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Let's Learn Beer!

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Let's Learn Beer!

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the hobby drinker in bbf

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I have not traveled far and wide to beer fairs and festivals, a little to my chagrin. Well, I don’t like to drive, I don’t like crowds, and I’m not a good trip planner. So much easier to stay close to home – Beermad, La Ruta del Lúpulo, other assorted fairs and fests, there’s no lacking of opportunity in the area. For some reason, this seemed like the year to add Barcelona Beer Festival to the list. It’s supposed to be the biggest in Spain, with the most professional bent, in previous years they had up to 600 beers on the list.

So…it wasn’t quite as big as that. It was a little bigger than the last Beermad, but not too much. The professional area was bigger, but I don’t think there were many more stands and there certainly weren’t more toilets! That seems like poor planning to me. Also, the food just wasn’t as nice as from the food trucks at Beermad, although it was quite a bit cheaper. I was unsurprised to see all the info on the food stands in Catalán, and where there was Spanish it was lower down and a little smaller. They have to make their point. The best thing about BBF was that it was convenient to get to; I came in on the train and walked about 15 minutes down the street. Beermad is always a little bit out of the way for people from out-of-town, and even for people in town sometimes.

I didn’t want to waste time once inside, but I had just had a two hour train ride and a walk in the sun (it was kinda hot that weekend!) so I snapped up the first pick-me-up looking beer I saw, and it was Naparbier. A fruity apricot sour, something that sounded both soothing and like a good opener to more. It’s dark orange, rusty, with some potent alcohol fumes and a coating of old fruit. It really tastes like the liquor part of chocolate liqueurs, with the apricot being on the sour side and only a film of sweet on top. There’s a base of woodiness underneath, what you might expect from a barrel aged beer. I think I almost feel shreds of pulp as I drink, but it’s probably just the intensity of the flavor. It is a thick beer, though. While it starts out refreshing, it gets heavy if you don’t drink it fast, which is a little hard to do with the texture and alcohol feel. It’s a little stronger than I meant to start at, but definitely tasty.

Next I find something a little more local, Kom’s Amazonas NEIPA. Not quite ready to dive into stouts yet. It has a good color, very juicy looking. It turns out not to be as spiky as some in flavor, quite soft and creamy in fact, something of an easy drinking beer. The taste gives you the impression of natural, fresh squeezed orange juice. It’s a lovely NEIPA, happy on its own and probably not too bad with a little snack (was a little put off by some fishier odors by the food stands, so no lunch yet).

The time has come for a stout to take the stage, something bitter and black at last, so Petrolis seemed like the place to go. They had a Bidassoa Russian Imperial too, but I was told Mica Roble y Pino was more bitter, and that’s what I was hankering after. I don’t think it is that bitter, but it’s a barrel aged stout and that part is evident in the flavor. It’s even a bit peppery somehow. I was warned about a little wine taste coming out, and some does indeed, but I’ve had more obvious wine-beers. The combination of flavors is fairly heavy, but the beer itself is smooth and goes right down with little cling to the mouth. Well done, Mica!

Practically all the beers were Spanish and mostly from the north if not Cataluña (although Península was also there), but there was a stand with Polish beer on one end and French on the other. There must have been some buzz about the Polish beer because a line formed out of nowhere and snaked all the way around the corner, leaving me with little desire to stand around. The French beers looked like your typical craft offerings, IPAs and pale ales, and I thought after a barrel aged stout a hoppy IPA would hit the spot. They had Cambier IPA Mosaic/Idaho 7, which sounds like it ought to be bright enough to balance out the previous darkness. It is a perfectly acceptable IPA, good Mosaic flavor comes out, it’s not very bitter, mildly fruity, really a good pick-me-up after a disappointing pizza. The info on the stand recommended a Czech style pilsner as the beverage of choice, but I think the stronger tasting IPA is needed to make up for the disappointment. I was also treated to a taste of La Pirata’s barrel aged Black Block from a South African/Canadian couple at the table. They were on a Mediterranean cruise, spending the day in Barcelona and coincidentally saw the festival happening near their hotel. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip, Tim and Robin! Also, I hope I guessed right on the spelling. The Black Block was a delectable contrast to the IPA, even more of a comfort after underwhelming food.

I have time for more! There’s Althaia, who I remember from beer calendars. They have an interesting sounding smoked chilli stout, I ask if it’s very spicy and am told not very. Let’s try it out. There’s a smoky bacon aroma, good stout appearance. First flavor impression? Tabasco rauchbier. It has a good feel to it, very balanced in the smoke-earth-spice, but not much of a mealtime beer in my opinion. It’s a good little taster, actually perfect for the glass size at the festival. You get a good idea of what it is, but when it’s gone it’s just in time. It might actually be good with ice cream. I’ve had a bit to eat so now I feel like I might deserve dessert.

But I spend my last wristband tokens on Gecan Porter. This is a beer festival after all. It has a good dark color, but nothing in particular on the nose. It’s bready and toasty, more what you’d expect from a stout than a porter, although it’s not especially strong. Certainly not as fruity or smooth as I have come to expect from porters, but it is supposed to be a more traditional take. We can probably chalk it up to that.

And that was my Saturday in Barcelona Beer Festival. It could have been worse in so many ways, but it was a let-down from build-up on their website. Much more of a local festival than a national or international one. Next year what, Hamburg? Granada? I guess it depends on if I feel like flying or not.

The wonderful words of beer

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Have you ever wondered where the word beer came from, what we called the drink,  in English before we used the word beer, and, for that matter, if the drink was any different when it was called by another name?

this little bear

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After weeks of warmer than usual weather, spring has returned! It makes me think I should have saved that stout from a couple of weeks ago. Oh well, there’s nothing wrong with a little light beer on a rainy evening, and Oso Brew know how to make light beers too. I think I remember their table beer from a Beermad of the past, now canned in a hot and swimsuit worthy color. Mesa ought to be just the thing you’re ready to grab whatever the weather.

It’s a summery gold color and the head is a clean white while it lasts. There are promises of IPA-like fruit aromas, and there is a good whiff of citrus and maybe pineapple. It has a full beer flavor with just a touch of fruit, less bite-y than the aforementioned, more like mango or watery peach. There’s a strong breadiness that rushes out ahead of the end of the swallow and sticks around for a while after. The beer itself has a very light feel, predictable for its less than 4% alcohol, but the aftertaste makes it feel like a more corpulent one, with more presence than a beer that banks on its low ABV to be appealing. It certainly feels like a beer that could be at the table – a pre-meal drink, a midday break, the beverage of choice at dinner are all believable.

Supplier: La Mundial
Price: €4

southern light

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After a beer fair you might not want to go back to the same old, same old. Garage is a very familiar and beloved brewery, but they do have a few special things in their cans. I have had Barcelona Weisse before, but in a different iteration; this is the 8th anniversary version, with a collectable sticker on the can. Calvell 45 does its best to bring you in, with a list of tropical fruits promising a bouncier, more colorful weisse.

Can seems extra full and aroma is extra fruity. It has a distinct mandarin scent to it, and while it does pour out fizzy, the liquid looks a lot like mandarin juice from a can. Well, a little more color, Fanta thinned with mandarin juice. The head dies back immediately although tiny bubbles continue to rise. The first sip starts out thick and much more bitter than expected, rolling over to a more citrusy tang, and ending on an orange pith note. The weisse kind of sour actually takes a couple of sips to come out. It’s that blend of bitter and sour that weisses tend to have, with a touch more fruit than the traditional ones offer. It’s very light in the mouth, effervescent even, with sort of a champagne feel; it might be a good substitute for a beer focused celebration. Now that temperatures are reasonable for the time, I’m wishing I had more good stouts, like were at Beermad, but you really can’t complain with Garage.

Supplier: La Mundial
Price: €6.50

still mad

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Beermad is back to its regular schedule it looks like, and this time they’re making the most of a local holiday weekend to have four days instead of the normal three. It’s still at Casa de Campo, still somewhat limited entry, although there are morning and afternoon passes, plus all-day passes this time around. Unsociable person that I am, I go in the morning, when fewer people are looking to really drink down some beers, and of they’re there it’s really to enjoy the experience.

There was also a stand called Vamos a Beer. Good puns!

I always start on the dark side; just that kind of girl I guess. There are more to choose from than in other editions, but the first one I lay eyes on is a real licker too: Toccalmatto’s 28 Imperial Stout. They specialize in making low-carb beers and this one is also no added sugars, just the natural malts. That sounds like a pretty normal stout, but it also has some chipotle that you might think needs a but of balancing. Happy to try it out! It smells a little winey, but there’s a good thick head. The color is slightly lighter than I expect from stout. The taste is woody, malty, leafy, very nature-focused. I would even call it a healthy flavor. As promised, there’s a touch of chili. It’s a 12%-er, so the lightness in the mouth is surprising, and the alcohol does catch up to you if you’re not careful. It’s a chili-chocolate sensation, only slightly bitter, and could be hard to beat today.

Next I ask for Vandalia’s Azabache Porter. This one isn’t on tap, the lack of head is probably my own poor pouring skills. It’s fizzy and with a nice porter color, with a kind of root beery, vaguely sour fruit smell. This porter also has a woody flavor, but a different kind, more robust. It’s drier than the stout and not very fruity for a porter. While solid and mouth filling, it doesn’t make you think of road tar (“azabache”), it’s quite easy on the palate and would even be a good accompaniment to a meal.

In a whole-ass bottle!

My quest for the darkness continues with La Charanga’s 28850 Stout. Also little head (and I didn’t pour this time), but otherwise good appearance. No strong aromas off this one. It’s very malty and slightly smoky, with an underlying bitter just lurking. It has more body than the previous beers, a little sticky and moderately heavy. Notes of licorice and coffee surface over time. It is a nice beer, more imposing than Vandalia’s porter but simpler in presentation than Toccalmatto.

It turns out I’m not impervious to a good invitation. While I could have stuck to black beers, From Lost to the River offered a taste of all three of their beers before making a decision (none were stouts) and I couldn’t resist. There was an English bitter style – very nice – a light and normal IPA, and a very hop forward dry hopped version. I had to have something to equal those powerful black beers from before, so that was Lost IPA, with some more hops behind it. It’s very golden, little head, and sports a bubbly hop aroma. It’s not actually super bitter but very modern hoppy, juicy, with a little bit of peach. You get a good mouthful of beer rather than a poof of overwhelming hops that claw their way down your throat. It’s a bright and blinky beer, styled more as a West Coast IPA than other types, and I would call it fairly standard for IPAs today. I would also say there’s a reason for that being standard.

I only have a morning ticket, so I can’t stay forever. I do have plenty of time for one more, though, and I usually feel like I should leave on a light note. I was intrigued by Cervecería La Política and thought that might be a good closer. I was hoping for a big story about one party or another, but it seems like they’re just playing off the current feeling of dissociation. Anyway, another IPA, fitting aroma and good strong head. Faintly opaque. It’s very much a normal IPA, hoppy, biting-bitter, floral soft and clean. A finishing beer, really, although it does have a hint of dust in it. It feels like a quick gulp and a soft swallow, very easy on the tongue and yet it still has a certain amount of personality to put forward. I only wonder what kind of politics might be represented by the color on the label…

at the feet of giants

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It’s an early summer, but damn if I won’t find a stout to go with my weekend. La Mundial recommends Cierzo’s Colossus, an imperial stout at a hefty 10%. I hope the shade of the beer will have some kind of placebo effect and give me the illusion of being in the shade, with a cool breeze keeping things civilized. As it is, I have some serious worries about keeping comfortable in July. We keep hearing promises that there won’t be restrictions on water usage, but once elections pass anything goes, I bet.

A little more shook up than it should be, but that might be the excessive temperatures. Looks nice anyway, good dark color, fluffy head. It has a green and piercing kind of aroma, and a slightly sour smoky taste. It’s a little bit dusty with a solid stout mouthfeel, but still easy going down. It develops some plant notes while it warms, but the smoke stays steady and stimulating coffee also makes an appearance. It’s not the biggest stout I’ve ever had, but Colossus has stature and poise, it’s a fine specimen for sure.

Supplier: La Mundial
Price: €4.70

beer-o-ma

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It’s one of those times when the label is what gets a beer into your hand. I mean, look at that thing! Not that I’m a fan of the Clockwork Orange movie, I think it’s too easy to see as a glorification of assholery, but it’s so visually identifiable. And that’s the vision right there, staring out at you and daring you to risk your evening drinking a 7.4% DDH NEIPA. Octavo Arte knows what they’re doing with La Naranja Segoviana, at least in terms of attracting attention.

It’s a very light color, a little too dusty to be sunny and a reflection of the early summer day. There’s a very strong citrus aroma, even through my summer-air-dulled stuffy nose. Does it open the nasal passages a little? Maybe a little, in anticipation. It’s on the bitter side of the NEIPA scale, although it has a pretty solid body to it. It’s less juicy than some of its style, more piney and westward-leaning. But, that works just fine for the weather. The beer is smooth and a soft drink, but if you’re not careful with the sediment you get a good amount of sludge in the glass. It doesn’t affect the taste too much, although there is a little bit of a sting-y afterfeel. The infusion makes the beer more juicy looking, to be sure, but it isn’t that sweet and perky juicy NEIPA that some people love and love to look down on.

Supplier: Birra Y Paz
Price: €7.15

prost

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Hey, what’s that on the beer holiday calendar? (Where the hell is a good beer holiday calendar??) It’s German Beer Day! Germany has long had a special place in the beer drinker’s heart, as the home of high quality and drinkable beer, maybe not as fancy as Belgian, but trustworthy in its effects. Although there aren’t that many German craft beers floating around, some classics do make their way across the continent and populate the shelves of better stores. Schneider-Weisse is one that isn’t hard to find, and the weissbier style is right for the times…of excessive heat and dryness.

Although light and snappy looking, it delivers a thick malty aroma. The head is bubbly and controlled. The flavor is difficult to pin down – I get the dusty maltiness up front, but there’s a spiciness that I didn’t expect right beside it. The wheat is clear enough, and not that weird aftertaste some of the more commercial German ones have, but it also has a pretty strong essence of hops. It’s a pretty mouth-filling beer, which shouldn’t be a surprise from a doppelbock. In spite of that, it’s very soothing, with an almost medicinal flavor developing over time. There’s a much more bubbly texture than I’m used to from bock beers, but it’s not unwelcome. It has a satisfying modern feel along with a comforting whisper of tradition, and I think that’s what a lot of people would hope for when they look for a beer to celebrate on German Beer Day.

Supplier: Birra Y Paz
Price: €3.50

rewind

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Times change but processes are always the same. It’s not so strange for businesses to close after a few years, some sooner than others, but it’s usually a little sad when they go. You get used to having them there in the background, even if you don’t patronize them super often. It’s going to be time to say goodbye to another beer store, this time near Retiro, so not too surprising that costs might catch up to them. It was a convenience, though, if you spent some time in the park and then went and got a good beer (or two) to take home. RIP, Birra Y Paz, these last few purchases will be your legacy. La Quince Vanilla Black Velvet is definitely something legacy worthy. My introduction to it was my first experience of glory with a craft beer.

Rich and chocolate syrup smell, deep dark color, only light head. It’s malty and bitter, very stouty flavor, not as sweet as more recent pastry stouts, but with that touch of chocolate that blew my mind all those years ago. This particular batch or bottle is a little bit dusty, not smooth or syrupy, although it goes down easy and doesn’t have any distracting aftertaste or leavings. It has a more classic feeling to it, more of the echoes of beers of old being reflected in a craft brew than the craft beer shining its own dazzling light. This classic from La Quince (and Guineu) may have its off years and less successful variations, but it’s hard to say that it’s ever not good. The starry-eyed beeriness that I get from it awakens some nostalgia and some determined hope for the future. Good beer is here to stay and arriving over the horizon.

Supplier: Birra Y Paz
Price: €4.50

go bananas

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With practically summer temperatures upon us, doesn’t it sound good to have a fruity beer? Not one of those high citrus IPAs, or a sour and mouth punching lambic, but something a little less common. Who expects a banana beer? Although Spanish, it is from Yakka, it’s a Belgian triple style, which is really the most logical path to that kind of additive. It is kind of heavy – we are talking triple after all – at a hefty 10%. It is indeed a Platanazo. Hopefully, it won’t be too much for globally warmed spring.

Extra foamy, a little bit more yellow than I was expecting, and with definite banana aroma. It’s pretty strong in the flavor too, although there’s a good mix of bitter and even sour alongside the banana bread. It’s not as smooth a feel as I thought it might be, it’s a crispier “crumb” on the bread part. At first it feels somewhat heavy in the mouth, but the flavor comes through gradually and lightens the mood quite a bit. It even makes me think that this is what a banana soda should be like, one of those “natural” ones. Citrus sodas, or just carbonated drinks, that promote themselves like that aren’t especially sweet. The sour reminds me that it is a Belgian style, with that little twang of aftertaste that I never quite get used to. Still, it’s a nice variation, and a good one to link the beer to its producer’s homeland.

Supplier: Hop Hop Hurra
Price: €3.55

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