Stem & Stein

P Pa erf iri ec ng t Westfall Winery Rock & Hops Climax Brewing

Hopewell Valley Vineyards Beer & Wine Reviews

CONTENTS Stem & Stein

September 2012

Westfall Winery • 04

W

Perfect Pairing •8

Climax Brewing • 10

Hopewell Valley Vineyards • 16

elcome to the second issue of Stem and Stein magazine .We covered a lot of ground our second month, but it seemed like there wasn’t enough time to get to everywhere we needed to be. So next month, we will just have to work harder a bit harder. We had a great time visiting Climax brewing ,Westfall Winery, Hopewell Valley Vineyards,and the Rock and Hops craft beer and food festival. You will find a photos and stories on all these places inside the pages of this issue . We met a lot of great people in our travels, a lot of them were working in the wineries, breweries and restaurants. The others were just customers enjoying a glass of beer or wine while we came up and introduced ourselves. Next month we will have our website up and running allowing you to be able to read Stem & Stein right from your computer. tablet or smart phone .

So till next month,

am P d n a k r a M September 2012

Stem & Stein

1

PUBLISHER

Mark Ruzicka and Pam Mazalatis EDITOR

Barbara Kolb LAYOUT & DESIGN

McNabb Studios

www.mcnabbstudios.com PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Ruzicka

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jimmy Vena, Dr Audrey Cross, Kevin Celli, Eric Wormann, Pam Mazalatis and Mark Ruzicka – STEM & STEIN –

PO Box 699 Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 Phone: 973-663-6816 • Fax: 973-663-6378 Stem & Stein is published monthly and reproduction of content is not permitted without the express written approval of Mark Ruzicka. Publisher assumes no financial responsibility for errors in ads beyond the cost of space occupied by error, a correction will be printed. Publisher is not liable for any slander of an individual, or group as we mean no malice or individual criticism at any time, nor are we responsible for the opinions or comments of our columnists, and promises, coupons, or lack of fulfillment from advertisers who are solely responsible for content of their ads. Publisher is also to be held harmless; from failure to produce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond control; all suits, claims, or loss of expenses; this includes, but is not limited to, suits for libel, plagiarism, copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a persons name or photograph. Publisher does not promote excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.

2

Stem & Stein September 2012

September 2012

Stem & Stein

3

Westfall Winery

By L. Mortimer

4

Stem & Stein September 2012

T

he Westfall Winery story begins with Loren and Georgene meeting while students at Ithaca College in the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Country. They developed both a lifelong love for each other and a passion for world class wines when they visited the wineries and vineyards in that region. It continues today not far from the High Point monument at the historic Westfall Farm in Montague, New Jersey, dating back to 1774. The farm has been part of Loren’s family since 1940.

They decided to break ground in 2000 for the new vineyard. Relying on Georgene’s degree in Environmental Science and knowledge of organic chemistry, Loren and Georgene pressed their first grapes and opened the Westfall Winery tasting room. A new chapter in the 330 acre Westfall Farm’s history had begun.

When we arrived at the Westfall Winery we

were met by Loren who took us to the tasting room to start our tour. He gave us some history of the winery and spoke a little bit more about the eighteen varieties of wine they produce. When asked which wine is his favorite he answered,

OPPOSITE:

Grapes from vineyard OPPOSITE INSERT:

Loren and Georgene ABOVE:

Westfall Farm sign BELOW

Farm buildings

September 2012

Stem & Stein

5

“We have a great Cabernet, but probably the 2009 Merlot would have to be my choice”. While Loren and Georgene are more than satisfied with their accomplishments including the addition of a second winery located in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, they would still like to build their on-line

wine sales to include areas where their wines aren’t available.

We continued on our tour to the Dairy building that was converted to the wine production facility, then to the bottling and labeling rooms and then down to the picnic pavilion that stands at the bottom of the property. The picnic pavilion serves as the main event area for all of the Westfall Winery events.

Westfall Winery offers wine tasting and catering for private and corporate events such as fundraisers for ten to two hundred people. They also offer a 6

Stem & Stein September 2012

wine school where you can make your own barrel of wine. Or you can just grab a bottle and enjoy a walk around the beautiful property. Westfall Winery has something for everyone.

We thank Loren and Georgene for opening up their doors to us. We wish them continued success in their endeavors. Westfall Winery is located a short distance from both New York, as well as Pennsylvania and is easily accessible from anywhere in Northern New Jersey via Rt. 206.

ABOVE (clockwise):

Bottling machine, Kegs of wine, Tasting area and Bottled wine

WINE & HEALTH

AUDREY CROSS, PHD, JD

Driving away DWIs Alcohol & Gasoline Don’t Mix

N

ew Jersey is tough on drunk drivers – very tough. Judges have little sympathy for drivers who are buzzed, tipsy or stone cold drunk. More than 25,000 people are arrested each year in New Jersey for “DWI” – “driving while intoxicated.” Penalties are stiff – see http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Violations/ dui.htm Drunk drivers cause around 600 fatalities per year in NJ. Beyond fatalities, victims are disabled, maimed, disfigured and hospitalized because someone got behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated.

How do you get drunk? Alcohol is absorbed by the stomach and small intestines directly into the blood stream. The body attempts to eliminate it by increased urination (which is why Brits call being drunk “pissed”) and through the breath (which is why breathalyzers work). Your liver breaks it down – but this takes time – up to 1 hour to break down 1 oz of alcohol. Roughly, a 12oz beer, 5oz wine or 1 ½ oz of hard liquor is an ounce. These routes are slow so alcohol can build up quickly.

Your first drink may relax and loosen you up.

The next may begin to impact your judgment. By the third drink functional changes may occur in your speech, vision, eye-hand coordination, body coordination, reaction time, etc. Here’s how it goes:

alcoholic drink. This will help avoid dehydration which contributes to hangovers. Pace yourself to the 1 oz per hour rule. Above all, remember that alcohol and gasoline don’t mix!

And, by the way, when you sit on the porch at Villa Milagro to enjoy great wine and views but don’t consume that entire bottle of wine – cork it and put it in the trunk of your car. NJ’s fine for an open container in the passenger compartment is $200.

Cork it, store it and save that $200 for your return trip to our winery to buy great wine!’

Dr. Audrey Cross, a renowned nutritionist who owns Villa Milagro Vineyards with her husband, Steve Gambino, will provide monthly reviews of wine & health issues for Stem & Stein. Next month – What causes wine headaches and booze hangovers? www.DrAudreyCross.com and www.VillaMilagroVineyards.com

Blood Alcohol Symptom 0.08 or > illegal to operate vehicle 0.05 first euphoric effects 0.10-0.15 functional signs of intoxication 0.30 stupor and coma How much you can “hold” is determined by: amount of alcohol you drink (A); rate at which you drink it (.015xH); your weight (W) and your sex(R).

The Widmark formula calculates Blood Alcohol Concentration: %BAC = (A x 5.14 / W x R) - .015 x H Go to our website for an explanation of this formula and an example of how it works: www.VillaMilagroVineyards.com/alcohol-test.html To avoid intoxication, eat before and while you drink. Food in your stomach slows the rate at which alcohol is absorbed. Drink a glass of water for each September 2012

Stem & Stein

7

FOOD & DRINK

JIM MCGRADY

PERFECT PAIRINGS (NJ Style)

Gyros: YUM! One of my favorite fast foods.

Whether you’re on the boardwalk, at the mall(yikes) or in one of the many fabulous Bergen County Greek eateries, this is real NJ fare. I know that choosing a gyro is a commitment to a sloppy meal, so have plenty of clean glasses ready. Seriously, Cab Franc actually pairs well with most Greek foods and our state boasts countless superb choices. So, even though it goes just as well with moussaka as it does with souvlaki, the exceptional thing about this wine is that you can even save a few sips for the baklava.

Pizza: Nothing says pizza like red wine. And nothing says NJ like pizza. We worship our most cherished and defend them to the death. I know this seems like a layup, because I can probably find For quite some time Cabernet Franc winemakers an acceptable pizza to go with almost any kind of have been enjoying enormous success on the East inviting wine. But we are particular here, so I’m Coast from New York State to Virginia. Well, guess going say that for this delightful selection, the perfect what? New Jersey is certainly in the conversation. pairing is a pepperoni pizza with peppers and onions The Outer Coastal Plain (AVA) has been delivering from Federici’s in Freehold. Yet, you’ll probably on their bold promises and Hammonton’s Plagido Winery’s “Gold Medal” selection doesn’t disappoint. have to get the pie to go, unless you’re friends of the Cab Franc has long been underrated; seemingly never family and can sneak a bottle in. expected to stand on its own. Often young Frankie Lasagna: Don’t be shy with the m is misunderstood, as the sunnier and fruitier cousin to the more macho, Cab Sav. However, I do believe eat sauce! Shameless self-promotion here, but my favorite is at a fantastic Italian restaurant in that this affable wine is more versatile and easier Bridgewater. I know, I know, but please try to refrain to pair up with a full menu of dishes. After all, the from sending me your Mom’s recipe. palatable charm of a wine to me, is how it well it plays with my food.

Cheeses (of course): No sociable wine like this So, here is what I recommend you try with this would miss out on a chance to partner-up with some wine, whether at home, bringing to a bbq or at your pleasing cheeses. While NJ isn’t well known for it’s favorite NJBYOB: cheesemaking, we definitely have some amazing places to buy them. I’m going to shoot over to Churrasco: A wine that goes well with a wide variety of meats is perfect for Brazilian BBQ. Maybe Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck for some Royal you like to grill kebabs at home and I also love to get Blue Stilton, Yellow Buck Camembert and Kerrygold Dubliner. While I’m there I’ll fill my basket with my chimichurri on. However, Ferry St. in Newark some of the astonishing bounty of Garden State is where I really like to head. Here you’ll find some goodies that they stock. Then, I’ll find a way to pair of the most magnificent rodizio restaurants that them all up with the rest of the wines from my new will barrage you for hours with an endless array of succulent sword roasted meats. Make sure you bring friends at Plagido.

Plagido’s Cab Franc

an enormous appetite, lots of friends and at least a case of wine.

8

Stem & Stein September 2012

Remember, this bottle is meant to be drank at one sitting and please, please don’t swirl your glass.

Chicken Vindaloo: History’s oldest libation has come a long way. Yet one thing has remained constant, if there is spicy food, beer is not far away. Curry is one of civilization’s earliest culinary fireballs and Vindaloo is one sultry curry! I live amongst the highest concentration of Indian residents outside of Mumbai and there are as many curries as there are cooks. What they all have in common is a communal flair for bringing the heat. Make sure to have some distinctive naan bread in hand to scoop up the scolding cinders.

Key Lime Pie: Pucker up; this might be the

Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale Ok, so I’m probably a little late in the season on this saison, but going forward, I promise to be current. However it is still summer and Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale is surely a thirst quencher.

Because of its floral lemon-citrus, it is perfect for both, cool summer seafood dishes and fiery fusion food. On a hot day throw back a couple and then let the cooking begin.

Anything Chipotle: No, I’m not really suggesting

waiting in line (six-pack in hand) for some quick- serve grub at the Mexican behemoth. C’mon, grab some tortillas and build your own burrito. Don’t forget, homemade guacamole is effortless and its lime & cilantro are a perfect pairing for this ale. If you’re fearless enough to smoke your own jalapenos, then it’s simple to store them in your own homespun adobo sauce and have them at your fingertips whenever you want to ramp up any dish. My favorite is fried chipotle ice cream & beer. Fire & ice.

Lobster: Have you seen the cost of Atlantic lobster lately? This is an opportune time to take advantage of the price plunge and spoil yourself. Keep it simple though, just steamed and served with butter and beer. Love lobster bisque? Sorry, it’s too rich for this selection; just freeze the goodies and wait for Oktoberfish.

best pairing of all for the citrus-featured FSA. The Conch’s claim that if it doesn’t come from the Key’s, it ain’t legit. However, I’d like to give a shout out to my former fellow Ocean City restaurateur, Tom Spadafora, whose wife Cindy’s recipe has been the standard in town for over 30 years. Just be careful, OC is a “dry town” that every so often likes to enforce the law. Wonder why I sold out?

Blue Fin Tuna: Ahh the elusive one! It is rare to find a local fishmonger who can help you get this delicacy onto your plate without costing you a fin and a gill. But, if you ever hook into one of these uber-fish, call me right away! Morimoto might offer you a fortune to release your prized catch to him, but I’ll show you how to uncover the precious toro. (… and I’ll bring the beer!)

A tribute to the highly drinkable “every day” beers from French-speaking Belgium. Contains Belgian two-row pale malt and 7% wheat. This beer is lightly filtered with an earthy, spicy hop character from imported Styrian Goldings hops and a beautiful rich creamy head from the wheat. (from their website) Malts: Two-Row Pale, White Wheat, Cara-8, Acidulated Hops: Columbus, Styrian Goldings Yeast: Chico Original Gravity: 11.5 plato Alcohol by volume: 4.9% IBU’s: 15.1 Formats: 12 oz. bottles, 1/2 kegs, 1/6 kegs, cask-conditioned Availability: April 15 to September 1

JIM MCGRADY Executive Chef/Managing Partner at Maggiano’s Little Italy September 2012

Stem & Stein

9

I arrived at

CLIMAX BREWING

Tuesday morning to find Dave, Kurt and the crew already hard at work bottling for the Hoffman Octoberfest.

OPPOSITE:

by Mark Ruzicka 10

Stem & Stein September 2012

Bottling area of Climax Brewing

D

ave told me they had to get ninety cases out to the distributor by the end of the day . With that said, Dave grabbed us tow beers and we got started. Dave and his father, Kurt, combined Dave’s love of motorcycles and beer, Kurt’s attraction for making moest (a German hard cider ) with the love of traveling to Octoberfests all over the world into a winning combination by converting the building that once housed a machine shop business into Climax Brewing Company .

It started with Dave’s love for home brewing that made him open his own home brewing shop in Cranford . Dave used his own home brewing recipes at that time in a tiny four barrel brew house. Dave and his father agreed that the area needed a local brewery that produces high quality fresh beer. With that thought in mind, after ten years, Dave closed his home brew shop and Climax Brewing Company was born. They brewed their first beer ESB, a beer that’s light amber in colorant and a nice malty balance with a warm, spicy bitterness. Climax’s hearty, robust Porter was the second beer to hit the market. The Porter was black in color with a thick, tawny head and a chocolate/.coffee profile. Next on tap was Climax’s India Pale Ale or (IPA), a smooth, wellrounded, copper-colored ale. It has a citrusy hop nose with malty accents and is medium bodied

with a nice warming bitterness These beers were just the start of something special. Climax has grown since then and now produces a dozen varieties and about one thousand barrels of beer annually.

Dave’s resume also includes consulting at Gold Coast Brewing and is currently the Brew Master at Artisans Brewery and Italian grill in Toms River, New Jersey. Dave describes his past seven years at Artisans as a great experience and a lot of fun. I get to be creative and experiment with brewing all different types of beer that we don’t make at Climax, such as light ale, Red ale , West Coast IPA, and seasonal brews like Weinzenbock Apricot Ale, Raspberry Dunkel Weizen and Pumpkin ale.

We asked Dave which beer was his favorite.

He said, He likes his lager especially the Octobesfest that he was good enough to share with me during the interview. When asked what other beer did he drink besides his own, he said, “I drink them all....... I love beer...... it’s my life. I love trying the brewers beer he said, I like Anchor,Victory Sierra Nevada and a lot of the German beers. We asked Dave what advice he would give to a home brewer who might be thinking about taking the next step and starting his own brewery. He said, “You better know what your getting into because there is a lot of good competition out there.” Plus that fact that this

September 2012

Stem & Stein

11

ABOVE (Clockwise):

Dave with a sample, Kurt shipping bottles, Fermentation room, The crew of Climax Brewing and Kegs of beer RIGHT:

1/2 Gallon containers of Climax Brewing beer

12

Stem & Stein September 2012

may seem like fun and games, but it is a lot of hard work. We asked if he was happy with their progress. He said, “He would like to be selling beer in a few more States, but, yes........... how could I not be happy.......... I love to brew beer .

Stem and Stein would like to thank Kurt and Dave for opening their doors to us and wish them continued success in the future.

Climax brewing is located at 112 Valley Road, Roselle Park, New Jersey and can also be found on the web at www.climaxbrewing.com.

September 2012

Stem & Stein

13

COOKING WITH WINE & BEER River Horse Pumpkin Ale When I think of autumn in Jersey I’m reminded of those U-Pick farms with apples and pumpkins and that “fall smell” in the air.

Open a bottle of River Horse Hipp-O-Lantern Imperial Pumpkin Ale (River Horse Brewing Co. Lambertville, NJ) and you will fast track right to a crispy October night.

When you pour this dark brown, cloudy, hearty ale into a glass you can see the texture and smell the spices. Think of a well spiced pumpkin pie sans sugar and sweetness. Comforting and smooth, I drank ¾’s of my 4 pack before I had a 2 inch ash on my cigar.

I used it in this recipe for a savory pancake that has crispy apple sausage cooked right in it.

Savory Pumpkin and Sausage Griddle Cakes 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 14

Stem & Stein September 2012

CHEF JIMMY VENA

1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon allspice ½ cup diced and crispy cooked chicken & apple sausage or sage and pork breakfast sausage 1 cup Pumpkin Ale 1 egg 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

some yellow fin I prepare this fast and very flavorful seared steak at home.

Mix all dry ingredients first Add and fork mix all additional ingredients Its o.k. to leave some little lumps (never overwork pancake batter)

Seared yellow Fin Tuna with Pinot Noir Glaze

Cook on a hot greased griddle.

I prefer a drizzle of agave instead of syrup

2011 Willow Creek Pinot Noir When trying to describe Pinot Noir to someone who has never tried it, I mean no disrespect and actually hope they are influenced to drink it by calling it “Cabernet Lite”. Meaning, a good Pinot Noir has all the great characteristics of a well aged and barreled Cabernet Sauvignon without the earthy, woodsy viscosity. That leaves a well rounded, very drinkable and adaptable very sexy red wine.

I have for years recommended pinot Noir with roasted or seared “steak” fish or shell fish. Whenever a fishing buddy hands off

For every pound of Tuna Steak 1 tablespoon of diced fresh garlic 1 teaspoon of diced fresh ginger 4 oz pinot noir 1 oz of soy sauce 1 oz of Mirin 3 oz of whole salted butter Lightly flour fresh tuna steaks on both sides Sear in just a bit of blended oil over a high flame For a 2 inch thick steak cook just 2 minutes on each side Remove tuna from pan (I like to serve it over sauté spinach or steamed green beans) Quickly brown (careful not to burn) the garlic and ginger Deglaze with Pinot Noir Add Soy and Mirin Reduce down by about 20% Add the butter and continue to “whip” over high heat Pour glaze over tuna and vegetables

Chef Jimmy Vena

NJ WINE GUY

KEVIN CELLI

New Jerseys 2nd Class Farmers?

Farm Land Preservation -vs- The “Right To Farm Act”

L

ife celebratory events have been taking place on farm land since biblical times. The beauty found on a farm and the celebration of a good harvest is what has lured mankind for thousands of years to the sanctity of local farms to enjoy many of life’s celebratory events. Not just weddings but holidays, christenings, and even funerals. Recently the question has been brought before the senate if a “preserved farm” is protected in the same manner as a non-preserved farm under the current “right to farm act” in regards to “preserved farms hosting life celebratory events like weddings, birthday parties, engagement parties, mothers day events etc, etc. Of course it should be, right?? Well some feel that should not. “Crazy Lunatics”. Some believe that if you enter into the NJ “Farm Land Preservation” program that you some how forfeit your rights to host other wise “protected” commercial farming activities and essentially limit how you can market your farmed product. The problem is anyone who has signed onto the NJ “FLP” program in the last 10 years was not made aware of this and now are facing the rigorous burdens from local municipalities trying to control our farmers. This is sadly comical because the introduction of the NJ right to farm act in 1983 was to protect our farmers from this exact issue! This is a problem. Local government hog tying our farmers and therefore making it way to tough to farm and forcing many farmers to sell their land for more housing and development.

After interviewing many preserved land owners, I found that these farmers did not sign up and receive monies from the state to be treated like “2nd Class Farmers”. They signed onto the program on a contract that they would keep their property’s agricultural and would not build any non-agricultural buildings, or add any permanent soil threatening elements.To put into laymen’s terms they would not build town house’s, condos or any other permanent structure on that land for as long as the owner has contracted with the farm Land preservation program. Under the current right to farm and act a commercial farmer is protected from local municipalities who may unnecessarily constrain essential farmers practices and state that “The retention of agricultural activities would serve the best interest of all citizens of this State by insuring the numerous social, economic and environmental benefits which accrue from one of the largest industries in the Garden State;” These protections include 3 very important things. #1 The right to grow your product with out harassment, #2 the right to sell your product on site without harassment,

and #3 the right to host agricultural and agri-tourism driven events without harassment of the rigorous burdens placed on a farmer by local municipalities, and as long as public health, public safety and local noise ordinances are addressed and said “commercial farms” maintain 51% of its generated income from their “grown” agricultural product that we as community should support any of these “protected activities” that bring the public to our farms and offer an opportunity for all of our farmers to showcase their products, educate the public to the beauty in farming, and provide an opportunity to sell their agricultural product. What it gets down to is we have been loosing farm land daily in the US and our average farmer age is 61. Agriculture has been been the back bone of our country and we are loosing our back bone daily! An upcoming September review by the senate of a new piece of legislation that clearly outlines that life celebratory events like weddings and other agri-tourism driven events held on preserved farms are an excepted farming practice and therefore are protected by the right to farm act. This piece of legislation has already passed the assemble 79-0. Of course it did! Who would want to limit more of our garden state farmers opportunity for success? I’ll tell you who, local municipalities and other governing bodies who gain to benefit from more regulations! If Farm Land Preservation means you become a 2nd class farmer then the state farm land preservation program becomes only an agency of buying up “down and out” struggling farmers for dollars on the acre and then that farmland falls to the waste side because it is to expensive to farm without the support of our local government and the opportunity to host otherwise protected farming activities.

Come on people, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS and reach out to your Senators and our Governor and let them know WE SUPPORT OUR FARMERS! “I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they are chiefly agricultural.”

- Thomas Jefferson For Comments or Questions, send me an email at NJWineGuy77@gmail.com Supporting Local Since 1977 Kevin M. Celli

NJ WINEGUY September 2012

Stem & Stein

15

O

n Friday night, August 24, we headed down to Hopewell Valley Vineyards located in Pennington, New Jersey. They were hosting their Music and Merlot night . Hopewell Valley Vineyards holds this event from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings.

When we arrived about 7:00 pm the parking lot was pretty much filled. We found ourselves a spot, grabbed some magazines, our camera and headed inside. As we got to the front deck, the smell of freshly made pizza was everywhere. The deck was just about full of couples enjoying each others company, a few glasses of wine and some fresh brick oven pizza. We then headed inside to the tasting room where they had all of their award winning wines on display. We followed the sound of live music down the stairs to the main room to listen to the band who were already playing on stage. The crowd downstairs was enjoying their wine and pizza while listening to eclectic rock /Jazz as Larry and Guy kept everyone pretty well entertained all night. If you haven’t visited Hopewell Valley Vineyards to taste some of their award winning wines, you owe it to yourself to take a trip down there. Hopewell Valley Vineyards is also available for outdoor and indoor events.

The indoor event space is located adjacent to their tasting room and holds one hundred and ten people seated. It is ideal for business meetings, family reunions, bridal showers or any other private events.

Hopwell Valley Vineyards is located at 46 Yard Road, Pennington, New Jersey, just off RT 31. You can also visit them on the web at www.hopewellvalleyvineyards .com.

by Pam Mazalatis

16

Stem & Stein September 2012

September 2012

Stem & Stein

17

Beer Tasting and Sampling

By Eric Wormann

The number of beers that are available today can be overwhelming. The traditional styles defined by the Brewers Association are only the tip of the iceberg; new styles and hybrids are being developed every day. Not every person enjoys every style, but it is possible to appreciate the defining characteristics of each style in order to figure out which beer attributes you like and which aren’t your favorite. Knowing what to look for when you try a new beer is the first step to truly appreciating beer styles, even if that particular beer isn’t your favorite.

When you order a beer, your first natural instinct is to drink it. Resist the temptation. Instead, examine the beer’s appearance. Notice what type of glass it is served in. The color is the easiest aspect of the beer to notice. Everyone can spot the color difference between a Miller Lite and a Guinness, but it’s important to acknowledge the entire spectrum of color in between. Some beers are cloudy and unfiltered, while others are clear. The head can be fluffy and white or thin and dark.

Breweries put a lot of effort in malt and hop selection to create a beer that has a very specific look.

Take some time to appreciate it.

Now that you’ve examined the beer’s appearance, you’re probably ready to taste it. Bring the beer up to your lips...AND STOP. Before you take the first sip, experience the aroma of the beer.

Two short, quick sniffs and one deeper sniff should be enough for you to get an overall sense of the beer’s aroma. If you can’t get a nose on it, swirl the beer around a little to agitate it. The bubbles in the head are releasing the aroma for you to enjoy. Look for herbal, earthy, piny, spicy, floral, hoppy, and grainy aromas, but keep an open mind. The aroma will also tip you off to any defects in the beer, the most common being a skunky smell, but also look for buttery or chlorine aromas.

Finally, you are read to taste the beer. Go ahead and take a small sip, but let it linger in your mouth. Take notice of the flavors and listen to what your tongue tells you. You may notice any combination of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty flavors, so take some time to identify them. Concentrate on the mouthfeel of the beer. Are the carbonated bubbles rough, flat, or tight like champagne?

Some beers are thin and watery while others have a thick viscosity. After you swallow the beer, concentrate on the finish. Some beers have a clean finish with a nearly non-existent aftertaste, while others have a flavor and feel that linger long after the beer is gone.

Examining the attributes of a beer can help you understand why you like some beers and will make you more intelligently communicate what kind of beers you like, which will make it much easier to discover new beers to love. And who doesn’t want to find more beers to love?

18

Stem & Stein September 2012

reviews beer & WINE Yards Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale

Yards Brewing Company, located in Philadelphia, PA, first opened it’s doors in 1994. Best known for signature brews like Philadelphia Pale Ale, Love Stout, and Brawler Pugilist Style Ale, they now have a unique series called the Ales of The Revolution. Each beer in the series is inspired by an original recipe from one of the founding fathers or our country. While all three are exceptional beers, my personal favorite is Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale, which, according to the label, incorporates ingredients that were specified and grown on his Virginia estate, including honey, rye, oats, and corn.

This beer pours an amber and orange tint with a light tan head. The bready notes are the bulk of the aroma, but there are hints of citrus and toffee. The flavor is full for a traditional English strong ale: a lot of malt and caramel flavors that move into sweet orange and toffee. The mouthfeel is thick and creamy. There is a thick, sticky lacing on the glass after each sip matching the bold, boozy flavor. The beer finishes clean and dry with a slight bitterness on the back of the palette that is a signature feature of this style of golden ale.

The high alcohol in this beer (a surprising 8% ABV) is best paired with rich and savory foods like duck and pork chops.

Yards Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale is available as part of the Ales Of The Revolution variety pack, which includes four bottles of each variety: Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale, Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce, and George Washington’s Tavern Porter.

Southampton Double White Ale

Located in Southampton, NY, the Southampton Publick House bills itself as Long Island’s original craft brewery. They are one of the most award winning breweries in New York, specializing in French Belgian style ales. Their

year round and seasonal beers released in 6 pack bottles are respectable, but the real treasures are served on the ten rotating taps located in the Publick House. You can find anything from their traditional English Style IPA or their Double White Ale to their world class Biere de Garde or Black Raspberry Lambic.

The Double White Ale is their most commonly known signature beer. This Belgian-style white ale is served at a 6.6% “double strength.” Pouring a pale cloudy straw color, this beer has a beautiful white head. The aroma is filled with lemon and wheat with a touch of coriander. The flavor is classic witbier: coriander, lemon and orange peel, wheat, and a touch of banana from the belgian yeast.

The mouthfeel is thicker than expected, and it tastes a little boozier than expected, but the final result is a beer that is refreshing, yet has some depth to it.

Available year-round in 6 pack bottles, his beer is one for lovers of both bold, American craft beers as well as traditional imported Belgian witbiers!

Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale

This has been one of The story of Flying Fish Brewing Co. is an interesting one. The brewery was started in 1995 as a virtual microbrewery, existing only on the World Wide Web. The website was used to attract investors until they were able to build a real brewery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey in 1996. Since then, Flying Fish has become the largest craft brewery in the state, tripling its brewing capacity since tapping the first barrel. Since its inception, the brewery has been highly involved in the beer community, giving beer enthusiasts the opportunity to name the beers, design t-shirts, and even apply to work at the brewery, all through the brewery’s website, which was incredibly innovative back in 1996.

The goal of Flying Fish Brewing Co. is to brew balanced, drinkable beers. If there is one style that encompasses drinkability, that style is the farmhouse saison.

The style was developed in the Frenchspeaking farmland of Belgium for farmers to drink during the hot summer months. It was intentionally low in alcohol and light in color and body, the ultimate drinkable

Eric Wormann beer for a hot summer day. Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale is an American twist on this classic Belgian style.

The light golden color of this beer is topped by a white head, with an uncharacteristically crystal clarity. An earthy and herbal nose finish with a hint of citrus. The flavor matches the aroma: earthy and grassy with a touch of citrus and a nice, dry finish that leaves me wanting more. The 7% ABV is dangerously well hidden.

Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale is only available in the summer, so be sure to check it out soon before it’s gone!

Three Windows White – Riesling

An oak aged Red Sipping The east wall of the Beneduce Vineyard’s tasting room is framed by three massive windows that originally graced a schoolhouse in the 1870s.

After digging them out of an antique shop’s dusty corner, the owners carefully restored them from top to bottom, including most of the original glass panels. Today, these ancient relics drench the winery in natural sunlight, inspiring them to pay homage with this aromatic white. A classic semi-sweet Riesling, this wine boasts intense floral aromas and a mouth-watering grapefruit flavor. Try pairing with spicy Thai food or serve chilled on its own as the perfect way to beat the summer heat!

Villa Milagro – Sombra

Villa Milagro Vineyards, located in Finesville, NJ, produces European style wines from its ten varieties of grapes. SOMBRA is a deep, rich Shiraz blend of Shiraz with an intense purple-black color. Aged 3 years in American oak barrels to transform the typical “grapey” taste of Shiraz to an explosion of prune, plum and blackberry notes, Sombra is a delicious compliment to savory foods….if it lasts long enough to pair it! Sip and savor this silky Sombra wine.

September 2012

Stem & Stein

19

MEDIA

MARK RUZICKA

“JUDGMENT OF PRINCETON” DELIVERS HISTORIC RESULTS FOR NEW JERSEY WINE INDUSTRY Blind Tasting Competition Held on a Friday in June at Princeton University Shows Basic Statistical Tie between Leading French Wines and the Best of New Jersey.

The “Judgment of Princeton” wine competition held on June 12, 2012 at Princeton University as part of the fourday American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) conference was a banner day for the New Jersey wine industry.

Although France received the top honor in both the white wine chardonnay and red wine category, New Jersey wines made a terrific showing against their French competitors, so well in fact that the results were basically a statistical tie. In fact, three New Jersey chardonnays placed 2nd through 4th in the competition.

Set up in the same manner as the 1976 “Judgment of Paris” where California wines bested their French counterparts, forever changing the dynamics of the wine industry, a panel of nine judges was assembled to blind taste test a specially selected list of four French wines and six New Jersey wines in each category. The whites had to be 100% chardonnay and the reds came from any of the Bordeaux blend grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and had to be grown in New Jersey. New Jersey wines for the competition were submitted to an informal panel of judges, who then selected the wines for the competition. These judges were not eligible to taste wines at the final competition.

Former journalist George Taber, who covered the 1976 Paris blind tasting- for TIME Magazine and wrote a subsequent book on the “Judgment of Paris,” organized the details of the tasting this past Friday in conjunction with the AAWE. Taber arranged the details to mirror the set-up of the 1976 blind tasting, including the scoring, on a 20 point basis by the judges.

The panel of judges (see below), made up of vineyard owners, international wine critics and journalists, including three from Belgium and France, each sampled 10 wines in a white and red category. New Jersey wine took three out of the top four spots in the white wine category and ranked third highest in the reds.

“The results hardly tell the whole story. The judging was so close that, statistically, there were virtually no significant differences in the rankings. Therefore, if the competition were held again, there is a high probability the rankings would change due to how close the wines were judged,” said Orley C. Ashenfelter, President of the AAWE and a Professor of Economics at Princeton University.

The “Judgment of Princeton” also showed the tremendous value of New Jersey wines. The 2004 Mouton Rothschild and Haut Brion are wines that can cost upwards of $650 a bottle.

20

Stem & Stein September 2012

While they finished one-two in the red wine category, New Jersey reds costing about 5% of that price received strong scores.

“New Jersey wines can play with the big ones,” stated AAWE Vice President Karl Storchmann, who is also Managing Editor, Journal of Wine Economics and Clinical Professor of Economics at New York University.

Below are the rankings of the Judgment of Princeton Rank WHITES 1 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos Mouches 2009 FRA 2 Unionville Chardonnay 2010 NJ 3 Heritage Chardonnay 2010 NJ 4 Silver Decoy “Black Feather” Chardonnay NJ 5 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet FRA 6 tied Bellview Chardonnay 2010 NJ 6 tied Domaine Macr-Antonin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 FRA 8 Amalthea Cellars Chardonnay 2008 NJ 9 Ventimiglia Chardonnay 2010 NJ 10 Jean Latour-Labille Meursault-Charmes Premier Cru 2008 FRA

Rank REDS 1 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 2004 FRA 2 Chateau Haut-Brion 2004 FRA 3 Heritage Estate Reserve BDX 2010 NJ 4 Chateau Montrose 2004 FRA 5 Tomasello Cabernet Sauvignon “Oak Reserve” 2007 NJ 6 Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2004 FRA 7 Bellview Lumiere 2010 NJ 8 Silver Decoy Cabernet Franc 2008 NJ 9 Amalthea Cellars Europa VI 2008 NJ 10 Four JG’s Cabernet Franc 2008 NJ Wine Judges:

Jean–Marie Cardebat, Professor of Economics, Université de Bordeaux Tyler Colman, DrVino.com John Foy, Wine Columnist The Star Ledger; www.thewineodyssey.com Olivier Gergaud, Professor of Economics, BEM Bordeaux Management School Robert Hodgson, owner, Fieldbrook Winery, CA Linda Murphy, co-author of American Wine; Decanter Danièle Meulders, Professor of Economics, Université Libre de Bruxelles Jamal Rayyis, Gilbert & Gaillard Wine Magazine Francis Schott, Stage Left Restaurant, New Brunswick; RestaurantGuysRadio.com Ex officio: Mark Censits, Cool Vines Wine & Spirits George Taber, Block Island, RI