This blog is about beer and life.
Import snobs?
The New York Daily News recently had an interview with a Beer Sommelier to talk about what some restaurants are serving to celebrate Oktoberfest.
The Daily Grind: He has a head for beer
Admittedly, the article is brief and not really to educate anyone. But what struck me is that every beer mentioned is an import. Every one.
Any beers you love that we can’t get here yet?
Maybe a real, serious barley wine – a Scottish barley wine. Those are generally very, very strong beers that you sip almost at room temperature as a nightcap or as dessert or with dessert. They’re sweet. They’re strong. They’re winey. They’re winey beers. There are several of them that are imported, but not a real one in the traditional style.
So…there are no American barleywines that would fit the bill? I’m not being Nationalistic here. How is it possible that a so-called beer expert doesn’t consider any beers from the United States?
Somebody give this guy Garrett Oliver’s business card.
About the author
Forty-something, married, with two kids. I generally prefer the English styles - ESB, IPA - but am willing to try just about anything. You can reach me at al@hop-talk.com.
| Print article | This entry was posted by Al on October 16, 2007 at 3:20 PM, and is filed under Beer, Off-topic. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
No trackbacks yet.
NFL vs. Cable… We Lose, Pubs Win
about 2 years ago - 3 comments
Anyone who reads this beer blog and is an American football fan has undoubtedly already heard about the big game this Thursday, Dallas (10-1) vs. Green Bay (10-1), and the sad situation that most fans will not be able to watch the game because it is being broadcast on the NFL Network which most cable
Dear restaurateurs: Stop icing the beer glasses
about 3 years ago - 4 comments
I know you think your customers want it, but they don’t. The ones that are beer geeks (like me) just wish you wouldn’t, while the others are missing out on the flavor of their beer just because they don’t know any better. I’m not the only one who thinks so. Ask around anywhere in the
about 2 years ago
Of course it’s worth pointing out that American barleywines are a horse of a different color, generally. Quoting BeerAdvocate: “English varieties are quite different from the American efforts, what sets them apart is usually the American versions are insanely hopped to make for a more bitter and hop flavored brew, typically using American high alpha oil hops.”
Personally, I don’t care at all for American-style barleywines, and I’ve only seen a handful of American breweries who make an English-style, so the comment seems valid to me.
Can’t comment on the rest of the article, since I’m at work and don’t have time to read it, but in general, American styles are pretty different (not necessarily worse, of course – but different). And obviously, we always crave what’s not readily available to us.
about 2 years ago
He’s a foreigner with some of the usual bias. A clown shoes wine geek with a white belt. Bah humbug.
about 2 years ago
First of all, I hate the term “barley wine.” Why does it have to be compared to wine, anyway? Let’s call it “old ale” (yeah, I know they’re different styles, but old ale is pretty flexible) and be done with wine for the rest of our lives. Second, I concur fully with Al. There are plenty of big, malty and alcoholy beers here in America that make great digestifs–and not all of them are hoppy. The first that comes to mind is Founders Old Ale, a giant, malty monster that is low on the hops. Capital Brewing’s Eisphyre is an eisbock with tons of alcohol and sweetness, and–like all of their brews–no hops to speak of. Sprecher’s barley wine is decent if not spectacular, and Great Lakes Brewing has Nosferatu, an old ale that is pretty damn good. So, yeah, people in the culinary trade tend to be Euro-centric. It has a niche, but definitely not in the “barley wine” department!
about 2 years ago
How about unfiltered Czech pilsner. That’s pretty rare over here.
How about Kolsch, altbier or any of a number of regional beers from Germany that just aren’t very common in the U.S.
I’d have trouble finding any of those on a regular basis.
In the guy’s defense, though, maybe he’s referring to some specific and very distinctive Scottish barley wine that isn’t exported to the U.S.
Whatever it is, I’d like to try it!