In honor of the world’s largest beer festival, Whole Foods Market is teaming up with yours truly to host a mini-Oktoberfest celebration live on Twitter. We  partnered with four U.S. craft breweries that share two things in common – all produce an awesome American-style Oktoberfest beer and all have women tweeting behind the brand.

On Oct. 4, from 7-8 p.m. CST, join Whole Foods Market (@WholeFoods) and me (@TheBeerWench) as we taste and tweet through four delicious American-style Oktoberfest beers with amazing and talented women in the craft beer industry. Tweet alongside beer professionals, beer enthusiasts and foodies to learn more about Oktoberfest traditions, cooking with beer, beer pairings, and the integral role women have played in the history of beer.

To participate, pick up one or all of the featured Oktoberfest beers and tweet your experience using the hashtag #WFMBeer. Every 15 minutes, the focus of the tasting will shift to a different beer. The schedule is as follows:

7:00 p.m. CST: Left Hand (@LeftHandBrewing) Oktoberfest
Woman behind the Twitter avatar: Emily Armstrong
7:15 p.m. CST: Victory Brewing (@VictoryBeer) Festbier
Woman behind the Twitter avatar: Karen Noonan
7:30 p.m. CST: Great Lakes (@GLBC_Cleveland) Oktoberfest
Woman behind the Twitter avatar: Marissa DeSantis
7:45 p.m. CST: Flying Dog (@flyingdog) Dogtoberfest
Women behind the Twitter avatar: Erin Biles & Holly Manthei

If you can’t find one of the recommended beers above, simply ask your local Whole Foods Market beer specialist to make an Oktoberfest recommendation and then join the conversation on Twitter. Just don’t forget the hashtag #WFMBeer.

Interested in learning more about women craft brewers? Check out Whole Foods Market’s featured film during its Do Something Reel Film Festival this month. “The Love of Beer” is a documentary that follows women as they struggle to end stereotypes, handle their rising fame and raise a family in the craft beer scene. The film is available to digital audiences with exclusive filmmaker interviews on iTunes and other platforms for $3.99 in standard definition and $4.99 in HD. Visit dosomethingreel.com for more information.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

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If you have any questions on how to use and track hashtags, do not hesitate to contact me or leave a comment below. Here is a site that provides basic information for tracking hastags. Personally, I think Tweetdeck is the best tool to use when trying to follow and participate in a #WFMBeer tasting. Just add a column to your Tweetdeck searching for #WFMBeer, and you will get a live stream of all the people talking about the live tasting.

Screen Shot from Tweetdeck

Once again, if you have any questions about participating, do not hesitate to contact me!!!!

Cheers!

The organic beer-themed tasting takes place on Twitter from 8-9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Apr. 10. The tasting, featuring four organic beers from some of the world’s most respected and innovative brewers, includes:

• 8 p.m. ET: Dupont — Avril (led by @belgianexpert): The brewer’s favorite beer. Light in alcohol, full in flavor. 3.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).
• 8:15 p.m. ET: Samuel Smith — Strawberry Ale (led by @merchantduvin): Smooth malt and aromatic strawberry flavors merge together in an elegant fashion with fresh, ripe strawberries. 5.1 percent ABV.
• 8:30 p.m. ET: Bison Brewing — Honey Basil Ale (led by @bisonbrew): Creatively infused with fresh, organic whole leaf basil and organic clover honey. Crisp and herbaceous with a hint of sweetness. 6 percent ABV.
• 8:45 p.m. ET: Hopworks – Rise Up Red (led by @HopworksBeer): Mahogany smooth with mild caramel sweetness, balanced by local Cascade and Centennial hops for a crisp finish. 5.8 percent ABV.
• 9 p.m. ET: After party (free for all!)

Every fifteen minutes, the focus will shift to a different featured beer as brew masters take questions from Twitter fans and share stories about the beers and the breweries. To follow the conversation, use the hashtag #WFMBeer. At least one, if not all, of the beers listed above should be available at most Whole Foods Market stores that sell beer.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older (duh!).

Twitter Beer Tasting FAQs

What is a Twitter beer tasting?

A Twitter beer tasting is a virtual event where people simultaneously taste beers together, and share their tasting notes in 140 character or less messages on Twitter.

What do I need to do to participate?

At the bare minimum, all you need to participate is a Twitter account and a beer in hand! For each #WFMBeer Twitter tasting, a particular theme is selected by Whole Foods and The Beer Wench. Participation in the Twitter tasting is enhanced when you follow the theme.

How do I follow the conversation?

All people participating in the Twitter beer tasting are encouraged to use the hashtag #WFMBeer in all of their tweets. If you have Tweetdeck or Hootsuite, we recommend that you create and dedicate an entire column to the hashtag, so you can follow the conversation as it happens!

What if I can’t find any of the beers on the “official” list?

You can still participate! Just find a beer or two that fits into the theme and join in. The theme this time around is organic beer — if you can’t find one of the delicious organic beers listed above, just look for the USDA organic logo on the beer shelf in a Whole Foods Market near you!

What if I have questions about the beers that I’m tasting?

You are in luck! Representatives from each of the breweries selected will be on Twitter during the entire event to lead the tasting and answer your questions. All of the representatives are listed next to the beers in the schedule above.

Is it okay to join the conversation late?

Of course! Better late than never!!!

Have more questions? Send me a tweet @TheBeerWench, or leave a message in the comment section below!!!

I am excited by the huge increase of beer websites in the past few years, but at the same time I find myself getting slightly annoyed. Whereas I have no qualms with beginners and amateurs sharing their beer experiences with the online community, I do wish that most of them would dedicate time to educating themselves on beer and learning how to properly taste and evaluate it.

This brings us to this current post, which was originally published March 2010. It is a bit out of date, but still very relevant. Hopefully, it does not insult anyone and brings insight to those seeking it.

Cheers!

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March 2010 – Despite what many people may think, there is an actual science to the proper tasting and evaluation of beers.

Now yes, I understand that experiences with and  individual perceptions of beer does vary from person to person. Some people prefer to have an emotional connection with beer. They tend to review beer using expressive and artistic descriptors as opposed to scientific terminology.

Don’t get my wrong though — the emotional method of beer evaluation is by no means “unprofessional.” There is no real or wrong way to experience beer. After all, beer is in the eye of the beholder.

However, it is important to note that there is a universally recognized and accepted language in the beer industry. Whereas describing a beer in an artistic format makes an excellent visual for readers and consumers, I guarantee if you tell a brewer that her beer takes like rainbows and butterflies she will look at you like you have three heads.

So exactly how does one learn how to “speak beer”? Learning proper beer terminology can seem daunting at first. But have no fear, its not like learning to write code. In fact, most of beer terminology already exists in our language.

The key is learning what terms to use when.

One does not have to go out and buy books on the science and engineering of brewing in order to learn this language. There are several resources on proper beer analyzation that can be more easily  “digested” than hitting the “big kid” textbooks.

My favorite resources for proper beer analyzation are as follows:

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TASTING BEER — An Insider’s Guide to The World’s Greatest Drink
by: Randy Mosher

Randy Mosher is a public speaker, teacher, writer, and enthusiastic promoter of traditional beer styles. He is the author of The Brewer’s Companion and Radical Brewing, as well as many articles and columns for All About Beer, the country’s leading beer magazine. His book, Tasting Beer, also serves as one of the primary resource for the Certified Cicerone Program.

From the back cover:

Everybody knows how to drink beer, but few know how to really taste it. Tasting Beer is a lively exploration of the culture, chemistry, and creativity that make craft beers so wonderfully complex. Heighten your enjoyment of every glass with an understanding of the finer points of brewing, serving, tasting, and food pairing.

Enough said.

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THE BEER FLAVOR WHEEL

The Beer Flavor Wheel is perfect or both budding beer connoisseurs as well as professionals. It breaks down the entire tasting experience in general categories. Each category gets further brown down until you reach the “scientific” conclusion.

For example, I get “vegetal” characteristics in a beer. Now let us break vegetal down: is is resinous, grassy or nutty? Let’s say I get resinous. Let us break it down further: is it woody or piney.

Naturally, one needs to have a semi-decent palate and educational background that predisposes them to understanding this wheel. However, with the help of google and a significant amount of time tasting with learned professionals — the information on this wheel becomes second nature.

And for those of you who do not understand every term on this wheel, do not feel overwhelmed or inadequate. Developing a palate doesn’t happen overnight … or even over a decade. It is a constant learning process. My palate is admittedly novice. But that does not stop me from trying to advance it, ya feel me?

If you want a good glossary of proper terms to use, this wheel is definitely a top resource.

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THE BEER JUDGE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM STYLE GUIDELINES

For some time now, I have been following the BJCP format of reviewing beer. Why? Because its system is well-established and internationally recognized. Even more badass? BJCP has a FREE, yes free, iPhone App … with ALL of its style guidelines. Yeah, go download it like now.

Why have style guidelines?

Styles are a convenient shorthand for discussing beer. They allow all those who are tasting and describing a beer to use a common framework and language. Style Guidelines are designed to assist organizers, entrants and judges participating in beer, mead and cider competitions by providing a standardized set of descriptions of beer, mead and cider styles.

The style descriptions are based on currently acknowledged world class examples, historical references to styles no longer brewed, and writings of noted beer researchers and journalists.

One of the purposes of the BJCP is to promote beer literacy, which includes understanding more about the world’s great beer styles. The BJCP has been operating since 1985 and has been publishing guidelines for much of that history.

The BJCP has spent considerable time researching world class beer examples, visiting renowned breweries, talking with noted authors, and searching key reference materials for information on beer styles. It has collected this information into its guidelines as a way to reduce the amount of time, effort and variability in learning this knowledge.

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Of course, there are more than three major resources on the proper tasting and evaluation of beer. But these three happen to be my particular favorites. Each contributes to beer education from a different aspect of the spectrum — and together, these resources are golden.

Wanna “speak beer”? Check out the resources above and you are well on your way to understanding the (not-too) cryptic language of beer.

For more indepth knowledge, check out:

• Siebel Institute of Technology
• Cicerone Certification Program
• American Brewers Guild
• UC Davis

Cheers!

Disclaimer: In addition to being a craft beer professional, I am a creative writer. I am in no way insulting those who chose to describe beer in more artistic and expressive terminology.

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/2011/01/tools-for-proper-beer-analyzation/feed/ 1 http://drinkwiththewench.com/2008/06/bristol-tasting-pictures/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2008/06/bristol-tasting-pictures/#comments Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:01:18 +0000 http://thecolumbuswench.wordpress.com/?p=180 This was a great event! Good beer, good food and good fun!!! Thanks to everyone who came out!

THE BEER WENCH AND BRISTOL BAR BRING YOU A BELGIAN BEER BONANZA

COLUMBUS, OH June 9, 2008 – Bristol Bar has joined forces with local beer blogger, The Columbus Beer Wench, for an evening of Belgian beers and local pizza.

Since February 2008, The Beer Wench has been hosting informal and formal beer tastings all throughout the city of Columbus – both in local restaurants and bars as well as in local homes. Themes of the tastings vary (from board gaming to cupcake pairing), each having had a unique element — making the tasting experience distinct from other beer events.

This time around, The Beer Wench has partnered up with Bristol Bar and local DJ, DKilla, to co-host a Belgian themed beer tasting on Saturday, June 14th.

Bristol Bar invites the citizens of Columbus (as well as travelers from all around) to explore realm of Belgian beer through the eyes of The Beer Wench. The tasting will include a vertical tasting of all three Chimays – side by side – as well as samples of various other styles of Belgian Ales. Tasters will learn the distinctive nuances of the different Belgian styles, all while enjoying fresh local pizza from The Rossi.

The official tasting will take place on Saturday, June 14th from 6pm until 9pm. The event will cost $20 dollars a head and includes both the beer and the pizza. Tasters will also be offered discounts on select Belgian Ales throughout the evening as well as have the opportunity to take advantage of Bristol Bar’s outstanding Happy Hour specials.

Bristol Bar also invites the tasters to hang around after the tasting for “Saturdays at Bristol Bar,” a weekly event hosted by Scott Litch, Aaron Miller, and Dan Kilroy. “Saturdays at Bristol Bar” have become its most popular night thanks to the bar’s excellent bartenders, AMAZING music, never-ending martini creations, and talented guest DJ’s. Each week they spin the very best in downtempo, lounge, electro, house and techno. Visit www.squaredonline.com for the podcast, photos, text-updates, schedule, and more!

Bristol Bar Location: At the corner of 5th and Summit St.
132 East 5th Avenue Columbus, OH 43201
Free lot-parking: Across 5th from Bristol at the Zipf Lock Shop and House of Security building.
Free street-parking: Summit + Surrounding Streets

Also check out the BRISTOL BAR BELGIAN BEER TASTING BONANZA FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE. Feel free to RSVP for the event as well as invite other guests to attend!!!

BRISTOL’S STORY
A small dream for a Columbus native became reality after a trip to the city of Bristol, England.  Located at the northern tip of Italian Village, Bristol bar opened its doors on August 22nd, 2003.  Providing an alternative to the Columbus cookie cutter bar scene, Bristol bar has quickly become know for its extensive Martini menu and unique hand crafted interior.

Bristol bar exists for you.  Relax in a comfortable, simple, sophisticated atmosphere.  Listen to the music, savor an original Martini and enjoy your friends.  Meet our mixologists and let them create the perfect cocktail to meet you mood.  Join us for a drink or two. Cheers! Prost! L’chai-im! Salut! Chin Chin!

ABOUT THE BEER WENCH
The Beer Wench is a local Columbus based beer blog written by local “foodie, wino & hophead,” Ashley Routson. With the goal of becoming more educated on the world of beer, The Beer Wench encourages readers to join in her venture towards becoming a beer connoisseur through community involvement and social media tools.

As of this February, The Wench has been hosting informal beer tastings with local citizens at a various local establishments.  The “Drink With The Wench” events have been successfully bridging the gap between the interactive realm and the real world Columbus community. She is a tremendous advocate of supporting the local economy by eating and drinking locally.

ABOUT SQUARED

Established in 2001, Scott Litch a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design, created Squared, a Columbus-based entertainment and special events company that operates both ground level and online marketing campaigns for clubs and promoters, while specializing in brand development, promotion, and multimedia design.

Since 2001, Squared has hosted events for Columbus nightspots including Mekka, Redzone, Fabric, Virus, Carlile Club, Lotus Ultralounge, Mynt, and Bristol Bar. Squared has also worked with Columbus Alive, CD101, Melt Magazine, Scion, EMI Music, Dr. Mojoe, Milk Bar, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Disco Productions, Mythodic, Entune, and Blubuni to produce events in the greater Columbus area.

A enormous THANK YOU goes out to everyone involved in the Surly Girl Beer Tasting With The Wench this past Sunday June 8th. The event had a surprisingly huge turnout and I was able to meet a lot of new beer lovers, beer geeks and hopheads. I was EXTREMELY impressed by Surly Girl Saloon‘s hospitality as well as the outstanding quality of beer, cupcakes and cheese that was provided for the tasting. The Surly Girl Staff was MORE THAN accomodating and made the experience very memorable and special. Andy Woelfing from Premium Beverage Supply did an amazing job running the tasting and I’m extremely jealous of those who won the Green Flash Brewing Company Beers.

I was completely blown away by the beer knowledge and interest of the tasters. Tasters ranged from beer afficiandos to home brewers to regular Joes who just love beer and want to learn more about it. I’m extremely excited to engage further with all the new people I met last night as well as looking forward to more people coming out of the woodwork for future tastings.

To finish things up, I want to highlight some key people that made the event so amazing. A HUGE thanks goes to Carmen, Managing Partner and General Manager of Surly Girl Saloon. If it was not for her superior organization skills and crazy cupcake idea, this event would never have been possible. MANY thanks to Andy from Premium for busting his butt back from New York to make it on time to run the event. There is no way I would have been able to run as successful a tasting without his beer knowledge and insight. BIG PROPS goes out to super duper Surly Girl baker Lara, who concocted the ridiculously delicious cupcake recipes specifically designed for the tasting. THANKS to all the bar and kitchen staff from Surly Girl Saloon who worked long and hard in ridiculous heat to help everything move so smoothly!!!

Last BUT NOT LEAST, thank you to everyone who came to the event. There is nothing I enjoy more than sharing my passions with others. There is more to eating and drinking than merely eating an drinking. Enjoying great food and beer with equally great people makes the experience twenty times better than when done alone.

(And special thanks to everyone who allowed me to indulge my passion for gaming by staying around after the tasting to play a few rounds of Apples to Apples. Expect more board gaming beer events in the future!!!)

Check out the photos on Facebook! (Unfortunately, I was too busy running around that I never got a good chance to take photos. If anyone has any pictures from the event … please email them to me so I can post them!!!

pièce de ré·sis·tance n. pl. 1. An outstanding accomplishment: “The bison is an evolutionary pièce de résistance, the result of thousands of years of genetic development under the toughest weather and geographical conditions” B.J. Roche. 2. The principal dish of a meal.

Monday brought yet another day of prowling the floor of the NRA show – indulging in countless foods such as gelattos, chocolate truffles, gourmet cheeses, lots of artisan breads, pizzas, soups, dips, sandwiches, more cheeses, more chocolates, more breads … and every type pf cuisine you could imagine. On top of all that food, I also had the opportunity to have lunch with the Illinois Restaurant Association. We were served a lovely salad of fresh greens, yellow raisins, toasted pine nuts, a huge brick of goat cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette. The main course was Chicken Marsala over basil orso pasta. Surprisingly (for it being meat) … I gobbled down the dish. To finish it off, we were served a rather large individual apple tart, finished with a thick cinnamon whipped cream and fresh berries.

NOW ON TO THE IMPORTANT PART.

Once again, we left the show to embark upon yet another culinary tour of Chicago. This time the cuisine was mainly beer.

First Stop: The Gage, a restaurant and tavern situated on Michigan avenue directly across from Millenium Park. Newly opened, The Gage is known for its upscale comfort food, fine wines, boutique beers and whiskeys in a sultry and vintage decor.

I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc — but before I could enjoy it I was stolen away to meet two very important people in the world of beer. Both are with the country’s leading importer of fine beers — Merchant Du Vin — and are known nationally (if not internationally) for being beer connoisseurs. In fact, both also serve as beer consultants to hotels, restaurants, bars and the like.

Merchant du Vin sets the strictest standards for the beers that bear our importing label. All Merchant du Vin beers are “authentic”—meaning they are naturally made, without chemicals, additives, or preservatives (sometimes referred to as “adjuncts”). Secondly, the beer must be an outstanding representative of its style, and produced by a brewery of superb reputation. As a result of these standards, Merchant du Vin’s benchmark breweries appear on nearly every list of the top beers in the world.

After listening to me rattle on about my beer blog and passion for beer, the younger of the two beer gurus (a local Chicagoan) found it pertinent to give me a proper beer tour of Chicago. Of course, I could not resist, and so my coworker and I piled into his car for a most memorable beer experience.

Second Stop (although the first of the beer tour): Clark St. Ale House. Unfortunately, we could only srounge up enough meter money for a half an hour – so our time here was brief. My beer of choice was the Southern Tier IPA, which was served in a pretty small Brandy sifter. During the first half of its consumption, the beer was too cold to really embrace its true flavor. My beer guru companion informed me that the whole point of the brandy sifter was so that I could warm the beer in my hands. By the time I reached the end of the glass, the beer reached a desirable temperature and was quite enjoyable.

While at Clark St. Ale House, I had the opportunity to purchase “The Beer Enthusiast’s Guide to Chicago.” Although it is slightly outdated, the content of the guide was extremely well organized and helpful. Unfortunately, it is very rare to find and I was extremely lucky that I could procure a copy. And the icing on the cake? The bartender informed me that the author of the guide was none other than my beer guru companion sitting next to me. How about them apples?

Third Stop: Goose Island Brew Pub – Clybourn. Now, if being given the beer tour of Chicago by one of its most renowned beer connoisseurs wasn’t awesome enough already – at Goose Island we were accompanied by one of the world’s leading writers on beer. (Names will be added when permission is granted).

My first beer: Reserve Imperial IPA 9.0% ABV “At Goose Island, we live and die by hops. With our Imperial IPA, we pushed the hop limit to the extreme. We took three of our favorite hops, Tettnang, Simcoe and Cascade and balanced their spiciness with tons of malt… then we added more hops and more malt until this beer was exploding with citrus aromas and flavors… you’ll smell the hops from a yard away. What will surprise you is how drinkable it is. Served in a Tulip.” The Beer Wench gives it two thumbs up!!!

My second beer: Saison ‘08 6.5% ABV “Brewed by our Fulton brewers here at LPB, Saison is a Belgian-style farmhouse ale traditionally brewed in the cooler months for summer consumption. The Saison strain of yeast works at warmer temperatures and produces unique fruity and spicy aromatics with slight tart character.” This was the first time that I had ever tasted this particular style. The Beer Wench takeaway? It definitely has a unique earthy (manuresque) characteristic. According to Wikipedia, “what truly makes saisons unique is the fermentation which is closer to a red wine fermentation. Taking place at temperatures upwards of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), these ales are incredibly phenolic; peppery, floral, often reminiscent of the spice found in a bordeaux wine.” As a lover of bordeaux wine, my palate is inclined to prefer saisons as well. I look forward to further exploration.

Food wise, we enjoyed the fresh baked pretzels (cheddar jalapano and regular) as well as the sausage and cheese plates (complete with artisan bread and olives).

Fourth Stop: The Map Room, “A Traveler’s Tavern: Don’t Get Lost.” Traveling with “celebrities” definitely has its perks. Especially traveling with beer celebs on a beer tour. At the map room, my coworker and I were given a personalized no holds bar beer tasting led by the pros.

And here are the beers … (drum roll please):

1. To drink, we all started out with the De Ranke XXBitter … aka “a really f*ing hoppy beer.” Delicious. It got better as the night progressed and the beer became warmer.

2. Saison Du Pont, “a barnyard ale. Brewed in spring to last throughout the summer in order to fuel the workers.” We used this beer to cleanse our palate and jump start the tasting. Once again, I’m very intrigued by the Saison style.

3. Lindeman’s Gueze Cuvee Renee, “ Possibly the oldest beer, Gueuze, or Geuze, (pronounced “GOO-za”) is unseasoned, wild-fermented wheat beer. The brewers blend aged lambic and younger lambic, to taste, and a bottle refermentation occurs after capping. It is highly coveted by gourmands in Belgium who lay it in their cellars like wine. Golden color, cidery, winey palate; reminiscent, perhaps, of bubbly dry vermouth with a more complex and natural flavor. Style—Gueuze Lambic.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

Numbers four and five were tasted side by side, as they are different variations of the same style from a brewery called Westmalle. “Bottle-conditioned Dubbel and Tripel Trappist Ales brewed by the Abbey of Westmalle, one of only seven Trappist breweries in the world. The monastery is located in the village of West Malle, Province of Antwerp, Belgium, and was founded in 1794. Both the Dubbel and the Tripel are considered by many tasters as the benchmarks for the style. Westmalle Dubbel was first brewed for consumption within the Abbey around 1836; Westmalle Tripel was introduced in 1934.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

4. Westmalle Trapist Tripel Ale, ” Glowing orange-gold color, herbal aroma, and complex flavors that meld rich malt sweetness, warmth, hops, and powerful drinkability.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

5. Westmalle Trapist Dubbel Ale, “Brown-amber color, subtle dark-malt aroma balanced by Belgian yeast character. Deeply malty, with a subtle and dry finish that hints at tropical fruit.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

6. ORVAL, “Brewed and bottle-conditioned at Orval monastery founded in the 1100s in the pastoral Belgium countryside. Fermenting three times with three different malts and two types of hops give great character and complexity. This vintage-dated chardonnay of the beer world can be cellared up to five years. Sunset-orange color; a fruity and slightly acidic bouquet, firm body, profound hop bitterness, and long, dry finish.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

7. Samuel Smith IPA, “The rich Samuel Smith strain of yeast at The Old Brewery dates from the early 1900s. Hops are hand-weighed by the master hop blender, and the brewing water is drawn from a well sunk over 200 years ago. First introduced to the U.S. market in 1978 by Merchant du Vin, Samuel Smith beers quickly became the benchmark ales for the emerging craft beer movement. To this day, they remain among the most awarded. All Samuel Smith beers are vegan products, registered with The Vegan Society. Samuel Smith’s IPA: A restrained maltiness and an emphasis on the aroma and flavor of hops from England’s finest vineyards.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

8. Three Floyd’s Boheameth, “A massive American Barley Wine; caramel-sequel and hoppy appeals.”

Fifth Stop: Delilah’s, “one of the great whisky bars of the world.”

According to Center Stage Chicago, “Delilah’s owner Mike Miller is to whiskey what Hemingway claimed to be to bullfighting—an aficionado. He not only runs the bar with hands-down the biggest selection of whiskeys in the city (he advertises more than 300, and the specialty is, yep, bourbon), but has written scholarly articles and given lectures on whiskey around the country. From his resume, the uninitiated might think Miller runs a quiet, cigar-and-snooker type joint, but Delilah’s rocks. With DJ styles ranging from punk Mondays to play-your-demo Thursdays, the music is eclectic, and loud.” The owner spent the evening sitting at the table with us. As for beer, I savored a Samuel Smith’s IPA while having the opportunity to taste some truly exquisite Bourbon.

Overall, this was one of the coolest beer experiences I have ever had. It was my best beer experience in Chicago, by far. I am very excited to have important friends in the beer world and look forward to them playing mentor to me.

Thank you to all those people who made this night as awesome as it was, you rock!

(There will be an official “fancy” craft beer tasting during the earlier portion of the evening.)

WHAT: Beer, Burgers, Brats & BBQ With The Wench

WHO: The Wench & EVERYONE who A. loves beer B. likes beer C. hates beer but wants to come out

WHERE: Benjamin Lamb’s house (message me or Ben for the address.) NOTE: Ben has a hot tub in his backyard, so bathing suits are suggested.

WHEN: SATURDAY, MAY 10th. The festivities will commence at 4pm and the official beer tasting with take place at 6pm. (Stragglers are free to come whenever). Beer and food will be flowing all evening.

WHY: To celebrate the nice weather!!! (Why taste beers inside when you can do it outside?) PLUS, few foods accompany beer than some smoky BBQ deliciousness!!!

HOW: Bring something to throw on the grill and/or a side dish or dessert. For those who wish to participate in the tasting, bring your favorite “fancy shmancy” craft beer(s) to share and taste with the group! Everyone else, feel free to bring your beverage of choice!

“Drink With The Wench” Background
My ultimate goal for this group is to start up a gathering for fellow beer lovers and hopheads in the Columbus area. The invite is open to anyone and everyone interested in learning about and drinking beer. Ideally, I’d love to meet up with people who are more knowledgeable about beer than I am — and are willing to assist me in my voyage to beer connoisseur land.

I intend on this being a great social forum and conversation starter for beer lovers across all levels of expertise. Even if you do not know me, I still encourage you to come out and play. Everyone that has turned out has had much fun thus far.

There have been lots of new faces meeting me out, as well as some lovely regulars. I’m really enjoying meeting new people and sharing great conversation!

As always, I will be bringing along copies of a tasting sheet I found at Ratebeer.com. It helps serve as a great learning tool and conversation facilitator.

The goal of the event was to create a “Community Inspired Beer Menu.” The concept is rather simple. Let Columbus citizens choose the beers they want Tip Top to offer on its beer menu. Let them also choose the ones that should be discontinued.

The turnout was great. Roughly 24 local citizens showed up for the event, 20 of which participated in the beer tasting. The tasting was officially led by Andy, a representative from the Columbus based beer distributor Premium Beverage Supply. Of course, true to her nature, The Beer Wench had some input to provide.

Participants tasted six different beers, three from the current Tip Top menu and three new beers. In order to preserve anonymity and ensure genuine voting, the beers were placed in random order and the tasters were not informed which of the three beers were new. After all six beers has been tasted, the tasters were asked to vote for their top three favorites — essentially, which three of the six beers should be offered on the Tip Top beer menu. Beers chosen by the group will be featured as local selections.

The order of beer tasted was as follows:

1. Southern Tier Brewing Company: HOP SUN. American Pale Wheat Ale, 4.30% ABV, Summer release. Commercial Description: Pour Hop Sun Summer Wheat Beer into a pint glass, give it a long whiff and you’ll realize that this isn’t your average wheat beer. Filtered to a golden clarity and dry-hopped to perfection, Hop Sun is a fantastic session ale in which flavors of wheat, barley and hops co-mingle to a refreshing and zesty conclusion. Hints of lemon and sweet malts waft to the fore as a touch of bitterness contributes to Hop Sun’s bright finish. Enjoy Hop Sun all summer long as a perfect balance to your outdoor recreation. Summer never tasted so good.

2. Flying Dog: Garde Dog Bierre de Garde. German Pilsner, Belgian Biscuit, 5.5% ABV, Spring release. Commercial Description: Proving the French may actually know something we don’t… Garde Dog is a traditional French Biere de Garde or “beer for keeping”. This classic farmhouse ale was brewed in March for drinking during the spring and summer months. With it’s toasted aroma and spicy, malty sweetness Garde Dog will liberate you from the winter doldrum.

3. Southern Tier Brewing Company: Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale. American Pale Ale, 5.6% ABV. Commercial Description: When Phin and Matt sat down to collaborate on their new beer, they knew it had to be different if they were to call it extraordinary. “Let sprinkle it with fairy dust and wave our magic wands,” said Phin. “No way,” said Matt, “We’ve got to do better than that. This beer has to be better than any other in the galaxy.” “Let’s do some market research.” So the two strapped on their rocket pack packs and traveled to the intergalactic beer store. After sampling an array of beers from acrossed the galaxy, the duo hit on an idea. “I’ve got it” exclaimed Matt, “we’ll use vast amounts of whole hops, the finest malt, and put a little more love in every batch.” “Eureka!” shouted Phin. And thus became a beer so fresh and tasty the duo put their names on it. 37 IBU’s, 5.6% ABV

4. Flying Dog Brewery: Old Scratch Amber Lager. Amber Lager, 5.4% ABV. Commercial Description:
Ideal for the Lager drinker who prefers amber beers, the “Scratch” is a smooth, malt-accentuated lager. Brewed in the “Steam-Style” tradition, scratch is a so-called hybrid beer that is fermented at medium temperatures to develop some ale and lager characteristics. Ingredients: Water; Malted barley; Malted wheat; Hops.

5. Fort Collins Brewing Retro Red. A Classic Ruby Red Ale, 5.2% ABV. Commercial Description:
Retro Red, our hoppiest Specialty Ale, has a ruby red color and a distinct malty flavor, unlike any of our other brews.

6. Lagunitas: The Censored. Rich Copper Ale, 5.9%. Commercial Description: Anyway, we were going out to, uh,the ,uh, you know, thing, and all, and when we got there, well, uh, the dude was, like- “whoa man!” I mean, and we were all, uh, you know – “whoa!” and stuff, and when I said to him, like, you know, “hey man”, and all they, I mean he, was all “what?” and stuff- and I just told him what you said and all and they were all man- “not cool dude”, but whatever- so, uh, we split and went back to my lair and just hung out and whatever, but the whole thing was, like, just SUCH a bummer and all but, you know, it was cool and stuff, but you just gotta, you know, about the dude and all, like, it’s cool and all you know, but what’s up with that “blah blah blah”? Whatzit got to do with beer and all? I mean, really, dude, whatever…but, it’s cool and all…

And the results? The number one choice was almost unanimous with 16 of the 20 eligible votes. The favorite of the evening was Hop Sun, the summer seasonal wheat ale from Souther Tier Brewing Company. This beer has not been previously offered at Tip Top! In close second was Flying Dog’s Old Scratch Amber Lager, followed by third place winner Lagunitas Censored Ale. Both Old Scratch and Censored are currently on the beer menu at Tip Top, and will remain there for the time being.

As a result of feedback from its community, Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails will be offering a new seasonal beer — Hop Sun — on its beer menu and it will be continuing to offer two of its current beers — Censored and Old Scratch. All three winners will be on some sort of seasonal promotion.

Last but not least, I would like to send a huge THANK YOU out to Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, Andy from Premium and all the members of the community who came out for the beer tasting! It was truly a success!!!

There are plans for more tastings in the works, so keep your eyes and ears open for Beer Wench announcements. (We have a potluck grill-out coming up as well as a beer tasting with Surly Girl Saloon and possible one with Studio 35.)

About Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails
A tipsy downtown neighborhood bar featuring Ohio Comfort Food, mean whiskey concoctions, draught microbrews, pinball, smiling faces, whiskey, Columbus pride, great local and not-so-local music, Cafe Brioso coffee and delicious pies. Located in the heart of downtown Columbus: The Independent Art Capital of the World!

http://www.tiptopcolumbus.com/

About The Columbus Beer Wench
The Columbus Beer Wench is a local Columbus based beer blog written by Ashley Routson. With the creation of “Drink With The Wench,” Ashley has been successfully closing the gap between the interactive realms of social media with the real world Columbus community.

http://www.thecolumbuswench.wordpress.com

LOCAL RESTAURANT TEAMS UP WITH LOCAL BEER BLOGGER FOR UNIQUE BEER TASTINGS

COLUMBUS, Ohio – COLUMBUS, OH April 4, 2008 – Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails has joined forces with local beer blogger, The Columbus Beer Wench, to develop an original beer tasting initiative.

With the goal of becoming more educated on the world of beer, The Columbus Beer Wench invites blog readers to join in her venture towards becoming a beer connoisseur. As of this February, The Wench has been hosting informal beer tastings with local citizens at a various local establishments.

The Beer Wench recently reached out to the owners of Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails for potential collaboration. Known for consistently listening and responding to the wants and needs of its community, Tip Top owners Liz and Tim Lessner jumped at the opportunity to support its local beer loving population.

In turn, Tim Lessner reached out to The Beer Wench for local input on Tip Top’s beer menu.

This past Friday, The Beer Wench met with Tim and Steve, Tip Top bar manager, to brainstorm ideas. The three minds collaborated to create the distinctive concept of a “community inspired beer menu”.

The concept is rather simple. Let Columbus citizens choose the beers they want Tip Top to offer on its beer menu. Let them also choose the ones that should be discontinued.

Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, in conjunction with The Columbus Beer Wench, invites the citizens of Columbus to explore this new concept on Sunday, April 20th. The inaugural Tip Top “Drink With The Wench” will take place from 5pm until 8pm. The event will cost $15 dollars a head and includes the beer, various appetizers and Tip Top’s infamous sweet potato fries.

Tasters will sample six different beers, three from the current Tip Top menu and three new beers. Each person will have the opportunity to provide input to which of the current beers should be discontinued and which of the new beers should be offered on the Tip Top beer menu. Beers chosen by the group will be featured as local selections. All guests are encouraged to stay and socialize further after the tasting. As always, the kitchen and bar will be open till close.

The Columbus Underground has also volunteered to collaborate as a partner in this effort.

About Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails
A tipsy downtown neighborhood bar featuring Ohio Comfort Food, mean whiskey concoctions, draught microbrews, pinball, smiling faces, whiskey, Columbus pride, great local and not-so-local music, Cafe Brioso coffee and delicious pies. Located in the heart of downtown Columbus: The Independent Art Capital of the World!

http://www.tiptopcolumbus.com/

About The Columbus Beer Wench
The Columbus Beer Wench is a local Columbus based beer blog written by Ashley Routson. With the creation of “Drink With The Wench,” Ashley has been successfully closing the gap between the interactive realms of social media with the real world Columbus community.

http://www.thecolumbuswench.wordpress.com