Familiar beers get a second look |
| And the winners are . . . everywhere. Even if you are not a beer snob, constantly on the prowl for the latest and most offbeat brews, there's a good chance that your refrigerator will hold a World Beer Cup medalist this summer. That's because the beer profession is generous with its awards. (This is true of my profession, too -- awards are to journalism what milk is to cereal. Pour it on!) At the Great American Beer Festival last September, awards were given in 55 categories. That's nothing. The World Beer Cup is presented in 75 categories, some so obscure as to baffle even veteran suds hounds. Australasian/Tropical-Style Light Lager, anyone? You'd expect this in a competition where brewers strut their most esoteric stuff. But I hadn't expected that the roster would also list many members of the old guard. This is a good time to revisit these well-known beers, because: a.) They are so light, they are best drunk in the summer, and b.) You can assure your beer-snob buddies that you only drink award-winners. Just for fun, I recently sampled two old standards now basking in their World Beer Cup glow; one major brewery's "experimental" beer, which will never win a national or international competition; and a local microbrewery's latest, which is a sure bet to win something soon. Tasting notes (Beers are rated from 0 to 5 stars, with 5 being best.) Old Standard 1 COORS ORIGINAL Golden, Colo. * What it won: Gold, 2002 World Beer Cup, American-style premium lager; silver, 2001 Great American Beer Festival, American-style premium lager. Why: Coors is one of the great old names in the business. The beer has a cult following, although I suspect its stock dropped once it made the leap from regional to national distribution. In other words, familiarity bred ho-hum reactions. |
My review: Everything about this beer is shy. Even the color, which aspires to yellowness, but . . . can't . . . quite . . . get . . . there. A sweet aroma is mirrored by the sweet body, which successfully muffles the oh-so-lightly toasted malt flavor. There's a slight sulfur burn at the end, and then . . . nothing. Old Standard 2 MILLER HIGH LIFE Milwaukee, Wis. ** What it won: Gold, 2002 World Beer Cup, American-style lager; bronze, 1999 Great American Beer Festival, American-style lager. Why: Another old standby, with a shade more character than Coors. My review: Forget about the beer, let's talk about the label. On the neck, look for the woman sitting in the crook of a crescent moon, wearing a pleated red dress, boots and a wide-brimmed hat. There are echoes of Betty Grable here, and it's easy to imagine that this retro beauty once graced the fuselage of a B-24 Liberator. If we must discuss the beer, well, it's OK. Faded straw color, with oodles of bubbles -- this is, remember, the champagne of beers. Thin and clean on the tongue, with a malt-accented aftertaste. Experimental Beer MICHELOB HEFEWEIZEN Milwaukee, Wis. ** What it won: Nothing, as far as I've been able to discover. Why: This mild Germanic wheat arrived just as the style got hot; there are plenty of hefes, ranging from spicy and full-bodied to wispy and lemon-scented. Michelob's version falls in the latter category, but it's not a notable example of the genre. My review: The head? Pleasant -- it's one finger thick and persists. The flavor? Pleasant -- sweet and lemony, with a mild bite at the end. The banana and clove notes of a Bavarian hefe are missing, but this is what it is -- pleasant. |
Latest Local STONE RUINATION IPA San Marcos **** What it won: Nothing, yet. Hey, it was released last month. Why: Stone Brewing makes good, aggressive, prize-winning beers. This one already fits the first two categories. Ruination will surely go three-for-three. My review: Long-suffering Brewery Rowe readers may find this odd, knowing mytroubled relationship with (to my taste buds) overly bitter India pale ales. Ruination was designed as an uber-IPA, and it delivers bushels of hops from the moment you pop the cap. The earthy, fresh aroma brings to mind autumn leaves, pine needles and grapefruit. Is it bitter? Yup. But even though Ruination carries a rating of 100-plus International Bittering Units, it did not seem more tart than Stone's regular IPA, which comes in at 60 IBUs. Perhaps the higher alcohol content -- 7.7 percent by volume, compared to 6.9 -- smoothes out the raspy edges. But make no mistake. This is a big beer, with a big wallop. Brewery Rowe appears monthly in the Food section. Peter Rowe, the proprietor, welcomes calls, (619) 293-1227; letters, c/o The San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191; and e-mail, peter.rowe@uniontrib.com |