Beer of the Week: Brahma

With the chilly winter weather upon us, I thought it would be nice to talk about a beer that just makes me think of summer, partying and beautiful women. Brahma is one of the most popular beers from Brazil, and whether due to its unique bottle shape and lack of label, or simply its refreshing flavor, many that see it want more after just a few sips. Brahma is a pale lager that has a slight caramel flavor, although it probably is hard to distinguish from the flavor of a Corona (but don't add any limes). It is easy sipping, and according to the company it embodies the creative spirit known as "Ginga". How it does this exactly, I have no idea. Perhaps drink enough and you come up with creative things the bottle shape reminds you of? Most importantly, if you are going to drink Brahma make sure it is ice cold. And when I mean ice cold, I mean your hands should feel frozen after hold the bottle for only a few sips.

Number of Beers Drank in one Sitting: 4
Pair With Food: Chips & Salsa

Brazilian Curves

Beer of the Week: Red Stripe

Jamaican beer, Hoooray Beer! Sadly (or gladly?) advertising for Red Stripe will always stick in my head for its simple yet memorable tagline at the end. The beer itself, similar to other Caribbean beers, is best enjoyed on a hot day at the beach. Despite this tag, Red Stripe has had a bit of a renaissance in popularity and is often found as one of the main import beers at bars alongside Heineken and Amstel Light. Its distinctive bottle shape and logo always stand out in a bar, and I am convinced it is harder to knock over than those flimsy long neck bottles. Best of all, Red Stripe actually tastes surprisingly good considering it is a mass produced lager. It goes down very easily, like most lagers, but the flavor is there from the hops and almost a corn or malty taste (in a good way). Unlike some of its brethren that are meant to be drank sitting on the beach, Red Stripe tries to combine hints of subtle flavor with icy cold easy sipping that should be enjoyed lounging somewhere beautiful. If that somewhere happens to be the part of Jamaica that is right near da beach, boy-eeee, then you should consider yourself blessed.

Number of beers drank in one sitting: 5 (sometimes you just have to give one away)

Pair with food: I personally have only had it when drinking for drinkings sake. It's too light to go with much, but perhaps some fried food just to cut the salt.

Lord Have Mercy It's Beer

Beer of the Week: Presidente

Although my first thought when I hear Presidente beer is Fidel, in actuality it's very tasty as far as lighter beers go, and also seems to always get people excited when they see you bring it. Although easier to find than most people think, I rarely see anyone buying it except my friends who hail from the DR and were raised on the stuff. I still remember going over to my friends house back in college for dinner and her mom pulling out Presidente's from the freezer so that they were icy cold. Ever since then I haven't been able to drink them just refrigerator cold, but have to have them icy cold, in an icy glass. Perhaps this is why it is such a popular beer in the DR, where I hear it can get a little warm. The taste always reminds me of Red Stripe, maybe it's just that carribean malt and hops. Either way, you don't drink Presidente because you want to savor each sip, you drink it to remind you of warm summers, and ice cold beer.

Number of beers drank in one sitting: 6 (aka a six pack)

Pair with food: Goes great with the somewhat salty, and hearty Dominican and latin food I've had in the past

Beer fit for a president

Beer of the Week: Young's Double Chocolate Stout

While ordering the name of this beer, Young's Double Chocolate Stout, is a mouthful, once you have a taste you can see that it is worth the effort. Similar to Boddingtons, cans of this beer have a nitrous capsule that gives the faux foam that makes it extra creamy and frothy. Although this makes it quite tasty, I much prefer it from a bottle or on tap, but both are hard to find. Often the best way to hunt it down on tap is at Irish or British pubs in the winter, when they have it as a special selection at places like the Telephone Bar & Grill. The beer itself is delicious not for it's creaminess, but rather it's unusual chocolate flavor. A dark Irish stout in every sense of the word, the beer is infused with a dark bitter chocolate flavor that accentuates each sip and makes for a finish that is distinct and much different than any other beer out there. For me, it drinks like a Guinness that has a dark chocolate bar melted into it. If you are one of those people who likes the taste of beers with a fruit finish (cherry wheat for example), but are too embarrassed to get it without being called a girl, then this beer is perfect. The fruitiness is replaced by a deep and savory flavor that pairs well with the dark bitterness of an Irish stout.

Number of Beers Drank in one Sitting: 2-3 because it is filling and rich
Pair with Food: It goes great with hearty pub food like fish and chips, french onion soup or a burger.

Chocolate Beer

Beer of the Week: Blue Moon

Blue Moon beer is usually one of those beers you find yourself ordering when scanning what's on tap and deciding you don't want the water that is Bud Light, but don't want that darker, heavier beer like a Newcastle. Usually served with a slice of orange (although I never use it) Blue Moon has a bite to it similar to Hefeweizen. It does an admirable job trying to imitate the Belgian white beers, although it is important to point out that Molson Coors brews Blue Moon, so it's by no means the microbrew that some give it credit for. When pouring a Blue Moon the first thing many may notice is that it is almost a bright orange color, and is quite cloudy due to it's lack of filtration. Upon first sip it has a sharp bite to it, with a medium citrusy taste that is usually like a slightly sour orange. Supposedly coriander is also used in the brewing process, but I have never even tasted a hint of this flavoring, and honestly am glad I haven't. Coriander flavor in a beer? What's next, rosemary? Similar to other unfiltered beers, the head of the beer is usually very tasty, and the oats can sometimes come through. A bar that knows what they are doing will normally serve Blue Moon in a wheat beer glass that is bigger than your standard pint and allows for room to create a thick delicious head at the wider top.

Number of Beers Drank in one Sitting: 2-3 (Maybe 1 more in the summer)
Pair with Food: Goes well with citrusy salads and fish

The Blue Side of the Moon

Beer of the Week: Heineken

Being half Dutch makes me somewhat biased to the most well known beer from the motherland, although Amstel Light has been giving it a run for the money. Heineken is an odd beer and suffers sometimes from the same issue as many German beers - skunkyness. Although this is somewhat intentional, I find that due to the green bottle, too often you buy it and it has gone from a slightly bad bitter taste, to a really bad taste that ruins the normal crisp hoppy taste that you come to expect when you find it on tap. Personally, I only get Heineken on tap, it always tastes significantly better. In fact, I would argue that more so than any other beer the difference in taste improve for Heineken when you compare draught to bottle or even can. Technically a pilsener, although most people probably wouldn't think about it in that way, the taste if you really concentrate has almost a slightly earthy taste, although it is so light the flavor doesn't last too long on your tongue. Personally, I love getting a Heineken and pairing it with traditional Dutch food like fresh raw herring at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. This is a somewhat acquired taste, and it took me years to really warm up to it, but now it is a tradition every year the herring fleet comes in to New York.

Number of Beers Drank in one Sitting: 5-6 (as long as it's on tap)
Pair with Food: Absolutely, especially fresh herring, and hearty soups and stews.

Get your hands off my Heini

Beer of the Week: Guinness

Ahhhh Guinness. Blood of the Irish, meal of the boozehound, partner in the car bomb, the reason everyone loves St. Patty’s Day. The accolades could go on and on. Entire bars in New York are dedicated just to serving Guinness, and among beers, it might be considered king. Actually, king may be selling it short. Perhaps it should be the supreme imperial ruler of beerdom? Ok, so I got a little distracted and had to stop writing this and buy one in the middle. Believe it or not I was not always a Guinness convert, let alone a Guinness drinker until 2 years ago when on St. Patrick's Day I finally gave in to my initial distaste for it and gave it a second chance. Thank god I did. Like a moment of clarity I realized that it was not as filling as I had originally thought (why I didn’t like it) and had an amazing creaminess and taste that countless other beers tried to match, but never could. Guinness is always poured the same way, and then enjoyed quite quickly. Although a very dark and creamy beer, with almost a nutty and sweet flavor, the bitterness of many British/Irish beers is unmistakable. Instead of talking about how great Guinness is, I think this quote from Time Out New York is all anyone needs to know:
A perfect pint leaves a totally 'laced' [froth-lined] glass. To enjoy all the attributes of its flavor, fill your mouth to engage the taste buds: The sweetness from the front of the tongue, where the malt has impact; then the roastiness of Guinness at the sides of the tongue where the salty-sour buds lie; then the lingering bitterness at the back of the mouth - a full swig gives you all these sensations, along with a wondrous mouth-feel.

Number of Beers Drank in one Sitting: 3-4 (Depending on how much you like dark beer)
Pair with Food: Only if it's really good corned beef and cabbage

Manna for the Gods

Beer of the Week: Boddingtons

I first really became intrigued by Boddingtons when a friend of mind who drank it religious showed me what I thought was blasphemy in beer circles. He shook an empty can of beer, and it made a clinking sound because there was something inside of it with the beer. Apparently, I learned that Boddingtons has a small metallic nitrogen doo-hicky (scientific term) at the bottom so that when poured from a can it gives a nice head. This is referred to as a nitro can, or nitrogen can. What kind of crazy technology will they come up with next, beer that doesn't make you have a gut? Wine that doesn't stain your teeth? Tequila that doesn't make you wake up in jail?

After this experience I of course had to try the beer, both from a can and on tap. Needless to say whether it is the nitrogen or the fact that it's British, the beer is lighter than expected. Boddingtons has a very interesting balance of the lighter smoothness you might find in an ale, but also the bitterness you expect in a darker beer from England or Ireland. The ale is also surprisingly creamy, and flows similar in your glass to when you pour a Guinness (it is poured the same way too, although the wait isn't as long). Some would say the taste is a little bland, and that the whole nitrogen thing is a bit gimmicky, but I find it a refreshing alternative to some the other "creamy" beers that taste great going down, but fill you up really quickly. One warning, if you get a keg that seems low on nitrogen, or is a bit old, the beer can taste really bad, and makes you regret ordering it the instant you taste it. This actually just happened to me at a bar called Wharf, so beware!

Number of Beers Drank in one Sitting: 3-4 (Depending on how much you like creamy beer)
Pair with Food: Personally, I think the creaminess of the beer takes away from any food, but I could see it going with fish and chips nicely.

Beer + Nitrogen = Deliciousness

Beer of the Week: Maudite

Maudite is maybe the only beer I can think of that could ever supplant my love affair with Newcastle. It is not a very common beer, and may be the best thing to come out of Canada since, uhm, well, I'll get back to that sentence later. I used to refer to Maudite as the devils brew because it has the devil on the bottle and it has such a high alcohol content that it can really hit you hard. For some people who claim it takes a lot of beers to get them buzzed, I submit Maudite to you, with it's 8% alcohol volume. For reference many beers have half that kind of alcohol. I know on a recent night I had 3 and was quite buzzed, but the really great thing about the beer isn't how easily it gets you drunk but rather the unique taste. Maudite is one of the few beers where you actually want to pour it with a delicious frosting on top. Instead of a standard pint glass Maudite should be poured in more of a decanter style glass. The beer is actually refermented in the bottle, so the older it gets the stronger the flavor. Usually what you can find in the US is about medium aged, and will be amber color but not see through, almost like a wheat beer. The taste has a sharp almost sour citrus bite to it, but it's not bitter like a darker ale. When a sip is savored a bit, you can almost taste some yeast and spices, but ultimately it's the finish that makes the beer worthwhile.

Ironically these crazy Canadians named this beer after a strange legend of a flying canoe that was steered by the devil himself.

Number of Beers Drank in one Sitting: 3 (and then I fell over)
Pair with Food: Absolutely, pasta stands up well to the strong flavor, as does a good steak or even food covered in hot sauce

The Best Thing From Canada Since...?

Beer of the Week: St. Pauli Girl

For some reason I find getting bottled German beer in the U.S. that is fresh very difficult. And by fresh, I mean not "skunky". Yes, I realize skunky is just a word that Budweiser created, but it is a very aptly named term. Too often the lighter German beers like Becks, St. Pauli Girl and others taste like they have been in the beer fridge for months. With that aside, I am not a huge fan of St. Pauli Girl, but then again, I don't seem to like any light commercial German lagers. The taste is more bitter than your average light lager, and the finish is not as clean as american, mexican and asian beers. Would I drink it? Sure, why not. Would I ask someone to please pass me a St. Pauli Girl? Only if it was the St. Pauli girl herself handing it to me. Did I recently drink three of these out of a ginormous beer mug? Yes. Did I do it for this blog? Definetly. It actually wasn't as bad as I had remembered it being, and it might actually be a decent beer to eat with some bratwurst or other German sausage, since personally I like a light beer with most heavy German foods.

Number of beers drank in one sitting: 2.5
Pair with food: Only the heavier German food (is there any LIGHT german food?)

Get Some Free Pictures of the St. Pauli Girl (Oh, and info about the beer)

Beer of the Week: Pabst Blue Ribbon

I think most people when you say Pabst Blue Ribbon, or its more loving name of PBR, think of nauseous fumes, very drunken college nights, and sitting in the dirties diviest old man bar in the village that you can think of. Yet somewhere along the way this beer became the quintessential hipster beer (I hate you all by the way, yes you hipster). PBR is considered an old fashioned beer, usually grouped in with Schlitz and other disgusting, yet light and drinkable beers that you find yourself gravitating towards right before starting a 24 hour binge drinking affair. In fact, it won America's Best Beer award (which it proudly states on the can) in 1893. You have to wonder, what was it's competition in 1893? I'd be lieing if I said you could taste a difference between bud light, coors light, PBR and any other drinking game type of beer, but PBR seems to have taken on a life of its own, where people will go out of their way to order it at a bar since it usually is $3 or $4. Personally, I find myself always giddy right before I crack open a tall boy, but usually this is followed by a very unhappy stomach Saturday morning at 11am. So here's a toast to binge drinking, and tasteless beer from Manhattan all the way out to williamsburg.

Number of Beers Drank in one sitting: Why Count them, when you can drink them?
Pair with Food: Only if you count that 3:30am stop at Vanity Heaven for a couple of slices

Find out what makes Hipsters so AWESOME

Beer of the Week: Moretti

So apparently I went on a Mexican beer kick without even realizing it, maybe it was the end of the summer, or my glory days in Cancun. Luckily enough I managed to rediscover my love of Moretti last weekend while dining on a plate of meat. Moretti is actually one of the first beers I ever had back when I worked in an Italian restaurant and the owner used to come in at the end of the night and have Moretti's with the staff. Moretti, or "Birra Moretti" is a somewhat amber beer that is very popular in Italy, where wine usually dominates. Although the beer tastes suspiciously like it's owner Heineken (Not a bad beer to taste like), it is really a pale amber beer, with a smooth finish, not much bitterness, and goes well with pasta and other Italian dishes. For some reason some people think it is a dark beer, probably cause of the brown bottle, but it is quite light. It may not stand out much in a beer competition between other pale ambers, if your in an Italian restaurant and don't want the wine, I would highly recommend ordering a Moretti.

Number of Beers Drank in one sitting: 3
Pair with Food: Definitely, especially brick oven pizza, somewhat heavy pastas, and meats.

Catch up on your Italian Beer knowledge

Beer of the Week: Sol

You gotta have Sol. Ok, bad joke, but seriously, you should have Sol. Do you like Corona, Tecate, or any other somewhat light beer that you drink with citrus? Then not only would you probably like Sol, but you would probably be impressed by it's crisp taste, but full of flavor more so than a Corona I feel. It's a very refreshing beer that actually is light enough to actually almost absorb some of the lime flavor when added to it, but not lose it's taste. And served ice cold, you feel like on of those Corona commercials just sitting on the beach with no care in the world. Mexican beer is very underrated, and this is probably one of those beers that flies under the radar because you don't see it in every single bar and i've never actually seen it on tap.

I've got Sol, and I'm super bad.

Number of Beers Drank in one sitting: 5
Pair with food: No, except a lime

Beer of the Week: Newcastle Brown Ale

mmmm Beer. Ok, so I probably could say that about any beer other than Sam Adams (Sorry New England, but your taste in beer sucks). I order Newcastle anytime I see it's distinctive tap, it's like the sirens in The Odyssey even when I have decide to only have one. Newcastle for me is that perfect balance between a slight bitterness, and an aftertaste of sweetness that I love about a good beer. It is technically a "brown ale" although most people who aren't a bunch of beer snobs tend to group it in with other beer from England and Ireland like Boddingtons, Guiness, Bass and Youngs. Not to say I don't like the beers I just listed (maybe some future posts) but nothing compares to a well poured draught Newcastle, with some tasty "frosting". The slight hints of either chocolate or caramel nicely offset the bitterness, and although I don't know this for sure it seems to have a higher alcohol content than a lot of your average on tap beers.

Pair with Food - Possibly, but it is very filling and strong taste so not ideal
Average # drank on a night out - 3-4

Learn more about why you should let Newcastle get you drunk