ramp to

the day of our visit was an array of sours with

and pine against a malty backbone makes

the Selmon Expressway in Tampa. Above the

flavors that ranged from guava to watermelon

this medium-bodied brew just right for grilled

second-floor patio, COPPERTAIL BREWING

to slightly hoppy—“It’s the season,” Casey

shrimp. It’s a quintessential IPA that is also

CO. is written in big block letters that greet a

Hughes, Coppertail brewmaster, said with

quintessentially Floridian in flavor. Try this one

cloudy Florida sky. This is the home to one of

a shrug. Under Casey’s direction, Coppertail

to see what it takes to be hoppy and refreshing

Tampa’s favorite breweries and certainly the

crafts the beers Florida demands—big, bold,

at the same time.

most artistically decorated.

but drinkable in the Florida heat.

If you’re still looking for the perfect Florida food

Inside, the tasting room is industrial chic,

Coppertail Brewing releases four core brews

pairing, try Wheat Stroke with fresh grouper.

with medal wall fixtures, leather seats and

with seasonals sprinkled throughout the year.

A hint of citrus and persistent carbonation

big beams from the building’s earlier days as

Each of their year-round offerings showcases

carry this beer to its bitter finish. Wheat Stroke

a Hellman’s Mayonnaise factory. There are

Floridian flavor but in a different style. Unholy

is a crisp example of a hoppy wheat beer—an

murals that match the beer labels and folksy

American Trippel, for example, takes the

interesting combination that can only be truly

drawings of sea creatures throughout. The

traditional Belgian style and combines it with

welcomed in a state that is often revered for

tasting room bar spans most of the back wall

American hops for a beer that pairs well with

its eccentricities.

and is held up by a base of beautiful dark

Cuban deviled crab. With aromas of pear and

The final beer in the core four is Night Swim,

wood patterned to showcase each plank’s

apple and a funky palate filled with fruit flavors

Coppertail’s robust porter. This is the beer

color and grain. Behind the bar are two

and bright hops, Unholy is a big beer at 9% ABV.

you want when the sun goes down and a cool ocean breeze rustles the tree tops. Night Swim is dark and luxurious with notes of chocolate and roasted malt. It’s a smooth, flavorful match to BBQ brisket.

Märzen lager showcases a dark amber color with a tan head. It’s malty with a clean finish— just like any good Oktoberfest beer should be.

Toasted bread, a touch of caramel and a hint of fall spice round out this delicious seasonal.

Coppertail Brewing Co. will celebrate their 3-year anniversary on August 26. Raise a toast in their honor with a one of their core four beers, available at select ABC Fine Wine & Spirits locations throughout the state!

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brewery’s tribute to Oktoberfest. Coppertail’s

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On shelves beginning in September is the

August/September 2017

windows into the brewmaster’s territory.

BEFORE THERE

WERE HOPS

A L L IE S MA L LW OOD

Hop heads across the nation can hardly

ing agents are the oils and resins. The oil

go a Friday night without drowning their

and resin seeps from the leaves but the

taste buds in the highly bitter, golden

tannins are found in the stem of the

liquid they call their absolute fave. And

hop cone.

understandably so—it’s delicious stuff.

The essential oils in the hop leaves

But before there were hops, there weren’t hops, and it wasn’t such a terrible thing.

(myrcene, caryophyllene, humulene and farnesene) are considered by scientists

Beer of old, and the beauty behind the

to contribute mostly to the aroma of the

recipes that inspire what we drink these

beer. When a brewer adds them to the

days, incorporated an array of plants,

boil, then they are responsible for the

botanicals, herbs and spices. The sweet

flavor. When using the flavorings of old,

maltiness of beer always needed balanc-

the oils in the spices were also respon-

ing, so brewers would infuse bitter, flo-

sible for aroma and flavor, but it doesn’t

ral, tart or savory flavors by way of herbs

preserve beer like hops do. And so the

and spices. Commonly used were sweet

hops’ soft resin became the judging

gale, ground ivy, mugwort, heather,

point of quality.

ginger, caraway seed, nutmeg and

To create the optimal hop characteris-

cinnamon. Just as the collective combination of cooked grains and water is called wort, the collective combo of these flavorings was called gruit. It’s where the term “grut ale” comes from, and many small breweries around country have explored this style as an homage to these old brewing methods.

Grut ales were brewed heavily across Europe until about the 11th century, when a steady shift to hops took the brewing world over. The earliest recorded use of hops was in A.D. 736, and it is likely that they were brewed in conjunction with other herbs in a gruit recipe.

“The earliest recorded use of hops was in A.D. 736, and it is likely that they were brewed in conjunction with other herbs in a gruit recipe.”

Unlike hops, gruit recipes are difficult to botch. The tannins in hops can affect a beer if too many are used in the boil. For hops to be used properly, they must be understood – they’re not like tea leaves.

The main flavoring, aromatic and bitterPhotography by: Jacob Bailes

tics, scientists began to cross-breed varietals. North American varieties contained almost 3x the amount of soft resin compared to European hops, and European hops showed much more floral qualities. The marriage of these two hops created an aromatically floral hop with a high resin count.

It’s what we drink and love today.

Though hops have absolutely exploded, it’s good to look back on the days of no hops. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all.

Unibroue Éphémère Elderberry elderflower liqueurs in floral cocktails. The

Justin Trudeau comes an ethereal, yet

Vietz, brewmaster at Unibroue.

combination of the dark fruit with the light

beautifully complex beer: Unibroue

Jerry Vietz has been with Unibroue since

floral characteristics of the blossom in

Éphémère Elderberry.

2003 and the brewmaster at this iconic

Unibroue’s newest beer is what Jerry can

The ninth edition to a series of limited

brewery since 2007. His beers have won

only describe as magic.

edition brews that first hit the scene in

numerous medals on the international

“The elderberry is very close in flavor to

2000, Éphémère Elderberry brings an

stage and have been lauded for their

blueberries and blackberries, it’s kind

interesting twist to the Éphémère name—

consistency and flavor. “We’re really

of a combination of both but with more

it’s made with both the elderberry fruit

renowned for the consistency and com-

tannins. It’s more astringent than black-

and the elderberry flowers. “This is the

plexity and balance in our beers. These

berries

first Éphémère that I decided to combine

three parameters are my trail markers

and blueberries and is very high

the fruit and the flower as well—the

when I develop new beers,” he explained.

in tannins, so the antioxidants are very

And Éphémère Elderberry is no different.

good. It’s very healthy,” he explained.

Since the beer’s launch in other markets

“The flower brings a more floral note.

earlier this year, Éphémère Elderberry has

It’s reminiscent of the Muscat grape with

earned a gold at Les

tropical fruit flavor, like lychee.”

Prix du Publique,

These flavors combine with the citrus

a people’s award in

characteristics of wheat beer for a light,

Quebec, and a silver

sessionable and flavorful beer. The official

medal at the Chicago

tasting notes describe the beer as “slightly

Beverage Testing

cloudy and seductively reddish color with

Institute World Beer

purplish hues, topped by a creamy pink

Championship. Once

head. Its medium bubbles and sustained

you have a sip of

effervescence make it a fun and refreshing

this new beer, you’ll

choice when unwinding after a busy

understand why it’s

summer day.”

no surprise that it has garnered so much attention.

Elderberries are small, dark purple berries that cluster together and look similar to blackberries. The fruit is often used to make jellies, jams and syrups, and the flowers are known by mixologists who use

Try Éphémère Elderberry with pork loin, grilled chicken, fish, seafood dishes, and goat, Brie and Camembert cheeses.

A final word to the wise from Jerry himself: “If you see it, please try it! You’ve got to enjoy it while it’s out in the market.” Éphémère Elderberry is available at select ABC Fine Wine & Spirits locations for a limited time only.

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blossom from the same plant,” Jerry

August/September 2017

New from the land of poutine and

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M EG H A N GU A R IN O

THE SCIENCE

BEHIND 3 DAUGHTERS BEER A L L I E S MA L LWO O D

A Tuesday afternoon stroll through the 3 Daughters brewery started out as normal as any other tour. A few BrewFab tanks (300 barrel tanks made locally in St. Pete), a couple canning lines and one massive stage for brewery entertainment later, we met with the person we made an appointment to see: Desiree Chubb, resident director of quality assurance. She operates the lab that houses a $12,000 piece of equipment that looks like an old answering machine. “That is the Alex 500,” she said, pointing to the seemingly ancient device. “It tests important beer parameters like alcohol, calories and degrees of fermentation.”

When 3 Daughters opened about four years ago, the team decided to take craft beer geekdom to a new level by joining in on The University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s internship and Brewing Arts programs. Instead of creating a laboratory that would be used only for testing their products, 3 Daughters took it a step further and made the less-than-200 square feet lab a space for interns to learn the science behind beer through hands-on experience. Desiree was an intern through this program before being hired on fulltime to help maintain the quality and consistency of the beer.

The funny thing is, when it comes to making recipes, Ty never thought it would get this scientific. When they got a request for a light IPA under 120 calories, he was pretty apprehensive.

But since they were backed by a state-of-the-art LaBREWtory, they went with it. They picked a grain, then worked backwards to figure out the alcohol bitterness level. Then they balanced it out with the proper amount of sweetness. Desiree gushed “It’s absolutely delicious, if I do say so myself.”

You can get a taste of their Light IPA yourself—the beer will be available at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits locations throughout the state beginning this October.

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Ty Weaver, head brewer, works directly with Desiree, but is the artistic side of the team. Even with his developed palate (more than 6 years’ experience tasting and crafting beer) he admits, “I don’t trust anything anymore except for Desiree.” She, with her small but highly elaborate lab, is the science side. One can’t exist without the other at 3 Daughters.

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“We only have two rules,” Desiree said, counting on her fingers.

“Quality consistency and we’re never going to run out of beer.”

And while those two rules aren’t unachievable together, quality consistency is a little harder to master. After all, beer is a combination of a living organism (yeast) and ever-changing ingredients. Plus the water in St. Pete is hard. “We make promises to our customers that our beer is going to be the best every time,” Desiree explained. And that’s why it’s imperative that the LaBREWtory test pH, acids for IBUs, color, yeast and of course calories.

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FOUNDERS DKML Words I never thought I’d write: You have to try this malt liquor. I know, I know. Malt liquor brings back memories of cheap, 40-ounce, gas station beers. But this one is different.

And not “this one is different” like your buddy says of all his new girlfriends. This one is actually different. How? For one it’s made by Founders, one of the best in the Midwest. For two, it’s aged in bourbon barrels.

DKML is the craft brewer’s take on the brushed aside category of malt liquor. It’s a chance to show what malt liquor can be if treated right. And Founders certainly treated this one right.

Brewed with corn and lager yeast, DKML is dry-hopped and then aged in bourbon barrels to smooth its rough edges. Corn is heavy upfront, but the addition of floral hops and the smoothness of vanilla and wood from the barrels make this classic style something worthy of exploring once again.

DKML is part of the brewery’s bourbon barrel aged series which includes heavy hitters like KBS and Doom.

As such, DKML is certainly worth your time. And a glass.

It’s surprisingly impressive and impressively smooth.

Available now at select ABC Fine Wine & Spirits locations.

Imperial Malt Liquor Aged in Bourbon Barrels

ABV: 14.2%

Glassware: Snifter

Pairings: Hors d’oeuvres and chocolate