Mendocino Brewing Co. - Blue Heron Pale Ale

For a while I avoided pale ales purely based on the fact that I was not a fan of hoppy beers. Since moving to California I have found it hard to avoid these styles, so I have begun to embrace that which I for so long avoided.

Blue Heron is a cloudy golden ale with a very crisp nose. The scent reminds me of a honeydew melon that is just not quite ripe yet. Slightly tangy with a healthy dose of sweet. Not very heady, but very pleasant.

First sip, I got hops. (I always get the hops first, call it a gift). Crisp and sweet, just a hint of lemon or tart oranges. As it warms I start to get less lemon and more sweet flowers. Not strong, just hinting at the end.

Blue Heron is a good sipping beer. Starts cool sweet and crisp and ends with a light hoppy finish.

4 out of 5 pints.

Anchor Brewing Co. - Anchor Bock Beer

I have a love/hate relationship with Bock style beers. I have really liked some, and despised others. So, this being one persons opinion, I decided to stay true to my taste buds.

The Anchor Bock Beer is robust to say the least. At first the nose hits you. Rich and slightly citrusy, you go in expecting a hearty fruit-filled experience. The question I thought with the first sip is, "Is it fruity, or could it be more nutty?" A clue... neither.

The hue of this beer is a deep brown chestnut with a rich clear shine. It's not 'dirty' colored unlike some bocks I have encountered. It produces a good head, but that dissipates about as quickly as my desire to continue to drink it. The best way I can describe the flavor profile is like this: oaky, smokey, pachoky! The hops and malts merge together in a some-what burnt manner, while all I can continue to think about when drinking it is "Mmmmmm, barbecue sauce!"

If hearty, chewy, and smokey are thing s you look for in your bock style ales, try this one. However, if you are going into this thinking "I would like to try a good Bock style ale.", then don't go for this little number.

1 out of 5 pints.

Linden Street Brewery - Common Lager

Linden Street Breweries Common Lager definitely lives up to its name. While there is nothing outstanding about it, there is nothing really wrong with it either. The nose is sweet and tangy, the hue is reddish gold and is very cloudy.

Clean with a good body. Light malts and present hops. Smooth caramel notes with a creamy mouth feel. A little yeasty as it warmed.

3.5 pints out of 5

Lost Coast Alley Cat

The Alley Cat amber ale by Lost Coast is a littler refreshing amber ale with a subtle hoppy finish. I feel that the malts are somewhat lost amongst the citrus notes that rush forward. Overall I would have to say that it is a good drinking ale, but nothing incredibly special. There is a lingering oiliness that follows, so I would likely pair it with foods higher in acidity, avoiding those such as hamburgers or other high fat foods.

Overall review: 3 out of 5

Alterra Coffee's Organic East Timor Maubisse

When my wife went back to Milwaukee recently, I asked her to bring back a bag of coffee from our favorite Milwaukee roaster, Alterra Coffee. I couldn't, off the top of my head, recall any of the origins that they roasted, so I just asked for something flavorful and a little fruity. What came back with her was the Organic East Timor Maubisse. While at first I was unsure of whether or not I would like it (as I am not generally a big fan of Pacific Island origins) I was pleasantly surprised to find it much lighter in body than the smell first denoted. The first taste was a little more bitter than most coffees that I have had, but with a definite earthy over tone. The flavors, however, evolved as the coffee began to cool, allowing the notes to become much more pronounced as the temperature of the liquid lowered. Nutty with a slight note of ripe berries, it definitely has a heartier body than other medium roasts that I have tasted but was still very pleasent. As I continue to sip away at the cup, I begin to pick up hints of a lemoniness that had not been there before. Try it for yourself and see what you think. Enjoy the forward flavor and the smooth feel of this well developed bean.

Later

Organic East Timor Maubisse

Alterra Coffee

Grind: Fine

Water: Around 190F (87.77C)

Means of Brewing: AeroPress

In the Beginning

The reality is that I am of a generation that isn't always taken seriously.  Those that came before us think we are to idealistic in our beliefs, and therefore are marginalized to the point of ubiquity.  This mentality however, is changing.  The newer generations are showing that their ideas and beliefs are not those of idealism, but of reality.  Clean energy, fuel efficiency, greater quality of life for those less fortunate, and locally grown organic food are just a few examples of how society is changing.  In the case of food culture older, more seasoned foodies (or cone suers if you will) look down from their lofty perch of years upon years of experience in food, wine, cheese etc., and conveniently forget what they once were: beginners.  We all start fresh at some point in our lives, and food culture is one of those beginnings that generally starts later on in the spectrum of our food filled existences.

That being said; I am a beginner.  In a different time that might have meant that I would have found it hard to really find my way.  Searching out the small seeds of knowledge that would bear fruits of wisdom.  However, in this day and age, where knowledge is so ready and prevalent, one can find the help one needs almost anywhere.  This is most resoundingly true in the field of food and other consumables.

I, like many, enjoy the subtle nuances of a well made cup of coffee, savoring the subtleties of the roast.  A glass of good wine and a sampling of aged cheese are always welcome adventures. Even the varied and extensive world of tea is opening before me like the many pages of an old tome.  Within the deep, alluring color of chocolate, I find an amazing array of regions, styles and flavors to follow.  And yet, throughout all these individual kingdoms of flavor and conscience, I find myself refining my palate to search for the true meaning behind that which I consume, but for what purpose?

Unorthodox as it may seem, I don't really have a purpose.  I don't want to better my palate so that I can spend more money on over priced commodities, or so that I can get a job telling other people how great something is and, "you wouldn't understand, it's a little to refined."  In fact, if I was pressed to tell a reason, a direction I want to take this in, it would be to help others understand, to help others taste, sense and feel out the subtle intricacies.

So that is why I started a blog, to consort, to learn, and to teach others, be they foodie or not.

Later