On Part Two of this weeks podcast, we continue our discussion with Surly Head Brewer Todd Haug, as he shares his thoughts about what inspired Surly's core beers and the ups and downs of internet buzz.
Here's the mp3
Cheers!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Madison Beer Review Presents Beer Talk Today - Surly Brewing Co.
On the first part of this weeks podcast we talk with Todd Haug, Head Brewer of Brooklyn Center Minnesota's Surly Brewing Company. In this clip we discuss his origins as a brewer, the overall ideas behind Surly and why cans are better for some things and bottles are better for others.
Here's the mp3
Here's the mp3
Monday, February 1, 2010
Volume Caps At Risk?
What the hell does "Volume Caps At Risk" mean? Is that the sort of thing that makes sense to anyone? It's not even industry jargon. But I guess I'm not sure what else to call it. But let's define what I mean at the top here, and maybe some of our industry readers can tell us a better way to say it.
Volume Cap: a form of legislation that creates different rules for different sectors of the beverage industry based on the barrelage of output. For example, a rule that says brewpubs can't make more than 10,000 barrels of beer. Or, a rule that says that any brewery under 50,000 barrels only pays 50% of the excise tax. Those are volume caps.
Well, the First Circuit Court of the United States has ruled that such caps may violate the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. A Massachusetts law said that any winery producing less than 30,000 gallons of wine could sell direct to consumers and to wholesalers, while wineries over 30,000 gallons could sell direct to consumer or to wholesalers, but not both. Not surprisingly, according to the court "All of Massachusetts's wineries are 'small' wineries."
The Court held that "... § 19F violates the Commerce Clause because the effect of its particular gallonage cap is to change the competitive balance between in-state and out-of-state wineries in a way that benefits Massachusetts's wineries and significantly burdens out-of-state competitors."
According to the court, since Mass. wineries were only small wineries, all of them could choose to either sell direct to consumers or to sell to wholesalers at their choice. While only out-of-state wineries had to choose between the two options. In other words, "Massachusetts has used its 30,000 gallon grape wine cap to expand the distribution options available to 'small' wineries, including all Massachusetts wineries, but not to similarly situated 'large' wineries, all of which are outside Massachusetts. The advantages afforded to 'small' wineries by these expanded distribution options bear little relation to the market challenges caused by the relative sizes of the wineries. Section 19F's statutory context, legislative history, and other factors also yield the unavoidable conclusion that this discrimination was purposeful. Nor does § 19F serve any legitimate local purpose that cannot be furthered by a non-discriminatory alternative. ... The discriminatory effect is because § 19F's definition of 'large' wineries encompasses the wineries which produce 98 percent of all wine in the United States, all of which are located out-of-state and all of which are deprived of the benefits of combining distribution methods."
It is not entirely clear what the decision would have been if even one Mass. winery was over 30,000 gallons.
So, what does this mean for WI breweries? Do we have any laws that impose volume caps? Off the top of my head I can think of two: the 10K barrel limit for brewpubs, and the 50K/300K barrel limit for excise tax reduction.
Let's take the latter first because I think it is most similar to the Massachusetts law. The tax reduction in Wisconsin says that all breweries pay $2 per barrel of beer sold in the state. A reduction is available if your brewery produces less than 300,000 barrels; that reduction allows the brewery to only pay $1 on the first 50,000 barrels. With Miller's headquarters officially moving to Chicago, that leaves zero in-state breweries producing more than 300,000 barrels (yes, I know the physical brewing facility is still here, but I'm going to ignore that and we can argue over those implications in the comments). Thus, no in-state brewery is subject to the full tax, while all breweries subject to the full tax are out-of-state. Under the logic of the First Circuit this is an undue burden on interstate commerce and violates the Constitution. Thus, the cap must be removed or everyone must get the 50K barrels at the reduced tax. Which do you think is more likely to happen?
The Brewpub law is a bit trickier. In this case it seems to unduly burden in-state breweries. In this case, in-state brewpubs cannot produce more than 10,000 barrels. Yet, out-of-state brewpubs can produce more than 10,000 barrels and distribute into Wisconsin. Thus, it's a bit backwards, but if we simplify the language a little it make some sense. Let's call brewpubs under 10K barrels "small" brewpubs and everything else "big" brewpubs. In-state and Out-of-State "small" brewpubs can distribute here in Wisconsin. But only out-of-state "big" brewpubs can distribute here. This clearly discriminates against in-state brewpubs. One option might be to re-write the law to allow only 10,000 barrels to be used for restaurant purposes, but otherwise the brewpub can brew, and distribute (through the three-tier system of course), as much as it likes.
Some tricky stuff. You can read another interesting take on it here.
Volume Cap: a form of legislation that creates different rules for different sectors of the beverage industry based on the barrelage of output. For example, a rule that says brewpubs can't make more than 10,000 barrels of beer. Or, a rule that says that any brewery under 50,000 barrels only pays 50% of the excise tax. Those are volume caps.
Well, the First Circuit Court of the United States has ruled that such caps may violate the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. A Massachusetts law said that any winery producing less than 30,000 gallons of wine could sell direct to consumers and to wholesalers, while wineries over 30,000 gallons could sell direct to consumer or to wholesalers, but not both. Not surprisingly, according to the court "All of Massachusetts's wineries are 'small' wineries."
The Court held that "... § 19F violates the Commerce Clause because the effect of its particular gallonage cap is to change the competitive balance between in-state and out-of-state wineries in a way that benefits Massachusetts's wineries and significantly burdens out-of-state competitors."
According to the court, since Mass. wineries were only small wineries, all of them could choose to either sell direct to consumers or to sell to wholesalers at their choice. While only out-of-state wineries had to choose between the two options. In other words, "Massachusetts has used its 30,000 gallon grape wine cap to expand the distribution options available to 'small' wineries, including all Massachusetts wineries, but not to similarly situated 'large' wineries, all of which are outside Massachusetts. The advantages afforded to 'small' wineries by these expanded distribution options bear little relation to the market challenges caused by the relative sizes of the wineries. Section 19F's statutory context, legislative history, and other factors also yield the unavoidable conclusion that this discrimination was purposeful. Nor does § 19F serve any legitimate local purpose that cannot be furthered by a non-discriminatory alternative. ... The discriminatory effect is because § 19F's definition of 'large' wineries encompasses the wineries which produce 98 percent of all wine in the United States, all of which are located out-of-state and all of which are deprived of the benefits of combining distribution methods."
It is not entirely clear what the decision would have been if even one Mass. winery was over 30,000 gallons.
So, what does this mean for WI breweries? Do we have any laws that impose volume caps? Off the top of my head I can think of two: the 10K barrel limit for brewpubs, and the 50K/300K barrel limit for excise tax reduction.
Let's take the latter first because I think it is most similar to the Massachusetts law. The tax reduction in Wisconsin says that all breweries pay $2 per barrel of beer sold in the state. A reduction is available if your brewery produces less than 300,000 barrels; that reduction allows the brewery to only pay $1 on the first 50,000 barrels. With Miller's headquarters officially moving to Chicago, that leaves zero in-state breweries producing more than 300,000 barrels (yes, I know the physical brewing facility is still here, but I'm going to ignore that and we can argue over those implications in the comments). Thus, no in-state brewery is subject to the full tax, while all breweries subject to the full tax are out-of-state. Under the logic of the First Circuit this is an undue burden on interstate commerce and violates the Constitution. Thus, the cap must be removed or everyone must get the 50K barrels at the reduced tax. Which do you think is more likely to happen?
The Brewpub law is a bit trickier. In this case it seems to unduly burden in-state breweries. In this case, in-state brewpubs cannot produce more than 10,000 barrels. Yet, out-of-state brewpubs can produce more than 10,000 barrels and distribute into Wisconsin. Thus, it's a bit backwards, but if we simplify the language a little it make some sense. Let's call brewpubs under 10K barrels "small" brewpubs and everything else "big" brewpubs. In-state and Out-of-State "small" brewpubs can distribute here in Wisconsin. But only out-of-state "big" brewpubs can distribute here. This clearly discriminates against in-state brewpubs. One option might be to re-write the law to allow only 10,000 barrels to be used for restaurant purposes, but otherwise the brewpub can brew, and distribute (through the three-tier system of course), as much as it likes.
Some tricky stuff. You can read another interesting take on it here.
Friday, January 29, 2010
BrewFarm Select
Despite being accused, and probably guilty, of - let me make sure I get this right - having a "burned-out tongue" and being a "stuck-up hophead", I do like pale, easy-drinking beer. Whether it is an ale in the form of New Glarus' Spotted Cow or a lager in the form of Capital's Special Pils. When I'm playing poker with the guys, or even just want to sit down and drink a beer without thinking about it too much, I like to grab a pale, simple-tasting beer.
But there's a trick to these beers. Too little flavor and you end up with a macro-clone. Too much flavor and you defeat the purpose. Despite recent accusations of snobbery, I'm not an adjunct-hater. But, again, the balance is necessary. Spotted Cow gets dangerously close to too much corn. Supper Club tips the scale. But, at least give them some credit for making the effort; many other breweries simply refuse to make these beers because they don't want to be associated with pale, fizzy, beer.
But, it's a huge part of the industry - in fact, it is, hands down, the biggest part of the industry. As "the Cow" has shown, having a pale, fizzy, adjunct beer can be your ... ahem ... cash cow (sorry). You can go into almost any bar in this state and, even if they only have three tap-lines, Spotted Cow will be on tap. This is a huge boon to a brewery. It can also be a, literal, headache as these bars tend to suffer from less-than-stellar cleaning habits which infects beer with diacetyl, making the corn taste like popcorn and giving the drinker a headache before the first glass is finished.
I don't know what the numbers are, but I suspect that this "off flavor" and "headache inducing" aspect to beer drinking prevents, or impedes, the development of beer drinkers. This is often the first, and sometimes only, interaction that a prospective drinker will have with a brand. Think, for a moment, about a place like Platteville, WI. A small college town with a strip of bars that attract local college kids as they are coming of age. One of these folks goes into the bar for the first time, sees "Spotted Cow" on tap, but the tap is infected. With such an unpleasant experience ("dude, I have a killer headache. f- that Cow man, just give me a Jack and Coke"), it's no wonder that younger generations are increasingly turning to spirits.
So, that gets a long way off-topic. But, the fact remains that pale, fizzy beers with flavor can be a brewery's savior even in the craft industry. Spotted Cow, Oberon, 312, Dortmunder Gold - all flavorful, easy drinking, pale, fizzy beer.
Into this market steps Dave's BrewFarm Select, the first full-release for the BrewFarm we've been talking about here for quite some time. Brewed and packaged in cans (cans!) at Stevens Point under the direction of brewer David Anderson, the Select is a pale lager in the vein of Dortmunder Gold. It aims to be a beer that you can drink anywhere; equally at home out of a can as at a fancy restaurant in a fluted pilsner, a beer that you can ignore, but also a beer that you has some taste and complexity that if you really take the time to notice is quite complex. These are all the things that the Dortmunder Gold is, let's see if it holds up to these considerable expectations, shall we?
Already available in parts of the state, BrewFarm Select should be available on shelves in Madison and Milwaukee soon, if it isn't already, through Beechwood Distributing.
[Ed Note: I'll get a review up sooner rather than later, but I wanted to make sure this got up before tomorrow's Isthmus Beer and Cheese Fest, since this is one of the first Southern-Wisconsin Beer Fests that the BrewFarm is attending. If you make it over there, make sure to say hello to David and Pam]
BrewFarm Select
BA. (A-) RB. (NA)
Appearance: served as yellow, fizzy beer should, straight out of the fridge, though I couldn't bring myself to drink out of the can for review purposes; more golden that yellow, it is quite fizzy (carbonated) and has a small-ish white head
Aroma: the aroma is notable even as it pours out of the can; the aroma is all malt with a touch of hops to clean it up and lend some nice spiciness
Flavor: oh yeah, clean, crisp, refreshing; strong malt breadiness, with maybe some vienna or munich sweetness, biscuity; I don't pick any caramel, and the hops are pretty light in the flavor, almost no bitterness
Body: while this is light-ish bodied, the finish is surprisingly clean, even if a little long which lends a little added body to subsequent sips
Drinkability: this is a beer style that is all about sessionability and drinkability; do you want another one, and do you want another one right now? I'd take another four or five of these; right now
Summary: It's hard to get worked up over a pale lager, as there are so few that are of any quality; of course, Dortmunder Gold is the ... errr ... gold standard, but Capital Special Pils and Calumet's Pils are both right up there; for special releases I think New Glarus' Bohemian Lager was one of the best of the style to ever be produced. But I would instantly put this in the category of Capital and Calumet as contenders to Great Lakes Dortmunder. A worthy effort for the BrewFarm and a nice feather in Point's contract-brewing cap.
But there's a trick to these beers. Too little flavor and you end up with a macro-clone. Too much flavor and you defeat the purpose. Despite recent accusations of snobbery, I'm not an adjunct-hater. But, again, the balance is necessary. Spotted Cow gets dangerously close to too much corn. Supper Club tips the scale. But, at least give them some credit for making the effort; many other breweries simply refuse to make these beers because they don't want to be associated with pale, fizzy, beer.
But, it's a huge part of the industry - in fact, it is, hands down, the biggest part of the industry. As "the Cow" has shown, having a pale, fizzy, adjunct beer can be your ... ahem ... cash cow (sorry). You can go into almost any bar in this state and, even if they only have three tap-lines, Spotted Cow will be on tap. This is a huge boon to a brewery. It can also be a, literal, headache as these bars tend to suffer from less-than-stellar cleaning habits which infects beer with diacetyl, making the corn taste like popcorn and giving the drinker a headache before the first glass is finished.
I don't know what the numbers are, but I suspect that this "off flavor" and "headache inducing" aspect to beer drinking prevents, or impedes, the development of beer drinkers. This is often the first, and sometimes only, interaction that a prospective drinker will have with a brand. Think, for a moment, about a place like Platteville, WI. A small college town with a strip of bars that attract local college kids as they are coming of age. One of these folks goes into the bar for the first time, sees "Spotted Cow" on tap, but the tap is infected. With such an unpleasant experience ("dude, I have a killer headache. f- that Cow man, just give me a Jack and Coke"), it's no wonder that younger generations are increasingly turning to spirits.
So, that gets a long way off-topic. But, the fact remains that pale, fizzy beers with flavor can be a brewery's savior even in the craft industry. Spotted Cow, Oberon, 312, Dortmunder Gold - all flavorful, easy drinking, pale, fizzy beer.
Into this market steps Dave's BrewFarm Select, the first full-release for the BrewFarm we've been talking about here for quite some time. Brewed and packaged in cans (cans!) at Stevens Point under the direction of brewer David Anderson, the Select is a pale lager in the vein of Dortmunder Gold. It aims to be a beer that you can drink anywhere; equally at home out of a can as at a fancy restaurant in a fluted pilsner, a beer that you can ignore, but also a beer that you has some taste and complexity that if you really take the time to notice is quite complex. These are all the things that the Dortmunder Gold is, let's see if it holds up to these considerable expectations, shall we?
Already available in parts of the state, BrewFarm Select should be available on shelves in Madison and Milwaukee soon, if it isn't already, through Beechwood Distributing.
[Ed Note: I'll get a review up sooner rather than later, but I wanted to make sure this got up before tomorrow's Isthmus Beer and Cheese Fest, since this is one of the first Southern-Wisconsin Beer Fests that the BrewFarm is attending. If you make it over there, make sure to say hello to David and Pam]
BrewFarm Select
BA. (A-) RB. (NA)
Appearance: served as yellow, fizzy beer should, straight out of the fridge, though I couldn't bring myself to drink out of the can for review purposes; more golden that yellow, it is quite fizzy (carbonated) and has a small-ish white head
Aroma: the aroma is notable even as it pours out of the can; the aroma is all malt with a touch of hops to clean it up and lend some nice spiciness
Flavor: oh yeah, clean, crisp, refreshing; strong malt breadiness, with maybe some vienna or munich sweetness, biscuity; I don't pick any caramel, and the hops are pretty light in the flavor, almost no bitterness
Body: while this is light-ish bodied, the finish is surprisingly clean, even if a little long which lends a little added body to subsequent sips
Drinkability: this is a beer style that is all about sessionability and drinkability; do you want another one, and do you want another one right now? I'd take another four or five of these; right now
Summary: It's hard to get worked up over a pale lager, as there are so few that are of any quality; of course, Dortmunder Gold is the ... errr ... gold standard, but Capital Special Pils and Calumet's Pils are both right up there; for special releases I think New Glarus' Bohemian Lager was one of the best of the style to ever be produced. But I would instantly put this in the category of Capital and Calumet as contenders to Great Lakes Dortmunder. A worthy effort for the BrewFarm and a nice feather in Point's contract-brewing cap.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Cooper's Tavern
A new beer bar, I think the trendy phrase to use these days is "gastropub", on the Square here in Madison. The Coopers' Tavern has been open about two weeks. I'll keep this review relatively short because there really isn't much to say except: yes, yes, and yes. Or, in the phrasing of the continentals it seeks to mimic, "get thee to there in a most expedient manner." Or something like that. I doubt that they actually say such thing.
Big beer list. And, yes I tend to cynicism at times, I'm always a bit skeptical when I hear that a pick-a-European-country bar has a "good" taplist. Especially when said pick-a-European-country bar is be-decked in kitsch and faux-thenticity as all FoodFight restaurants are. Even worse, "Good European Beer" typically means Guinness, Bass and, maybe, Harp and sometimes, if you're lucky, Smithwicks. And that's it.
Oh no. Not here. Good European Beer. And by European I don't just mean Belgian. Look, I like an abbey as much as the next guy, but please, can we please just get some decent German lagers and English ales? What? They make beer in Spain? A real, live, German Kolsch? Old Speckled Hen on tap requiring a two-stage pour? I about creamed my pants. That was before I even saw the 100-bottle bottle list.
And, yeah, while I admit I'm a convert to the "Publick House" ideal of geezers sittin' around shootin' the shit about Margie and that cad down the alley, a tv or two with some football (and not that pansy-ass Brett-Favre-interception-throwin' kind - the real football) on will make my day.
So, while I actually went into it quite skeptical and a tad cynical I'll be the ornery geezer on the pub stool in the corner wearing my Gunners gear.
Big beer list. And, yes I tend to cynicism at times, I'm always a bit skeptical when I hear that a pick-a-European-country bar has a "good" taplist. Especially when said pick-a-European-country bar is be-decked in kitsch and faux-thenticity as all FoodFight restaurants are. Even worse, "Good European Beer" typically means Guinness, Bass and, maybe, Harp and sometimes, if you're lucky, Smithwicks. And that's it.
Oh no. Not here. Good European Beer. And by European I don't just mean Belgian. Look, I like an abbey as much as the next guy, but please, can we please just get some decent German lagers and English ales? What? They make beer in Spain? A real, live, German Kolsch? Old Speckled Hen on tap requiring a two-stage pour? I about creamed my pants. That was before I even saw the 100-bottle bottle list.
And, yeah, while I admit I'm a convert to the "Publick House" ideal of geezers sittin' around shootin' the shit about Margie and that cad down the alley, a tv or two with some football (and not that pansy-ass Brett-Favre-interception-throwin' kind - the real football) on will make my day.
So, while I actually went into it quite skeptical and a tad cynical I'll be the ornery geezer on the pub stool in the corner wearing my Gunners gear.
Monday, January 25, 2010
I Promise This Is The Last Time I'll Call It JT Whitneys
As many of you know by now, JT Whitneys' space on the West Side of Madison at Odana and Whitney Way is now occupied by the owners of the Vintage. They have decided to call it Vintage Brewing Company. It opened maybe a week or two ago (?), and the brewery is currently inactive with nothing planned until March, at least. Thus, admittedly, this review may be a bit premature; however, since it is a bar in a place called "X Brewing Company" I think it's fair to get a feel for the place.
Before I get to the pub itself, I want to go off on a quick diversion because I think it really sucks that they've chosen to import a brewmaster from outside of Wisconsin to brew here. There are quite a few very talented brewers in the city of Madison and Wisconsin generally that are currently unemployed and looking for work. However, most of the breweries in the area are set for brewers and assistants, so jobs don't open up often. Thus, when one does open, I think it would behoove the owners of said facility to at least interview some of those unemployed brewers and try to support our local brewers rather than be nepotistic and hire a relative from out-of-state.
Anyway. With that out of my system, I was able to hit up the Vintage Brewing Company on Friday night and, unfortunately, I can't really recommend it. I'll get the worst of it out of the way first: the mac and cheese was awful. To quote Mrs. MBR: "I'd have rather had Roundy's Shells and Cheese". It was all of the worst things about bad macaroni and cheese: it had been cooked too hot, the cheese had separated, and any binding agents had caused it to be gritty; the shells were over-cooked and mushy. The $12 crab cake (note: not crab cakes) appetizer wasn't much better; though the top was finely crusted, the bottom was soft and mushy and the inside was cold; and the mango salsa was most generously described as "interesting." The pulled pork sandwich was fine. But for one crab cake ($12), a pulled pork sandwich ($9), and mac and cheese ($14), we spent $31 and one of us didn't hate our food. In all, I wouldn't recommend it for the food; though as a cook and eater of food, I tend to be a bit more forgiving since we all have off-nights.
So, OK, the food was less than stellar and moderately over-priced, but you aren't reading this site for the food. How was the beer?
Less than interesting, unfortunately. A (very) limited tap and bottle list that, to its credit, focused on local beer was wrong. A fellow diner ordered the "Sprecher Abbey Triple Alt" (sic; no such beer exists, by the way, though it was listed in exactly that way on the menu - presumably it was the Sprecher Abbey Tripel and the "Alt" was a typo) and was served a MadTown Nut Brown instead. He wasn't asked if this (not even remotely close) substitution was acceptable. And while taps are $4.50, Strongbow, listed with the rest of the "tap beers" was inexplicably $6, with nary a price to be seen anywhere on the drink menu in any event.
To me, though, the biggest disappointment was what seemed like a conspicuously strong and pointed disinterest in quality beer. What taps and bottles they had, which wasn't much (about 6 taps or so, and maybe 10 bottles) overlooked seasonal and special releases in favor of predictable, unadventerous, year-round releases. Of course, something can be said for offering something that the general public, typically unfamiliar with more exotic and bold beers, can readily approach. But does that really need to comprise the entire tap list? Morevoer, I'm not sure that bodes well for what could be coming from the brewery itself. If the restaurant and bar is this disinterested in craft beer when they have the entire universe of Wisconsin craft beer to pick from, what will they do in the infinitely more challenging arena of creating their own?
Combined with a less-than-stellar menu, it seems that Vintage Brewing Company isn't really interested in providing a craft experience. The goal here is not to present skilled art in a manner that might appeal to a general public. Rather, the goal here is to take advantage of a fad and try to get dollars out of people by presenting a superficial sheen and a facade over what is otherwise the same thing you can get at any of the chain restaurants down the street at the mall.
Look, I hate writing bad reviews and you'll probably call me a cynic. I choose to think that I have high standards, and see little reason to excuse, or give a free pass to, mediocrity. And, yes, I'm perhaps a bit more vehement than I might otherwise be, but it really irks me that the Vintage came into this space, bringing in outsiders in the process, jumping in line over many other groups. Groups that were actually interested in using the space to brew good beer and provide an experience that JT Whitneys wasn't in my time, but I am assured was in its glory days. It irks me that this space could be used for such great things, and they not only blew it, but did so in such a shallow, callow, poseur, manner.
Look, admittedly the place is new, and it's not yet brewing. I'll go back when the brewery is up and running, but frankly I see no reason to go here instead of The Great Dane, or even Granite City down the street.
Before I get to the pub itself, I want to go off on a quick diversion because I think it really sucks that they've chosen to import a brewmaster from outside of Wisconsin to brew here. There are quite a few very talented brewers in the city of Madison and Wisconsin generally that are currently unemployed and looking for work. However, most of the breweries in the area are set for brewers and assistants, so jobs don't open up often. Thus, when one does open, I think it would behoove the owners of said facility to at least interview some of those unemployed brewers and try to support our local brewers rather than be nepotistic and hire a relative from out-of-state.
Anyway. With that out of my system, I was able to hit up the Vintage Brewing Company on Friday night and, unfortunately, I can't really recommend it. I'll get the worst of it out of the way first: the mac and cheese was awful. To quote Mrs. MBR: "I'd have rather had Roundy's Shells and Cheese". It was all of the worst things about bad macaroni and cheese: it had been cooked too hot, the cheese had separated, and any binding agents had caused it to be gritty; the shells were over-cooked and mushy. The $12 crab cake (note: not crab cakes) appetizer wasn't much better; though the top was finely crusted, the bottom was soft and mushy and the inside was cold; and the mango salsa was most generously described as "interesting." The pulled pork sandwich was fine. But for one crab cake ($12), a pulled pork sandwich ($9), and mac and cheese ($14), we spent $31 and one of us didn't hate our food. In all, I wouldn't recommend it for the food; though as a cook and eater of food, I tend to be a bit more forgiving since we all have off-nights.
So, OK, the food was less than stellar and moderately over-priced, but you aren't reading this site for the food. How was the beer?
Less than interesting, unfortunately. A (very) limited tap and bottle list that, to its credit, focused on local beer was wrong. A fellow diner ordered the "Sprecher Abbey Triple Alt" (sic; no such beer exists, by the way, though it was listed in exactly that way on the menu - presumably it was the Sprecher Abbey Tripel and the "Alt" was a typo) and was served a MadTown Nut Brown instead. He wasn't asked if this (not even remotely close) substitution was acceptable. And while taps are $4.50, Strongbow, listed with the rest of the "tap beers" was inexplicably $6, with nary a price to be seen anywhere on the drink menu in any event.
To me, though, the biggest disappointment was what seemed like a conspicuously strong and pointed disinterest in quality beer. What taps and bottles they had, which wasn't much (about 6 taps or so, and maybe 10 bottles) overlooked seasonal and special releases in favor of predictable, unadventerous, year-round releases. Of course, something can be said for offering something that the general public, typically unfamiliar with more exotic and bold beers, can readily approach. But does that really need to comprise the entire tap list? Morevoer, I'm not sure that bodes well for what could be coming from the brewery itself. If the restaurant and bar is this disinterested in craft beer when they have the entire universe of Wisconsin craft beer to pick from, what will they do in the infinitely more challenging arena of creating their own?
Combined with a less-than-stellar menu, it seems that Vintage Brewing Company isn't really interested in providing a craft experience. The goal here is not to present skilled art in a manner that might appeal to a general public. Rather, the goal here is to take advantage of a fad and try to get dollars out of people by presenting a superficial sheen and a facade over what is otherwise the same thing you can get at any of the chain restaurants down the street at the mall.
Look, I hate writing bad reviews and you'll probably call me a cynic. I choose to think that I have high standards, and see little reason to excuse, or give a free pass to, mediocrity. And, yes, I'm perhaps a bit more vehement than I might otherwise be, but it really irks me that the Vintage came into this space, bringing in outsiders in the process, jumping in line over many other groups. Groups that were actually interested in using the space to brew good beer and provide an experience that JT Whitneys wasn't in my time, but I am assured was in its glory days. It irks me that this space could be used for such great things, and they not only blew it, but did so in such a shallow, callow, poseur, manner.
Look, admittedly the place is new, and it's not yet brewing. I'll go back when the brewery is up and running, but frankly I see no reason to go here instead of The Great Dane, or even Granite City down the street.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Review - Lakefront Local Acre
Last week we published the podcast of our roundtable discussing the Local Acre and the state of Wisconsin local agriculture and value-added agricultural production. Today is a simple review of the beer that has generated all of this interest. As the label says, this is a lager that weighs in at 7.5% ABV or so. It uses 100% Wisconsin hops, and 100% Wisconsin grains.
Lakefront Local Acre
BeerAdvocate (B). RateBeer (NA).
Appearance: pale golden and hazy, a light straw color maybe? More hazy than typical for a filtered lager [ed note: it is not filtered; my comment here merely was a reference to the fact that lagers of this type typically ARE filtered]; this may be intentional to give it a "rustic", "authentic" Wisconsin feel, or it may just be a result of the sheer amount of 6-row, husky grain in here; the head is about 2 fingers and dense in my imperial pint; it's a very pretty beer actually
Aroma: husk and malt with a light floral hoppiness; I'm guessing that these are not cascade hops, but maybe something like a Northern Brewer or Hersbrucker; the aroma is pleasant and the presentation alone makes this quite a beer [ed note: they are actually cascade hops; but as I've mentioned before, the Wisconsin variety of Cascade is somewhat muted; and it might account for the lemony citrus-iness that seemed otherwise unaccountable]
Flavor: soft, with more hop bitterness than one might otherwise expect given the muted aroma; the taste is all malt, with lemony brightness and clean finish; there is a faint bit of alcohol that comes through at the very end; not a strong huskiness in flavor that one might expect with 6-row malts; the lemony brightness almost gives it an ale flavor
Body: soft, but medium-light bodied (at least as compared against other light-colored lagers); the finish is quick and fairly clean
Drinkability: quite nice, though a bomber goes a long way; but I can easily see drinking a bomber by myself (as I'm ... ahem ... currently doing) and wanting more.
Summary: reminiscent of a mai bock without some of the syrupyness typical for that style, this has an interesting flavor that is unique unto itself; there is a sweetness, brightness, and hoppiness that is unusual for a typical American pale lager; it would make an EXCELLENT festbier if Americans weren't so persnickety in demanding that Oktoberfests be amber styles and I can see this really taking off as a flagship for Lakefront; it's complexity is interesting, even though at the end of the day it IS a pale lager; I quite like it and wouldn't hesitate to spend the $6 for a bomber that's being asked, though perhaps as a Spotted Cow killer in keg and 12ozs it might be better-received (though I doubt there's the supply of raw materials to meet that kind of demand)
Lakefront Local Acre
BeerAdvocate (B). RateBeer (NA).
Appearance: pale golden and hazy, a light straw color maybe? More hazy than typical for a filtered lager [ed note: it is not filtered; my comment here merely was a reference to the fact that lagers of this type typically ARE filtered]; this may be intentional to give it a "rustic", "authentic" Wisconsin feel, or it may just be a result of the sheer amount of 6-row, husky grain in here; the head is about 2 fingers and dense in my imperial pint; it's a very pretty beer actually
Aroma: husk and malt with a light floral hoppiness; I'm guessing that these are not cascade hops, but maybe something like a Northern Brewer or Hersbrucker; the aroma is pleasant and the presentation alone makes this quite a beer [ed note: they are actually cascade hops; but as I've mentioned before, the Wisconsin variety of Cascade is somewhat muted; and it might account for the lemony citrus-iness that seemed otherwise unaccountable]
Flavor: soft, with more hop bitterness than one might otherwise expect given the muted aroma; the taste is all malt, with lemony brightness and clean finish; there is a faint bit of alcohol that comes through at the very end; not a strong huskiness in flavor that one might expect with 6-row malts; the lemony brightness almost gives it an ale flavor
Body: soft, but medium-light bodied (at least as compared against other light-colored lagers); the finish is quick and fairly clean
Drinkability: quite nice, though a bomber goes a long way; but I can easily see drinking a bomber by myself (as I'm ... ahem ... currently doing) and wanting more.
Summary: reminiscent of a mai bock without some of the syrupyness typical for that style, this has an interesting flavor that is unique unto itself; there is a sweetness, brightness, and hoppiness that is unusual for a typical American pale lager; it would make an EXCELLENT festbier if Americans weren't so persnickety in demanding that Oktoberfests be amber styles and I can see this really taking off as a flagship for Lakefront; it's complexity is interesting, even though at the end of the day it IS a pale lager; I quite like it and wouldn't hesitate to spend the $6 for a bomber that's being asked, though perhaps as a Spotted Cow killer in keg and 12ozs it might be better-received (though I doubt there's the supply of raw materials to meet that kind of demand)
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