On Camille Saison: An American Take on a Classic Farmhouse Ale

Like Chinese food and tacos, most beer styles have been thoroughly “Americanized” in some way or another. Take the classic British IPA, kick up the hops about 20 notches and you have one of the most popular beer styles west of the Atlantic. Or maybe your stout doesn't have enough of a kick to it. Just turn the alcohol dial to 11 and enjoy your imperial stout. Yes, the story of the imperial stout involves Tzars and inter-European trade, but Americans gave “imperial” its broader meaning relating to strong versions of classic styles. It seems no style is immune from the relentless evolution and Americanization. Imperial pilsener, black IPAs, extra hoppy porters, and fruit/coffee/chocolate/herbs/bacon in just about everything in between. Subtly isn't an American virtue.

With that in mind, I share with you a recipe for a style I've not seen previously Americanized in any meaningful way: Saison. Camille Saison, named after the romantic composer Camille Saint-Seans, is a hop forward version of a Belgian saison. With 38 IBUs but only measuring in 5.5% ABV, this certainly isn't your standard saison. Peppery spice and piny citrus dominate the aroma. Pepper and citrus hit the palate strong up front but give way to a balanced profile of yeast, malt, and hops. The high hop content is cleansed by lively carbonation and the light body leaves you refreshed for another sip. Bold, yet quaffable, Camille Saison is a beer that will certainly be added to my regular rotation. Enjoy.

Camille Saison

Saison

Type: All Grain	Date: 07/05/2012
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal	Brewer: Garth Peterson
Boil Size: 6.35 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: Pot and Cooler ( 5 Gal/19 L) - Extract/Partial Mash
End of Boil Volume 5.98 gal	Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal	Est Mash Efficiency 87.6 %
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage	Taste Rating(out of 50): 0.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 5.00 gal Atlanta, GA Water 1 - 2.60 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 - 2.00 g Chalk (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 3 - 1.60 g Salt (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 4 - 0.60 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 5 - 0.30 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 6 - 2 lbs 12.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 7 32.3 % 2 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 8 26.5 % 1 lbs 6.0 oz Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 9 16.2 % 0.53 oz Citra [14.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 10 28.1 IBUs 2 lbs 2.0 oz Lyle's Golden Syrup (0.0 SRM) Extract 11 25.0 % 1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 12 - 0.57 oz Citra [14.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 13 10.0 IBUs 1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins) Other 14 - 1.04 oz Citra [14.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 15 0.0 IBUs 1.0 pkg Belgian Saison (Wyeast Labs #3724) [124.21 ml] Yeast 16 - 1.0 pkg Belgian Saison (Wyeast Labs #3724) [124.21 ml] Yeast 17 - 1.00 oz Citra [14.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 18 0.0 IBUs
Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Protein Rest	Add 6.74 qt of water at 130.8 F	122.0 F	30 min
Saccharification	Add 5.10 qt of water at 192.1 F	149.0 F	30 min
Mash Out	Add 5.75 qt of water at 211.9 F	168.0 F	10 min

Sparge Step: Fly sparge with 2.97 gal water at 168.0 F
Mash Notes: Double step infusion - for light body beers requiring a protein rest. Used primarily in beers high in unmodified grains or adjuncts.

Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Bottle
Volumes of CO2: 2.5
Pressure/Weight: 4.11 oz
Carbonation Used: Bottle with 4.11 oz Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F
Age for: 30.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Storage Temperature: 65.0 F

Notes

Created with BeerSmith

On Sam Adams Verloren

Rare beer styles are a bit of an obsession for me. Long before any American breweries were making Berliner weisse, I was making my own home brewed versions and buying the one lonely German import stocked by my local craft beer store. Since then, rare, traditional beer styles have become a point of pride for many brewers.

Much like the revival of classic cocktail bitters, sophisticated beer drinkers are demanding nearly forgotten styles. Among them sahti, faro, wheatwine, and gose. Many of these beers are an offshoot of the Belgian sour craze and have been interpreted by their new caretakers (I've seen wheatwines flavored with everything imaginable, including chocolate, burbon, and lemongrass). Sam Adams Verloren is no exception. Losing it's characteristic long-neck bottle, this light take on a classic sour has been reinterpreted for it's large audience.

A traditional gose bottle.

Out of a standard bomber, Verloren pours a cloudy gold color with a moderate white head that recedes quickly. lingering foam drifts across an amber sea.

Aroma shows savory coriander and a light citrusy sour character. Some light lime citrus in the background.

On the tongue a smooth, bready malt character is backed up by citrusy sourness. The lingering flavor is vaguely reminiscent of fruit loops.

With a moderately light body and prickly carbonation, this is dangerously easy to drink.

Try to take your time and enjoy the subtleties of this unique beer.

On Mikkeller Coffee IPA

Sometimes a drink can be a game. Take a drink, find out what's in it, and, if you're in to it, try and recreate it yourself. It's a nerdy libation; methodically breaking down a completed unit into its constituent parts to see what ticks. Reverse engineer a drink.

While this may take some time - and many "test samples" - taken alone, I have some help with my latest tasting, Mikkeller Coffee IPA. I know, of course, there must be coffee in there. But Rate Beer also tells me it contains Tomahawk hops, and flaked oats. The hard part, as it turns out, is finding the coffee. Like an adult version of Where's Waldo, the coffee hides itself among many similar flavors.

Coffee IPA pours a dark orange color with a persistent, just slightly off-white head reminiscent of soap suds. Aroma is of hops - citrus - though not at all powerful. No coffee, yet.

The first sip doesn’t bring the coffee forward either. It’s playing hide and seek. I check behind some hop bitterness... no, it’s not there. Next comes some caramel sweetness offsetting the moderately intense bitterness from the Tomahawk hops. Then, at the end, after the sweetness leaves, the bitterness returns, but in new form: coffee. It’s delicate. If tasting blind, it may be easy to miss. But that's part of the fun.

Coffee shows up again in the body. The smooth, thick mouthfeel may be from the flaked oat, but it also supports the feel of a morning cup of espresso. Slightly oily and lingering.

Overall, this is a quality IPA and while hunting for the coffee was fun, I’d prefer something a bit more upfront.

On Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

The third of my series of Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier's is the strongest of the series in both alcohol content and quality. While the smoke in the weizen played contrary to the heffeweisen character, the smoke in the urbock complements very nicely. Overall this beer is similar to the Marzen, but with a bit more umph and a bolder flavor.

The thick head is the consistency of an egg white foam and a light tan color. The beer itself is dark ruby with just a hint of light shining through the pint glass.

Banana bread and smoke on the nose. The aroma is quite pleasant.

Smoke forward on the palate with sweet caramel supporting. High carbonation thins an otherwise heavy body. The smoke plays an integral part and adds a depth of flavor to an already great beer.  I couldn't have asked for a better beer to close out Smoked Beer Month.

All three beers were conservative enough in the smoke for the experience to not be a liquid BBQ. And for that I am thankful. Overall, the trio makes a great introduction to smoked beer land.

On O'Fallon Smoked Porter

And now for something completely different. Well, not COMPLETELY different, but O'Fallon Smoked Porter is quite different than the classic German rauchbiers I've reviewed so far. Put just about anything in American hands and it gets turned to the extreme (5/3 Burger, anyone?). Sometimes it ends in indigestion, and sometimes it ends in pure deliciousness. Luckily, in the hands of Brian Owens - Head Brewer - O'fallon Smoked Porter falls in the later category.

Smoked porter starts in the aroma with smoked meats, molasses, honey, and alcohol in that order. Quite nice. The smoke is evident, but not at all overpowering as it would be easy to do with such a beer. More BBQ than campfire.

Jet black with a brown head it starts thick but settles to a thin brown hat on top of a black tower of beer.

O'Fallon Smoked Porter

The taste is much like the aroma. The smoke is very unique. Very BBQ like. I never thought I would use catsup in a beer description (at least in a good way) but there it is, catsup! 

Of course there are the traditional porter flavors of roast malts and some molasses. Again not overpowering with the smoke but present with a thick, stick to your mouth feel on the palate. 

Overall this beer is liquid pork ribs in a bottle but somehow it works. Quite a nice, unique, creative beer. Very appropriate for a St. Louis based brewery.

On Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen

Last week I reviewed Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen, a smoked beer from Bamberg where smoked beers are a specialty. Today I'm reviewing another Aecht Schlenkerla beer, this time a wheat beer. That's right, April is going to be smoked beer month. Why? Well... why not? Smoked beers are wonderful and I don't think they get the credit they deserve among all the other specialty beers out there.

The world doesn't need another whiskey-barrel aged, sour, one-day-only, double imperial Russian stout. But a nice smoked beer provides excitement and differentiation without being in your face. I can only hope more craft breweries experament with smoke outside of the super strong realm and give a refreshing taste of smoke to complement all those summer burgers on the grill.

When poured krystal style the beer shows a dark amber color beneath a thick head of foam. Adding the yeast turns the color to a murky brown that isn’t quite as pretty, but well worth it in the end.

Spicy yeast phenols volly back and forth with smoke in an aromatic game of tennis that becomes more exciting the longer it lasts. Ultimately it’s the yeast that comes away with the win.

The smoke doesn’t make much of an appearance in the flavor, but in the same vein, traditional heffeweisen flavors are muted by the smoke that is there. Bready wheat malt and some clove anchor the flavor.

Dry and light, this is as refreshing as I’ve ever seen in a smoked beer. However, smoked beer lovers may find the smoke underwhelming, while heffeweisen lovers could find the smoke bothersome. This one never quite comes to a cohesive statement, but the individual elements are there.

On Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Aecht Schlenkerla is a classic German brewer that can trace it's lineage back to 1405 in Bamberg, a northern Bavarian town. It's here that the techniques used since before the discovery of the New World still survive. Sure, they use electric pumps, pitched yeast, and giant temperature controlled fermenters, but Aecht Schlenkerla still smokes its own malt in open fire kilns and ages it's beer in oak casks just like all beer was made up until the industrial revolution.

What this means is when you open one of Aecht Schlenkerla's Rauchbiers, you're opening a taste of history. Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, Carl Orff, and Johann Pachelbel all lived in Bavaria and may have drank very similar beers while composing their most famous works. That connection with history doesn't come easy. It only happens through the careful adhearance to strict tradition through multiple generations. Aecht Schlenkerla survived The Reformation, near constant civil war, Napoleonic invasion, economic industrialization, two world wars, and reunification. Any of which could have prompted the owners to change their ways or close shop all together. And the simple fact that they did not, is reason enough to celebrate this fine beer.

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen pours a dark golden brown with a white head that settles fairly quickly. Moderate lacing hangs to the glass. Oak smoke aroma backed by caramel and toasted bread notes.

Smoke and burnt sugar (you know, past caramel) start off the taste. Some roasty tones play backup. Non-smoked oak is also apparent in the flavor. Vanilla, marshmallow, toast. Add some chocolate malt and you’ve got a smore.

The palate is on the thick side with some lingering stickyness that doesn’t present as sweet so much as just thick or sticky.

The smoke is well balanced and complements the beer quite well. I hope the history and flavors of this wonderful brewery are kept alive for another 600 years.

On Southern Tier IPA

I like labels. I've talked about their affect on me before with my post of Milten Gaither's label design for Brooklyn Sorachi Ace.  Labels say a lot about the beer you're about to spend your hard earned money on. Good labels - and packaging, in general - should tell you everything you need to know about the product. I'm not talking just about the name, or the description, or the logo on the front. The colour and the shape*. The texture, the size, and even the smell all play a roll in telling you what's inside. 

 So what does Southern Tier's packaging say about their IPA? Their labels tell me they are very particular about their products. There is nothing on the label that doesn't belong. The simple color scheme makes the 6 packs easy to find on the shelf. Just look for the sea of green (IPA, 2xIPA) or purple (porter) and you're on your way. Southern Tier is very pragmatic and efficient. Nothing is wasted. Everything in it's right place**. If there is a hop addition or a malt used, it has a reason. Nothing is just for the hell of it. The packaging has an organic look. Not to say that their beers are organic in the eyes of the USDA, but they portray an image of care for the environment in a down to earth, practical way. The consistency from beer to beer and from case to bottle to tap tell me that Southern Tier is detail oriented and I can expect that attention to detail to extend to their recipes.

The aroma starts with pine resin and earthiness. Like a walk through a redwood forest. Burnt orange color with a dense head that lingers.

Bitterness is well balanced with a touch of caramel (and honey?) sweetness. Pine and earthy flavors cary through from the aroma. Some minerals appear in the tail. Moderately long finish that isn’t overly sweet or bitter.

The balance stays throughout, never tipping from one side or the other, like a skilled tightrope walker. The medium body feels thick from the hops. I’ll be licking the insides of my mouth for a while.

Overall quite an enjoyable beer whose strength lies in its balance.

*good album, btw.

**good song, btw.

On Crispin Stagger Lee

Today I take a break from beer and give myself something a bit different to try: Cider. While there are similarities in the production, purpose, and - to some extent - history of these two beverages, cider and beer are very different drinks that test the beer drinker's palate. Accustomed to face contorting double IPAs, stupefying Russian imperial stouts, and sour Belgian's that make Warheads taste like water, the beer drinker may find it difficult to appreciate the subtleties of a fine cider. Cider is a rapidly growing segment of the craft beer world (can craft really claim cider to it's cause?). For 2011 the cider market has grown supermarket sales faster than any of the top 15 beverage alcohol segments with 27.5% growth. This compares to craft beer at 15.1%. True, cider is much smaller (about 20 times smaller) than craft, but it's growth is outstanding.

Premium cider brands such as Crispin have led the charge. Crispin alone saw over 200% sales growth in 2011 and brewers such as Boston Beer have joined the party. The man responsible for some of Goose Island's iconic brands, Greg Hall, has also gotten into the cider game and has planted cider apples in Michigan for his new venture, Virtue Cider. All this means more good cider for good beer lovers. So, in the spirit of broadening my horizons and trying something different, today I review Crispin's Stagger Lee: a blended hard cider aged in rye whiskey barrels.

Stagger Lee pours a cloudy yellow/orange with little head. Legs fall from the glass like wet paint.

The aroma starts with sweet apples. Whiskey is in the background but present. Clove esters. Maybe some banana esters as well, but hard to tell.

With the taste, whiskey, again in the background. Apple juice. The good kind. None of that apple drink mix. This is juicer fresh apple taste. I was hoping for more complexity and depth of character. The whiskey goes very well with the apples and this cider makes for a backwoods colonial history lesson. The whiskey comes out more as it warms; both in the flavor and aromatics.

Highly effervescent and full bodied. Residual sugars linger on the palate.

Overall, the cider/whiskey combo is delicious and I would like to try some of their other barrel aged offerings, but cider is still a bit on the sweet side for my tastes. I look forward to the budding cider industry. There is much to learn about this cousin to my favorite barley based beverage.

On Finch's Secret Stache Stout

Finch's Beer Company, based out of Chicago, has been open for less than a year and they have already extended distribution to Wisconsin and Indiana. Helped by their accessible Golden Wing (golden ale) and Cut Throat (pale ale) flagships, they are seeing quick success that must be demanded of their (relatively) large brewing capacity. Though the distribution extends wide, I did not expect any but the two core beers to be distributed outside their home market of Chicago. So I was pleasantly surprised to see Secret Stache Stout at my local Woodman's grocery store in Rockford.  And as I've said before, I like stouts.  So another stout on the market is good news for me.

The bottle represents a departure from their canned mainstays, and the artwork is quite interesting. A finch handing a beer to another bird that is being weighed down by a ridiculously large mustache. The reverse label shows an unlocked padlock sugesting that this may be the beginning of a limited edition series of specially branded brews.

Pouring a very violent pour produced almost no head. What there was was the color of medium toast. "soap bubbles" linger on the sides.

Not much going on aroma wise. Some general roast character and a hint of vanilla.

The taste is of espresso and vanilla. A bit of oak (probably from the vanilla, not actual oak) and alcohol linger in the finish. Medium-thick body and a lot of residual sweetness. This one is built like tank, but at 5.3% you can enjoy all 650ml without waking up the next day wondering what happened.

The low carbonation is perfect for the style. This would do well on nitro.

Overall, a mixed bag. I wish there were more aroma and a touch less sweetness, but the flavor and carbonation are spot on. Not bad for a bomber priced under $5. This is the best I’ve seen from Finch’s thus far.

On Bud Light Platinum

I know, I know. We're supposed to hate mass market lagers. They represent everything that craft beer is not. Big industrial machines pumping out vaguely yellow, vaguely flavored, slightly alcoholic water. But you know what? I don't care. The way I see it, beer is beer. Luciano Pavarotti, the popular singer, once said "I do not accept that the word 'pop' is a derogatory word. If the word 'classic' is the word to say 'boring', I do not accept it. There is good and bad music." Likewise, there is good and bad beer and just because it is made by a large, international company doesn't mean it can't be good. So when Anheuser-Busch InBev introduced Bud Light Platinum a couple of months ago, I decided I should give it a try. I was not disappointed.

Bud Light Platinum pours crystal clear and golden yellow. Slightly darker than regular Bud Light from what I remember. The snow white head dissipates quickly.

Slightly sour pilsener malt aroma. Flavor of sweet malt. A touch of honey, perhaps, but mostly just clean pilsener malt. Not as much adjunct flavor as regular bud light.

The body is the weak link and it borders on watery, but doesn’t quite cross that line. Highly carbonated and very drinkable.

Overall, it’s good for a BMC beer and I can appreciate it for what it is. This could be my weeknight drinker if it were a little lower in alcohol. But I guess that would defeat the point.

No, it's not the best beer ever, but when taken in context it holds its own. I happen to like light lagers and pilsners and Bud Light Platinum represents one of the best of the style. Miller may be playing catch-up with this one.

P.S. - I'm glad I like it... I had to buy a 12 pack.

On New Glarus Road Slush

Winter means stout, and in Northern Illinois (and Wisconsin, the home of this beer), winter means ice and snow. So today, in honor of the slush that I lovingly kick from my wheel well, I'm drinking New Glarus Road Slush. I've reviewed New Glarus previously and I have much respect for the brewery. Combine that with my love of low(er) gravity stouts, and this beer makes a perfect match.

Road Slush starts with lots of roasted aroma. Many stouts fall flat on aroma, but no this one. Full roasted aroma. That smell in fall when people are burning leaves... that’s this beer. Full. Warm. Inviting. Other aromatics of raw grain (oats) and a touch of honey.

The first taste brings out more sweet notes than the aroma. The taste of roast is still strong, but not quite as dominant. Coffee, chocolate and cherries come through. Some grain sits easy in the background. Just enough to keep things interesting.

The palate brings a bit too much carbonation for my taste. A beer of this caliber doesn’t need to hide behind 15psi of carbonation. Otherwise, the beer is quite smooth.

Overall, probably not the best oatmeal stout I’ve ever had, but it’s up there. The aroma is this beer’s strong suit and is what makes it unique.