1001 BEERS: #28. CHIMAY TRIPLE / CINQ CENT

 

# 28: CHIMAY TRIPLE / CINQ CENTS

Bieres de Chimay - Belgium (Est. 1862)

8% ABV - Belgian Triple 
IBU's - 30

Ingredients:

Malts: Two-row Pale, Brown, Crystal, Cane Sugar
Hops: Saaz, Hallertauer Hersbrucker
Wheat Flour

Tasting Notes

E: Golden with a hazy touch of amber and orange.  A big foamy, snowy head, that retains well.

N: Spicy hop aroma, with a sweet honey style nose.

P: Bold hop bitterness is replaced with a generous amount of fruit flavours, which leads to sweet maltiness and a lingering bitterness

M: Dry finish with a fine balance of acidity, bitterness and warming alcohol

Other comments: The beer that that caused controversy for the brothers at Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Scourmont, when they launched Chimay White on draft.  They rebranded it as a Tripel.  The Chimay brewery was already the centre of attention when an article announced that the brewery was using non-traditional brewing ingredients.  This was quickly addressed and an announcement was made saying that there had been a 'confusion in translation'.  Either way the brothers still maintains an heir of provenance and ability to create masterful beers with gastronomy to match.

Food Pairings: Chimay and food go together like egg and chips, although neither of them would I pair with this Triple.  Chimay White cries out for strong rich flavours that can compete with the hop bitterness and acidity.  If you want a cheese, something robust like Goat's cheese or a triple creme, where the acidity of the beer cuts through the creamy rich cheese.  Another approach would be to look at the herbal aspects and pair with Pesto, or for a complete left field approach try with crab cakes or a spicy meaty robust fish.  If dessert is your thing, stay clear of chocolate and move towards apricot, frangipane or a sweet and nutty Baklava.  

SCORE: 3.45/5

Page: 347

1001 BEERS: #27. BROOKLYN LOCAL 1

 

# 27: BROOKLYN LOCAL 1

Brooklyn Brewery - USA (Est. 1988)

9% ABV - Strong Golden Ale
IBU's - 26

Ingredients:

Malts: Two-row Pilsner, Bamberg, Demerara Cane Sugar
Hops: Hallertauer Perle, Styrian Golding

Tasting Notes

E: Pale straw-like colour, orangey hue.  Champagne style bubbly look when poured.  White frothy head.

N: Banana esters, coming from the Belgian yeast.  A sweet herbal aroma which dominates.  Slight aroma of fruity hops.

P: Spice dominates initially, followed by a sweet, honey like fruit.  Towards the end a smattering of peppery spice.

M: Tingy, spritzy carbonation with a smooth, dry finish.

Other comments: A beer that has all the character of a champagne with all the craftmanship of Brooklyn Brewery.  Local 1 is a continental beer in its make-ip. German/Austrian hops, German malts, demerara sugar from Mauritius and Belgian yeast.  This beer is 100% refermented back in the bottle, all the yeast is filtered out after the 1st fermentation, the beer gets bottled completely flat, new yeast is added along with the sugar.  The beer is then fermented for several weeks.  This "Methode Champenoise) was used by early French/Belgian beer makers to achieve high levels of carbonation.

Food Pairings: Local 1 cries out for fish and seafood.  Lobster pasta would pair wonderfully, as the slight salty lobster would contrast against the sweet demerara sugar, whilst the peppery spice from the hops would cut through any residual fats.  Match spice with spice, and pair with a delicate Thai curry, or contrast against the champagne bubbles with a creamy cheese.

SCORE: 3.56/5

Page: 335

1001 BEERS: #26. ALASKAN SMOKED PORTER

 

# 26: ALASKAN SMOKED PORTER

Alaskan Brewing - USA (Est. 1986)

6.5% ABV - Dark Porter

Ingredients:

Malts: Alderwood Smoked Malt, Crystal, GW Munich Malt, Beeston Black, Wayermann Carafa Special III
Hops: Chinook, Williamette

Tasting Notes

E: Dark black, brownish hue.  Foamy, soapy beige head.

N: Intense smoky aroma which overpowers.  Mild sweet notes that come from the malts.  Slight herbal / woody nose with a hint of tobacco.

P: Heavy smoky bitterness which stays all the way through the beer.  Burnt chocolate flavours fighting to get noticed but are present at the finish.

M: Oily on the mouth, with a harsh drying.  Slight acidity on the palate.

Other comments: A porter born out of the traditions of Alaskan breweries at the end of the 19th century.  The malts are kilned over Alder wood fires, this gives Alaskan Smoked Porter it robust smoky aromas and taste.  Alder wood was used by Native Americans to prepare "Kinnikinnick" made using the inner bark.  This was then put into pipes and smoked like tobacco.  This porter is unfiltered and each bottle may show different characteristics. 

Food Pairings: It's all about the smoke here, match smoke with smoke.  A rich smoked salmon would compliment, especially with the subtle sweetness of both the fish and the malts.  Chipotle flavoured meats would contrast against and compliment.  If cheese is your thing then a bold smoked Gouda or a rich blue cheese which would hold up against the smoky flavours, whilst the acidity and oily texture would cut through any fats.

SCORE: 2.86/5

Page: 617

1001 BEERS: #25. BOURBON COUNTY STOUT

 

# 25: BOURBON COUNTY STOUT

Goose Island Beer Company - USA

15% ABV - Dark

E: Thick tar like Black, with a dark beige head that dissipates quickly.

N: As you would expect Bourbon is a prominent aroma with tones of vanilla and caramel, with subtle hints of chocolate and cocoa.

P: On the palate, there are pronounced chocolate flavours, a hint of liquorice with a slight burnt toffee aftertaste, a good balance of sweet and bitter.

M: A smooth mouthfeel with a creamy complexion.  Warming with slight drying to finish.

Other comments: A bold stout from a renown brewery.  This beer is a fantastic blend of stout flavours with a smooth warming vanilla feel of a bourbon.  Aged in 23 year old Jim Beam bourbon barrels, this is one to take your time over and experience.  Lovely!

Food Pairings: Interesting beer to pair food with, you could get away with a strong cheddar, that would pick up the sweet vanilla flavours of the bourbon and the sweet malts, and cut through any fats.  Try this with a dessert as well, something with a light chocolate flavour to compliment the flavours of the stout.

SCORE: 3.37/5

Page: 645

1001 BEERS: #24. TIMOTHY TAYLOR'S LANDLORD

 

# 24: TIMOTHY TAYLOR'S LANDLORD

Timothy Taylor - England

4.1% ABV - Amber

E: Pale orangey amber colour, with a foamy head, not much retention.

N: Floral, with citrus notes on the nose, there is a subtle woody and earthy aroma, which would come from the fuggles and styrian hops.

P: A mild sweet maltiness which is a little nutty, balanced well with hop bitterness which has elements of fruit and earthy characteristics

M: It has a smooth texture a little creamy with a gentle carbonation.

Other comments: Being four-time champion of beer happens for a reason, and Timothy Taylor's Landlord offers the drinker a wonderful balance of fruit hop bitterness with quality malt sweetness.  It uses first class malts from the the UK and this shows in what can be inly described as an institutional ale.

Food Pairings: Pair this with a light cheddar, nothing too overpowering, but enough bite to allow the sweetness of the cheese compliment the 100% malt in the beer and allow the hop bitterness to cut through the residual fats.

SCORE: 3.2/5

Page: 278

1001 BEERS: #23. SHIPYARD IPA

 

# 23: SHIPYARD IPA

Shipyard Brewing - USA

5.8% ABV - Amber

E: Fantastic clarity with orangey-amber colour, a nice tight head, slightly off white

N: Herbal, floral and spicy aromas, not too much fruit but a hint of grass and elements of sweet malts.

P: A gentle sweetness leads to that recognisable IPA bitterness, a tang of citrus and pine, emulating from the fuggles hops.

M: Spritzy carbonation on the palate with a creamy texture.

Other comments: An English IPA using Fuggles hops brewed in the USA.  Shipyard IPA is bold and well balanced which looks fantastic on the eye.  A lovely IPA which has a higher IBU than most, due to the hop-percolator used by the brewmaster.

Food Pairings: Use the bitterness to cut through fatty foods, and allow the spicy fuggle hop to compliment spicy herbal flavours.  Try with a good old fashioned Lincolnshire Sausage Roll or a Pork Pie.

SCORE: 3.3/5

Page: 259

1001 BEERS: #22. ADNAMS BROADSIDE

 

# 22: ADNAMS BROADSIDE

Adnams - England

6.3% ABV - Amber

E: Deep ruby red, foamy head that dissipates quickly.

N: Plenty of spicy fruit, treacle and toffee aromas.

P: Sweet malts, caramel and flavours of fruitcake, dry hoppy bitterness

M: Drying, smooth with a subtle carbonation, aftertaste is ok, but quite musty after a while.

Other comments: An English Amber ale that embodies the fighting spirit of our Navy.  Brewed to remember the battle where the Earl of Sandwich lost his life, Broadside is big in hops, but even bigger in malty fruit flavours.  

Food Pairings: Pair with dishes with a little spice.  Allow the sweet fruity malts to contrast against the heat, whilst the hop bitterness cuts through any acidity.

SCORE: 2.93/5

Page: 31

1001 BEERS. #21: BRAKSPEAR TRIPLE

 

# 21: BRAKSPEAR TRIPLE

Brakspear Brewing Company - England

6.7% ABV - Amber

E: Deep amber, reddish golden hue.  Foamy head that laces the glass.

N: Lots of sweet malt aromas, hints of tropical fruits, a subtle banana aromas as well.

P: Sweet malt, almost toffee flavours, bursts of pineapple and grapefruit and tropical fruits, slight bitterness

M: Warming, light spritz of carbonation, drying.

Other comments: Triple hopped, with a great blend of cross-atlantic hop varieties.  Plenty of Cascade hops but they do not overpower the malt sweetness. Well balanced.

Food Pairings: Something hearty like a stew, allow the sweet malts to contrast against saltiness.  The bold hop notes would pair well with spice, so a hearty lamb curry would be my recommendation.

SCORE: 3.3/5

Page: 71