Bradford on Beer
A beer landed on my desk
Posted February 25, 2009 3 Comments | Post a Comment
This will be different. Instead of acting like a writer and laboring over a piece with various staff members looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m not a complete idiot, I want to tell you about this cool beer I just had, that would be 3:00 p.m. EST. Like I said recently, nice life I’ve got.
Mad River Brewing Co. has just put out Serious Madness Seasonal Black Ale. Julie and Greg raised the obvious question; “When is a black ale not a stout or porter?” What a cool question.
First, it pours like a porter with amber highlights, a tan head and brown/black body. I didn’t pick up much in the aroma, but then again that seems to be an on-going problem for me. The hops are all German or Czech. The bittering hops, Magnum, are descendants from Hallertau.
The Black Ale tastes like a very dry porter, without the body in the middle. It’s sort of a fruity, Kulmbacker style Schwartz bier. Randy wrote about something like this is our magazine quite a while ago. There’s a slight taste of fruit in the beginning and that espresso dryness in the ending. I’m sucking for words again, readers.
I am registering for the Siebel course coming up in March and hope to have a better vocabulary after that. I also need to get over to Top of the Hill for some taste tutoring with John Withey. He’s always had some great observations on taste. Then there’s Randy’s book that I’ve just started.
Stay tuned for my attempts to train my palate. By the way, I’m still working on the Extreme Beer Festival post, slacker that I am!!
Daniel, I enjoyed the conversation at Red, White and Brew book event. If you are willing to make trip to North Raleigh I’ll help on any topic you want with my judging experience. Phenolic from Hefe’s and off flavors are my best but I’ll be always willing. This is a great adventure.
It is not a schwarzbier because it is not fermented with a lager yeast. And it is neither a porter or a stout. You are right, though, it is high-test, weighing in at 8.6% ABV. It is a beer that has no home. I created it out of a discussion over a year ago about black beers and black IPA’s. I said to myself, hey I think I can do a black beer that is unique.
Although what you guys are drinking is a slight variation of the original, it is very close. The grain that makes it all happen in German Carafa. Together with my unique blend of specialty grains, noble hops, and our house ale yeast this beer was born. It was originally an award winning homebrew entered as a specialty ale. It was then brewed by the brewery and entered into the ProAm competition of this year’s GABF. Although it did not place, it has receiver rave reviews so far.
Not bad for a humble homebrew gone pro. Glad you like it.
Jere Cox, Mad River Brewing Co.
Thanks, Tom. I’ll keep that in mind. How’s Boylans?