Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Cheesed Off

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Tuesday night the Bistro in Hayward, California, held one of the most unique and fun cheese pairing events I’ve ever attended. It was called The Bistro’s North County Cheese-Off. What owner Vic Krajl did was pick five cheeses and then asked five breweries from north of San Francisco — Bear Republic, Lagunitas, Marin, North Coast and Russian River — to pick the beer they made that they felt was the best pairing with each cheese.

So it was essentially five flights. At our table we’d get a generous portion of a cheese and then five beer samples, one from each brewery. They were unmarked so we did not know which beers we were being served, only the cheese. So, in turn, you’d take a bit of cheese and then try a beer. Then another nibble and the next beer, and so on. So our job was not to find the best beer, but which one complemented or contrasted the cheese best. It’s good they gave us a lot of each cheese, because you’d keep going back and forth, eliminating here and there, but then often struggling with your two favorites trying to determine which one you liked the most. It was a very illuminating and educational way to approach pairing cheese and beer. Someone from each brewery was also there, and it was interesting to get their thoughts after the event. I’d definitely try this again, as it made the experience much richer and you left feeling not only satiated, but like you learned something, too.


Bistro proprietor Vic Krajl cutting the cheese.


The North County Cheese-Off was a sold-out event and even filled up the bar, too.


Our third cheese, Tomme De Brebis, a sheep cheese.


Rich Norgrove, from bear Republic.


The final cheese, Humboldt Fog, a goat cheese.


After choosing our favorite from each round, we handed in our scorecards and they tallied up the results to determine which pairings were the most popular. A prize was awarded to whoever correctly predicted the most popular choices. Only one person, this gentlemen, chose all five most popular. While I’d argue that most popular doesn’t necessarily mean best, especially since people’s tastes and palates vary widely, it was still a fund way to wrap up the evening and determine at least what a majority of people thought about the choices. Below is a list of each of the cheeses along with the beer pairings chosen by each brewery and then what was determined to be the most popular. The beer in bold was chosen as most popular and italics indicates my personal choice, in case you’re interested.
 

Cheese No. 1: Manchego (sheep)

  1. Bear Republic: Peter Brown Tribute Ale
  2. Lagunitas: Pale Ale
  3. Marin: Albion Amber
  4. North Coast: Brother Thelonius
  5. Russian River: Salvation

Cheese No. 2: Fromager D’Affinois (cow)

  1. Bear Republic: Heritage Ale
  2. Lagunitas: Pilsner
  3. Marin: Hefeweiss
  4. North Coast: Old Rasputin
  5. Russian River: Blind Pig

Cheese No. 3: Tomme De Brebis (sheep)

  1. Bear Republic: Raver 5
  2. Lagunitas: Brown Shugga
  3. Marin: Left End Unfiltered Pale Ale
  4. North Coast: Acme Pale Ale
  5. Russian River: Damnation (4 yr. old)

Cheese No. 4: Cahill Porter (cow) [Tie]

  1. Bear Republic: Red Rocket
  2. Lagunitas: The Hairy Eyeball
  3. Marin: Pt. Reyes Porter
  4. North Coast: Old Plowshare Stout
  5. Russian River: Supplication

Cheese No. 5: Humboldt Fog (goat)

  1. Bear Republic: Bubba
  2. Lagunitas: Ruben & the Jets
  3. Marin: Witty Monk
  4. North Coast: Le Merle Saison
  5. Russian River: Beatification

Hat’s off to Vic for coming up with such a simple yet effective new way to approach cheese and beer pairings. What fun. I hope to see more of this type of event in the future.

Bill Brand Still In ICU

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Bill’s Facebook page was updated this morning with the following message. “William is still in the ICU and his family thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers.” Bill’s wife, Daryl updated her own Facebook page last night that she is “sad to report that Bill is not getting better,” which is truly disheartening news.

Let’s all continue to send our best wishes and prayers for Bill’s recovery. For the last three nights out at SF Beer Week events, we’ve been conducting toasts at 7:00 p.m. I’d like to suggest that we continue that practice each night until Bill can join us in toasting his own health.

Also, as of this morning, there are 133 comments wishing Bill a speedy recovery on his Bottom’s Up blog. If you haven’t already done so, head over there and let him know he’s in your thoughts and prayers. It may not be much, but it’s all we can really do for now.

 
UPDATE 2.13 1:00 PM: Daryl Brand posted that there is “no change in Bill’s condition.” Damn.
 

Bob Lachky Leaving Anheuser-Busch

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Advertising Age — and for that matter, almost everybody else — broke the news yesterday that Anheuser-Busch’s Chief Creative Officer for over twenty years, Bob Lachky, will be leaving the company next month. According to Harry Schumacher, who’s rarely wrong I should add, said Lachky let the press know during a “conference call with reporters.” Most articles report that the decision to leave is not related to InBev’s acquisition of the company, but I have a hard time swallowing that entirely. Surely, it had something to do with it, but no executive ever says so in these situations. And Lachky was the consummate professional. I’d interviewed him several times and always enjoyed his perspective on the beer business. Lachy was also responsible for A-B’s successful Super Bowl advertising and helped create “‘Wassup?!,’ the Budweiser frogs and ‘Real Men of Genius,’ the most-awarded radio campaign in history.”

Curiously, A-B President Dave Peacock is quoted as saying they won’t be replacing Lachky, instead remarking “that rather than appoint a new chief creative officer, A-B will use a more ‘decentralized’ approach to creative development in the future, with marketing VP Keith Levy and various brand teams assuming many of his former responsibilities.” That sure sounds like InBev’s coast-cutting to me, eliminating a position and assigning the work to several individuals.

 

That’s me talking with Bob Lachky at an A-B reception during GABF a few years ago. Ironically, the person on the right edge of the photo with his back to the camera is my friend and colleague Bill Brand, who’s still in bad shape at SF General Hospital after being struck by a San Francisco Muni train Sunday night. (Photo by Banjo Bandolas)

 

Triple Rock Rolls Out the Barrels

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Yesterday Triple Rock Brewery in Berkeley, California held its second small beer festival, this one all barrel-aged beers. The first, on Sunday, was sour beers and I would have loved to have been at that one, but couldn’t miss the Lagunitas Beer Circus (and once I finish posting all the photos and videos from that beer circus, you’ll understand why, too). Happily, Triple Rock did have a few sour beers left over from Sunday, and I sampled as many as I could, in additional to the many barrels they had available. It was a great event, as I love small festivals that focus on one type of beer, allowing you to really taste the range within that category, be it a style or what have you. There can’t be too many niche festivals to my way of thinking. It’s the difference between a stadium concert (beer festival) and a show in an intimate club (niche festival). Which would you rather attend? Both have their place, but I almost always prefer the small affair.

Rodger Davis, brewmaster at Triple Rock, up on the rooftop patio with an assortment bottled barrel-aged beers.

Tom Dalldorf, Celebrator Beer News publisher, did attend the sour tasting on Sunday, and was kind enough to share a few snapshots.

Sunday at Triple Rock, tasting sour beers.

Pete Slosberg and Justin Crossley having a friendly sour discussion. Justin runs The Brewing Network, and did a great report about the opening events of SF Beer Week that includes a podcast of my opening toast at Anchor Brewer and an interview with me and Vic Krajl of The Bistro.

 

East vs. West Slam Dinner

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It was an evening of music, poetry, rapping and fun topped off with great food and beer at the “Wanna Git My Eastern Peanut Butter In Yer Western Chocolate” beer dinner, a.k.a. an East vs. West Slam with Dogfish Head and 21st Amendment. In between five courses, Sam Calagione and Shaun O’Sullivan took turns humorously dissing each others’ coast and the beers from each. I’m kicking myself that none of us recorded any of it on video. It was hilarious. A great evening of merriment.
 

Sam Calagione, dressed as a west coaster and Shaun O’Sullivan trying to look respectfully eastern.

 

For more photos from the East vs. West Slam Dinner with San Calagione and Shaun O’Sullivan, visit the photo gallery.
 

Moylan’s Whisky! Beer! Cheese! Chocolate!

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Moylan’s Monday definitely was, as they described it, “a beer and a shot kind of afternoon” at Noonan’s Bar & Grill in Larkspur, California.

Come meet Brendan Moylan and Denise Jones of Moylan’s Brewing Company for a taste of the finest. Noonan’s is the definitive destination west of the Mississippi River for the world’s most distinguished whiskeys. Over 300 whiskeys are displayed ranging from the traditional to the rare, featuring Irish, Canadian, American, Rye, Bourbon and Micro-Distilled favorites. The 80 foot bar features the craft brewed beers from Moylan’s Brewery and Marin Brewing Company, as well as an extensive wine collection. Join us as we celebrate SF Beer Week at Noonan’s with fine whiskey, spectacular Moylan’s beer, delicious cheese and delectable chocolate.

What a fun, laidback event. Considering it was a Monday afternoon, it was especially gratifying to see the bar fill up. Moylan and Jones poured beer and whisky samples, and passed around large plates filled with delicious samples of local cheeses and chocolates, all made in Marin County.

Denise and Brendan tending to us and making sure our glasses had something tasty to try in them.

Brendan Moylan two-fisting two of life’s greatest pleasures; beer and whisky.

 

Bill Brand’s Condition Stable

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I got a brief note from Daryl Brand, Bill’s wife, who let me know this morning that the doctors have told her that Bill is in stable condition, which is very good news. She’s promised to post updates on Bill’s Facebook page as she learns more.

Let’s all continue to send our best wishes and prayers for Bill’s recovery.

UPDATE: Found out the following from a reporter friend (thanks again, Brent) who heard back from a colleague at the Contra Costa Times. Bill has apparently had surgery to relieve pressure in his brain. He has a broken bone in his neck but no others were broken. His lungs are struggling, still somewhat critical I’m afraid, but he’s stable all the same.

 

Bill Brand Hit By Muni Train

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A reporter friend (thanks Brent) just sent me this terrible news. Bill Brand, longtime Bay Area beer writer and reporter with the Oakland Tribune, was critically injured last night when he was struck by a Muni train near Pac Bell Park south of 21st Amendment in San Francisco where he had just left to catch a ride to BART. The following information was posted on his Bottoms Up column in the Oakland Tribune.

Bill Brand was in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital after he was hit about 9:10 p.m. Sunday, family members said.

He was was walking near Second and King streets when an N-Judah train struck him, according to the San Francisco Municipal Railway.

In his career with the Tribune, Brand covered a host of topics for the newspaper, including crime and science. After leaving the paper in July, he continued to write a regular beer column titled “What’s on Tap” and contribute to the Bottoms Up blog.

At Bottoms Up, they’re asking to hear from “blogging buddies, commenters and community members in the comments section so they “can pass your best wishes as soon as we’re able to share them.” Let’s do our part to inundate him well wishes.

Bill is a terrific person and an asset to the Bay Area’s beer community, a tireless champion. I’ve been with him at events three out of the last four days, so I can hardly believe this news. With everyone here in the Bay Area for SF Beer Week, let’s all stop for a moment tonight, say at 7:00 p.m. and drink a toast to Bill and especially for a speedy recovery.

UPDATE: I got a call from Jesse Friedman of Beer & Nosh, who sat with Bill last night a dinner. By coincidence, he lies near the hospital and stopped by to see Bill and find out how he was doing. Jesse spoke to Bill’s wife and Bill is in a coma and his prognosis is not known at this time. As I learn more details, I’ll add them here.

UPDATE 2: Shaun O’Sullivan told me as Bill was leaving the 21st Amendment, he paused at the front door to dial a number on his mobile phone, then stepping into the night, turning left. He most likely called his wife, Daryl, s several reports indicate that, such as the following by Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury. “I spoke to his wife, and it sounds like he was on the phone with her just before the accident,” Dean Taylor [of the SF Police Dept.] said. “The train’s driver saw him, and he appeared to walk onto the track, where he was struck by the first eighth of the train, the part up front where passengers get on.”

Brand was knocked into a nearby pole by the impact, Taylor said.

 

Rob Tod Rocks The Trappist

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After the Double IPA Festival on Saturday, I stopped by The Trappist in Oakland to see Rob Tod from Allagash, who had flown in from Maine a few hours before. We got a call from him when he touched down while we judging at the festival. The week before, while attending a charity event and schlepping some kegs, Rob slipped on the ice and two full kegs smacked together on his hand, breaking three fingers, dislocating two, and flattening his wedding ring. He saved the ring with a pliers — now that’s love! I figured if he could endure all that and still fly in for SF Beer Week, the least I could do was drive a few miles to see him. He was in surprisingly good spirits, but that might easily have been his terrific beers showing their medicinal uses. I finally had a chance to try the collaboration beer, Fedeltá, that he made with the brewers from De Struise. After a day of Double IPAs, it was a welcome change, and quite delicious.

No two-fisted drinking for 6-8 weeks.

 

Beer in Art #14: The Tibetan Barley Beer Song

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I’ve been trying to present a mix of old master and contemporary art featuring beer. If art is a reflection of real life, then beer should — and is — as much a part of art as any other aspect of our lives. That beer is also an art and craft all its own I think magnifies its importance, because it then becomes art reflecting art. Today’s painting is by a Tibetan artist by the name of Zhungde. The painting is titled “Barley Beer Song,” and depicts three women engaged it what appears to be some sort of ritual.

 

The painting was completed in 2001 and is 100 x 100 cm (or about 40 x 40 in.), making it not too large. That’s really all I know about it.

As for beer in Tibet, it’s traditionally an unhopped barley beer known as Chhaang, or more often simply Chang.

From Wikipedia:

Barley, millet (finger-millet) or rice is used to brew the drink. Semi-fermented seeds of millet are served, stuffed in a barrel of bamboo called the Dhungro. Then boiling water is poured and sipped through a narrow bore bamboo pipe called the Pipsing.

When the boiled barley has gone cold, some yeast or dried barm is added and it is left to stand for 2 or 3 days when fermentation begins when it is called glum. The barm consists of flour and, in Balti, at least, often has ginger and aconite added to it. After fermentation is complete, some water is added to it and is then ready for use.

“If proper care is taken (and the people of Ü and Ladakh generally do so), the pale beer, thus obtained, is not amiss, and sparkles a good deal, but not being hopped it does not keep long.”

In Lahaul and some other places the glum is pressed out by hand instead of by filtering, making quite a cloudy drink. The residue of malt can be pressed through a strainer and then mixed with water or milk and used instead of barm in baking bread or cakes.

Near Mt. Everest chaang is made by passing hot water through the fermenting barley, and is then served in a big pot and drunk through a wooden straw.

In Nepal, it is called tongba by the Limbus. There is another term called jand which refers to the turbid liquor obtained by leaching out the extract with water from the fermented mash. Unlike chhang or tongba, it is liberally served in large mugs. These alcoholic beverages are prepared by using traditional starter called murcha. Murcha is prepared by using yeast and mold flora of wild herbs in cereal flours.

The brew tastes like ale. Alcohol content is quite low, but it produces an intense feeling of heat and well-being, ideal for enduring the temperatures which go well below freezing in winter.

Most accounts say that’s it’s aromatic, sweet and low in alcohol. Singing and drinking seems to figure quite prominently in Tibetan culture and is a fixture in virtually all holidays and celebrations.

Here are the lyrics to just one of their folk songs sung in celebrations.

May you have long life,
may the house be filled with grain,
May you have the good fortune
to make use of this abundance.

The China Tibet Tourism Board adds an interesting tidbit about drinking customs in Tibet:

As a guest, one should use the third finger of the right hand to dip into beer or wine three times and flick it up to the sky to show the respect to heaven, the earth and the older generations. When the host serves the wine or beer, after the three dips, drink a little, the host will fill up your glass and do like this three times, the fourth time is bottoms up if you are able.

So it seems clear that Zhungde is reflecting an important aspect of Tibetan life, and how beer figures into it. Knowing now about Chang, one assumes that the three women are singing in celebration and enjoying the barley beer as a part of that celebration.

From Zhungde’s biography at Gendun Choephel Artists’ Guild:

In my childhood, there were some odd pictures always emerging in my dreams, I do not remember the concrete contents of the dream, but visible or invisible appearance of these forms always entwine with my soul together, often making me fidgety. Later one day I unintentionally drew a few sketches and my heart started to feel calm, and had an indescribable pleasant feeling, then I took the paintbrushes and another world was discovered.

I do not understand what is art, and do not want to understand, and I feel only to paint, and this lets me feel happy, and I paint to pursue a simple, innocent life. Emphasizing this kind of emotion, I paint in fact to examine my own heart, pacify my uneasy emotion. I and the canvas rightly meet each other in the process of seeing one’s soul. If I can’t paint, life seems to be pale and meaningless, because painting has already constituted my life and it has become indispensably part of myself.

Regardless of any circumstances, I would continue to paint for ever.

There’s precious little additional information about Zhungde and only one more painting at his Artist’s Main Page, called Sisters and Peaceful Wind gallery has a third Zhungde painting, Crowded Train.