TAGsgf.com beer expert Ben Stange

By Ben Stange of St. Ange Brewing

With fall fast approaching and football season upon us, the time and weather is starting to be just right for chili and stews. Whether you’re having a few guys over to watch the game or just making enough dinner for leftovers to take to work, this hearty stew is sure to please.

The most obvious choice for this “Stout Stew” is Guinness, but any stout or porter with a rich malty flavor (think roasty and toasty, not sweet) will work well in this recipe. Some other recommendations might be Beamish Irish Stout, Schlafly Coffee Stout, or Boulevard Bully! Porter.

Make sure and pair the stew with the beer it’s cooked with. It’ll bring out some of the little flavors in the beer and the stew you may not notice otherwise.

Beef Stout Stew

(eight 1-cup servings or four man-sized servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 lbs. beef stew meat (or a 2 pound chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 12 oz can or bottle of stout or porter
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 ½ cups sliced carrots
• 1 ½ cups sliced parsnips
• 1 cup cubed peeled turnip

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan.
2. Place flour in a shallow dish. Season beef with ½ teaspoon salt, then dredge in the flour.
3. Cook half the beef in the butter and oil, turning to brown all sides. They should be sufficiently browned after about 5 minutes. Remove this batch with a slotted spoon.
4. Cook the other half of the beef and remove it and set aside, as well.Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender (about 5 minutes).
5. Stir in tomato paste thoroughly.
6. Stir in the broth and the beer, making sure to scrape all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the meat back into the stew.
7. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt, caraway seeds, pepper, and raisins. Bring to a boil.
8. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
9. Uncover and bring back to a boil for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip.
10. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. If your veggies are not yet tender, uncover and bring back to a boil for 10 minutes or until they are tender.
12. Serve hot.

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TAGsgf.com beer expert Ben Stange

By Ben Stange of St. Ange Brewing

While it is very easy to taste a beer and know if you like it, it’s sometimes a lot harder to know why you like it. If you really want to begin understanding your own tastes in beer and knowing what you like and what you don’t, and if you want to really explore your love for the sudsy stuff, I highly recommend starting a beer journal.

I started my first beer journal in a little pocket moleskine notebook in 2007. I used a rating system based pretty closely on that used by ratebeer.com. RateBeer‘s system involves first rating the beer’s attributes (appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel) separately, and then giving the beer an overall score. The appearance and mouthfeel are weighted slightly lower than the aroma and flavor, but in the end the overall rating is more dependent on how the attributes work together than on anything else.

Moleskine

In my journal, for instance, I first record the name of the beer and the brewer at the top of the page. I then wrote whether it was a bottle, can, or draft, the date I recorded the entry, and the Alcohol by volume (for my own reference). I then rate the appearance on a rating of one to five, and make notes about the appearance. Then, I rate the aroma on a scale of one to ten, similarly pausing to write notes. When I taste the beer, I do so first for flavor, and then for mouthfeel. The flavor is rated from one to ten, and includes any finish or aftertaste in the beer. The mouthfeel is rated from one to five, and is based on how the beer feels on your tongue. In the end, I go through all of the sensory experiences and consider them together, and rate the overall beer rating out of twenty.

This method has its advantages and disadvantages, but it really works well for someone just getting used to really paying attention to what’s in his or her glass.

Breaking the flavors and sensations of beer into the separate sensory experiences of the beer helps me to understand what parts of the beer work for me and what parts don’t.

Of course, I don’t always drink beer this way. As a matter of fact, most of the time, I just taste and enjoy. However, when I really want to make sure I take my time and analyze a beer, I write it down.

Of course, there are lots of ways to record your thoughts on a beer. Some more tech-obsessed aficionados might record audio notes on their phone, or type out there notes in text memos or emails to themselves. I experimented for a little while with using EverNote for iPhone (a very handy app if you can wait for the pages to load. You can even take a picture of the label, and it will let you search it later by tags.) You might also go directly to ratebeer.com on your phone and record your notes online.

My favorite method is still the pen and pocket notebook, but that is because it tends to be less intrusive, and takes less time than waiting for screens to load. There are also pre-made journals out there. There’s one called “The Beer Journal” which seems like it might serve the purpose if you want to pay for it. It’s a little large for a pocket, and seems to try and force the beer drinker into trying 80 different styles. Following through with it will definitely open the eyes of someone still trying to develop their taste for beer, but I prefer a little more freedom.

33Beers.com uses a flavor wheel

There’s also the far more promising journal from 33beers.com which uses a flavor-wheel, and is designed specifically for beer lovers by beer lovers. I like that it asks you specific questions about the beer, and is designed for ease-of-use. The flavor wheel also helps to break up the sensory experience into 16 sections, and the beer drinker maps the flavor according to his or her personal experience.

I don’t know, though. I think I prefer my method. It costs less and seems to work just fine. You should keep a journal and do it your way. You don’t have to fit into any of these methods. Keep it simple, though. After all, you don’t want spend so much time rating your beer that you forget to enjoy it.

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TAGsgf.com beer expert Ben Stange

By Ben Stange of St. Ange Brewing

One of the best recipes for chicken at an outdoor barbecue, the Beer Can Chicken is a classic.  It is very easy to do, makes a delicious and moist bird, and always impresses if you’re entertaining.  Of course, you don’t necessarily have to do this outdoors, but it sure helps.  Not only do you not have to worry about drippings as much (if you make it in the oven, make sure and have a pan under your chicken), but the smell also won’t completely fill your house, although that may not be such a bad thing.

The best beers to choose for this are typically lighter ales or lagers, although I’ve heard that a stout or porter is nice if you couple it with the right rub (I haven’t tried it, though).

That looks a touch uncomfortable.

Since the best cans to use are 16 oz cans, you might want to use one of the ales or lagers from Tallgrass Brewing Company, since they are pretty good and come in the right-size can.  I’ve not tried them for this yet personally (I drank all my Tallgrass), but I imagine the Köld Lager or their Tallgrass Ale would work really well, and I’m not afraid to try the others, either.  If you’re in an Oktoberfest mood, you can try and simulate the roasted chicken served in the tents by making brine and soaking your bird overnight before roasting it (see recipe which follows).  I recommend Bitburger Lager if you do this.  Heck, you can even sub in more beer for some or all of the water in the brine if you’re feeling adventurous.

Don’t forget you can do this with any beer.  12 oz cans work, but it might be harder to balance your chicken.  You can also use a bottled beer if you take an empty 16 oz can and pour in your favorite bottle.  Some folks use the pint-sized mason jars instead of cans, too.  They work just fine.  Make sure and pair the chicken with the beer to bring out the flavor a little more.

Oh, yeah.  Before you start, remember to measure everything.  Make sure the can fits in the bird’s cavity and that your grill will fit the bird standing on end.  You don’t want to get started only to find out you don’t have room.

Beer Can Chicken (4-6 servings)

For the rub:

1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Chicken:

1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or butter1
can of beer (tall boy preferred)

Directions

1. Mix the rub ingredients in a small bowl, blending thoroughly.
2. Remove the neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken with cold water inside and out, and pat it dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken lightly with oil or melted butter (my preference) then rub inside and out with the dry rub. Set aside.
3. Open beer can and pour half of it into your favorite beer glass. Place the beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, lower the bird cavity over the beer can carefully. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, making a tripod out of the can and the chicken’s legs.
4. Cook the chicken over medium, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird grill temp should be 350-450 degrees F) with the grill closed for 15 minutes per pound. This would equal 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours for a 5 lb bird.  The internal temperature should register 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh. If it’s not ready, shut the lid and cook it a bit longer until it is cooked to this temperature. If you do not have a meat thermometer, make sure the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed or cut with a sharp knife.
5. Using barbecue gloves remove the bird from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes to allow it to finish cooking and for the juices to settle.  Then, carefully remove the bird from the beer can and carve.

Alternate Recipe – Oktoberfest Brined Beer Can Chicken

For the brine:

1/2 cup pickling spices
1/2 cup kosher salt (not table salt)

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, combine the pickling spices and salt with 1 gallon of water (or 1/2 gallon water and 1/2 gallon beer, if preferred).  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
2. Remove the neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken with cold water inside and out, and pat it dry with paper towels.  Submerge in the cooled marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.  (You can use a 2 gallon Ziploc bag for this step, if you don’t have much room in your fridge.  Simply put the bird in first then fill the bag with the marinade and seal.)
3. Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the brine.  Pat it dry with paper towels again, and continue with the beer can recipe from step 2 above.

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TAGsgf.com beer expert Ben Stange

By Ben Stange of St. Ange Brewing

My brother was brewing a batch of beer some time ago, and became a little too curious about his hops.  He caught the fresh, grassy, citrusy aroma from the hops as he opened the bag, and thought, “They smell so good.  I wonder what it would taste like if I just popped one in my mouth.”

Big mistake.

Want to know what a hop flower tastes like?  Hops are bitter – very  bitter.  So bitter, in fact, that if you ate one whole, you would probably taste bitterness and nothing else for about two weeks.  The end result of my brother’s experiment is that he developed a month-long aversion to all things hoppy and that he learned a valuable lesson about putting things in his mouth.

As amusing as it was to hear my brother relate this story about him, it illustrates just how diluted most hops are in beer.  Every beer fan worth his salt knows that hops contribute bitterness and flavor, but unless they brew, they probably underestimate just how diluted the hops are.

Bell's Two Hearted Ale grabbed five out of five pints.

Hops in the final product of beer are usually measured in International Bittering Units, or IBU’s.  For an American Lager, such as Budweiser or Miller Genuine Draft, you’d probably see between 8-15 IBU’s.  That means that in 5 gallons of beer, you would have about 1 oz of hops. (This is dependent greatly on the hops, but I’ve assumed a 5% alpha acid hop, all you hop fans out there who know what that means).  For an American Wheat beer, you could see anything from 15 to 30 IBU’s, and for an American Pale Ale, you’d see anywhere from 30 to 45.  IPA’s are the big boys, weighing in at 40-70 IBU’s, and sometimes more than that.  I have seen a couple of “Hop Monsters” reach upwards of 100 IBU’s, but once you get that high, it really doesn’t matter any more.

These IBU’s are usually contributed and calculated based on the alpha acids in the hops, which are held in the lupulin glands on the plant.  If you were to look at a hop flower, you would see what looks like a yellowish powder on the bottom of the hop.  These are the lupulin glands, which contain all the essential oils and tasties which we put in our beer.

Every beer drinker has a limit to how bitter they like their beer.  This is called their Lupulin Threshold. (Named for the lupulin glands.  Get it?)  If a beer fan develops a taste for more and more bitter beers, they experience what is called a Lupulin Threshold Shift.  So, where do you stand?  Where is your Lupulin Threshold, and can you remember a beer which triggered a Lupulin Threshold Shift in your tastes?

Here is a brief list of some beers which have the right kind of hop flavors and balance to contribute to your first or next Lupulin Threshold Shift.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – Sierra Nevada Brewing (Chico, California) – American Pale Ale – 5.6% ABV – This beer is a benchmark for American Pale Ales.  Weighing in at 37 IBU’s, this beer falls right into the heart of the APA range and has the flavor to back it up.  Some beer fans have been tempted to attribute this beer’s high ratings as sentimentality (Sierra Nevada was among the pioneers of the craft brewing movement, acting fully 20 years before most people even realized that there as such a thing as Craft Brewing), but the fact is that this beer is good.  Very good.  It pours a sparkling amber with a white head, has an aroma of lemon, grapefruit, and a little pine, and has a flavor seamlessly balanced between sweetness and bitterness with just a little spiciness.  5 out of 5 pints.

Schlafly APA – Schlafly Brewing Co. (Saint Louis) – American Pale Ale – 5.9% ABV – I just had a bottle of this the other day, and it is always a surprise to me.  Anyway, it pours amber in color with a quickly dissipating head, but it has a lot of carbonation, which gives the aroma a bit more punch.  While this beer has all the bitterness and hops flavor you would expect in an American Pale Ale, it is extraordinarily well balanced.  The fruity hop aromas and flavors are mixed with just the right amount of bitterness, caramel sweetness, and bready goodness to make a complex, delicious beer.  Pour this one in a glass and really sip and taste it.  You’ll find a lot of flavors in there.  You might detect some orange, pine, grapefruit, or herbal notes.  I think everyone who drinks it finds different flavors.  Try it and find out what you can find in there.  4.5 out of 5 pints.

Single-wide IPA – Boulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City) – India Pale Ale (IPA) – 5.7% ABV – What I love most about Single-Wide IPA is that it is readily available here in Springfield.  It has six varieties of hops in it, and weighs in at a commanding 59 IBU’s.  It pours a hazy orange with a rocky head, and has plenty of carbonation to carry the grapefruit and pine aroma.  The flavor starts out with a little bit of sweetness, but that is followed by a punch of hops.  If you’re looking to shift your threshold into the IPA range, you could do worse than to grab one of these.  4 out of 5 pints.

Bell’s Two-Hearted – Bells Brewery (Kalamazoo, Michigan) – IPA – 7% ABV – Where Single-wide has 6 flavors of hops, Bell’s has one.  It doesn’t lose any complexity or quality, though.  Two-Hearted is known as one of the absolute best IPA’s in the American market, and with good reason.  The all-Centennial hop schedule gives this beer a huge citrus and pine aroma.  Two-Hearted is a monster, but a delicious one.  Every drop of this beer is a grapefruit and citrus thrill, and finishes with a dry bitterness that leaves your mouth begging for more.  If you hadn’t noticed, this is one of my favorite beers.  5 out of 5 pints.

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By Ben Stange of St. Ange Brewing

Did you know that you can do other things with beer than just drink it?

I know.  It’s crazy.

My favorite other thing to do with beer is cook with it.  There are a lot of really great recipes out there, from beer bread to beef and Guinness stew, and it can be fun to experiment with our favorite beverage as an ingredient in food.  As a new feature for this column, I’m going to start sharing with you some of my favorite recipes for cooking with beer.  In most cases, pairing the recipe and the beer with which it is made brings out some flavors you may not have noticed before.

Mmmmm ... beer and cheese

This recipe, given to me by my brother some time ago, was originally pretty loosey-goosey with the ingredients, but I have tightened it up a bit, and it makes a delicious cheese soup.  I’m not sure where he got it, but I’m a big fan.  For this printing, I’ve gone ahead and named it after his blog at www.thirstypilgrim.com.  Use your favorite ale or lager, but it should probably not be too malty or too hoppy.  American Pale Ales work well, but an IPA might have issues.  British beers work well, like an ESB or a bitter, and if you want to go fancy, I highly recommend Saison DuPont, but it can be a bit pricey to cook with.  While Joe originally sent me the recipe with the instructions to ladle the soup over croutons, it was my wife’s idea to make our own when we first made the soup. (Crouton recipe follows)

Thirsty Pilgrim’s Beer and Cheese Soup:

Ingredients:

3 tsp water

3 tsp corn starch

½ onion, chopped

1-2 cloves minced garlic

½ tsp thyme

2 tbsp butter

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup beer (sip on the rest of it while cooking.)

6 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

6 oz melty cheese of your choice, shredded (I’ve used havarti or mozzarella, be creative.)

1 tsp paprika

Salt

Pepper

Hot sauce

1 cup milk or heavy cream

Croutons (recipe follows, or you can just buy some.)

Instructions:

Mix the 3 tsp of water into 3 tsp of cornstarch and set aside.  In a saucepan, sauté the onion, garlic, and thyme in the butter until the onion is soft.  Add 1 cup of chicken broth and bring it to a boil.  Add 1 cup of beer, 6 oz cheddar cheese, and 6 oz melty cheese, and 1 tsp of paprika.  Add the salt and pepper to taste and a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.  Reduce the heat to medium low, then whisk in 1 cup of milk or cream and the cornstarch mixture, and then stir until the cheese completely melts and the soup begins to thicken or bubble.  Ladle the soup into a bowl over your favorite croutons, and serve with the beer with which it was made.

The Croutons:

Ingredients:

1 large loaf or 2 small loaves day-old French or other bread (can be slightly stale)

Olive oil or butter

Garlic powder

Italian Seasoning

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cut the loaves of bread into 1 inch cubes.  In a large bowl, put some olive oil or butter in the bottom and toss the bread in the olive oil to coat.  Then, sprinkle with garlic and seasonings, and toss again.  Repeat the sprinkling and tossing if you wish to strengthen the flavor, but taste them first.  You can always add more, but taking seasoning out is impossible.  Lay your croutons on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake them for 15 minutes (tossing halfway through) or until they are golden brown.  Cool them.  You can store them in a plastic bag or covered container if you have extras.

Have a recipe you’d like to share with me?  I’d love to try it and write about it.  Send your recipe to stangebrewing at gmail dot com if you’d like it to be considered for posting, or if you’d just like me to try it.  If you don’t want it posted, let me know.  It’ll be our secret.

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By Ben Stange of St. Ange Brewing

Part of my duty as a beer columnist is finding out and trying new beers as they move into Springfield.  I can assure you that, while I use the word “duty” here, you should understand that I am happy to jump on this hand grenade for you.

That is why I was eager to write a column about Tallgrass Brewing Company, which just arrived in Springfield from Manhattan, Kansas.  The origins of this brewery are near and dear to my heart.  The story provided on their website tells a tale of Jeff Gill, a 6-year home brewing veteran, whose wife, Tricia, turned to him one day and asked what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.  Having considered carefully, he replied “I want to start a microbrewery!”

Having been an avid home brewer for over six years myself, I can definitely relate to Jeff’s passionate wish.  While home brewers love beer and love the process of making it, what really makes us happy is making beer that others can enjoy.

Out of Jeff’s wish, the Tallgrass brewing company was born in 2007, and they have been quietly brewing up a storm in their copper kettles ever since, and you can now try their wares by visiting your local fine beer-selling establishment.  (I have found their wares at the Brown Derby Wine Center, but I imagine they can be found in a few other places if you look hard enough.)

Oh, one more thing: you can take these beers on your float trip, because—like many other great craft beers now—these fine ales and lagers are sold in cans.

Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat Stout – Tallgrass Brewing Company – Sweet Stout – 5% ABV – Although the name sounds disgusting, this beer may surprise you.  It’s another gateway beer for folks who don’t typically drink a stout.  It pours nearly opaque brown with a light tan head.  The aroma is full of roasted things – chocolate, coffee, and dark bread.  The flavor might remind you a bit of brownies, as the sweetness of the cream sugar and malt combines with the roasted chocolate and coffee to create something new.  May not be one for a hot day on the river, but you might plow through a few that night by the fire. 3.5 out of 5 pints

Tallgrass IPA – Tallgrass Brewing Company – IPA – 6.3% ABV – Alright, so sometimes a bit of a hop-head, but hops can add a lot of things to beer, including bitterness, flavor, aroma, and a freshness.  In the case of Tallgrass IPA, the brewer employs them all satisfactorily.  Some IPA’s are overpowered by their hops, but Tallgrass is fairly well balanced.  The fresh hop aroma in this bright orange ale is piney and citrusy, but still allows some of the caramel and bread notes to come through.  This translates well to the flavor which starts with sweet citrus but is followed closely by a slight lemony tartness and bitterness.  The beer finishes with a little bit of peppery hops.  Overall, it’s pretty easy to drink, and is an easy IPA.  3.5 out of 5 pints

Tallgrass Köld Lager – Tallgrass Brewing Company – Kölsch – 5% ABV – If there is a favorite craft beer style that is always easy to drink, it’s Kölsch.  This style is a light lager that has been produced by great German brewers in Köln, Germany for centuries, although the name “Kölsch” was not used commercially until 1913.  The glasses this beer is traditionally served in?  Stange glasses (pronounced Stahng-uh, which means a pole, like a curtain rod).  Yup.  It’s also my last name, though my name is pronounced more like Stayng.  Anyway, this beer is a crystal clear straw-color with white head.  The arome is like hay and bread.  The flavor is light, like the style demands, but it’s very refreshing.  The idea behind a good Kölsch is to be light and easy-to-drink, and this one does that almost too well.  3 out of 5 pints

Tallgrass Oasis ESB – Tallgrass Brewing Company – Premium Bitter/ESB – 7.2% ABV – The strongest ale of this group, Oasis ESB is actually described by the brewery as being a “Double ESB/IPAish beer.”  I didn’t know for sure what they meant until I tasted it.  I’ll say it packs a bit of a punch compared to the others.  It’s a bit hazy on the pour, but has a reddish-amber color with an off-white head.  The aroma has a lot going on, including some sweet molasses, pine, citrus, and bread. The flavor is a bowling ball of hops.  It’s bitter and floral with a very slight sweetness.  You may also detect a little bit of tea-like tannins in the background.  If there is a beer on this list which puts Tallgrass in with the big boys of craft brewing, this beer is it.  Phenomenal job.  4.5 out of 5 pints.

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TAGsgf.com beer expert Ben Stange

That was, of course, until a few microbreweries stopped and took another look at cans as a packaging option. Packaging Technology has come a very long way in the past decade or two, and the cans that used to expose your precious suds to aluminum are now “specially lined” to protect your brew from tasting like the bottom of a Hot Wheel.

In addition, in the everlasting pursuit of preserving the freshness of beer when it is opened by a customer, the cans make a huge difference. You see, the two greatest enemies of fresh beer are ultra-violet light and oxygen. Clear and green glass bottles let in a lot of ultraviolet light, causing the infamous “skunky” flavor. When a beer has that flavor (and it’s not supposed to), it is considered light-struck. If you tasted a Corona straight from the brewery and one sold to your in the store, you probably wouldn’t recognize the beer from the brewery, as that “light-struck” flavor is part of what you know.

Oxygen is also a major culprit in spoiling beer. Oxidation can cause a variety of effects. For instance, in light-colored beers, the aroma can become more honey-like, or the flavor can become papery. In darker beers, malty flavors (those that remind you of bread or toast) can be replaced by sweet sherry-like flavors, which may not be particularly pleasant, and certainly aren’t what the brewer intended. Over time, oxidation can almost eliminate the good malty flavors, leaving behind undesirable alcohol by-products. Independent of beer color, beers can also gain a metallic flavor or lose the aroma and flavor of their hops. Oxidation is the main reason for the expiration dates on beer.

The solution of packaging in cans solves the UV light problem add greatly reduces the oxidation problem associated with beer spoilage. The beer is not exposed to any light while in the can, and the amount of oxygen with which the beer can react is nearly eliminated.

As a result, there is now a growing selection of river-ready beers available at your local beer store.

New Belgium led the packaging pack in our market, making their flagship Fat Tire available in cans some time ago. Others have now followed suit. For instance, Schlafly’s Summer Lager, featured in last week’s column, is now available in cans, and is a very good river beer, to boot. This week, I’m featuring a set of beers from a newcomer to our market, SKA Brewing out of Durango, Colorado.

SKA Brewing has a few new beers available in town. So far, I’ve found them at the Brown Derby International Wine Center, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them start cropping up at some stores with large beer selections in the area. You may even be able to find them on tap at some local restaurants before too long. The three I located at the Wine Center were Modus Hoperandi IPA, Special ESB, and True Blonde Blonde Ale.

If you’re planning a float trip in the near future, pick up the sampler pack of these babies or just pick up a couple of sixers at the Wine Center. You won’t regret it.

Modus Hoperandi IPA – SKA Brewing – American IPA – 6.8% ABV – A very well-balanced IPA. The hops in this coppery-colored ale are up-front without being abrasive. The beer pours with a white head which dissipates quickly, and the aroma is great. It has lots of citrus and floral aromas with just a little caramel around the edges. The flavor is very clean, with very little yeast flavor, but a lot of great hop flavor without the punch-in-the-face bitterness a lot of IPAs pack. The hop flavors in the beer are mostly citrus with a little pine and are supported nicely by caramel malts. The finish is the taste of the hops just hanging out on your tongue. As soon as you finish one taste, you want another. 4 out of 5 pints.

Special ESB – SKA Brewing – Extra Special Bitter – 5.7% ABV – Don’t be fooled by the name of this style. ESB isn’t really bitter in the way an IPA can be. ESB’s are usually very well-balanced ales that are intended to be easy-to-drink and enjoyable. This beer fits that bill very well. Special ESB pours a nice amber color and has an easy aroma of toast and caramel. The flavor is really a balance of several flavors. It’s easy to pick up the toast and caramel flavors, along with a slight and refreshing hops bitterness, but if you taste carefully, you may also pick up some toffee and a little bit of citrus, as well. This is a very easy, non-offensive beer, and would be nice out on the river. 3.5 out of 5 pints.

True Blonde – SKA Brewing – Golden / Blonde Ale – 5.3% ABV – A decent example of an American Blonde Ale, this beer pours a light golden color with a white head. The aroma has some cracker-like malt to it, but also some spices and some honey or honeysuckle. It has a very light body on the tongue. The flavor is well balanced between bready malt, a little apricot, and some sugar and honey. The flavor is not sweet exactly, but has the essence of honey throughout. The finish is mostly the lingering spice and honey flavors. Overall, a refreshing summer beer. 3 out of 5 pints.

Think I forgot a beer or think I maybe haven’t tried one you love? Let me know in the comments or discuss them in the forum. I’ll be sure to try and review as many beers as I can that are suggested. I’ll try to post a review per week this summer, so if you want me to review your favorite, please let me know.

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TAGsgf.com beer expert Ben Stange

By Ben Stange – for TAGsgf.com

Recently, while reading the TAG 5: Summer beers, I started compiling my own list of summer beers, and it’s now complete. This is not so much a list of my favorite summer beers of all time, but a list of my favorite summer beers right now. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to try each of these beers and let me know what you think of them. Each has something different to offer, and I strongly recommend to you that you at least try them, even if you don’t accept your mission to bars.

Summer beers should be flavorful but refreshing. The beer should be able to cool you off when sunning or swimming at the lake, or right after you’ve finished mowing the lawn or working in the garden. They should never be too strong, and anything over 6% ABV is probably pushing it (although Ranger IPA made this list, weighing in a 6.5%). The idea should be that these beers will cut through the heat of a late summer evening, when the air is close and the sun seems like it will never set.

These beers are also great for sitting outside with friends at night while cooking meat on the grill, or while just chatting in a circle under the stars.

1. Schlafly Summer Lager (a.k.a Schlafly Helles) – Schlafly Brewery – Helles Lager – 4.5% ABV – This beer is a fantastic summer beer. It’s a full-flavored lager beer with a good, slightly sweet, bready backbone and just the right amount of hops to balance without overpowering the flavor. This beer is a light straw color and crystal clear. Best thing about this beer? It comes in cans, so you can take it on the river. This beer is easily a 3.5 out of 5 pints on my pint glass scale.

2. Ranger IPA – New Belgium Brewing Company – IPA – 6.5% ABV – This beer is great. For the money, you would be very hard-pressed to find a better IPA, although there are some which can give it a run. The beer pours a clear golden orange color with a white, foamy head. The aroma from this beer is what sells it, as it’s full of delicious citrus and grapefruit with just a little freshly cut grass. The flavor is bitter (after all, it is an IPA), but very well balanced with a full bodied sweetness that shows through. The beer finished clean, leaving your tongue wanting more. This beer is currently one of my favorites and I rate it at 4 out of 5 pints.

3. Boulevard Zôn – Boulevard Brewing Company – White ale (witbier) – 4.4% ABV – Flemish for “sun,” Zôn is a fantastic representation of the Belgian white ale style known as witbier. It is very cloudy and straw colored with a white head. The aroma is full of orange and citrus, with a little bit of pear. The flavor is very representative of a witbier style, which can be very hard to balance, but Boulevard does a bang-up job. There is orange and coriander mixed in with the lemony sweetness of the wheat malt. It has a nice yeasty flavor, as well, but the citric tartness cuts through it leaving a mildly spiced finish. 3.5 out of 5 pints.

4. Mueller Munich Lager – Springfield Brewing Company – Munich Lager – 4-5% ABV – This is a standard for summer in SGF. Spend an evening sitting outside at the Brewco sipping on this or their wheat beer, and you’ll have a good night. The Munich Lager is a great example of the style, and is clean and refreshing. It pours straw colored, but crystal clear with minimal white head. The aroma is mostly bread with a little bit of hops. The flavor is crisp and clean with a lot of carbonation to cut through everything else. The flavor is slightly grassy, but in a good way, and there is some slightly toasted flavors to balance everything out. This beer is easy to drink a lot of, so be careful getting home. 3 out of 5 pints.

5. Hazed and Infused – Boulder Beer Company – American Pale Ale – 4.85% ABV – My friend Brett might say I saved the best for last with this one. This beer is a great example of an American Pale Ale. They don’t bother worrying about clarity, so the beer comes by the haze naturally. The “Infused” part is a dry-hopping with Crystal and Centennial hops (a hint – “C” hops are usually very citrusy). It pours a hazy amber color with white head, and it has a VERY fragrant aroma that consists of a little bit of cut grass and a lot of citrus. It has a very full body and a pronounced citrus flavor which includes grapefruit, some lemon and lime, and a bit of pine in the finish. These hop-associated flavors are balanced by a caramel and toffee flavor from the malt. Crisp finish makes it easily drinkable. 4 out of 5 pints.

Think I forgot a beer or think I maybe haven’t tried one you love? Let me know in the comments or discuss them in the forum. I’ll be sure to try and review as many beers as I can that are suggested. I’ll try to post a review per week this summer, so if you want me to review your favorite, please let me know.

- Ben

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TAGsgf.com beer expert Ben Stange

By Ben Stange

Just as you would never trust a bald barber, you should never trust a beer columnist who doesn’t understand and appreciate beer. Therefore, I feel you should know a bit about me as a beer lover and about how I learned to love beer as much as I do. Hopefully, my passion and love for beer will affect you, and you’ll find a little bit of that passion and love for beer, too.

First, of course, I should say that I have been drinking beer for ten years legally, and a handful more before that illegally. I bought my first home brewing equipment when in 2000, and brewed a couple of batches of not-so-good pale ale before becoming disheartened and giving it up for a few years. In 2006, I took up brewing again, this time for real. I brew, on average, 2-3 batches of ale per month, and read and study brewing whenever I can. I study beer the way priests study the bible. They are never done learning, and neither am I. It is not uncommon for me to be seen spending my weekends and evenings reading brewing textbooks, and I even have a few stored in my iPhone so I can read them whenever I have a few minutes in a waiting room or while working out. I also listen to brewing podcasts on my iPhone or in my car when I can’t read.

According to my friends, I know way too much about beer for my own good. Fortunately, I like it that way. I like to think they like it about me, too.

Of course, this obsession with beer had to start somewhere. For me, it started when I was 18. I had a roommate in college who, with a six-pack of Blackened Voodoo, taught me that there was more to beer than light American lagers, and I never looked back.

This week’s list is a list of five lessons I have learned about beer, from that first blackened voodoo on up to more recent history. I have omitted Spaten Optimator from this list to make room, as I have already written about that beer in last month’s column, but this is a list of the five other most important lessons I have learned about beer, and the beers that taught them to me. Note: these beers are included for the lessons they taught me. These are by no means the best examples of these lessons or of the styles these beers represent.

“There is more to beer than light American lagers”

Dixie Blackened Voodoo – Munich Dunkel Lager – 5% ABV
Rating: 3 out of 5 pints
My roommate at Mizzou introduced me to this beer when I was “beered out” one weekend. What has followed since is a long education on the width and depth of the flavors which can be created in beer.

Blackened Voodoo pours dark brown with a slightly reddish hue. The head starts strong, but dissipates quickly after it is poured. The aroma is malty with caramel tones, and just a little bit of coffee. The flavor is very clean and crisp with a malty sweetness balanced with a very little bit of hop bitterness. The carbonation is very mild, but the mouthfeel is smooth and refreshing.

“Don’t fruit the beer”

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat – Wheat Ale – 4.4% ABV
Rating: 3 out of 5 pints

Yeah, I know, you already know this beer, but many bartenders automatically serve it with fruit. The truth of this beer is that it doesn’t need it. Even without the added lemon, this beer has the citrus notes. Plus, the oils from the peel will cause the head to dissipate faster. Some even believe the fruit steals the beer’s body, too.

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat pours a hazy golden color with a beautiful white head which lasts a long time. The aroma is of cereal and citrus, with just a little bready yeast in there. This beer is very easy to drink, but unless you have scurvy, don’t add the fruit. As a matter of fact, leave it out even if you do have scurvy. You can always eat the fruit and then drink the beer.

“It’s all about the balance”

Chimay Bleu (Blue) – Belgian Strong Ale – 9% ABV
Rating: 5 out of 5 pints

I include this beer because it is readily available here in Springfield, but I really learned this lesson while traveling through Belgium and Germany. One of the major reasons why Belgians make such amazing beer is because they are always looking to balance the flavors in the beer just right. They strive to balance the hop bitterness with the malt’s sweetness, and not to overpower the complexities of their yeast with any other flavors. It’s hard to make a beer that is both extremely complex and easy to drink at the same time, but many Belgian brewers are masters of the craft. This beer is a great example of that balance.

Chimay Blue pours a dark amber color with a thick, creamy head. When the head dissipates, there will be some lacing left on the glass, which is good. The nose has some dark fruit, including raisins, and also has a bold spiciness. The flavor is complex, but includes dark fruit (from the malt), a lot of spiciness (from the yeast), and a bit of bitterness (from the hops). The finish is the yeast’s spiciness with a lingering sweetness, and a little warmth from the alcohol (it does weigh in at 9% ABV). If it’s served cold, drink it slow. This beer improves as it approaches room temperature.

“Sometimes fruit the beer” or “It’s all about the balance, except when it’s not”

Lindemans Framboise – Lambic with fruit – 2.5% ABV
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 pints

Watch out. This one’s a tart one. My brother brought this beer to Thanksgiving one year and introduced my family to what would become a tradition for several years. This beer, which is extremely tart and fruity, is amazingly off-balance because of the punch-in-the-face that the raspberry delivers. For me, this brought with it a new level of appreciation for what brewers can do with fruit. A far cry from most of the “beers with fruit” out there, this beer’s tartness and fruit flavor will make you question what makes a beer a beer.

Lindemens Framboise pours a deep red raspberry color with a light pink head. The flavor is all raspberry with none of the sweetness. It’s very tart and a little syrupy, but finishes very clean. While technically a lambic, or sour ale, this beer does not have any of the unusual flavors exhibited by those beers. Instead, the raspberry dominates everything, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it makes this beer a good introduction to sour ales. If you try this and the flavor is too overwhelming, try mixing it half and half with Boulevard Wheat or another light wheat ale. I promise not to tell anyone. It’ll cut out a lot of the tartness and make it more palatable.

“It’s cool to try new things, but drink what you like, too.”

* Boulevard Pale Ale – Pale Ale – 5.1% ABV
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 pints

I bring this lesson up, because I forget it often. I spend a lot of time brewing beer, trying my own beers, and trying out new beers. Sometimes, though, I just have to go back to what I know and love. This was never more evident than when I was with a friend the other day and we were talking about a new beer we tried. I mentioned that I wished that the bar we were at had Boulevard Pale Ale on tap. When he asked me why, I described the beer to him. He said, “Man, you love that beer. Your face just lit up when you were talking about it.” It reminded me that I hadn’t had one in a long time. I had a few this week. He was right. I love this beer.

Boulevard Pale Ale pours a slightly haze orange-copper color. It has a white head and a nice hop aroma. To me, the aroma is kind of grassy, but with some citrus, too. There’s just a little bit of caramel in there, too. It has a nice, malty flavor that is balanced very well with the natural grassy and citrus hop flavors. It’s light, though, so they don’t linger too long and finish cleanly. It’s pretty carbonated, but has a light feel to it, and it’s easy-to drink and balanced, so you can drink a few of them without being overpowered by hops.

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SGF Brewmaster Ben Stange

By Ben Stange

Every fan of craft beer who has tried to educate his friends about his passion for ales and lagers has heard it once or twice when offering a sample to a friend. It always makes us cringe a little, because most of us said it at one time, as well:

“No, thanks. I don’t like dark beers.”

“Whoa.”

It gives me chills every time. Fortunately, I know that the idea that dark beers have an unpleasant flavor – or even that they all share any kind of flavor at all – is a myth.

To prove it, here is a list of five dark beers that will surprise anyone that believes dark beers all taste the same, or that they all taste bad:

1. New Belgium 1554 – “Enlightened Black Ale” – 5.6% ABV – The style given to this beer by its brewer is “Enlightened Black Ale.” It’s an appropriate description, considering how well it can teach the lesson about appreciating dark beers. It pours dark with a slightly reddish hue, and has a decent white head. It has a great roasted grain and caramel aroma with just a little bit of fruit. It tastes very smooth and slightly sweet but finishes with a little bit of dark chocolate. It has a medium body and is everything you expect a dark beer not to be. This one is great for sitting on the deck with a fire going.
2. Ayinger Celebrator – Dopplebock – 6.7% ABV – One of Germany’s finest beers, this dark brown brew has a thick white head that leaves only traces after a minute. The aroma is raisins, bread, toffee, and caramel. The flavor is malty and chocolate, but not overwhelming. There are a few raisin and fig notes, and the beer is slightly sweet, but it finishes dry, leaving the drinker thirsty for more.
3. Unibroue Trois Pistoles – Belgian Strong Ale – 9% ABV – While this beer pours as dark as they come, the head is white and lacy. The aroma of the beer is full of raisins, apple, and spices, and the flavor is dark sugar with dried fruits, clove, and coriander. It has a thicker mouthfeel, but lots of carbonation lightens it up on your tongue. Overall, this beer is an amazing experience.
4. Schneider Aventinus – Weizen Bock – 8.2% ABV – Recently rated the best wheat beer in the world (2010) by ratebeer.com, this beer is the perfect example of how a dark beer can surprise you. It pours hazy brown with an ivory head, and has an amazing aroma of banana, clove, and a little bit of dark fruit. The flavor has chocolate and caramel mixed with notes of fig, raisin, and banana. The full body leads to a dry finish which only makes you want more.
5. Spaten Optimator – Dopplebock – 7.2% ABV – This is the beer that taught me that not all dark beers are created equal. This beer pours very dark brown with a little ruby coloring. It has a thin off-white head and a biscuity caramel aroma with toffee and molasses notes. The taste is very dark caramel and molasses with a smooth feel and a roasted finish.

(Any ideas for a beer column name? Ben’s Beer Column would be a lame name. We weren’t clicking on all cylinders.)

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Billiard's sit at St. Louis and Kimbrough across from the Shrine

When Scott Morris stepped away from managing Billiard’s in the mid-90s to raise his son, the pool hall was a constant packed house. They were tops in the city in draft sales – before a place called Remmington’s took that crown (before a place called Remmington’s flamed out almost over night). Well, Morris is back: “I dropped my boy off at college on a Thursday and walked back in here on a Monday.”

So, in with Morris and out with the Blue Room – as a music venue, that is. It was among the first orders of business for Morris, to turn Billiard’s back into a pool hall first. “The bulk of our customers come to play pool,” Morris said. For now, the room is open for reservations, with no deposit or charge. “If you need a room and can bring 20 people in, you can have it for the night.” The room has already undergone renovations, with fresh paint and new carpet. It lost some of that … how do you say? Gross feel. The room has been used recently for private parties, from sorority dances and Halloween parties to meetings. Morris spoke of nights less than 20 years ago when the Blue Room would get packed throughout the week for Blues’ hockey. He has plans to add television sports packages in the future to progress on the sports bar edge, but that will likely come before the 2010 NFL season.

The Blue Room is under transformation, from live music to whatever you need it for (unless you need a music venue).

Other than the absence of noise near the restrooms, there aren’t any noticeable differences (if you don’t count the beautiful, new HD Golden Tee arcade game by the back door). It’s a hot spot for pool – clearly, check the name – but it remains nice low-key option for a pitcher of beer and a cheap, delicious bite to eat. The menu screams bar food, but sometimes that’s what you want to hear.

They grill your angus burger on a flat top behind the bar. A variety of grilled sandwiches (from chicken to cheese) keep a place on the menu. Nothing you order will break your bank with some other usual suspects available for order (hot wings, chili, toasted ravioli, fries, mozzarella sticks, etc.). Unless you make a day of it (two full meals), it’d be difficult to reach a $10 food ticket.

Alongside the Buds and Miller Lite handles you will normally find a selection of wheats (Blue Moon, Boulevard and Leinenkugel’s Sunset) and occasionally another specialty, with a fair selection of bottles (it reaches the Sam Adams, Rolling Rock, Red Stripe level). AND, as Scott Perket said: “They have Mello Yellow!”

Billiards will always be king at ... Billiard's

Billiard’s
541 E St. Louis
(417) 866-4319
Mon-Sat: 11 a.m.-1:30 a.m.
Sun: 11 a.m.-Midnight

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Eric Weiler with a G & G at Lindbergh's

Weiler unveiled the drink – called the G & G – in Springfield at Lindberg’s on July 8. We were lucky enough to be in the neighborhood and looking to quench our thirst. With plans of a one-drink stop, that quickly changed after receiving a review of the new drink from Springfield Roller Girl Rusty Razorskates. Like Weiler, we were skeptical of the ingredients, but thought we’d check it out. The mint and ginger are muddled with honey, a combination which disguises that distinctive gin flavor while spending most of its time under a bed of rocks or floating freely in the glass. A lime garnish sets it off. (Note: Even with Weiler’s permission, I can’t just give away the whole recipe, because I don’t think anybody can duplicate the flavor, and that would be a tragedy.)

One sip and I felt like dancing. Weiler said the drink wouldn’t be available all the time – because of the preparation it requires – unless it receives enough demand (wink, wink).

I’ll stop gushing, maybe. But you should definitely make a trip to see Eric at Lindberg’s this weekend. Best drink in Springfield. Think you’ve found one better? We’ll see. Let us know what the G & G’s best competition is.

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Colleen Smith at Tea Bar

Into its doors and an exhale will follow. Owner Colleen Smith calls the atmosphere “decompressed”. If you’re looking for a drive-thru window, drive on through, because Tea Bar and Bites is not the place.

Tea Bar is nestled on the south side of Pickwick Place. It has a simple menu and the food is made from scratch daily – so when it runs out, it’s gone. Smith develops the specials based on what is available locally. The ingredients come directly from the source, farmer’s markets and other local-owned farms.

While Smith was attending Missouri State she became a regular at the old Earth Wonder Natural Foods, that’s where she learned to appreciate fresh, healthy food. She later started a catering business, but always had an eye on the location at 621 S Pickwick. More than five years ago, the space became available and her house began to empty. “My kids were moving out of home, and I needed a new baby,” she recalls. Since that time, Tea Bar has expanded to a 55-seat restaurant, with inviting outdoor seating.

Inviting entrance at patio of Tea Bar

The food offerings have a Mediterranean flair, influenced by time spent with friends in Greece. You’ll find hummus, tzatziki, and feta cheeses scattered around the menu, but the outside influence doesn’t end with the food. Smith emphasizes the atmosphere. With Irish ancestry she wants it to feel like your coming into her home where the staff is a “little family” and they provide a total “around the table” experience.

Smith says she doesn’t plan on further expansion, because she “wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” She credits the neighborhood for getting business going. “I’ve let the business lead itself,” she says, “so it’s grown simply (by) referral.”

TBA - the BLT on HGH

Our experience

With the warm July sun shaded by a few (I thought they were) decorative umbrellas, we settled into a spot outside. It’s an early lunch so we skipped the Meditteranean Platter, though it was part of the craving, and jump straight into the Turkey Bacon Avocado (the special which is a BLT on HGH – the BLT for which you’ve waited your entire life) and the Turkey Gouda Panini (grilled sandwich with turkey, smoked gouda, artichokes and a house pesto … a ‘roided Grilled Cheese). My eyes swelled as a huge slice of avocado – which was holding a piece of bacon – tumbled out of my sandwich and onto the brick floor during a clumsy bite.

The bite that got away

The entrees took some time, but were very much worth the anticipation. For dessert, we ordered a brownie topped with a peanut butter icing, all of which was created just before consumption (we wanted the coconut cupcakes, but they sold out).

Expect to spend around $10/person, and want to try all of the desserts they have available.

To find out more, visit Tea Bar and Bites online.

Tea Bar and Bites
621 S Pickwick
(417) 866-7500
Tues-Thurs: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Fri: 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Sat: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Monday

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