Microbrewed Adventures - Charles Papazian [39]
When I asked Steve about his thoughts after having a few relaxing beers, he reflects, “It is so satisfying to get up every morning and go to work and make beer. There’s a tremendous amount of satisfaction when for example we received a call on our toll-free number printed on our six-pack cases, from a customer who left a message, ‘I love your beer. Thank you.’” Steve most appreciates beer fresh out of the brewer’s tank or tap, but realizes that this is not always accessible and notes, “I like hops, but I like balance in beers where I can taste a crisp malt character as well as delicate fermentation characters.”
Where do Morgan’s favorite beers take him when he finds time to relax? “A good, well-balanced pale ale with a good hop finish really is my usual preference. It doesn’t seem to matter what mood I’m in. When I’m able to relax and appreciate what the beer is telling me I think about getting away fishing, hiking and generally appreciating the outdoors.” He adds that he often thinks about small-time farmers, slowing down, decompressing and appreciating home.
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WOLAVER’S ORGANIC OATMEAL STOUT
This recipe shared by brewmaster Steve Parkes has been adapted for homebrewers. Caramel, nutlike and cocoa character accents this wonderfully balanced stout. Oatmeal provides body and a velvety texture. Adequate hops accent its thirst-soothing personality, while Cascade aromatics endure throughout the experience of this organic oatmeal stout. The recipe can be found in About the Recipes.
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And as a final thought, “Being a good citizen is a big part of where we’re going.”
THERE ARE many other great microbreweries across America making extraordinary beer. Beer festivals are a good place to find out what is new in beer and to try new flavors and brewers’ new adventures. I also recommend going to full-service beer stores that offer a wide variety of local and regional craft and microbrewed beers. In many states that are microbrew friendly you’ll be permitted to embark on your own adventure by putting together your own selection of mixed six-packs of beers. Mix a six of stouts or a six of bock beer. Seasonal six-packs from favorite breweries become an anticipated annual adventure for many. See how many different types of beer you can select for a mixed case. Just as you taste wine from a particular region, you can organize your own tasting of great regional beers, and at far less cost than a case of great wine…. For starters, check out these two websites for more info on beer festivals and what’s new in beer: www.realbeer.com and www.beertown.org.
CHAPTER 5
On the Road with Charlie
AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR I try to take a beer adventure. Sometimes it’s to Asia, Europe, Africa or down to South America, but more often than not I’m right in our American backyard encountering local beers with both hands at the ready. I’ve gone from North Dakota to Tennessee, the deep South, down East, the far West and all the way up to Alaska, tasting for the love of beer.
You might consider it part of a fairy tale or an evang-ale-cal passion I have to spread the word about the beer-wonderful world of flavor and diversity. Each trip is organized with the indispensable help of my association assistant Mark Snyder, who plans the details of every moment of the itinerary. But as beer is often a catalyst for digression, so is each trip. Every beer journey becomes a microbrewed adventure of meeting friends old and new; beers wonderful, mystical, complex and creative. Nowhere on the planet can you travel 100 miles and encounter so many different beers of such exquisite quality. It all becomes a blur sometimes. The line between homebrew, microbrew and craft brew evaporates. The journey simply becomes all about the beer. It’s a journey I’ve taken often and look forward to each time. The following stories recount some of those classic