There’s a basic trend in the brewing community to gravitate towards a small group of American hops, most of which begin with the letter “C”.  What many have never seen are the little green gems that don’t often enter into the spotlight.  What many homebrewers see as the best options are the ones they’ve tasted, i.e the varieties established breweries use.  By the same token, most big breweries play it safe, working with the established and successful flavor profiles of Centennial, Cascade, Columbus, Chinook, Amarillo, and Willamette.  Those six names make up about 90% of what we see used in commercial and homebrew circles, but there are literally hundreds of “undiscovered” hop varieties with beautifully unique and delicious flavor and aroma characteristics.  Fortunately for the homebrewer, we’re not bound to buying 100lbs of hops at a time, and are free to experiment as we please, forever crafting and perfecting our art.  Now I’d like to share a few of my favorite varieties.

Ahtanum – American – Typical AA 4.0-6.0% – This hop shares a common vein with cascade, but with more subtle charactistics.  A bit more floral than cascade, and lightly fruity with light citrus and notes of dried apricot and a unique subtle pine aroma.

Bravo – American – Typical AA 10.0-13.0% – Big mixed fruit expression with some earthiness in the profile.  Think Centennial and Fuggle having a child bigger than each of his parents.  Consider this trying this hop in a big American or Russian Stout, as the earthiness plays nicely with caramel and roast flavors.

Palisade – American – Typical AA 5.5-8.0 – Big tangerine flavor and aroma.  Don’t let the simplicity of the description scare you away.  Palisade is one of the most versatile and juicy hops out there.  Try on anything, and consider pairing with ahtanum.

Sorachi Ace/ Sorachi - Japan/US respectively -Typical AA 10-15% – Lemongrass and dill on the aroma with a strong lemon peel flavor.  Truly unique.  Makes killer Belgians.

Aurora – Styrian – Typical AA 6.0-8.0% – Flavor and aroma of candied orange peels, a mild lime note, and a touch of fresh ginger-like spice.  A little Aurora will bring complexity to any brew, and makes phenomenal pale lagers.  Admittedly one of my favorites.

Saphir – German – Typical AA 4.0-6.0 -Bred from Hallertau Mittelfrueh for better growth yield and stability.  Big grassy, hallertau-like characteristics with a pleasant peach-apricot-tangerine fruitiness.  Fantastic aroma. (Try using it with Aurora)

Summit – American – Typical AA 15-20 – This is the nuclear strike of American hops.  Maybe not quite as oddball as some of the others, but I need to mention Summit for its insane level of pungent pine-like characteristics.  Try using Summit to dry hop an IPA.

——

The following are brand new to me, but I’ve had the honor of repackaging several pounds of each.  Here are my initial impressions.

Lublin – Polish – Current AA 4.2% – Very floral and genuinely “hoppy.”  A mild, very pleasant finishing hop.  Noble-like.  I have a feeling this would benefit any lager or light/hoppy ale.

Komik - Polish? – Current AA 4.6% – Earthen spice.  A caraway or curry-like aroma off the bag.  I’d love to see this in a Saison or Belgain Pale.

Bobek – Styrian -Current AA 3.9% – This has got to be Fuggle’s estranged cousin.  Super earthy, with notes of dried leather, jerky, and white pepper.  Intensely unique.

Opal – German – Current AA 6.3% – Pleasantly herbal with notes of sage, thyme and a touch of peppery spice.

Merkur – German – Current AA 12.4% – Pungent herbs and quite spicy.  Seems similar to Magnum, but with a bit more spice.

Motueka - New Zealand – Current AA 7.1% –  When I first opened a bag of this hop and smelled the contents, my brain went numb and I tried to crawl into the bag.  Big lemon-lime, tropical fruit, and melon aroma.  I will be brewing with this hop soon.

So next time you’re at your local homebrew shop, ask what “oddball” hops they have to give your next brew the unique edge it deserves, whether it be a small melon note in a Belgian Pale, a touch of ginger-like spice lingering in the background of your big American IPA, or something mild and floral to finish off a pale lager.  There is a whole world of lupulin-lovers out there and the addition of one of these hops could add an extra depth of character that sets your beer apart from the rest.

Cheers!

Dana

Kolsch is a style of beer originating in Cologne.  These beers are pale gold in color and strike a remarkable balance between a structured hop bitterness and subtle, light malt character.  Peppery noble hops are evident in the aroma as is a pleasant, grainy maltiness and a touch of pear-like fruitiness from the fermentation.  Kolsch is defined by two qualifications.  The beer must be fermented with Kolsch yeast and must be brewed in their hometown of Cologne.  The yeast used is particularly suited for cooler fermentation than most ales, which results in a very clean flavor profile.  This strain is also a big attenuator, i.e it ferments a higher percent of available sugar.  This means that this style ferments clean and has a distinct dry finish which lends to a very refreshing and drinkable beer with a lot of subtle character.

With the widespread availability of many yeast strains the first of these qualifications is easy to meet, and some brewers have made an attempt to recreate the style outside of Germany.  Despite this, I personally believe the best and most authentic examples of the style are still those imported to us from their homeland.  I had an opportunity recently to try three different examples of imported Kolsch: Gaffel, Sunner, and Reissdorf.  All three were excellent, but if you’re planning on trying one I thought Sunner struck the most appropriate balance for the style.  Light and easy drinking but with some pleasant subtleties.

For the homebrewers out there, brewing Kolsch is a very simple process with some very strict parameters.  The ingredients are basic using pale or pilsner malt as a base.  A handful of malted wheat and/or other pale specialty or crystal malts for body, color, and a touch sweetness are not inappropriate.  Hops are generally of noble varieties and provide mostly bitterness.  Traditional Kolsch limits hop additions in the last 30 minutes of the boil, but small additions near the end are not uncommon and can add a bit of peppery or grassy hop complexity to the aroma.  The key to really pulling off a kolsch lies with the yeast.  Highly attenuative, low flocculating german ale, alt, or kolsch strains are a must to dry out the beer and achieve the appropriate balance.  Given the option, I would always use one of the authentic “Kolsch” strains because this particular yeast creates a touch of pear-like fruitiness which adds a bit of depth to what is already a very simple beer.  Managing the fermentation temperature with this style is important to achieve a clean ferment.  A primary fermentation between 58 and 62 degrees will keep ester production to a minimum and will produce the dry, lager-like finish we’re looking for.  Because these yeast strains ferment cool and are poor flocculators, a secondary conditioning phase lasting two to five weeks should follow the primary ferment.  The extra time will help the beer clear and mature.

The beauty of spring is the ambient temperature lends itself perfectly to this type of ferment.  An average of 60F is perfect for these beers, and when its finally ready to drink the heat of the summer will be just starting to set in and the perfect refreshing pint will be yours to be had.

With all that said and done lets talk specifics.  Kolsch usually runs between 4.5%-5.0% ABV putting us at an OG between 1.044 and 1.049.  Bitterness should be noticable but not overpowering, an IBU range of 25-30 will get you the balance you want.  Any noble variety will work well, even some of the American grown clones like Mt. Hood or Liberty will work great.  All grain brewers, this is one where we want upwards of 80% apparent attenuation with a dry finish.  That means executing a single infusion mash with a rest temp in the mid-high 140’s to achieve maximum fermentability.  Keep in mind that if you go with a base of Pilsner malt you will want to conduct a full 90 minute boil to drive off any DMS precursors.

Now I’d like to share a recipe I brewed myself this past week.  I’ll admit that while I look to traditional brewing for inspiration, I am by no means a traditionalist, so my “Kolsch” recipe is more my interpretation of the style as filtered through my desire to experiment with new ingredients.  This recipe is inspired by a hop that I’ve never tried and really wanted to play around with.  Aurora is a mid alpha acid range hop notable hints of citrus peels and lime zest.  My goal was to add a touch of hop flavor and a nice blast of aroma to add some depth to the beer without getting too much in the way of the raw simplicity of the base style.  Enough of my rambling, here’s the recipe!

Liquid Sun Kolsch:
OG: 1.047-1.052
IBU: 27-30
All Grain Version:
Total Volume: 5 gallons
Boil Volume: 6 Gallons
Grains: (75% mash efficiency)
8lbs Domestic 2-Row
12oz Wheat Malt
6oz CaraHell
Hops:
60 mins: 1oz Mt. Hood (6.1%)
20 mins: .25oz Aurora (7.5%)
KO:         .75 oz Aurora (7.5%)
Mash at 149F for 60 minutes or until tested negative for starch.  Collect 6 gallons from the sparge and conduct a 1 hour boil with the noted hop additions.  Chill to 60F, pitch yeast and ferment.  When fully attenuated rack to secondary and condition near 50F for 3-6 weeks.

Extract Version:
Total Volume: 5 gallons
Boil Volume: 2.5 gallons
8oz Carahell steeped at 150F for 15-20 minutes
2.5lbs Pilsner DME added at the beginning of the boil (60 minutes)
3.3lbs Extra Light LME added at 15 minutes
Hops:
60 mins: .75oz Aurora (7.5%)
20 mins: .25oz Aurora (7.5%)
KO: .5oz Aurora (7.5%)

Perhaps the best part of Cavalry brewing is the story the beer tells.  Brewed by veterans of the Iraq War, each beer in the line up is named after a vet with a story to tell.  Its important to remember that there are people out there dedicating their lives for our benefit.  Cavalry makes sure that we take a minute to appreciate every beer drink by telling their story on every bottle.  Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to support our troops than to pick up a six pack this stuff.  Below I’ve included a quick overview of each of Cavalry’s beers.

Dog Soldier Golden Ale — A medium bodied blonde ale with a light caramel sweetness.  Easy drinking, 4.0% ABV, and a good depth of malt character, this is a great choice for any occasion and is certainly appealing to a wide variety of palates.

Hatch Plug Bitter — A great example of an English Bitter.  This amber ale showcases sweet caramel malts, earthy English hops, and is balanced with a distinct but pleasant bitterness.  A touch of toffee and caramel add a depth of complexity and round out the palate nicely.

Big Wally Porter — This fantastic dark brown ale is my personal favorite of the bunch.  Well rounded with the perfect balance of roast, sweet malt, and hop bitterness; this is a beer I can really get behind.  Medium bodied, easy drinking, and with complex notes of coffee and molasses, I’m certainly reaching for another.

Nomad Stout — Intense nuts and roasted malt dominate the palate.  This beer finishes dry and is full of flavor.  A great example of the style, and a much recommended alternative to the Guinness.  Perfect for the beer drinker who doesn’t love an overly sweet profile.

Now I say support your local brewery because you have the choice of where you want to spend your money.  You can feed it into a machine which will consume your coin and produce more of the same exact product, or you can support the little guy in your own back yard.  You can support craft, creativity, tradition, and your neighbor just buy purchasing fresh, local beer…Plus you’ll be giving me something to write about.  So next time your about to grab your old mainstay, think to yourself, “What would Dana drink?”  Keep this phrase in mind, and you will have success.
Cheers

Dana

Homebrewing How To: Preparing a Yeast Starter

Ideally, a starter should be prepared about 2 days prior to brew day.  This will give the yeast plenty of time to increase their population, strengthen their cell walls, and acclimate to their environment.  Start off by sanitizing everything.  I’m using star-san in a spray bottle because its extremely effective, easy, and has a long shelf life when mixed with distilled water.  In theory, the heat from the boil should take care of any unwanted micro-organisms in the neck of the flask, but it takes about 3 seconds to spray it down.  Turn the flask upside down to dry until you’re ready to use it.  Next measure out DME at a ratio of 10g DME/100mL water.  For our 1200mL starter we’ll use 120g DME.  If you don’t have a gram scale, 1/2 cup DME is approximately equal to 90g.  Also, keep in mind that we’re only going up to 1200mL on this starter because the yeast will have a tendency to try and crawl right up and out of the airlock.  One more important point – NEVER use distilled water with any fermentation.

Next combine DME wit ha small amount of water, mix well, and add into the flask.  Its much easier to dissolve DME in a separate bowl than in the flask itself.  Add this mixture to the starter flask and add water until you’ve achieved the total volume you’re looking for.  Boil this mixture for a full 15 minutes to ensure a totally sterile environment.  I usually affix a #10 stopper to the top of the flask during boiling to add a little bit of back pressure.  This allows steam to back up in the neck of the flask and gets everything good and hot.

To cool the starter quickly, transfer the flask to an ice bath.  Usually 5 lbs of ice with some water in your sink is sufficient.  Keep in mind that these flasks are made to endure extreme temperature changes, and will not shatter.  Normal glassware should not be heated on a stove or exposed to extreme temperature changes!  Be aware of this if you’re using normal kitchen equipment.  Cover the stopper with a bit of foil and swirl around in the ice bath for quick  cooling.  If you’re using a sauce pot to cook up your starter in, do not cover it.  We want to keep any liquid from condensing on a lid and dripping back into the starter.

When you’ve reached adequate pitching temperature for your particular yeast strain, sanitize the yeast pack, scissors, and pitch into the starter.  Swirl for several minutes to mix up the yeast and introduce oxygen into the system.  Yeast need oxygen to properly multiply, and since we are really looking to bolster our population here oxygen is a key nutrient.  Swirl for as long as you have patience for, or invest in a stir plate.  When you’re satisfied, either cover tightly with foil or affix the airlock.  The foil allows better gas exchange with the environment, but since I live in a house with a cat who has free reign of everything, I choose to use the airlock for safety.  Pet dander and dust are riddled with wild yeast that I’d prefer to keep out of my starter.  Now sit back and relax knowing you’ve given your yeast population the best possible shot at life.

One more very important note: Sanitize the lip of the flask and around the stopper before pitching the starter into your wort.  Any microbes on the lip of the flask will have a field day in your wort if not taken care of.

Hope you enjoy the demonstration!  And special thanks to Jeremy White for the stunning cinematography.  Check out his other work at http://www.fairfaxfilms.com/

Dana

Hearty, hot, delicious, and soothing for the body and soul in the dead of coldest January.  I figured I’d share and easy approach to beef stew from scratch.  You will need the following items:

• Stew Meat: Beef, Lamb, Veal, Venison…its you’re choice.  I went with beef.
• Veggies of your choosing: I like potatoes, onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms in a stew.  They are hearty, chunky, and tasty when cooked together.
• Salt & Pepper
• Fresh Bread
• Cornstarch (optional)

This has got to be one of the easiest meals in the world.  Start by filling up your stew pot with some water.  Salt it and hit it with some black pepper.  I also had some Thyme and Herbes de provence kicking around so a gave a dash of each for a little more flavor — Clove or Allspice might also be a good addition.  Get your water on the stove and start heating it up.  We’re not using any stock here, because its pretty easy to make your own.  As you’re cleaning up your veggies, take all the skins, ends, leafy bits, or material you would otherwise throw away and toss it right in the stockpot.  All the out layers of onion, celery leaves, mushroom pieces, potato trimmings, and carrot stumps are all going to add a lot of flavor to the stew stock.  All you need to do is simmer it all for a while to extract the flavor.  Today I gave it about 40 minutes or however long it took me to chop up my veggies.  I wasn’t in a hurry, but you could certainly do it much more quickly.  I also threw in some slices of bacon as a secret weapon.  The fat from the bacon will cook into the broth and help accentuate the flavor of the stew.   Really any fatty piece of meat will work, but its not necessary.

When you have everything cut and ready to go into the stock pot,use a kitchen strainer to get out all unwanted vegetable material.  When everything is cleaned out,  add the stew mix to the hot broth and simmer until all the veggies are tender.  I would suggest searing you’re stew meat before adding it to the broth.  Quickly browning the outsides of the meat on high heat will help keep the meat tender while it slowly cooks in the stew.  Using well marbled cuts or cooking very slowly will also help keep the meat from getting tough.  If you want to thicken up the broth a bit I’d suggest reserving a few cups of hot broth and adding it to about a 1/4 cup of cornstarch (you can use more if you need to).  Thoroughly blend the mixture and add it back to the stew.  Cook a few more minutes, allow to thicken, and serve.    Refrain from adding the cornstarch directly to the stew because it will just congeal into boogerlike gelatinous blobs that will never dissolve properly.  Serve with a warm, hearty, thick crusted bread.

Now to the topic of beer.  As its mid January and quite cold out right now, something a bit hearty is going to be appropriate to pair with this stew.  Personally, I’m partial to brown ales and Avery Brewing puts out an amazing beer called “Ellie’s Brown Ale.”  If you haven’t tried this brown it comes highly recommended from me.  Locally, we have Long Trail’s Hibernator which is malt oriented beer at about 6% abv, perfect for the winter months.  If you’re looking for something a bit darker, the rich and roasty porters would be an excellent choice to pair with this meal.  Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter is a classic with loads of rich, caramel and dark chocolaty flavor.  Anchor Porter is a touch more roasty, and also an excellent choice.  Any of these full bodied, malt oriented beers will go great with a good hearty stew, so grab a beer and get cooking!

Cheers!

Dana

When it comes to yeast, brewers are most concerned with two specific strains: Ale yeast or Lager yeast.  The fundamental difference between “ales” and “lagers” is simply the type of yeast strain used to produce the finished beer.  Ale yeast strains are top fermenting, meaning the bulk of the yeast crop resides or congregates at the top of the fermenting vessel during fermentation.  These yeast strains usually ferment at temperatures between 65 and 75 Fahrenheit, and will produce beers that are usually drinkable within several weeks of the brew day.  Due to their activity at higher temperatures, ale yeasts tend to be a bit more active, and also produce many phenolic and ester compounds responsible for added flavor within the beer.  On the contrary, Lager yeast strains are bottom fermenting and are much more comfortable at temperatures ranging from 45 to 55 Fahrenheit.  Additionally, lagers require an additional conditioning or “lagering” phase that involves storing the beer at near freezing temperatures for approximately 6 weeks.  The extra conditioning time gives the lager yeast strain time to clean up the mess it made at the dinner table, leaving a very clear and clean tasting beer.  The cold activity of lager yeasts coupled with the long, cold storage results in a cleaner fermentation profile that lacks many of the flavor compounds associated with warmer ale fermentations.

When choosing a yeast strain, a brewer has many things to take into account: degree of attenuation, fermentation profile, and alcohol tolerance.  Attenuation refers to the percentage of fermentable sugars a strain is capable of metabolizing before becoming inactive.  Attenuation determines how dry or sweet a finished beer will be by predicting how much residual sugar will be left in the finished beer, and is one of the most important traits to consider when balancing a recipe.  Alcohol, along with hop bitterness, helps to balance the intense sweetness of malt sugars and is a crucial piece of the whole puzzle.

The fermentation profile of a specific yeast strain refers the biochemical signature it leaves behind in a beer after fermentation.  Fermentation is a much more complex process than simply turning sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol.  During fermentation, a vast number of other flavor compounds are produced drastically effecting the flavor of the finished product.  Esters, phenols, alcohols, and even sulfur compounds are all present in finished beer and impart their own unique flavor.  Esters are usually perceived as fruity, resembling anything from distinct banana to subtle pear.  Phenolic compounds tend to be spicy, coming across as clove, allspice, or black pepper.  Belgian yeast strains are known for their high ester and phenol content, and the resulting fermentation profile lends a lot of character to the final product.  In the same way that hops derive bitterness, and malt denotes sweetness, roast, toast, toffee, or caramel, the choice of yeast will hugely impact the character of the beer.  One of the most trademark yeast profiles is the banana clove character of Bavarian Hefeweizen compared to the much more neutral, clean profile associated with American wheat of Hefeweizen.

Alcohol tolerance of a yeast strain is something the brewer needs to take into account if brewing a strong beer that may cause normal yeast strains to become inactive.  Most ale yeast will remain active up to around 9-11% ABV before being knocked into an ethanol induced stupor, but beers in the 12-16% range are not uncommon these days.  To produce these extreme beers the brewer needs to break out the big guns.  Brewers will often use several yeast strains with increasing levels of tolerance to achieve a specific flavor profile and keep the beer tasting smooth despite a high level of alcohol.  Alternatively, a brewery may have access to a yeast strain with a crazy high tolerance for alcohol.  As an example, Sam Adam’s Utopia achieves a whopping 27% ABV without any distillation.

Anyway, I could probably ramble about this all day, so I’ll leave you at that.  As always if you have any questions, or if I’ve missed anything you feel is important feel free to shoot me an email.

Its all in the yeast.

Live, Love & Drink. (beer)

Infinium

This beer is set to debut in December and is a must try for serious beer fans.  Check out the videos on Sam Adams website for more info.

A bit about the beer:

Saison is a traditional farmhouse style ale originating in Belgium and France, and was generally brewed in late winter or spring.  The idea was to brew a beer of low to moderate strength at the end of the brewing season that would last through the warmer months of the year.  Back in the day these beers would have been drank primarily by the laboring class.  It would have been your go to beer while toiling in the fields, your best weapon against the hot summer sun.  More modern examples of the style tend to be a bit higher in alcoholic strength, ranging from 5-7% ABV.  Saison is usually pale in color, moderately hopped, and has a distinctly peppery, almost spicy, fermentation profile.  High levels of carbonation make this style almost champagne-like and quite delightful to drink.  In addition to barley, wheat, oats, and rye often make their way into Saison.

Now that you have some background into the beer, I can go into some detail about the food.  The recipe is designed for 2 moderately hungry people.  I’m purposely unspecific about the amounts of each ingredient because I encourage a bit of experimentation.

Ingredients:

8-12 oz Fresh Salmon
1 Sweet Onion
1 Bunch of Asparagus
1 Bag/box of Spring Mix Salad Greens
1 Lemon
Gorgonzola Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Stillwater Artisinal Saison

Alright, start off by setting your oven to broil and the rack about 6 inches from the heat.  Begin bringing about a quart of water to a boil, and get a frying pan on the stove at medium-high heat.  Dig up a cooking sheet and cover it with some foil.  Place your salmon on the cooking sheet skin side down.  There’s no need to grease anything because the skin of the fish will separate from the meat when its cooked, and you can just throw the foil away (along with the mess) when you’re done.  Then slice up a few thin pieces of lemon and place them over the top of the fish.  Once the oven is up to temp, pop in the fish.  It should take about 15 minutes or so to cook.  Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Next, Start slicing your onions.  I like thick chunks of onion, so I usually cut the onion in half from the top down and then chop wedges from the center.  Thicker chunks of onion will caramelize better and retain their flavor in the finished salad.  However you decide to do it, start to caramelize the onions in your frying pan with a very small amount of olive oil.  Cook until the onions are tender, stirring only once or twice.  If you stir your onions too much they won’t caramelize properly depriving them of the rich brown color and sweet flavor you’re looking for.  Next, cut the tough ends off the asparagus and throw them in the boiling water for about 2- 3 minutes.  They should still be a bit crunchy when you take them out of the water.  We’re not going to cook them fully yet because we’re going to grill them a bit more when we make the dressing — same with the onions.  When almost finished, remove the onions and asparagus from the heat and put them aside until the salmon is finished cooking.  On a side note, when it comes to cooking your veggies don’t over do it.  The goal is to have a little crunch in your finished onion and a tender, almost meaty texture in the asparagus.  Mushiness is a flavor and texture killer for both these veggies, so if you’re someone who has a tendency to overcook your veggies I would advise you to take them off the heat a few minutes before you think they’re done.

Once you’ve  deemed the salmon fully cooked, heat up a few ounces of olive oil to medium high heat.  This is going to be the dressing, so prepare the quantity to your own liking.  Once the oil is good and hot throw in the onions and asparagus, then add approximately the same amount of balsamic vinegar to the mix.  The acid in the vinegar should flame off fairly quickly leaving a sweet vinaigrette dressing, and if all goes well the onions and asparagus should take on a little bit of that flavor.  All you have to do now is place the salmon over the greens, add the dressing and veggies, and crumble with Gorgonzola cheese.

Hold on, I seem to have left out the most important part.  Pop open you’re bottle of Stillwater Saison and enjoy your meal.  The flavor combination going on here is fantastic.  Rich creamy Gorgonzola cheese with warm balsamic dressing, the crunch of caramelized onion and a hint of lemon from the fish all… I didn’t even talk about the beer!  Stillwater has some absolutely amazing brews, and when I tried this Saison it blew me away.  Ebullient and cheerful in your glass, the spice and acidity of the beer go wonderfully with this salad.  The only way to find out for yourself is to try it, so get cooking!

Cheers

Dana

A view of the Great Range from the summit of Whiteface

So the first day of our adventure consisted of hiking up Blue Mountain located in the southern part of Adirondack Park.  It was a relatively quick hike with a nice view, and ended up the perfect choice after a four hour drive.  The second day, we were to travel up to the Lake Placid region to climb the ominously solitary Mount Whiteface.

But wait, isn’t this a blog about beer?

Yes it is!  With that said the most experienced hikers and mountaineers know that the best trails end at the pub.  There’s nothing quite like sitting down, relaxing, and having a fresh beer with some good friends after a hard day hiking.  It’s a way to let your mind at ease and just enjoy life in all its delightful simplicity: Good friends, good food, good beer, good atmosphere.  What more could you ask for?

So our adventure begins after a twelve mile roundtrip hike up and down Mount Whiteface.  Nestled in the town of Lake Placid, New York, no more than a few miles off the trailhead, the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery was waiting to serve us the perfect post hike pint.  Since I had almost no prior knowledge of this brewery’s existence in the area, it was a pretty special treat to get a nice, fresh beer after a hard days work, and also snap some pics of the brewery.  The pub itself is a great establishment with a very warm atmosphere.  Low lighting, wood paneling and tables, and plenty of signs on decorating the walls make the pub very welcoming.  The food was of the traditional pub variety.  Burgers, sandwiches, a few entree options, and the specials made the bulk of the menu. 

The best part of the meal, of course, was the beer.  We arrived just in time to try their “Ecto”berfest Lager.  The brew was a bit darker and heftier than most traditional Octoberfest Lagers, but the extra heartiness did justice to the weather and rugged environment.  We also tried some of the Ubu Ale, the brewery’s flagship beer.  A deep, ruby colored English Old Ale, this beer packs some punch at 7% ABV.  Full bodied, very smooth, and showcasing a nice blend of English hops, this beer is awesome.  The good news is it distributes to parts of Connecticut, so if you keep you’re eyes open you may stumble across some next time you’re out shopping for beer.

So start planning you’re vacation now.  Whether skiing, hiking, biking, kayaking, or just relaxing in a beautiful part of the world, the Adirondacks has it.  Throw in a fantastic brewery and some good friends and it doesn’t get any better.

DanaBrew 2.0

Enjoy

Dana