If you do not already follow my good friend @Chef_Jay on Twitter, well I highly recommend it. And if you are not on Twitter, well shame on you. In addition to being one of the foremost food resources on Twitter, Chef Jay Terauchi is a restaurant consultant, sushi evangelist and the author of the enlightening blog called Kahuna of the Kitchen.

If you need just one reason to follow Chef Jay on Twitter it is because he ALWAYS knows what the food of the day is. I am not certain who created the food calendar, but I do know that Chef Jay has his finger on the pulse of it. His tweets definitely make you want to indulge in every food of the day.

Which brings us to THIS post. Today — April 29th — the food of the say is SHRIMP SCAMPI. And as fate would have it, I developed my own drunken shrimp scampi recipe around this time last year, using beer as a main ingredient naturally.

Allow me to (re) introduce you to The Wench’s Drunken Shrimp Scampi!

The greatest part about cooking is that there is no science to making food taste good.

As long as you have quality ingredients and treat them with the respect they deserve – the end result is almost always pleasant. BUT then again, I take for granted the fact that I am very knowledgeable about food, ingredients, herbs, classic pairings and culinary techniques. Despite that, though, I still believe that anyone can be a wizard in the kitchen.

So on to my recipe, eh? Oh but wait. I need a disclaimer.

WARNING: This is not your mother’s shrimp scampi. In fact, it is probably unlike any shrimp scampi you have ever had in your life. Many chefs will probably “spit in my general direction” (note: Monty Python reference). This recipe is not for the faint of heart … or the faint of palate. No sir. The Wench’s Drunken Shrimp Scampi is for hopheads … and those who do not like hops should stay far, far away. The recipe is bold, bitter and insulting … yet adventurous and deliciously satisfying.

Have no fear, if you are not a hophead this recipe is PERFECT with Belgian wit beers or even a Bavarian Pils.

THE WENCH’S DRUNKEN SHRIMP SCAMPI
Featuring Dogfish Head 60 min IPA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. large fresh shrimp – whatever kind you want – shelled, gutted & deveined
• 1/2 stick of unsalted BUTTER (real butter you sissies)
• 1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 cloves garlic – minced, sliced, or chopped to preference
• 1/4 yellow onion – diced
• 3 (firm) Roma tomatoes
• Juice of one lemon
• Flat leaf parsley – finely chopped
• 2 12 oz. bottles of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper (if you are like me and need to kick EVERYTHING up a notch)
• A loaf of FRESH baked bread

INSTRUCTIONS

The first instruction is vital. It must be followed EXACTLY as written or the whole recipe is a big FAIL.

1. Open the first bottle of Dogfish Head 60 min IPA. Pour into a brandy snifer, tulip glass … oh hell … pour it into a freaking glass and take a big long sip. Ahhhh. Isn’t that nice? Thought so … but don’t get soft on me now. There is still work to do here.



2. Fill a super big pot – the bigger the better – with water. Salt the water. Put it on the stove and bring it to a boil. While you are waiting you can either:
   1. Shell, gutt and de-vein the shrimp
   2. Mince the garlic, chop the onion and dice the tomatoes
   3. Continue drinking the 60 Minute IPA as you watch family members and/or friends complete the previous tasks.
3. When the water reaches a boil – add the pasta. Cook until is is “al dente” – aka slightly undercooked, with a bit of a “bite.” Strain pasta at the point and set aside.



4. At the same time the pasta is cooking … Heat the EVOO in a large skillet heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté the shrimp, until just cooked through. Takes approximately 2 minutes. This is a good time to open another beer. Once the shrimp is cooked (ie: turns PINK) … transfer those bad boys over to an adequate sized bowl with a slotted spoon (we want to retain as much oil as we can in the pan so a regular spoon esta no bueno)  



5. Add the garlic to the oil remaining in skillet. Heat for a hot minute (i.e: just long enough to release some juices, yet not burn). Add the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, salt, pepper, lemon juice and (optional, yet HIGHLY suggested) red pepper flakes. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture is reduced down to desired thickness. According to The Wench, this will take around 10ish minutes. Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted.THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP. The fat in the butter helps to cut the intense flavor of the IPA. Stir in the shrimp. Remove skillet from heat.

Somewhere in this process, either you or your sous chef (aka – child, friend, random guy off the street) will have chopped the flat leaf parsely. This, my friend, is the opportune time to add the parsley to the garlic butter beer shrimp mixture. Toss the pasta into the skillet with all of the other ingredients and ….

VIOLA! There you have it … The Wench’s Drunken Shrimp Scampi. Don’t forget to slop it up with some fresh baked bread (garlic bread if you feel ambitious). And I would be utterly insulted if you did not pair this dish with a beer – preferablely the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. But I would not be insulted if you paired it with and equally delicious IPA … or craft brew of some sort.

NOTE: If you do NOT like to drink IPAs, you will not like cooking with them either. This dish definitely has a BITE. I do not suggest using the DFH 60 minute IPA unless you love the flavor of the beer, otherwise the meal will be a disaster. Feel free to substitute the IPA with your favorite beer – I suggest a Hefeweizen or Belgian-style white ale.

Any questions? EMAIL me at – drinkwiththewench@gmail.com

Otherwise, enjoy! And, as always … CHEERS!

Caught your eye, didn’t I? Well, hate to break it to you, but this post is not “real.”

Dogfish Head recently released a very entertaining video on their website and YouTube channel called ‘Robot Brewery Tour’. In a tasteful yet snide way, this satirical video takes a jab at both the corporate beer industry and American dependence on technology. “There is no more analogue beer for the Digital Age, there’s only digital beer now for the Digital Age.”

Official Announcement From Dogfish Head:

‘Robot Brewery Tour,’ a short film starring Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione and actor/musician Will Oldham premiered at the 2010 Off-Centered Film Fest at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas on Saturday, April 17th.

This film stars the musician and actor Will Oldham as a reporter and brewery founder Sam Calagione as a robot. It’s a brewery tour film wrapped around a dystopian vision of a near future in which robots have taken over Dogfish Head and reduced our diverse and colorful American craft brewing landscape to a monochromatic world of a single commoditized generic beer. Scary stuff!

This story almost came to life here in the U.S. during the 1970s until small, independent craft breweries, like Dogfish Head and so many others, revitalized the domestic beer scene.

Will Oldham is a Kentucky-based singer, musician and actor who has performed under a few variations of the Palace name, including Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, Palace Music, and simply Palace. He is currently touring under the Bonnie Prince Billy moniker and has performed at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats at least twice in the past decade – most recently in April of 2010 when ‘Robot Brewery Tour’ was shot on location at Dogfish’s Milton, Delaware brewery. Want to read more about Will? Check out this article from The New Yorker.

If you have 11 spare minutes on your hands today, check out the following (scary, yet humorous) video:

Robot Brewery Tour credits:

Mr. Robot – Sam Calagione
Jonathan Smart – Will Oldham
The Amazing & Talented Dogfish Coworkers – Themselves
Director – Ryan Collerd
Director of Photography – Gabe DeLoach
Sound – Kirsten Fuoti
Editors – Gabe DeLoach & Ryan Collerd
Animation – Scott Lunny
Special Effects – David Ariew

Anyone who stalks … errrr I mean “follows” … DogFish Head Brewery as closely is probably aware that they have been searching for a new head brewer for a few months now. Well, I am pleased to announce that the highly coveted position has been filled by Floris Delee.

Check out the official press release:

International Man of Mystery Floris Delée Joins Dogfish Head Craft Brewery as Brewmaster

March 2, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is pleased to announce that Floris Delée is coming onboard as the Delaware brewery’s Brewmaster. Floris has worked in the brewing industry across the country and around the globe. “We are really proud to have Floris joining us as Brewmaster here at Dogfish Head,” explains Dogfish Head President Sam Calagione, “like a well-balanced beer, Floris brings the perfect blend of technical prowess and passion for creativity to our off-centered world.”

Floris Delée got his degree in Biochemical Engineering at the Karel de Grote-Hogeschool (University Charlemagne) in Antwerp, Belgium. He is a Brewmaster and biochemical engineer with a minor in waste water engineering.  Floris’ brewing career spans several continents. He started working for the Alken-Maes Breweries in Waarloos, Belgium where he wrote his thesis on the design and commissioning of the pilot brewing plant in 1993.

From there he went on to the New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado where he worked his way up from entry level engineer to technical director, leading the design and engineering departments.  Floris also went back to Europe to work for the Anton Steinecker Maschinenfabrik GmbH in Freising, Germany.

In 2002 Floris started his own engineering firm, Kathinka: Brewers, Process Engineers & Consultants, (http://www.kathinka.be/3_engels/kathinka.html) based on his unique international experience building and designing sustainable brewing and soft drinks operations. His primary goal with Kathinka was to pursue his never ending passion for innovative designs that form a solid balance between environmental, economic and social parameters. Kathinka clients in the United States include Boston Beer Company, Deschutes, New Glarus and Harpoon. Outside the U.S., Floris has worked with a diverse selection of breweries in the Caribbean and Central American (including Beliken Brewery in Belize, Banks in Barbados, Carib in Grenada and Trinidad, Cerveceria Baru in Panama, Banks in Georgetown, Guyana and Florida & Farm Ice in Costa Rica, the brewers of Imperial and Pilsen).

Through Kathinka, Floris has been working with Dogfish Head since January of 2009. He has spearheaded the installation of the brewery’s new 600-barrel outside fermentation cellar, the new Handtmann CIP system, and the Braumat process control system.  He has advised on numerous technical projects as well as on-going operations.  “Floris has earned the trust, confidence, and respect of our co-workers in his work here over the past year and that will go a long way in taking the reins of brewery operations,” explains Dogfish Head Chief of Operations Nick Benz. “The leadership, technical expertise, industry contacts, and creativity Floris brings to Dogfish will ensure we always have an offering of beers that pushes the envelope of what beer is and what it can be,” continues Benz, “we’re very excited he’s now part of our team.”

Despite believing he’d never return to working at a single brewery again, Floris was drawn to Dogfish, “taking on the Brewmaster role at Dogfish is intellectually intriguing because every aspect of brewing ‘off-centered ales for off-centered people’ is energizing and exciting,” explains Delée, “even for a Belgian there seems a never ending quest for innovation and experimenting at Dogfish, that is exciting, something I look forward to being part of.”

In addition to his passion for beer and brewing, Floris is currently studying for his certificate in winemaking at the University of California, Davis.

Floris and his wife Christine have four children.

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS:

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

Curious what goes on in the minds of your favorite beer bloggers? Well, The Beer Wench is and she has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer bloggers that she can — from all over the world. Are you a beer blogger? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

INTRODUCING: CARLA COMPANION

AUTHOR OF: THE BEER BABE’S BREW REVIEWS

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Carla Jean Companion
Internet nickname: The Beer Babe
Twitter handle: @beerbabe
Name of blog: The Beer Babe’s Brew Reviews
Current location: Portland, ME (As of December 21st!)

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Syracuse, NY

2. What sports if any did you play growing up, through college and beyond?

I was never a “run back and forth chasing a ball” type of person, but I was geeky enough to actually direct the pep band that played at our high school football and basketball games. In college (University of New Hampshire) I got really into competitive target archery after joining the archery team. I placed second place regionally and won several state/local competitions. I haven’t hung up my bow just yet, but I shoot a lot less since I have taken over coaching the UNH’s archery team.

3. How old were you when you had your first beer? If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?

I know I had my first sips of wine as a little kid at the table with my parents. I don’t remember my first beer experience, but if it was a sip of my parent’s Bud Light I am betting it wasn’t a pleasant one. Not sure on the age.

4. Where, if applicable, did you go to college? What did you study? What additional activities, organizations, sports did you partake in during college.

I went to the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH and got a B.S. in Marine & Freshwater biology. At UNH I was a resident assistant (RA) and joined the archery team. I also was the “on-line editor” for the college newspaper, The New Hampshire. After a few years in a corporate job un-related to my degree, I went back to school because I wanted to teach people about science, and I just got my M.S. in Environmental Studies : Environmental Education from Antioch University New England this July.

Craft Beer Epiphany

Every craft beer enthusiast has at least one pinnacle craft beer experience that completely changes ones perspective on beer. I refer to this mind-blowing moment as a “craft beer epiphany.”

What was your first craft beer epiphany? Recall as many details about it as you can:

This one took me a while to figure out. I can’t remember when it was that I decided that beer was not a vile beverage that my dad and grandfather liked, but I do remember when the spark of passion for craft beer hit me.

After I had started drinking different beers and getting used to their tastes after college, I had a friend that told me about Dogfish Head IPAs. They have three different IPAs, 60, 90 and 120 minute IPAs, corresponding to the amount of time that the beer is dry-hopped. (Which, at the time had to be explained to me – complete with a photograph of “Sir Hops Alot”) Essentially, however, the brews are very similar, with a different amount of malt added just to round out the hops. My friend got a hold of a bottle of 120 minute IPA and we had a side-by-side tasting of 60, 90 and 120.

I can’t tell you how intrigued I was that the same ingredients in slightly different ratios could produce such drastically different, but somehow linked beer. And I couldn’t believe that anyone would consider that beer ingredients could produce something as insane as the 120 minute IPA, or that hops could have such a range of delightful flavors. I was hooked, and really wanted to explore those subtleties within a beer style, not just compare different beer styles to one another.

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing your beer blog?

I started in May of 2007, so I am right at about 2 and a half years.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

In 2007 I moved to a duplex that was in walking distance of a convenience store that had a surprisingly large and frequently updated selection of beer. Living with five other roommates meant that I could bring home a six pack of a beer that I’d never tried before, and we could sit around debating the relative merits of each beer.

We tried anything and everything that we could find, and kept a bottle from each of the beers we tried. After a year of doing this, we had collected a little over 100 bottles. But as we were packing them up to move out, we realized that there was very little that we remembered about each beer, and that we might have to try them all again to find the ones that we truly enjoyed.

So as an organization tool and supplement to my own memory, I decided to write up my thoughts on the beers on a blog, and The Beer Babe’s Brew Reviews was born.

3. Why did you chose the name of your blog?

Hhm… its an alliteration that’s pretty easy to remember, but I think I was dubbed “the beer babe” by a friend of mine once he found out how much I knew about beer. People have been asking me a lot about it lately – and I keep trying to tell them – hey – its not that I really think I’m some hot babe, it just kinda worked.

4. What are you personal goals for your blog? What do you hope to achieve with it?

I really like exposing people to an ameteur-turned-intermediate adventurer type of writing – and not getting too jargony or snobby. I will start homebrewing soon (I know I promised that to readers last year but I’m really going to start soon.)

5. What is one of the coolest things that happened to you as a result of being a beer blogger?

There have been a lot of really neat things that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing as a beer blogger. I got to be a “beer expert” at a brewer’s dinner for the Maine Brewers Festival, I’ve met and talked with lots of local and non-local brewers, I’ve met several people from Dogfish Head Brewery (including Sam Caligione) that knew who I was or had read my blog, and in general I’ve just gotten to try a lot of really awesome beers that I don’t think I would have had access to otherwise (like Atlantic IPA, Brooklyn Black Ops, etc.) To pick one moment is really tough!

6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?

I love The Aleuminati because they really got me initially connected with the craft beer loving’ world and they’re all great people. Beer for Chicks is awesome, too, if not just for the fact that there are hundreds of beer-loving women on there that give me faith that I’m not too weird. But The Beer Wench, Here for the Beer, Dr. Beer Love, Ratebeer, Drink Craft Bee definitely make the list.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Ugh. I knew you’d ask a “favorite” question at some point. It changes for me, like, daily. But I do usually love Russian Imperial Stouts, Hefeweizens and certain IPAs. I’m across the board, and frankly, I’ll try anything – so tomorrow I might have an entirely new favorite.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Dogfish Head Brewery (DE), Allagash (ME) and Stone (CA) because they make some damn fine beers. Brooklyn, Goose Island, Unibroue and others also fit into the top 10 somewhere.

3. If you could work with or for any one brewery, which one would it be and why?

Dogfish Head, because Sam seems like a really laid-back guy to work for. Or Stone, so I could live in California and get to hang out at their awesome brewery there.

4. Are you a homebrewer? If yes, what is the most unique and interesting beer recipes you’ve brewed as a homebrewer?

I plan to be soon! Haven’t gotten together the equipment (and it is insanely difficult to find homebrewing stuff near me.)

5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?

Nope.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Redhook ESB and flan. Just try it – its awesome.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I work for the University of Maine doing teacher professional development, educational research and social networking. We run workshops that pair scientists and educators helping the scientists to communicate their research more effectively, and helping educators to bring more current scientific research into their classrooms.

2. If you could change your career at this very moment, without any restrictions on what you could do, what would you want to do and why?

I think I would stay doing this, honestly. Its really my passion.

3. Are you married? Children?

Neither. I’m happy, though, and that’s what matters.

4. Outside of beer and writing, what are some of your other hobbies?

I’ve already mentioned archery, but I also love photography, collecting antique science books, listening to and collecting vinyl records (though I’m hating that now because I have to move about 20 boxes of them up four flights of stairs… not fun.). I also do freelance graphic design (mostly for non-profits) and have in past positions helped design exhibits for museums. I also recently learned to ski, and I also enjoy recreational target shooting with a 22 rifle, and I know how to do a lot of common car repairs. So I’m a bit of a tomboy for a babe, but hey, its fun.

Off The Beaten Path

1. You were caught smuggling beer illegally, which has now been made punishable by death. Right before you are sent to the executioner, you are offered one last beer. What beer would you chose and why?

I’m temped to say “La Fin Du Monde” here but that’s a little cheesy. If they could get me any beer at all I’d probably ask for Kate the Great (Russian Imperial Stout) or Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA.

2. If I contracted you to brew a beer (or design a beer recipe) called “The Beer Wench” — what style would you chose and what, if any, extra ingredients would you add?

Since I don’t know much about brewing, I can only guess here, but I think that because the “wench” implies a pirate-like nature I’d probably brew a spicy IPA. Or I could just bring you a bottle of Middle Ages Brewing – Wailing Wench for you to drink.

3. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

I would really like the ability to pause time. So I could get tons of things done but not spend any time actually doing them.

4. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?

I took a class in graduate school called “Alpine Flora” which is essentially studying the teeny weeny flowers that grow on top of mountains. For the class, we had to climb Mount Adams (5774 ft) and Jefferson (5712 ft) and spend a few days in the mountains. It was probably the most physically challenging thing I’ve ever done – we had 60lb packs, steep trails and hot weather, and I was out of shape.

It was gorgeous, but I was unprepared since I’m not usually a mountain-hiker. My shoes were cheap and apparently not ready for the strenuous nature of the hikes either because after the third day of walking pointy rocks, completely split in two. Both of them. Which meant that the only footwear that I had to descend the steep, slippery trails was a borrowed pair of sandals and some wool socks.

I carefully made my way down the mountain, and managed not to tumble completely down the side or break an ankle. I was wicked lucky.(for pictures and a more detailed story, check out

5. What are your thoughts on bacon?

I want to learn to cure it, because at a DrinkCraftBeer beer dinner, they supposedly had HOP CURED BACON that I must – at some point in my life – try.

SPECIAL THANKS TO CARLA FOR BEING AN INSPIRATIONAL FEMALE BEER BLOGGER!

CHEERS!

I made sure to fully charge my HD video camera before the dinner. What I forgot to do was turn the camera off. And unfortunately, when I arrived at the dinner my camera was dead. So I had to resort to using a FLIP camera, which was not ideal. But what can you do?

I understand that the video is long, by “internet” standards. In my opinion, although I’m not particularly interesting (or visually appealing) to watch, Sam is a great interviewee and has given me 19 minutes of compelling material.

Without further ado, I present The Wench’s Interview with Sam Calagione!

Interview With Sam Calagione from The Beer Wench on Vimeo.

I recently had one of the most amazing beer experiences of my life.

No I’m not talking about the beer — which was amazing. Or the food — which was also outstanding.

I’m referring to the opportunity to meet both Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, and Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. And let me just say one thing, these dudes are rockstars.

Prior to the Life & Limb dinner, I had the opportunity to meet Sam at the Great American Beer Festival. Naturally, as with all beer festivals, Sam was too busy to chat. BUT, he was gracious enough to take the time to say hello and snap some photos with me.

Although I had met Sam before the Life & Limb dinner, it did not prevent me from being wickedly nervous prior to our interview. Many of my friends can attest to my jitters in the weeks leading up to the dinner. But oddly enough, the moment Sam arrived at the restaurant, all of my nerves were put at ease. Sam was extremely congenial and from the moment we shook hands hello to the moment we shook hands goodbye, I felt right at ease.

And then of course, there was Ken Grossman — another major “celebrity” in the beer world. As soon as he arrived, Sam introduced us and we shook hands. Ken was extremely approachable and I had a blast talking to him before, during and after the dinner. Ken is definitely a man who truly loves life. There was not one moment in which he wasn’t smiling. No joke. This guy did not stop smiling.

Well as much as I’d love to gush on and on about meeting these two spectacular men, this article is not about me swooning over two of the greatest brewers in the country. Sigh. Shall we talk about the beer?

For it’s first ever collaboration, Sierra Nevada chose to team up with Dogfish Head to develop wo collaborative beers: Limb & Life (a draft-only beer) and Life & Limb (available in 24oz bottles and limited draft). Mutual respect, admiration, and none-too-few shared glasses of beer led to the collaborative idea.

THE BACKGROUND: The beers-Life & Limb, and Limb & Life-are dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community. Over the years, the two brewers-Ken Grossman and Sam Calagione-have become friends in the industry. They quickly realized how many similarities they share. Grossman’s history as a craft-brewing pioneer and his radical approach to brewing are echoed some fifteen years later by Calagione-through his boundary-pushing innovation and tireless promotion for the cause of craft beer.

Both men started out as home brewers obsessed with beer-making. Both share deep values of sustainability and responsibility. Both share the desire to pass their breweries on to the next generation, and both started out small-from humble beginnings-and built vibrant, creative, beer-centered and fiercely independent breweries, despite the long odds.

Below is a great video of Sam Calagione describing the story behind the Life & Limb collaboration, filmed by Draft Magazine.

Shall we move on to the actual event? Good plan …

The evening started out with Ken & Sam tapping the inaugural kegs. Hearing the kegs tapped was music to my ears. Although both kegs were tapped at the same time, the Life & Limb was reserved for dessert and we were all served the Limb & Life first. (BUT! I was one of the honored few to sip from the Holy Grail — aka Sam let me try some of his Life & Limb from his glass)

FIRST PAIRING: Passed Hors D’Oeuvres w/ Limb & Life

Unfortunately, I have no picture to insert because I was too busy mingling, drinking beer & noshing on the apps. However, let us discuss the pairing …

THE FOOD =

THE BEER = LIMB & LIFE

Limb & Life is a companion to the big beer-an acorn off the larger tree. It is a 5% ABV small beer-a low-gravity beer made using the residual sugar as “second runnings” from the first larger brew, fortified with American hops. This is a session beer. Its big brother is a sipper. Limb & Life will be a limited draft-only product, a prelude to the bigger beer.

The Wench’s opinion? PLEASE SIR … can I have some more? (And trust me … I did)

Life & Limb TASTING NOTES

• APPEARANCE: Fairly clear, brown. Great head. Lots of carbonation.
• AROMA: Hops dominate the aroma, yet there is a subtle hint of the maple syrup, rich roasted malts & wood (which I know now to be “birch”)
• TASTE: Wow. I mean wow. This beer is too easy — way too easy. The malt is perfect — slightly malt notes with hints of maple. Hops are definitely the key player in this beer — yet, they are not overwhelming.
• MOUTHFEEL: Light-to-moderate in body. Very smooth. Carbonation is perfect.
• OVERALL: This is one of the best session beers I’ve ever tasted. Why? Because it has a great balance. There is a significant malt and sugar presence, yet the hops take center stage — without being too dominate.

THE SECOND PAIRING

THE FOOD = Seared Ahi Tuna, Hearts of Palm, Jicama Salsa, Citrus Vinagraitte

THE BEERS =

• Sierra Nevada Kellerweis: Kellerweis is one of the only American Hefeweizens made using the traditional Bavarian style of open fermentation. This difficult and labor-intensive technique adds uncommon depth and flavor complexity. This hazy-golden hefeweizen is deeply flavorful, refreshing and perfect for a sunny day.
• Dogfish Head Festina Peche: A refreshing neo-BerlinerWeisse fermented with honest-to-goodness peaches to (get this!) 4.5% abv! Below is a video of Sam talking about Festina Peche…

THE VERDICT = The Ahi tuna was rubbed with some sort of red pepper, chile, black pepper spice blend. The Ahi tuna was super fresh (bright magenta/purple) was perfectly cooked (just barely seared). The hearts of palm and jicama salad with citrus vinaigrette was a perfect accompaniment with the spice from the tuna. Although both beers were entirely different from each other, each added a different depth to the dish. My favorite pairing, however, was the DFH Festina Peche. I thought that the acidity in the Festina Peche helped to cut the spice on the tuna and complimented the citrus vinaigrette very well.

THIRD PAIRING

THE FOOD = Crispy Skin Five-Spiced Poussin, Snap Peas, White Corn Pilaf, Sweet & Sour Sauce

THE BEERS =

• Dogfish Head Midas Touch: This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine & mead; this smooth, sweet, yet dry ale will please the Chardonnay of beer drinker alike.
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, is a delightful interpretation of a classic style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor.

THE VERDICT = The Poussin was cooked extremely well — the skin was delightfully crispy while the meat remained extremely juicy and fell right off the bone. The white corn pilaf was rather plain and I did not care much for it. I really did enjoy the chemistry between the 5 spice blend on the Poussin and the sweet & sour sauce. As for the beers, they happen to be two of my all-time favorie beers. Although Midas Touch is one of my “epiphany” beers and one of my all-time favorite DFH beers, the Sierra Nevada pale ale made a better pairing for this dish. The clean, crisp refreshing hops helped to cut the spice and syrupy sweetness of the dish.

THE FOURTH PAIRING

THE FOOD = Wokked Tourenedos of Beef Tenderloin, Sweet Onions & Peppery Cress

THE BEERS =

• Sierra Nevada Celebration: The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration^® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration^® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.
• Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron: An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. Palo Santo means “holy tree” and it’s wood has been used in South American wine-making communities.

THE VERDICT = The beef tenderloin was cooked very well. It was juicy and the spice blend in the sauce was a great combination of heat and sweetness. It was interesting to see two very different beers being paired with this dish. Prior to being served, I had already made up my mind that Palo Santo Marron would make the better pairing with the meat. But oddly enough, I actually preferred the Celebration Ale with the dish.

THE DESSERT PAIRING

THE FOOD =

• Valrhona Dark Chocolate Semifreddo
• Flourless Cocunt Run Cake

THE BEER = LIFE & LIMB

Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics-brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico. The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries’ house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew. If stored under good conditions, this rich, full-bodied beer should age well for years.

VERDICT= I was honored enough to get a sip of the Life & Limb right after it was tapped. Despite its rather hefty ABV, Life & Limb was extremely smooth and very well balanced. Oak, maple and malts definitely dominated the aroma and taste of the beer. Finish was pleasantly dry. This was BY FAR the best pairing all night. The dark chocolate semifreddo was so rich and amazing and the beer complimented it perfectly.

Overall, I had an amazing time at the beer dinner. Big thanks to both Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada for putting together the event. Also, big props to both breweries for collaborating on two spectacular beers!

Cheers!

Several bloggers and other internet sources have written posts about the “most influential” or “top” people to follow on Twitter — in specific topics of interest (such as food, wine, social media, etc…)

However, everyone seems to be over looking the beer community. Pssshhhaw. How rude. Us beer geeks can be influential and important too, ya know!

So I thought I’d take the liberty to make my own (COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE) list of the “Top 20 Most Compelling Beer Personalities on Twitter”. What exactly is my credential for creating the lists? Well let us start by defining the word compelling:

com⋅pel⋅ling  [kuhm-pel-ing]
–adjective
1. tending to compel; overpowering: compelling reasons.
2. having a powerful and irresistible effect; requiring acute admiration, attention, or respect: (a man of compelling integrity; a compelling drama)

THE BEER WENCH’S CRITERIA FOR THE TOP 20 MOST COMPELLING BEER PERSONALTIES ON TWITTER:

1. COMPELLING ENOUGH TO FOLLOW: I must follow this person. Unfortunately, this rules out the people I do not follow — which means this list has potential to change in the future.
2. COMPELLING CONTENT: Tweets contain information of value in relation to the craft beer industry. (i.e.: news updates, events, announcements, beer reviews, links to beer related information, etc…)
3. COMPELLING PERSONALITY: Twitter personality is interesting and captivating. There is a person behind the twitter handle — they are more than just a “brand” or a “blog”.
4. COMPELLING CONVERSATION: Community engagers — people who are constantly engaging in conversations with the twitter community (whether it be through retweeting or replies). People who constantly have one way conversations, in my opinion, are not compelling. Talk to me. And I will follow you.
5. COMPELLING FOLLOWER RATIO: Good follower to following ratio. This does not mean they necessarily need to have a huge followership — number of followers is NOT criteria for this particular list. But they need to have at least an equal amount of followers as they are following.

At first, I was going to rank the top twenty followers — based on how well they execute the basic 5 criteria listed above. But, the metrics on that is too complicated for me to deal with at this time — and besides, it would be entirely way to subjective and open for debate. Instead, I’m going to list my TOP TWENTY MOST COMPELLING BEER PERSONALITIES ON TWITTER in a random order. There is no method in my madness (although, it be but madness). The numbers have no relevance to rankings. IGNORE THE NUMBERS.

THE BEER WENCH’S TOP TWENTY MOST COMPELLING BEER PERSONALITIES ON TWITTER

1. @dogfishbeer – Dogfish Head has (hands down) the best brewery brand presence on Twitter. Why? 1. She has a personality. AND a name. In fact, the Dogfish Head Twitter account is Mariah Calagione — aka Sam’s wife. She is constantly retweeting her followers and engaging in conversations. If you send her a question or mention her brand, she responds. Mariah kicks ass.
2. @TheArtofBeer — Tay Shaw is one of the biggest craft beer evangelists on Twitter. She has been known to send (coveted) craft beer all around the country to her followers. She is extremely active in the twitter community and also very entertaining.
3. @Cicerone_Org — Ray Daniels is one of the foremost educators on the subject of beer. He is one of the most brilliant men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in real life. If you need to know something about beer — he is the man to talk to.
4. #gents – AKA @kenoftheyear @DrStarkWeather @SlovakBrewer @hopcast @beerad – These dudes are hiliariously entertaining, but also a wealth of information. They get together on a frequent basis to homebrew and taste beers … and then share all of their experiences on Twitter. They also create entertaining video blogs at Hop-Cast.com Following the hashtag #gents can get addicting …
5. @beerbabe — Besides having a super cool name and really hot avatar, Carla defies the common misperception that women hate beer. She is a huge advocate of females in the beer industry and uses both Twitter and her blog as a platform for expressing her passion.
6. @hookedonwinter – PJ is one of my favorite people to banter with back and forth about beer. He is an awesome homebrewer (I know this for a fact) who is aspiring to turn his passion into a career. Through both Twitter and his blog, PJ encourages others to join his adventure in starting a brewery.
7. @bruisinales – This woman must be a robot, because I swear she never sleeps. Julie can be found on Twitter just about every minute of every day. No really. Her tweets are very entertaining and she provides a lot of great content regarding beer releases, beer events and beer news.
8. @beerandnosh — Even though I only just started following Jesse, he has provided me with a wealth of beer knowledge via Twitter. Jesse is by far one of the best beer photographers out there and I love living vicariously through his photos and tasting notes.
9. @TimWeber & @StephWeber – Rockstar homebrewing couple in the process of getting certified through the American Brewers Guild. They have aspirations to start their own brewpub in the next 5 years. They are very engaging and informative on Twitter. And well, ADORABLE.
10. @ChipperDave — I’ve been following Dave’s blog for some time now. He is well-connected in the beer world and extremely knowledgeable about all things beer. I was lucky enough to meet him in person at GABF.
11. @beerinator – This dude is super talented. Jonathan is a key member of the Beer Mapping Project as well as DRAFT magazine’s Web Director. He is located in Chicago — beer hub — and is extremely engaging and fun to follower.
12. @olllllo – Very talented homebrewer (LOVED his Pro-AM beer at GABF). Works for a brewery in Arizona. Like me, he travels in the name of beer. Great beer knowledge resource.
13. @StoneGreg — Another “brand” that utilizes social media very well. Greg is the owner of Stone Brewing Co. (you know … that small unknown craft brewery …) Although he travels a lot, Greg does a great job of responding to tweets as well as retweeting others.
14. @beersage — Currently runs one of THE best beer news sites out there — beernews.org. He is always tweeting out the most cutting edge beer news … whether it be new releases or beer events, this guy is definitely one of the best beer sources on the web!
15. @newbrewthursday — A collaborative team of (4) funny & cute beer geeks. All dudes. They are hilarious, supportive and very engaging on Twitter. Excited to meet them at San Diego Beer Week.
16. @HomeBrewChef — Chef, brewer, writer, photographer. Sean knows his beer. And on top of that, he makes amazing food — with beer as an ingredient. I’ve had his cookies — trust me, he’s good.
17. @SudsyMaggie — Another femme fatale in the beer industry. Beer blogger, homebrewer & huge beer evangelist, Maggie is freaking ADORABLE. Regardless of whether or not you’ve met her (I have), she is too cute not to love.
18. @BlatzLiquor — Joe runs Blatz Liquor, a super awesome liquor store that has a kickass beer selection. Joe constantly tweets about new releases and specials that his store is featuring … unfortunately for me, I do not live near Milwaukee … otherwise I’d be there everyday.
19. @TeeCycleTim — Contributing author to DRAFT magazine (online). Tim is THE Beer Runner. He writes about staying physically fit while living the life of a beer enthusiast. He is also a big environmentalist and entrepreneur.
20. @brewed4thought — EXTREMELY well-connected beer “geek”… always ahead of the trend. Great blogger, beer event planner and resource for all things beer. Also, THE editorof the “soon-to-be-released” online beer publication on RATEBEER.COM site (where I will be a featured publisher)… stay tuned.

Runners Up and the “Up and Coming” Beer Tweeters):

• @BeerinBaltimore – Don’t let his avatar fool you. Brad does not limit himself to just tweeting about beer in Baltimore. However, he is THE best resource in Baltimore for beer events & beer news.
• @odiedog52 — Brian is absolutely ADORABLE! Super beer geek … just getting into the whole swing of things with Twitter. Currently imprisoned by the Army, but soon to be released. Brian is also the beer editor for Mutineer Magazine.
• @tattoodbrew — Jon is a talented graphic designer by trade, which explains why he has one of the coolest avatars on Twitter. He offsets his beer “geek” image with his badass tattoo obsession and passion for all things music.
• @jchristie — Josh definitely puts the geek in “beer geek.” Where as most people are pairing their beers with food, Josh pairs his with books. He is probably the most adorable book nerd-beer geek on Twitter.
• @bisonbrew — Emerging brewery brand on Twitter. Daniel is dedicated to all things organic and sustainble. Produces awesome beer … and has a down to earth personality.
• @misohungry — Jenni bakes with beer. Her treats are F*ing phenomenal … and I would know. She has baked with me. Great recipes for beer geeks who want to bake with beer!
• @ruinationpress – Tattoo obsessed beer geek and fellow beer blogger. Really engaging on Twitter. Good friend. Knows his shit.
• @beertodd — Brewer of some awesome and unique beers at Copper Canyon in Southfield, Michigan. Super beer activist … and recently released a great viral video in support of the Rock Art Brewery movement.
• @Beervangelist — Owner of New Holland Brewing Co. in Michigan. Only just started following Fred, but already … he is providing me with lots of compelling and valuable content. Fred is on my list of “brands to watch.”
• @sarahhuska — Voted (in a secret ballot) as one of THE hottest beer lovers on Twitter. Many of my guy beer geek friends have a crush on her … and for good reason. She is hot. And she knows her shit about beer.

NOW … before all you Twitter beer connoisseurs out there start crying about not making this list — just remember, this is a subjective list. My list is based on the people I follow, how often I interact with them and the value of their tweets. As far as I know … this list can change over night.

The two best tips I can give to beer personalities on Twitter is 1. BE HUMAN (don’t talk AT my … talk WITH me) … and 2. BE COMPELLING.

CHEERS!

For some time now I have been longing to divide my blog posts into 5 different themes:

1. Drink With The Wench (tastings & reviews)
2. Cook With The Wench (recipes with beer – both created myself and others)
3. Travel With The Wench (brewery tours, bar adventures etc.)
4. Brew With The Wench (home-brewing & guest brewing – this category is still in beta)
5. The Wench -Uncensored (name is in beta, this is the section in which I will detail my non-beer-yet-beverage-related passions such as wine, scotch and cigars)

Tonight marks my first ever Cook With The Wench post. And it is about damn time. Those who know me well know that I’m a devil in the kitchen. I love food, I love cooking – and I can pretty much out eat anyone I’ve come across (just ask my friend Matt from A Good Time With Wine).

I originally wanted to make mussels in a beer sauce. Not one single store (including a seafood market) had fresh mussels … so I scratched the plan and went with what I am calling The Wench’s Drunken Shrimp Scampi.

The greatest part about cooking is that there is no science to making food taste good.

As long as you have quality ingredients and treat them with the respect they deserve – the end result is almost always pleasant. BUT then again, I take for granted the fact that I am very knowledgeable about food, ingredients, herbs, classic pairings and culinary techniques. Despite that, though, I still believe that anyone can be a wizard in the kitchen.

So on to my recipe, eh? Oh but wait. I need a disclaimer.

WARNING: This is not your mother’s shrimp scampi. In fact, it is probably unlike any shrimp scampi you have ever had in your life. Many chefs will probably “spit in my general direction” (note: Monty Python reference). This recipe is not for the faint of heart … or the faint of palate. No sir. The Wench’s Drunken Shrimp Scampi is for hopheads … and those who do not like hops should stay far, far away. The recipe is bold, bitter and insulting … yet adventurous and deliciously satisfying.

THE WENCH’S DRUNKEN SHRIMP SCAMPI
Featuring Dogfish Head 60 min IPA

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. large fresh shrimp – whatever kind you want – shelled, gutted & deveined
1/2 stick of unsalted BUTTER (real butter you sissies)
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cloves garlic – minced, sliced, or chopped to preference
1/4 yellow onion – diced
3 (firm) Roma tomatoes
Juice of one lemon
Flat leaf parsley – finely chopped
2 12 oz. bottles of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper (if you are like me and need to kick EVERYTHING up a notch)
A loaf of FRESH baked bread

INSTRUCTIONS

The first instruction is vital. It must be followed EXACTLY as written or the whole recipe is a big FAIL.

1. Open the first bottle of Dogfish Head 60 min IPA. Pour into a brandy snifer, tulip glass … oh hell … pour it into a freaking glass and take a big long sip. Ahhhh. Isn’t that nice? Thought so … but don’t get soft on me now. There is still work to do here.
2. Fill a super big pot – the bigger the better – with water. Salt the water. Put it on the stove and bring it to a boil. While you are waiting you can either:
   1. Shell, gutt and de-vein the shrimp
   2. Mince the garlic, chop the onion and dice the tomatoes
   3. Continue drinking the 60 Minute IPA as you watch family members and/or friends complete the previous tasks.
3. When the water reaches a boil – add the pasta. Cook until is is “al dente” – aka slightly undercooked, with a bit of a “bite.” Strain pasta at the point and set aside.
4. At the same time the pasta is cooking … Heat the EVOO in a large skillet heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté the shrimp, until just cooked through. Takes approximately 2 minutes. This is a good time to open another beer. Once the shrimp is cooked (ie: turns PINK) … transfer those bad boys over to an adequate sized bowl with a slotted spoon (we want to retain as much oil as we can in the pan so a regular spoon esta no bueno).
5. Add the garlic to the oil remaining in skillet. Heat for a hot minute (i.e: just long enough to release some juices, yet not burn). Add the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, salt, pepper, lemon juice and (optional, yet HIGHLY suggested) red pepper flakes. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture is reduced down to desired thickness. According to The Wench, this will take around 10ish minutes. Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted. THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP. The fat in the butter helps to cut the intense flavor of the IPA. Stir in the shrimp. Remove skillet from heat.
   

Somewhere in this process, either you or your sous chef (aka – child, friend, random guy off the street) will have chopped the flat leaf parsely. This, my friend, is the opportune time to add the parsley to the garlic butter beer shrimp mixture. Toss the pasta into the skillet with all of the other ingredients and ….

VIOLA! There you have it … The Wench’s Drunken Shrimp Scampi. Don’t forget to slop it up with some fresh baked bread (garlic bread if you feel ambitious). And I would be utterly insulted if you did not pair this dish with a beer – preferablely the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. But I would not be insulted if you paired it with and equally delicious IPA … or craft brew of some sort.

NOTE: If you do NOT like to drink IPAs, you will not like cooking with them either. This dish definitely has a BITE. I do not suggest using the DFH 60 minute IPA unless you love the flavor of the beer, otherwise the meal will be a disaster. Feel free to substitute the IPA with your favorite beer – I suggest a Hefeweizen or Belgian-style white ale.

Any questions? EMAIL me at – drinkwiththewench@gmail.com

Otherwise, enjoy! And, as always … CHEERS!

This post is dedicated to my Ma, for reasons you shall discover later on…

I am sick and tired of hearing people bitch and complain about calories, carbs and fat.

Okay, I understand that these things exist. However, there are more important things in life to obsess over …

When it comes to health, beer has a bad rap.

“Belly Belly” … “Beer Gut” … Beer makes people fat, right?

NO!

Allow me to present an arguement in regards the caloric content of beer. Please note that there is no “scientific evidence behind my assertions. All of my observations are …  well, just that. Observations. And my conclusions are neither “credible” nor “official.”

However, I am not exactly uneducated … so there may be truth to what I have to say.

If you know nothing about nutrition, know this: not all calories are created equal.

Some calories are readily transferred into energy, while some are stored as fat.

The 100 calories in a glass of coke are NOT digested and processed the same as the 100 calories in a plate of vegetables.

Once upon a time, monks in Belgium started brewing ”bread water” [aka Trappist ales] as a way to sustain themselves throughout fasting. To this day, Trappist beers are produced with only the best and highest quality ingredients. Said monks were able to sustain themselves on this “bread water” for several days at a time. Why? Because the beer that the monks brewed was full of readily digestible matter. AKA … it was actually nutritious.

Truth be told my mother inspired this blog.

She responded to my post: “Please Put Down The Budweiser.” In her comment, my mother said: “ So here’s your newest task, Wench. Find me a less caloric, tasty, crafted beer.”

DEAR MOM: YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER! And I say this with love.

My mother is a brilliant woman: She’s a vegetarian (her choice, NOT mine), a liberal, a feminist, an environmentalist … and the list continues for miles. But the point is: my mother is UBER healthy and ridiculously conscientious.

(No offense, Ma … well then again, you are a New Yorker born and raised … so you, more than anyone, should be able to handle the truth) …

So why the hell is my intelligent mother drinking crap like Michelob Ultra Light? (Aka … this beer sucks, has virtually no nutritional benefits WHATSOEVER and tastes like watered down piss)

Because she is a CHICK. And like most chicks, she fears gaining weight. And most people equate drinking beer with being fat.

NO ONE WANTS THE “BEER BELLY”. Trust me, even those who have it don’t want it.

Try this experiment: Ask people who have these “Beer Bellies” and “Beer Guts” … what beer do you drink the most? And your response will be something like “Bud, Coors, Corona, Miller and so on and so forth.”

Hmmm COINCIDENTALLY, people who brew and drink craft beers are less likely to have these things that people call “beer bellies” or “beer guts.”

Evidence? Well , I drink beer and seem to be relatively healthy and of a “decent” size.

My friend and renowned beer writer, Stephen Beaumont, is virtually stick thin.

Another chick beer blogger, The Beer Babe, is anything but fat and absolutely STUNNING.

1WineDude drinks almost as much beer as he does wine … and he is as fit as a fiddle (and cute as a button).

And then, of course, there is the founder of Dogfish Head Brewery. Sam Caglione is definitely a hottie (… ummm I mean an extremely attractive gentleman whom I respect emmensely).

Bottom line: the higher quality shit you put in your body (whether it be food or booze) … the more likely your body will transfer the calories to energy as opposed to FAT. Stephen Beaumont wrote an excellent article entitled “Beer Makes You Fat, or NOT” that, very eloquently, argues this very same issue. “I’ve said it before and no doubt I’ll say it again: Beer is as dignified and sophisticated a beverage as any other, and in and of itself, does not make you fat or lazy or stupid or boorish. And stereotypes suck.” - Stephen Beaumont’s A World Of Beer

When it comes to the caloric content of brews, one must ALWAYS consider ABV – aka Alcohol By Volume.  Most people need to drink 2 or 3 “so called lite beers”to reach the same ABV of the “heavier beers.”

Need further proof? Let’s play the math game.

Coors Light= 104 cal/ 4.15% abv

Bud Light= 110 cal/4.2% abv

Miller Lite= 96 cal/ 4.2% abv

IN CONTRAST …

New Belgium Trippel Ale= 215 cal/ 7.8% abv

Dogfish Head Midas Touch= 309/ 9% abv

Dogfish Head 120 Min IPA= 450/ 18% abv

And with the few examples we have, let us play math …

In theory, one bottle of Dogfish Head 120 min IPA is equivalent to FOUR and a half bottles of any of the corporate light beers on the market.

One more time, I will CLARIFY this to all you calorie obsessed kids.

ONE WHOLE bottle of Dogfish Head 120 IPA … also known as one of the best damn beers on the planet … is equivalent, both in caloric and alcohol content, to FOURwhole bottles of ANY FREAKING Joe Schmoe lite beers on the market.

It is like telling you that you can have one scoop of the most decadent ice cream made from the most amazing ingredients in the entire world … or 4 scoops of sugar-free, fat-free … wanna-be ice cream made of chemical ingredients.

Hello, what is the point of ice cream without cream?

FLAVOR … is the most important factor to all things consumable, including beer.

PLEASE DO NOT SUBJECT YOUR PALATE TO BEER THAT TASTES LIKE … hmmm bad stuff.

Instead, drink craft beer … and know that your calories are being converted into something other than FAT.

Yes, I have opinions. I am The Wench. Cheers.

In this post I am going to attempt to recap the Dogfish Head Twitter Taste Live event from Saturday March 7th 2009. Now mind you, I did use the word attempt.

Yesterday I made a last minute decision to purchase a webcam and setup a live ustream feed for the event. Having neither used ustream nor a webcam prior to last night, I think that things went fairly well. Obviously, I could have been more organized … but that is something to work on for the future.

The DFH Twitter Taste Live started out as all TTL events seem to start – early. Several tweeters joined the TTL feed earlier in the day – posting updates about the beer and wine they were drinking at the time. Even the “official” Dogfish Head Tweeter (@dogfishbeer) started the night out a bit early with Dogfish Head Aprihops. After addmitting his lack of patience, Dogfish Head brewer zymoid popped open a DFH 60 min IPA prior to the event. Naturally, my day began early as well. I started off with some Tom Eddy New Zealand (aka TENZ) Sauvignon Blanc during lunch. I then moved onto Radford Dale Freedom Pinot Noir just prior to the DFH TTL.

The three Dogfish Head beers that were “officially” tasted for this event were: Red & White, Fort, and Palo Santo Marron. Instead of posting my personal tasting notes as usual, I have decided to post the tasting notes of the tweeters from the DFH TTL event. However, I will try to follow the format that I usually use in my beer reviews. This should be interesting … and fun.

All the picutres of the beers are compliments of @kallardnyc. Thanks! For other really great picutres from the night, check out @lemasney’s FLICKER PAGE.

I appologize in advnace to those of you who are unfamiliar with Twitter and do not understand the way in which I am presenting my tasting notes. Hopefully you can get the jist! Cheers!

Red & White

Brewery: Dogfish Head

Style: zymoid: @beertweeter Calif pinot noir grape juice is used. Yeast is Belgian wit type.

zymoid: @panache We like to play with wood, and originally started with pinot noir barrels from CA. Thought a suped up wit beer would be fun.

Color: angelostzelepis: Nice copper color, a lot of sediment

stfler22: the sediments in the red & white give the brew a unique texture and balance beautiful color!!

Carbonation: lemasney: carbonation is not visually evident, but very evident in the palate. Like an ocean. The body is a summer sunset, with rain in the morn.

Aroma: zymoid: I’ve got the 09 R&W. Some bubble gum esters in the nose, tannins/oakiness and all kinds of fun. A party in the mouth.

beercommdood: fruity and tart smelling, nice solid finger of creamy head, picking up the wine notes in the nose

Mouthfeel: bsimi: Very creamy texture… nice beer !

Flavor:  beercommdood: Very sweet and malty, high fruity taste with wine coming through strong.

Finish: darknova306: @beertweeter The alcohol isn’t noticeable at first, but I’m getting a nice warmth after the swallow. Works well with the wine flavor.

kingfarmwine: the pinot noir barrels really enhances the complexity

Pairings: beertweeter: http://twitpic.com/1x5q5 – so earlier I decided to pick up some Chatham Littlneck clams and steam them in Red&White

beertweeter: this works nice with dank cheese http://twitpic.com/1x4l5 as well – Raw Blue Cave Aged

Interesting Facts: dogfishbeer: @zymoid And Sam’s fave wine is Pinot Noir.

zymoid: Tooting the horn alittle here: R&W won gold medal in last years GABF.

Comments:beertweeter: the Red & White is one of the top 3 I’ve had from Dogfish…huge bonus for creativity!

zymoid: @AngelosTzelepis R&W is great in a wine goblet. Lets it warm up and releases the aromatics nicely

Fort

Brewery: Dogfish Head (lemasney: Dogfish head is brewing beers that make you rethink the very state of beer as an idea. They ask you to set aside your beer definition.)

Style: zymoid: @panache We brew a strong ale base and then add a BUNCH of raspberry into secondary ferment.

zymoid:@beerphilosopher Some sugar is used in the kettle, but the fruit really carries the load.

zymoid:@beercommdood Not many hops in this, mostly malt and fruit doing the work.

Color: boothbay: For it’s powerful raspberry taste and aroma…it’s color seems lighter/tricky.

Carbonation: beercommdood: Fort is very fizzy. The head was very crisp and popping like Rice Krispies. Head now completely gone, no lacing.

Aroma: beercommdood: Getting some caramel on the nose with the berries. Anyone else?

darknova306: Lots of raspberry in the nose, with a little bit of caramel malt. Smells like a little tartness is there, too.

Flavor: lemasney: taste is deep, layered with flavors: raisin, cherry, plum, raspberry, citrus, bitterness, burns on the way down. So nice.

lemasney: definitely brandy, wheat, raspberry, and honey. Delicious. Agitation brings a strong aroma of whiskey, oak, and leaf mold.

Finish: kallardnyc: Fort is warm in the chest like a Port or Madeira.

Pairings: dogfishbeer: I’d drink this with a sliver of great dark chocolate.

Comments: beertweeter: this is like Raspberry Rock Candy…insane!

beerphilosopher : Friends don’t let friends drink Fort and Tweet

panache: Well the Fort was great. Don’t know if I would have bought it before today, but now I definitely will! Nice work @zymoid !

Palo Santo

Brewery: Dogfish Head (dogfishbeer: You HAVE to come to the brewery and see the massive tank made from Palo Santo Wood. it’s way cool.)

Style: zymoid: @rgrace99 Gotta say, the wood is the key, yeast is 2nd ary for this beer.

zymoid: @BrewDad Yes, it almost comes off as a fruit beer– cherries esp. it is all from the Palo wood. Amazing tree.

zymoid: @beertweeter We source yeast from both Whitelabs and Wyeast.

Color: hopwild: - PSM – pours like used motor oil – more like a black ale than a brown!

erikboles: as we say on @BeerTapTV “Dark as a struck match”

Carbonation: hopwild: - PSM – pours like used motor oil

Aroma: semperfifi: Partner says “Cherry wood flavor…”

beertweeter: Burnt Campfire Wet Wood Next morning with a malt sandwich?

beercommdood: Palo Santo nose: molasses, vanilla, peat, and burnt sugar cookies

Mouthfeel: brewdad: 12% it does not come off this strong in the flavor. The wood must have mellowed the flavor.

Flavor: angelostzelepis: Coffee, caramel, vanilla working for me today. I love this beer.

Finish: erikboles: there is a very very subtle taste of how fired ceramics smell on the back-end of the PSM

Pairings: zymoid: Y’all, save some of your chocolate for the PSM. It’s a great pairing.

zymoid: Palo Santo is a great mixer too. Try 50/50 with our Punkin ale.

Interesting Fact: kallardnyc: After the 1906 San Fran earthquake, wire insulators were made from Palo Santo wood because the was a shortage of materials.

Comments: thebeerwench: Dudes Palo Santo wood is a fucking bitch. Do you know how hard it is to cut down, let alone make a huge ass fermenting tank with?

RANDOM WENCHNESS

Somehow I missed this tweet from later in the tasting - zymoid: @TheBeerWench So who are you?

My bragging rights - dogfishbeer: @TheBeerWench That’s why we love you!

 Great comment – beertweeter: @dogfishbeer @zymoid @thebeerwench the best! great peeps, great brews! I’m sticking around

Another great comment – hopwild: thanks @dogfishbeer and @zymoid for joining us! thx @thebeerwench for hosting!

And lastly - dogfishbeer:@TheBeerWench – Thanks so much for hosting the tasting tonight, that was great fun! – YOU ARE VERY WELCOME. Thank you Dogfish Head for making the best fucking off-centered ales for the crazy off-centered people like myself! Cheers!