I arrived at Old Town Beer Exchange in downtown Huntsville eager to find a good beer to review. My malty sweet tooth was in control, so when I saw Florence's Singin' River had a doppelbock out, I immediately knew I would be taking a crowler of Orchestrator home with me.
Shortly after getting home, the crowler was popped open and the clear copper brew was poured into a glass. I may have been a bit timid with the pour but I expected a little bit more than the very thin cap which never quite melted away. It seemed to be mostly made up for the fact that it left plenty of white lacing on the glass.
I got a general sweet smell when I first brought the pint glass to my face. As I drank more, I could discern caramel and a bit of booze. I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of aroma. I decide to leave the crowler on the counter to warm up in hopes of eliciting a stronger aroma on my second glass. Sure enough, the aroma bloomed as it warmed. The caramel still dominated, but I started to pick up some vague dark fruit aromas (kinda plum-ish) along with a char affectation to the caramel sweetness. The warming definitely helped. It wasn't a night and day difference, though. The second glass seemed like a more fuller experience.
Beer is made of these core ingredients: barley/malt, hops, water, and yeast. In this blog post, I'll be writing about malt and some of what I've been reading in Robert Moser's Tasting Beer. First off, barley is the grain of choice for making beer, although other options exist. But regular old barley isn't in a good condition for releasing starches for making alcohol. Barley first needs to be malted.
First, barley is soaked in water for about 24 hours, or until it reaches 45% water content. The grain is pulled from the water and allowed to cool and dry. During this process, the grains will start to sprout. This growth and cracking of the shell is vital to getting what brewers want from the malted barley. The grain is then kilned to complete the drying process and to roast the grain to the desired darkness. It is possible to create two different malts of similar color but different flavors by varying the moisture content during kilning. If roasted dry, there will be a sharp, biscuit-like toastiness. If roasted moist, there is more of a toffee-like richness.
Fuller's London Porter, is widely regarded as the World's Finest Porter: having won awards all over the world, London Porter is regularly voted the number one Porter on beer websites such as www.ratebeer.com, a tremendous accolade to our brewing team.
Peacemaker is a simple beer taken seriously. It’s a light, flavorful, session beer. We see it as a “gateway beer” to craft brewing. Or, after you’ve had a few bolder brews and it’s time to downshift – pick up a Peacemaker. It’s Light, Balanced, and Smooth. (Description provided by company)
Brewed with well water (the original well at the Old Brewery, sunk in 1758, is still in use, with the hard well water being drawn from 85 feet underground); best barley malt, yeast and aromatic hops; fermented in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ to create a full, rounded flavor and after-taste.
Inspired by mild ales of the English railway boom, Samuel Adams Ruby Mild is a smooth, sweet, malty brew with a hint of ruby color and delicate hop note. (Description provided by company)
Turbodog® is a dark brown ale brewed with pale, caramel, and chocolate malts and Willamette hops. This combination gives Turbodog® its rich body and color and a sweet chocolate, toffee-like flavor.
Inspired by visits to English country pubs, Honker’s Ale combines a fruity hop aroma with a rich malt middle to create a perfectly balanced beer. Immensely drinkable, Honker’s Ale is not only the beer you can trust but one you’ll look forward to time and again.
A true English Barley wine. Big boozy bourbon and American oak aromas combine with soft chocolate malt undertones. Complex malt flavors framed in oak with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, toasted coconut and a touch of dark cherry. A sipping beer best served in a Brandy snifter.
Our bragget is named for Brother Adams, a monk from Buckfast Abbey who is credited with saving the bee industry. Braggets were virtually extinct as a style when we decided to try out our recipe.
Gonzo is big, bold, and beautiful like the man it was brewed in honor of – Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Flavor notes: Roasted chocolate, coffee, and vanilla malt flavors balanced with a unique hop bite Pairs with: Mushrooms; smoked meats, BBQ, and chili; hard cheese; chocolate and coffee desserts.
We’ve shaken up traditional tastes by brewing a spiced Belgian-style wheat ale with real orange, lemon and lime peels,and then added a little coriander spice to the mix.