CIDER&MEAD Allegheny River Libation Trail style profile
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Thank you and farewell
It’s been nearly 11 years since I sipped my first craft brew. One that I enjoyed, anyways, and didn’t immediately dismiss as just tasting burnt or bitter. But when we have cases of “Natty” in our fridge that we’re used to pounding, that’s a typical reaction. My gateway beer happened to be some European lagers consumed while on a business trip in England. That fresh Grolsch was an eye-opener. I returned home and immediately started working through every style of craft beer I could find, starting with sweeter, friendlier styles like hefeweizens and ambers. I finally came to enjoy those roasted maltforward and hoppy beers, while still appreciating the effort and skill that goes into brewing clean lagers. Along with consuming as much good beer as I could, I also found myself consuming information about it, whether about beer styles or tasting events. One thing I noticed lacking was a central location for this type of info and how it related to Pittsburgh. The city received brief coverage in some of the regional beer tabloids, but not what it deserved, I felt. There had never been a good form of local beer news on paper. Craft Pittsburgh was born. It’s been nearly four years since I started this publication, and since then, much like my palate, the local beer scene has changed. More beer-centric bars have opened; bars that never carried craft beer now are; bars that have always carried craft beer are carrying more and refining their ways with proper serving techniques and well-curated draft lists; there’s some sort of beer festival almost every weekend of the summer; and, of course, there are plenty of new breweries. And this is where I leave you. It’s been nearly a year since I opened Maggie’s Farm (editor’s note: shameless plug), a craft distillery in the Strip District. This venture has taken a vast majority of my time, thus leaving Craft Pittsburgh lacking the attention it truly deserves. I’ve decided to pass the publication on so that it can continue to grow along with Pittsburgh’s beer culture; however, I made it a point to keep it in house to ensure all the best parts stay the same while still evolving and getting better. Rob Soltis, the designer since issue 3, and his wife Taten will be handling operations with many of the same writers. Rob, Taten, Mindy, Hart, Brian, Jack, and Ben all have my full confidence in growing this magazine along with the local beer scene. I want to thank all the advertisers, writers, and supporters of Craft Pittsburgh over the years. Without them, neither this magazine nor my own brick and mortar booze-making operation would have been possible. Thank you and farewell. Best of luck, Rob and Taten. Cheers,
Tim Russell
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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 16
on tap
THIS ISSUE
specials
6 8 13
the regulars
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STYLE PROFILE: APA
One of the most popular
styles in the United States
LOCAL CIDER & MEAD
Fall’s crackle and spice is a call for something new born out of the old
ALLEGHENY RIVER LIBATION TRAIL
A guide to craft beer & spirits along the Allegheny River
UPCOMING EVENTS
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BEER REVIEW COOKING WITH BEER HOME BREWING
PUBLISHER
P•SCOUT MEDIA, LLC
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
ROB SOLTIS rob@craftpittsburgh.com
MANAGING EDITOR
MIKE WEISS mike@craftpittsburgh.com
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SOLTIS DESIGN soltisdesign.com FOR INFORMATION ON CONTRIBUTING EDITORIAL CONTENT OR PLACING DISPLAY ADVERTISING PLEASE CONTACT US AT INFO@CRAFTPITTSBURGH.COM
Craft Pittsburgh is issued bi-monthly by P•Scout Media, LLC. All information and materials in this magazine, individually and collectively, are provided for informational purposes. The contents of this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of P•Scout Media, LLC., nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without expressed written permission from the publisher. Advertisements are subject to the approval of P•Scout Media, LLC. P•Scout Media, LLC. reserves the right to reject or omit any advertisement at any time for any reason. Advertiser assume responsibility and complete liability for all content in their ads. CraftPittsburgh.com
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BEFORE YOU TOAST...
TAKE A TOUR!
Great for bachelor or bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations, corporate events and much more!
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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 16
CHECK OUT CRAFTPITTSBURGH.COM FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES & EVENTS october 6 11
Craft Beer Industry Night @Caliente Brewing Up A Cure @PPG Wintergarden
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Pumpkin Fest 3 @Blue Dust The Drunkin’ Punkin’ @Hough’s CWP Fall Beer Barge @The Gateway Clipper Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival @Rivers Casino Grains-to-Glass Tour & Tasting @EEBC Brew with the Brewer - Long Trail @Copper Kettle
november 3 8 8 22 22 december 1 5 13 16 january 5
Craft Beer Industry Night @Caliente Beers of the Burgh Winter Warmer @97 40th Street Pittsburgh Brewery Tour @PA Brew Tours
The Brews & The Bees Tour @PA Brew Tours Barrel Aged Beer Festival @EEBC
Craft Beer Industry Night @Caliente Paul’s Sick Nuclear Festivus Collaboration @Hough’s The Pittsburgh Brewery Tour @PA Brew Tours Craft Beer School: Holiday Brew & Cheese @Cabaret
Craft Beer Industry Night @Caliente
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Pittsburgh Brew ‘N Chew @Monroeville Convention Center 5th Annual Pour For A Cure @The US Steel Building CraftPittsburgh.com
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tend to have a citrus hop profile, but it is not required of the style. You can find piney to floral aromas frequently in APAs as well. The appearance of an APA is often pale golden to a medium amber. You should expect to see an off-white head with great retention. Most APAs will pour clear, but a little haze isn’t out of the question. Flavor is really where an American Pale Ale shines through. You should expect a moderate to high hop flavor with Cascade hops often highlighted. Unlike its British brethren, APAs have a low malt profile, mostly present to give the hops some balance. The malt that is present should give a light bready or biscuity taste, especially on the finish. Taste is definitely tilted in the direction of hops and bitterness.
By Brian Meyer Photo courtesy of Anchor Brewing
Easily one of the most popular styles in the United States, the American Pale Ale (APA) is a beer known for being hop forward without being as extreme as an American IPA. While the American Pale Ale can be found in a variety of forms, sometimes coming within range of the IPA itself, the style is unique and when followed correctly is a lighter, more refreshing version of a hoppy IPA.
THE HISTORY OF THE APA
The APA is based on the traditional British Pale Ale, but with a cleaner, more hop-forward taste that lacks the maltiness and aromatics of British versions. Pale ales themselves date back to around 1703, where malts that were dried quicker were given less color and toasty character, giving their resulting beers a lighter color and taste. By 1830, pale ales were widely available in England, and the term pale ale was interchangeable with bitter. It was just as common to order a pint of bitter as it was to order a pint of pale ale. While there are quite a few APAs on the market today, all featuring hops and malt from the US, the original APA is generally considered to be Anchor Brewing Company’s Liberty Ale. The beer was first released on April 18th, 1975 for the 200th anniversary of Paul Revere’s historic ride to warn of the British invasion. It’s no surprise that Anchor Brewing is considered to have released the first American Pale Ale, as they have pioneered much of the craft beer revolution, reviving old styles like the California Common (Steam Beer) and pioneering new ones, like the APA. The term American Pale Ale wasn’t used until around 1980 however, as Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. named their beer Sierra Nevada Pale Ale with their first test batch, dating to November of 1980.
THE BASICS OF AN AMERICAN PALE ALE
The details of an American Pale Ale are best shown in the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP)’s guidelines. Those guidelines list the aroma of an APA as moderate to strong, often from dry hopping. APAs 6
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You should expect to find APAs in the 4.5% - 6.2% ABV range, but some can go slightly higher. It’s easy to get an APA in the range of an IPA, but with less bitterness and a lower alcohol percentage, the American Pale Ale is meant to be clean, refreshing, and drinkable.
INGREDIENTS
The ingredients used in American Pale Ales are basic pale malt, typically of the American two-row variety. American hops are important, and West Coast varieties have become common. American Ale yeast is used to impart a clean, even yeast profile. The big differences in APAs across different companies is mostly the use of late-addition hops and water profiles. These, combined with the use of specialty grains, are what give each APA its own unique profile.
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Fall’s crackle and spice is a call for something new born out of the old. It’s a time for old traditions and familiar faces, a time to mark the transition to the end of an old year.
Arsenal Cider House & Wine Cellar’s, Laurel Highlands Meadery’s, Apis Mead & Winery and Rebellion Cider’s ciders and meads are just the drinks needed to toast nature’s pyrotechnic celebration of fall’s dying days.
Written by Ben Summers Photos by Autumn Kellogg & Mike Weiss
While Arsenal, Laurel Highlands, Apis and Rebellion all made a point to stress that cider and mead could (and should!) be enjoyed year-long, their drinks are forever linked to the fall season. There’s nothing like the sharp tartness of cider or tang of mead to compliment an afternoon of raking leaves or a fun filled night making S’mores around a roaring fire. They’re drinks to be shared with friends and family, drinks that seem to taste better when you’re outside and deep in conversation with loved ones. Arsenal Cider House & Wine Cellar in Lawrenceville, PA makes and sells cider and mead that is as complex and ambitious as the beer on tap at the neighboring Church Brew Works. But Arsenal’s stuff packs a hell of a lot stronger of a punch. Like most Pittsburgh breweries, Arsenal’s a company based on love for the craft of brewing. Founded by Bill Larkin, an accountant, and Michelle Larkin, a preschool teacher, it’s a “hobby turned professional story that seems to inspire people.” Bill explained, “We put everything on the line to start this business. We started and currently grow this business on a shoestring with no outside
financial help. Our kids inspired us to start the business so that Michelle could stay at home. Our families generously keep an eye on our kids when we are open for business.” Besides being a great story, Arsenal is a pioneer as it is the first cidery in Western PA and the first winery in PA to sell wine in a beer keg and in a growler. Arsenal was the first cidery to produce hop cider, ginger cider, pumpkin cider and nitro cider. While Bill initially disregarded cider because of the “overly sweet mass produced cider” that most are familiar with, an experience with a friend’s homemade cider “hit [him] like a ton of bricks – cider can actually be….good!” Completely hooked, Bill started making his own cider. Bill said that the impetus of finding good cider drove him to have the same friend “walk me through the process and the original version of Picket Bone Dry Hard Cider™ was born!“ Arsenal’s cider ranges from bone dry (like their flagship cider) to honeyed, from 8% to nearly 12% ABV, and made from over five types of apple. Bill explained that Arsenal’s ambitious and strong ciders are a result of a personal vision, which “considers all ciders
to be wine. This is a personal definition/vision that ignores the government definition, which is used for taxation. To us, cider is a fruit wine, no more no less, just varying styles and techniques.” The Larkins are not afraid of experimentation as their HopCider I.P.C.™ (Indian Pale Cider, get it?) and their Oaked Bourbon cider is infused with non-traditional cider flavors while their upcoming low ABV Session Cider will offer a twist on traditional French-style cider. Arsenal’s ciders are wine for the people, made with the apples from Soergel Orchard in Wexford, PA and made by hand by the same people who serve it. Bill confidently claimed that cider’s limited market perception is quickly changing as people are realizing cider “is only limited by your imagination or tolerance to try new things.” Consequently, Arsenal, Rebellion, and other breweries are opening the market to balanced, complex, and diverse types of cider. Bill’s enthusiasm for the beverage seems to be spreading as the once-rare presence of cider in bars has blossomed across the city and their own “cider garden” is packed with happy patrons drinking Arsenal’s meads and ciders while enjoying the live music the Larkins bring in. Laurel Highlands Meadery in Melody, PA is busy spreading the gospel of “the oldest fermented beverage that no one has ever heard of.” Mead, which is also called honey wine, is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) alcoholic beverages and, while it is not as well known as its siblings, it is just as complex and celebrated as beer and wine. Mead has ties to every early civilization. For example, the Norse, also known as the Vikings, used mead as a symbol of life and of their culture. They even called mead the “nectar of the Gods” for its extreme importance and flavor. Mead has a huge pedigree, despite its relative obscurity, and Matt and Mandy Falenski are more than willing to reintroduce the beverage to modern tastes. Matt was originally introduced to mead by a friend’s old family recipe and used his home brewing experience to start experimenting with mead. Laurel Highland’s traditional mead, which uses local Pennsylvania Wildflower Honey is excellent, but it’s the Blackberry, Chocolate, Maple and Hopped Mead that is most intriguing. Mead resists easy classification and description so the sheer amount of flavors, balances, and styles is a welcome adventure into a little known drink. Matt’s proven and award-winning skill at home brewing mead is clear. In fact, the word of mouth of his mead’s
excellence is what got him noticed by Piper’s Pub, All Saint’s and Bocktown. Matt says that mead is tailor made for the craft beer audience; the flavor and variety is definitely for those whose palates have been trained on the nuances of beer. Matt further states that growing the atmosphere for mead is the hardest thing about it because “it’s really just yeast and water and honey” but he’s excited about “the education, the variety, the spices, and everything” about the process of mead. While it’s just a side business now, Matt hopes that he can make the “self-sufficient business into something bigger and bigger and maybe even make it a full-time job.” With mead as great as his and a strong dedication to pioneering varieties of mead, there’s little doubt bar patrons will be thinking of something other than horned helmets when mead is mentioned. David Cerminara, who was the cellarmaster of Penn Brewery before launching Apis Mead & Winery, is interested in “the weirder aspects of fermentation” and bringing his skill as a craft brewer to his awardwinning experimentations in “the long lost art of mead.” Cerminara confessed that “the only thing that has influenced my mead is craft beer. To me, honey is the vehicle to promote flavors. It made sense to take the best vehicle and add a craft beer approach to it. Mead is a craft beer in my head – just with honey instead of barley.” And Cerminara’s craft approach is clear. The same excellence that is found in every Kolsch or his 13 other recipes poured from Penn Brewery is found in Apis’ Florea, Dorsata, Mellifera, and other meads. He wondered what the Pittsburgh brew scene thought when he gave up a position at a beloved and influential brewery to start something that “almost no one knew” but if Pittsburgh ever “had a city-wide laugh” it’s surely faded into a pleased smile.
of it – the aromas of fermentation are unbelievable.” He went on, saying, “it is exhausting but is what I really love and while I think that drinking cider is good in any season, the fall is the greatest time to make cider.” While Rebellion currently buys apples, Derek has been planting and planning a whole new kind of apple that is exclusive to his orchard. The future Kellogg Crab has “tremendous aromatic qualities that, when it is added to a batch, will make really, really great smelling ciders.” For Rebellion, cider is a meeting place of work and hobby, a way for Derek to use his skills as a farmer to pioneer new types of cider and to work with something that is “just an extension of farming as I am doing something very in-tune with nature, with farming, with the raw materials.” He’s dedicated to cultivating “premium cider with the unique apples of his orchard” but he’s also interested in creating “a little more atmosphere to enjoy cider – a place where you could sit and drink cider.” With a view like Rebellion and Derek’s infectious passion for apples, there’s no reason to wait for Haymaker, Bittersweet, MacKenna’s Premiere, or Wagon Wheel to make their way to your bar – the view and taste is probably better from the source. Mead and, to a lesser extent, cider are not as common drinks but their earthy, tart, and unique varieties are making welcomed appearances in bars, Craft festivals, and brisk fall days. For me, fall in Pittsburgh meant games of football in the backyard, carving pumpkins with grandma, and walking in the brilliant woods with my Pap. The time to reconnect, to take a break from frantic summers and the busy school year to come, and to curl up in a favorite hoodie or autumn sweater with a warm drink cupped between my hands. Arsenal, Laurel Highlands, and Rebellion’s own autumnal drinks guarantee that even my first fall away from Pittsburgh will have a wonderful taste of Pennsylvania.
Cerminara’s restless drive to make “the best product the city has ever seen” is paying off. Apis clinched two of the top ten picks at the 2013 Big Pour, spots usually occupied by beer and cider, with a style of alcohol that gets equal, if not more quizzical looks at bars than if you asked patrons for the scientific name of the genus for “honey bee” – Apis, if you’re wondering. Cerminara’s dedication to excellence has put mead on tap at Hitchhiker and on the mind of patrons. And it’s not surprising when Cerminara, a trained painter, sees his craft as a form of art, a way to “put art in a glass and give it to you. I can’t give my paintings to a bar and ask them to give it out. But this, and everything Arsenal and everybody else does, is something so small and specific and something they love – it’s art. And if I do it correctly, the city starts to ask me for my art, they start going to it.” Apis’ new approach to an old tradition is like a new student taking, and then improving upon the work of masters. A sip of his Cranberry Clove and you’ll taste Van Gogh-like bursts of color, Dali experimentation, and Rembrandt intensity. It’s a tradition honed, perfected, and stretched to reach new heights. There’s no need to know mead when you try Apis’ stuff because one look, one taste, and you’ll know it’s in a league of its own. Rebellion Cider may not have a cider garden right now but their couple thousand acres, renovated barn, and Primordial Hill Orchard in Slippery Rock, PA where Derek, Autumn, and baby MacKenna Kellogg farm and press cider is a breathtaking sight. Derek’s stories of the creation of the cidery after wandering the farm, picking wild apples, and experiments in his basement sounds like a Robert Frost poem while the family-owned and traditional 1921 cider press and hard work to make the cider harkens back to a Rockwellian America. Derek’s love for the cider is clear as he described his joy at “holding the apple, tasting the apples, crushing the apple, the work CraftPittsburgh.com
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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 16
ALLEGHENY RIVER
LIBATION TRAIL By Dino Juklo
13 of Pittsburgh’s top libation makers have come together to create a guide through the craft alcohol splendors that run along the Allegheny River.
Bill Larkin, head of Arsenal Cider House and Wine Cellar, started the project and has been with it from beginning to end.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Gene Mangrum, Division Head of Food and Beverage at Penn Brewery.
When asked what the inspiration was for the “trail” concept, Larkin replied:
The Allegheny River Libation Trail is a cooperative effort between the burgeoning breweries, distilleries, and wineries that span across the Lawrenceville, Strip District, Troy Hill and Millvale neighborhoods. It contains a map of the area, a description of what each business has to offer, locations, hours, phone numbers and even social media contacts. The booklet includes Arsenal Cider House and Wine Cellar, Church Brew Works, Draai Laag Brewing Co., East End Brewing Company, Grist House Brewing, Hop Farm Brewing Co., Maggie’s Farm Rum, Milkman Brewing, Penn Brewery, Pittsburgh Winery, R Wine Cellar, Roundabout Brewery and Wigle Whiskey.
“There was always talk among people about doing some kind of crosspromotion and finally I figured it’s time to make this happen. I called in everybody together for a meeting here and made sure everybody was on board. I took it from there and saw it through to completion,” said Larkin. “It’s all river-centric. That’s what made it such a no-brainer because there were so many of these places popping up right along the river.” He sees the guide as an excellent way for people visiting Pittsburgh to know exactly where to go for the best local craft alcohol establishments. “I think this libation trail is really going to be a strong selling point for tourism. There’s really no downside to it.” Going forward, Larkin sees an increasingly bright future for the breweries, distilleries and wineries of the Allegheny River Libation Trail as well as those of the entire Pittsburgh area.
“Seeing everyone supporting these local libation businesses much more than in the past is very exciting,” said Jill Steiner, Public Relations and Event Coordinator at Wigle Whiskey. Just shy of a month since its release, the pocketbook is already becoming a hit among Pittsburgh craft beer and spirit enthusiasts. “As soon as people come into the distillery and they see the booklet there’s almost this reaction like, ‘why hasn’t this existed before now?’” said Steiner. Innovative ideas and a passion for high quality product have driven the success of Pittsburgh’s close craft alcohol community. “It’s a source of pride for a lot of Pittsburghers,” said Steiner. Steve Russell, owner of R Wine Cellar, praises the way the local libation producers have come together: “A lot of places have wine trails because they have more wineries in proximity. We don’t have that so a libation trail makes sense. It’s a good thing because we’re all in a similar business. Bill organized it and we signed on right away. That was a good thing to help support other people in the business,” said Russell. CraftPittsburgh.com
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have you
TRIED? By Hart Johnson
1. BALLANTINE | india pale ale 7.2% India Pale Ale - ballantineale.com
You ready to blur all the lines for Craft Beer? Pabst, who at the time of writing have just been acquired by some Russians apparently, is bringing back the Great Granddaddy of Craft Beer. Talk to all those people who started breweries in the ‘80s and ‘90s and I’d say a great majority of them get misty eyed and lost if you bring up Ballantine IPA. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has been called an attempt to recreate it, long gone Portland Woodstock IPA was a straight up clone of it. Ballantine IPA was the core DNA of craft beer. Pabst could’ve screwed this up. They could’ve just half assed a watery beer, slapped a throw back logo on it and laughed all the way to the bank for a couple years. But they didn’t. They looked up old brewing logs, they talked to former Ballantine staff, they did their research and came up with a damn fine beer. Big bold piney hops, just a gentle hint of some chewy malt & a subtle tannic dryness of oak. Find the people who got you into craft beer and share a few bottles with them, it’s the least you can do. Recommended if you enjoy: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Sly Fox Route 113 IPA, Full Pint Chinookie IPA
2. CLOWN SHOES | space cake 9% Double IPA - clownshoesbeer.com
Let’s cut right to the chase, these guys took one of my favorite (non profane) insults and turned it into a Brewery lineup of even sillier names. Yes, Clown Shoes, they of the Mexican Sombrero Mexican Style Chocolate Stout, Tramp Stamp IPA, Muffin Top IPA and Crunkle Sam Barley Wine. Yes Clown Shoes, we’ve all heard of urbandictionary.com, we all get the jokes. Silly names aside, Space Cake touts itself as a West Coast Style Double IPA with the designer hop of the moment, Mosaic as the headliner. A nice deep golden, approaching amber color with some sticky white foam. Nose is full of freshly juiced blueberries, candied tangerines with a trace hint of allium scape dankness. A bit sweet up front on the palate, quickly balanced by waves of hops, bitter green onion, lemon pith, a short burst of caramel malt sweetness then finishing up with a bowl of tropical fruit sitting on your tongue. Highly drinkable considering the elevated alcohol content and proof that silly names don’t always mean silly beer. Recommended if you enjoy: Southern Tier Un*Earthly IPA, Stone RuinTen, Founder’s Double Trouble, New Holland Imperial Hatter, Moylan’s Hopsickle
3. V ICTORY| wild devil 6.7% Wild Ale - victorybeer.com
Victory Hop Devil may be the one beer responsible for convincing me that American beer can and will be better than those all hallowed European beers, that some day American beer will be more than cold 14
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blue mountains and clydesdales. We’re not going to say how long ago that was, but it happened long before anyone was calling it Craft Beer. So now, Victory has taken their flagship IPA and fermented it with Brettanomyces, a yeast originally associated with dry crisp Belgian countryside farmhouse ales and lambics. To recap, this is an American interpretation of an English style (IPA) with German malts and now fermented with Belgian(y) yeast. Neat. Deep orange in color, sporting some thick rocky off-white foam, almost looks like a beer topped with meringue. There’s a tart peppery component on the nose, almost leathery, all wrapped around freshly sliced pineapple and papaya. That signature Hop Devil hop bite is first and foremost on the tongue, but is quickly overtaken with juicy tropical fruit flavors and a nice clean note of lemon pepper on the finish. A gloriously wonderful experiment, I’d love to see the Brettanomyces trick pulled on some other Victory beers, looking right at you Golden Monkey. Recommended if you enjoy: Orval, Victory Hop Devil, Full Pint Burton Upon Brett, Green Flash Rayon Vert, Petrus Aged Pale Ale
4. YARDS | cape of good hope 9.3% Double IPA - yardsbrewing.com
The IPA market is a tough one: brew a killer recipe one year and the next year your choice of hops could be considered passe or old school. And with roughly 3495 new hops every year, bad weather all but destroying certain varieties and hop contracts isolating brewers from their first choice hops, what’s a brewery to do? Release a different recipe every year and call it a yearly expedition? Oh, cool, that’s what Yards is doing! Past years have seen Cape of Good Hope trend more to Yard’s preference of traditional English styled IPA, but this year is all good old fashioned American Double IPA. Light bodied for 9.3%ABV, the aroma jumps out of the glass like Gallagher just made a witty pun about Hawaii and Sledge-O-Matic-ed a couple pineapples. There’s a hint of booze and a whisper of malt, but this guy is all about big tropical fruit and dank hops, finishing dry and fairly bitter with a note of aspirin coated orange tic-tacs. Well played old chaps. Recommended if you enjoy: Voodoo Good Vibes, Great Lakes Chill Wave, Fatheads Hop JuJu, Green Flash Imperial IPA
5. STRAUB | oktoberfest
5.7% Oktoberfest Style Lager - straubbeer.com Spare me your cinnamon sugar rimmed glasses of overly sweet pumpkin beer, Oktoberfest Lagers are my official beverage of crisp fall air, turning leaves and whatever your favorite fall metaphor is. Sure, those fancy German Oktoberfests are the kings of the style, but when they’re hitting the shelves in early July after a trip across an ocean… does a little math… bottled in May?! Such a delicate style with what should have a beautiful herbal hop note balancing out those rich delicious malts deserves more freshness. So I bought this here bottle of Straub a week after it was packaged, sometime in early September. Huzzah freshness! Pours deep amber with some nice tight lacing, toffee and maple sugar nose with little hints of cardamom and gingersnap cookies courtesy of German hops. Clean light body, much drier than the nose would indicate with some candied apple and granola malt flavors before some hop bitterness weighs in. Finishes slightly dry and begs to be drank with a plate of sausage and sauerkraut. Recommended if you enjoy: Great Lakes Oktoberfest, Sly Fox Oktoberfest, Victory Festbier, Duck-Rabbit Marzen
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Smoked Stout Chili • 4lbs bone-in beef short rib • • • • • • • •
SMOKED STOUT CHILI By Mindy Heisler-Johnson
W
hen the weather starts to get chilly and the air starts to get that crispness to it, you know Fall is just around the bend. Low & Slow food becomes the best way to spend a weekend afternoon, letting the aroma fill the house while you relax on the couch with a good beer and the game on TV. Chili is perfect for this transitional time of year: hearty, spicy and versatile, not only does it just beg to be beered up, but it also works for dinner that night and as leftovers for the rest of the week. Chili is one of those dishes that is made so many different ways it’s hard to say what’s “right” when it comes to what you throw in the pot. Personally I prefer a mix of ground and braised meats in my chili - it makes for the perfect mouthfeel and balance of textures and since I wrote this here recipe, that is what we are using. Don’t like my choices? That’s cool...feel free to pick your own, just match the weights. I also have made a really killer vegetarian version substituting a slew of beans and lentils for the meat and vegetable stock for the beef/chicken. For this yield, 4-5lbs of dried legumes will do just fine. Oh, speaking of beans. People feel quite strongly about beans in their chili. I don’t really have a deep, inherent preference, but prefer with (cuts up the richness of the meat some.) This chili has chick peas in it because I like their texture after they braise and they hold their shape. Don’t like ‘em? Don’t put ‘em in. Or substitute a kind you do like. Go with whatever will make your face happy. The Beer - Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout. I had never had this one. Dark, rich, kind of creamy - it has an ashy astringency that was bitter, but not hop-bitter. A lot of depth in the coffee/chocolate/roasty malts. Definitely stands up to the chipotle and the spices in the chili well and you could still catch a hint of that ashiness in the end of the chili. The beer makes up most of the braising liquid for the chili, 3 bottles total. The procedure is pretty straightforward and easy, as is the case with most Low & Slow foods. I cook it in the pot in my oven but, it can also be done on the stove top or be transferred to a slow cooker after it is together (if you go this route do a half batch, unless you have a huge slow cooker). Takes less than an hour to get together, 6-8 hours to cook, yields around 3 gallons and freezes really well! 16
Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 16
4lbs boneless pork butt or shoulder 2lbs ground beef, 80/20 is best 6 slices thick bacon, diced 1 large white onion, diced 1 large red or green bell pepper, diced 2 fresh jalapenos, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending on taste) • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1 tsp dried thyme • 1 tsp dried oregano • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika • 1 Tbsp ancho chili powder • 1 Tbsp ground cumin • 3-4 chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce (½ little can) • 4 cups roasted crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh) • ½lb dried garbanzo beans, soaked & drained • Three 12oz bottles of Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout • 2 cups beef or chicken stock Heat a big pot over medium high heat and add some olive oil. Cut your pork into pieces about the size of your fist, leaving all the fat in tact. Season both the pork and short ribs with salt & pepper. Sear in batches in the hot pot, as the pieces are finished set aside on a tray or plate. While the meat sears chop your bacon and get all your vegetables prepped and soak the beans according to package instructions. When the meat is done searing drop the heat down and add the bacon. Let it render out until it’s crisped; stir frequently. When the bacon is crisped add the onion, peppers and garlic. Saute until the garlic loses the raw smell and onions are tender. Add the spices and chipotles, saute for 4 more minutes. Brown off the ground beef with the bacon/onion/spice mix, busting it up pretty well while it cooks. Add the tomatoes and garbanzo beans, turn up the heat, let it cook down, about 5 minutes. If you are slowcookering this is where you jump off the stove. Get the seared meat back in there, right on top of the ground meat mess. Pour all 3 beers and the stock over the top - it should cover the meat completely, if it does not add more stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, slap a lid on it, put it on a tray of some kind and get into a preheated 300°F oven. Forget about it for a couple hours. Check it, stir it up, take off the lid, get it back in the oven. Continue to cook until it all just falls apart and enough of the stock has reduced out that you have a rich, meaty chili. Periodically while it cooks I use a ladle to skim some fat off the top, I would recommend it. If you don’t dig short ribs you can also use brisket which takes much less skimming. I serve it over macaroni noodles for me, in a bowl for The Husband and ALWAYS with some fresh baked cornbread. Happy Fall!
3 Rivers Six Pack
6750 Hollywood Blvd., Delmont (724) 468-3005 3riversbeer.com
3100 Craft Beer
Frank Fuhrer Wholesale 3100 East Carson St., Pittsburgh 15203 (412) 488-8844 fuhrerwholesale.com
Beer Express
4326 Steubenville Pike, Pittsburgh 15205 (412) 920-0511 beerexpressisbest.com
Blue Dust
601 Amity St., Homestead (412) 461-6220 bluedustpgh.com
Bocktown Beer & Grill
690 Chauvet Drive, Pittsburgh 15275 (412) 788-2333 500 Beaver Valley Mall Blvd., Monaca 15061 (724) 728-7200 bocktown.com
Brewing Up A Cure
Galli Beer
Vecenie Distributing Company
4624 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield 15224 (412) 682-1414 pizzadrafthouse.com
Giant Eagle
Wilson-McGinley
D’s SixPax & Dogz
Just Beer Project
brewingupacure.org
Caliente Pizza & Draft House
1118 S Braddock Ave., Pittsbugh 15218 (412) 241-4666 ds6pax.com
Full Pint Brewing
1963 Lincoln Hwy., North Versailles 15137 (412) 823-4657 fatheads.com
Four Seasons Brewing
745 Lloyd Avenue Ext., Latrobe 15650 (724) 520-4111 fsbrewing.com
Maggie’s Farm Rum
3212A Smallman St., Pittsburgh 15201 (412) 709-6480 maggiesfarmrum.com
800 Anderson St., New Kensington 15068 (724) 337-3581 gallibeercorp.com gianteagle.com/beer justbeerproject.com
OTB Bicycle Cafe
2518 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, 15203 (412) 381-3698 otbbicyclecafe.com 10301 Pearce Mill Road, Allison Park 15101 (724) 940-5000 otbbicyclecafe.com
Tony Savatt, Inc.
19-29 Shingiss St., McKees Rocks 15136 (412) 331-1222 tonysavatt.com
The Traveler Beer Co. travelerbeer.com
140 North Ave., Pittsburgh 15209 (412) 821-4618 beersince1933.com
85 36th St., Pittsburgh 15201 (412) 621-4420 wilsonmcginley.com
Zoe’s Beer Distributor
4102 Clairton Blvd., Brentwood 15227 (412) 881-4002 zoesbeer.com
THANK YOU
REFRESHMENT
IS ALWAYS IN SEASON CraftPittsburgh.com
17
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S BEER:
SMOKED AMBER ALE By Jack Smith
W
hether you’re ready to admit it or not, summer is over. With the cooler weather and increasingly early sunsets you might find yourself sporting your favorite hoodie and worn out jeans as you sit ‘round a campfire with people you (hopefully) like, remembering the good times & great beer you enjoyed over the summer. Well, forget about summer! Summer’s gone, Marge, long gone. Focus on now - on fall - and think about the great flavors that go with the season: the rich, malty tones of amber and brown ales whose colors match those of the changing landscape. Autumn campfires and malty beers go together like, well, campfire and beer. So why not put a little campfire in your beer? Enter: Smoked Amber Ale. This recipe comes courtesy of Jessica Smith, who you may remember from the spring 2014 issue of Craft Pittsburgh (Ninkasi’s Nectar: Pittsburgh’s Female Brewers Collaborate, issue no. 14). As Jess’s husband, I’ve borne witness to her numerous attempts at creating smoked beers with a focus on approachable drinkability. Some weren’t smoky enough. Others were too smoky, or too sweet, or too acrid. This recipe is the just-right blend of smoke, malt, hops, and sweetness - with a drying finish - for a beer that doesn’t wear on the drinker’s palate over a multi-pint session. This recipe achieves balance through several means. First, a healthy dose of crystal malt provides sweetness and a range of caramel flavors, but is balanced by the drying, toasty finish of the victory and Munich malts. The honey malt provides the suggestion of sweetness to the aroma and flavor without adding much actual sweetness. 30+ IBUs from a blend of herbal, woody, earthy, and floral hops balances it out. Finally, two different types of smoked malt are used to provide a layered complexity to the campfire character. Weyermann Rauchmalz is beechwood-smoked pilsner malt – the traditional base malt used in classic German rauchbier. It provides a smooth, hammy aroma and flavor. Briess cherrywood-smoked malt is US 2-row smoked over American cherry tree wood. It provides a much sweeter smoke character than rauchmalz and is reminiscent of pulled pork bbq. This malt can make the beer seem acrid if too much is used. You can play with the level of smoke in this recipe, but I recommend keeping the cherrywood-smoked malt below 1 lb. On the other hand, you can go with as much rauchmalz as you want – it doesn’t become overly acrid or cloyingly sweet even at 100% of the grain bill. Try this recipe as-is, then adjust the amount of smoke on your next batch. 18
Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 16
*Assuming 70% brew house efficiency
GRAINBILL
VECENIE D
80
MPANY CO
Batch Size – 5.25 gallon Boil Time – 60 min. OG – 1.056 FG – 1.013 ABV – 5.6% IBU – 30-35
RIBUTING IST
th
1933
SI
NN N II V V EE RR SS AA RR YY AA N
VECENIE DISTRIBUTING CO. 140 North Avenue, Millvale, PA 15209
412.821.4618 beersince1933.com
2013
NCE 1933
Western Pennsylvania’s Premier Wholesaler of Regional, Craft, Imported Beers and Specialty Sodas
4 lbs Maris Otter 3 lbs Weyermann Rauchmalz • 1 lb Munich Malt (9 Lovibond) • 12 oz Crystal 40 Lovibond • 12 oz Crystal 120 Lovibond • 8 oz Honey Malt • 8 oz Briess Cherrywood Smoked Malt • 8 oz. Victory Malt (28 Lovibond) • •
* Extract Brewers: Sorry! The grain bill for this recipe includes some grains that require mashing and are not available in extract form. But good news! Now’s your chance to dip your toes in all-grain brewing by performing a mini-mash. You can do this on your stovetop by soaking the crushed rauchmalz, Munich, crystal (40 and 120), honey malt, cherrywood smoked malt, and victory malt (everything but the maris otter) in two gallons of water in the 150°-155°F range for 45 minutes. Strain the porridge into your boil kettle using a cheesecloth-lined colander or large sieve, then slowly pour another gallon of 165°F water over the strainer to rinse (sparge) the grains. From there, add water to get to your normal pre-boil volume, add 3 lbs. light DME and carry on with your boil as usual.
Wolaver’s
Organic
AUTUMNFEST SELECTIONS
HOPS
18 grams Northern Brewer (9.6% AA) @ 60 minutes 15 grams Northern Brewer (9.6% AA) @ 30 minutes • 28 grams Willamette (5% AA) @ 10 minutes • •
MASH
•
Single Infusion @ 154°F for 60 minutes
YEAST/FERMENTATION
Use your favorite clean, attenuative American ale yeast. “Chico” is a good choice (WLP001, Wyeast 1056, Safale US-05). Primary Fermentation: 10-14 days; pitch at 65-68°F and hold there until fermentation is complete.
CONDITIONING
Carbonate to approximate American ale levels (~2.5 volumes) and serve relatively fresh. The smoke character will fade with time, as will the hop profile. Drink this one while it’s young. (Belgian Saison II)
SUGGESTED PAIRINGS
This beer obviously works well with any barbecue dish, but the versatility of the smoke and the beer’s balance make it the perfect drinking partner for comforting pub grub Buffalo mac & cheese. The smoke works great with mushroom-based dishes; try it with portabella and sweet pea risotto. Or do what I do: drink it by the pint next to a campfire with a sack of roasted peanuts on your lap.
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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 16