Beer

Tim Prendergast is a Certified Cicerone® and the Assistant Beer Director and Cellarman at Meridian Pint.

I’ve said it in this space before and I’ll say it again right now; when it comes to beer, I can be a bit of an anglophile. I have a soft spot in my heart for British beer, particularly the low-alcohol “session beers” that often display great complexity at very low levels of alcohol. Which is why I was so excited when I learned that the boys at DC Brau were collaborating with Stephen Jones of Oliver Ales in Baltimore to brew a low-alcohol British-style beer. The beer would be called “Burial at Sea” and would be a mild ale. Mild ale, commonly known simply as mild is a low strength (3-4%), malt driven ale that is low in hop flavor and bitterness that showcases a complex interplay of malt and yeast flavors. In England these beers are usually served on cask and because of their low strength they are often sought out by those looking to have many pints in a night. It’s a style that is rarely brewed in the U.S. and one that I love, I think it’s a shame that we don’t see it more often.

Originally, I wanted to use this opportunity to write about the history of mild ale and it’s journey in England from a 6% alternative to porter in the 1860’s, through its decline in strength throughout the 20th century, and all the way to its more recent image as a drink for flat cap-wearing old men in dark pubs. I quickly realized that was probably going to bore almost everybody but myself. In an effort to spare you minutiae ridden brewing history, I decided to scrap that plan and just write about the beer itself.

“Burial at Sea” is a beer that blends the American and British brewing traditions that DC Brau and Oliver Ale represent so well. The malt is British, as well as the hops which are Fuggle and Challenger, but the yeast used is a classic American strain. This decision to use American yeast was a big one. British ale yeast is known for the fruity and sometimes butterscotchy flavors that it produces, as well as it’s ability to amplify complex malt flavors. American ale yeast on the other hand, is known for it’s clean flavor profile that allows malt and hops to speak for themselves. The decision to use American ale yeast is one that would definitely have a sizeable impact on the the flavor profile of the style at hand.

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Sam Fitz is a Certified Cicerone® and the Beer Director at Meridian Pint and Smoke & Barrel.

The DC beer community got a loud shout-out from the staff at Maxim magazine, who named the nation’s capital “Beer City of the Year” in their most recent edition. While the rapid rate of growth of our local beer scene is undeniable, cities like Philadelphia, Asheville, Chicago, San Francisco and San Diego have long had a hold on such accolades. Maxim catapulted DC to the front of the pack and cited its bars, breweries, and “gray market” as the primary factors. Bars and breweries? Obviously. The “gray market”? It may be what sets us apart from other US markets, but it is certainly not what makes DC such a great beer city.

The structure by which beer is sold in this country was born out of the failure of Prohibition. To keep brewers distanced from their consumers, beer must be sold first to a distributor and then to a retailer. This simple principle, the three-tier system, operates from coast to coast with few exceptions. The “gray market” in DC is one of them, and it is created by a provision in DC’s legal code:

An importation permit shall authorize the licensee to import, transport, or cause to be imported or transported, alcoholic beverages into the District. An importation permit shall be issued to the licensee under a retailer’s license, class A, B, C, or D, and a pool buying agent if the Board is satisfied that the alcoholic beverages bearing the same brand or trade name are not obtainable by the licensee from a licensed manufacturer or wholesaler in the District in sufficient quantity to reasonably satisfy the immediate needs of the licensee and when the licensee has paid the appropriate taxes.

What this essentially means is that if you have a restaurant in DC and desire to carry an alcoholic product not adequately supplied by the three-tier system, then you can procure it yourself, provided you give you the District its share in the form of taxes. The origins of this provision as well as its age are unknown to this author, but more than likely it was not enacted with craft beer in mind. Regardless of the reason, restauranteurs in DC are exercising their right to bring in products never before seen in our market.

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Right?

The Planet Chocolate City building is located at 3225 Georgia Ave, NW and has been vacant for years. Don’t you think this would make an awesome location for a Chocolate City Beer pub?

I’m happy to introduce Adventures of the 35 Year Old (Alcohol) Virgin. Since I personally had my first beer at 15 years old I was fascinated by Ben’s premise – “At 35 years old, I had never tasted, tried or drank an alcoholic drink of any kind. During 2012 that all changes drink by drink.” You can read more about the background here. For the first Vol. on PoP – AV will tackle Bud Light. If you have a drink you think he should try let us know in the comments. Follow all of his adventures here.

Bud Light

At first it was so much nicer than I expected it to be, almost enjoyable. But by the fourth sip I wanted to be f’ing done. I wanted a Sprite.

So the evening was all set. Joe and I headed over to our weekly dinner at our cousin’s Chris & Natalie and they were prepared to make dinner for my first beer—a classic starter beer—Bud Light. We had rustic grilled cheeses with several different cheeses to choose from, spinach, bacon and a few choice breads. And there was homemade tomato soup and some salad.

But I’m guessing you’re still stuck on “Bud Light”. Yes, yes, I know.

Let me quickly explain.

This journey, this Adventure, is a process. I will be trying at least 25+ beers on this little experiment during 2012 and so for me, it made sense to start with one of the most popular and common beers available to kick off my beer experience.

I had no regrets in my choosing, while many of you had several before I even had my first sip. And now I know why.

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