November Beer Club: Iowa

Posted on October 28, 2024 by mcginnessalex

Gueuzerie Tilquin
Oude Gueuze Tilquin à l’Ancienne, 375 ml
Rebecq, Région Wallonne Belgium

The (old-style) Oude Gueuze Tilquin à l’ancienne is a spontaneous fermentation beer obtained from the blending of one, two and three years old lambics. It is then re-fermented in the bottle for at least six months. The lambics used were fermented in their own oak barrels at the blendery. “Oude” in Flemish or “à l’ancienne” in French is an appellation protected by the EU and is restricted for traditional Belgian Gueuze in bottle. The taste is tart and dry, but has roundness that makes this Gueuze à l’ancienne particularly accessible for non-experts. It also has a slight bitterness due to the young oak barrels used, as they still release some tannins. It has a fresh lemony nose.

ABV: 7% alcohol / volume
IBU: 14
Style: Lambic – Gueuze
Beer Style: Fruity & Spicy

ABOUT THE BREWERY:
Gueuzerie Tilquin is the first Gueuze blendery in the Wallonne (Wallonia) region, with the company located in Bierghes (Rebecq). It started out in 2009 under the management of Pierre Tilquin. Pierre put his intensive background in brewing science to practice when Gueuzerie Tilquin was established. Lambic and Gueuze beers are some of its finest specialties. Shortly after the blendery began its operations, it started to grow its audience, particularly among craft beer enthusiasts who love sour beers. Gueuzerie Tilquin has great passion for blending beers, oak barrel aging and tedious fermentation that has always produced some of the finest flavors of beers. Learn more here, and follow them on Untappd.

Abbazia Tre Fontane
Tre Fontane Tripel, 11.2 oz
Roma (Rome), Lazio Italy

Crafted with a recipe from the Trappist Monks of the Tre Fontane (three fountains) Abbey, this high-fermentation beer has an intense golden hue and bold, moderately fruity flavor enhanced by eucalyptus. The eucalyptus notes draw in the fruity elements, creating a balanced profile where sweetness meets a pleasant bitterness from hops. High carbonation lends a dry finish, while a subtle aftertaste, brightened by the beer’s balsamic quality, refreshes the palate. Despite its lighter impression, this beer has a medium body, with a warming sensation from its elevated alcohol content, elegantly refined by the balsamic warmth of eucalyptus.

ABV: 8.5% alcohol / volume
IBU: 30
Style: Belgian Tripel
Beer Style: Malty & Sweet

ABOUT THE BREWERY:
The Trappist Monastery of Saints Vincent and Anastasius, located in Rome, joined the International Trappist Association (ITA) in 2014. Abbazia Tre Fontane produces the only Trappist beer in Italy. The monastery began planting eucalyptus after 1870 to combat malaria and leading them to produce botanical oils and liqueur. Upon discovery of an ancient beer recipe a eucalyptus-infused tripel was produced. It’s truly unique in the brewing world. In 2015, the monks at Tre Fontane Abbey established a microbrewery to create a distinctive eucalyptus-infused beer and awarded the ATP brand (Authentic Trappist Product). They also produce and sell olive oil, various types of honey (flower, acacia, and eucalyptus), a selection of chocolates, and Trappist liqueurs. Follow them on Untappd.

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November Beer Club: Iowa

Posted on October 26, 2023 by mcginnessalex

Samuel Smith’s
Gift Box
Yorkshire, UK

This month, our Beer Club members will enjoy a Samuel Smith Gift Box featuring a Victorian pint (18.7 oz.) of each of three classics from Samuel Smith, plus an authentic Samuel Smith pint glass, a brewery brochure, and two coasters.

Included in Variety Pack:

India Ale
Winter Welcome Ale
Organic Chocolate Stout

Samuel Smith’s
India Ale
Yorkshire, UK

A restrained maltiness and an emphasis on the aroma and flavor of hops from England’s finest farms: floral, herbal hops show in the aroma and finish, but bitterness is balanced, refined and elegant.

ABV: 5% alcohol / volume
OG: 1.052
IBU: 46
Style: IPA – English
Beer Style: Hoppy & Bitter

History:
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries there was a considerable trade in beer to India. Leaving the India docks in London, ships would sail around the Cape of Good Hope through the Indian Ocean to Bombay and beyond, a three-to four-month trip. Highly hopped pale beers brewed to withstand the trip became known as “IPA,” India Pale Ale.

Serving Suggestion:
Green chili and lime pickle, mulligatawny soup, pork with vinegar and garlic, chicken with a roasted coconut sauce, fish on a bed of potatoes, onions and tomato masala, prawns curry and duck risotto. Serve in nonik pint glasses.

Samuel Smith’s
Winter Welcome Ale
Yorkshire, UK

Honey-amber colored, creamy head of small bubbles, floral aroma and delicious caramel malt flavor with great finesse. Fine hop aroma finish and a fruity note from fermentation in open-topped stone “Yorkshire Squares”.

ABV: 6% alcohol / volume
OG: 1.056
IBU: 32
Style: Winter Ale
Beer Style: Malty and Sweet

History:
Throughout history, beer of somewhat higher alcohol and richness has been enjoyed for the winter holidays, when old friends get together to enjoy the season. Wassail is a festival to celebrate winter and the beer that goes with it. Winter Welcome is vintage-dated with a special label each year, and was first shipped to the US in 1990 – it was the first imported winter seasonal beer.

Serving Suggestion:
Roast goose, smoked turkey with oyster dressing, rack of lamb, candied yams, Smithfield hams, fresh pears and apples, or Christmas cake. Serve in crystal tumblers, or traditional Yorkshire tulip or nonik pint glasses.

Samuel Smith’s
Organic Chocolate Stout
Yorkshire, UK

Full bodied; roasted barley flavor and fruity notes from the Samuel Smith yeast strain support lush chocolate aroma, taste & finish.

ABV: 5% alcohol / volume
OG: 1.059
IBU: 28
Style: Stout – English
Beer Style: Dark and Roasty

History:
Innovators in Certified Organic beers, Samuel Smith began to ship the first organic beers to the US in the mid-1990s. Organic cider and organic fruit beers followed starting in 2007, and after many months of test brews & intensive tasting Organic Chocolate Stout was released in September, 2012. UK Soil Association and USDA Certified Organic.

A note about the label: the term “Theobroma cacao” that appears on the label is the scientific name for the cacao tree, and the illustration is of the pod from this tree, source of chocolate.

Serving Suggestion:
Great with a bowl of mixed nuts, with sharp cheeses, or with a classic molé sauce entrée. For dessert, try with complementary white, milk or dark chocolate, hazelnut biscotti, or chocolate mousse. Contrast with citrus crème, caramel or vanilla ice cream. A glass of Organic Chocolate Stout is a treat with an addition of 10% Lindeman’s Framboise lambic. Serve at 50°F.

ABOUT SAMUEL SMITH’S BREWERY:
Yorkshire’s oldest brewery, established in 1758, Samuel Smith’s brews a wide range of high quality beer, solely from authentic natural ingredients. The brewery still uses ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ made of solid blocks of slate, to ferment all its ales and stouts and the same yeast strain since the 1800s. They also use oak casks for all their naturally conditioned ales. Innovators in Certified Organic beers, Samuel Smith’s began to ship the first organic beers to the United States in the mid-1990s. Check them out on Untappd, or learn more about their company here.

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December Cheese Club: Iowa

Posted on November 30, 2020 by mcginnessalex

Genillard Philippe and Marianne L’Etivaz AOP Ormont-Dessus, Switzerland

L’Etivaz AOP is a hard alpine cheese produced by hand in over 100 creameries in the Vaud Alps between May and October using raw milk, under an open fire and the traditional recipe. The long ripening process brings out the rich, powerful aromas which come from the large amounts of herbs the cows consume. This is an excellent dessert cheese, fondue, or cheese that will compliment many cuisines. Members will enjoy two distinctive varieties of the L’Etivaz AOP, both a floral and onion style. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: When pairing wine with this cheese, reach for a Crisp Chardonnay, a Fruity Barbera d’Alba, or a Fruity Pinot Noir. For beer, grab something light and crisp, such as a Hard Cider. WINESTYLES: Crisp or Fruity BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean PRODUCTION: The Alpine pastures are situated at an altitude of between 1,000 to 2,000 meters. The raw milk comes from cows which graze on the natural pastures of the Vaud Alps and Alpine foothills. It is these pastures, rich in wild flowers, that create the aroma and provide the unique flavor of L’Etivaz AOP. To make the cheese, the milk from the evening milking is stocked in churns until the following morning, when the cheesemaker skims off the cream with a ladle. The evening milk and morning milk are then poured into a copper cauldron. The milk, enriched with lactic bacteria obtained from the production center itself, is gently heated to 89.6°F over a wood fire. The cheesemaker then adds the rennet, which consists of natural enzymes extracted exclusively from the abomasum of young calves. After stirring the milk for a few minutes the cheesemaker stops the mixer and allows the milk to rest so that it can curdle. The cheesemaker then stretches a cheesecloth on a rod, slides it under the curds and lifts out the cheese mass which he then puts into a mould and presses. The wheel of cheese thus formed must subsequently be turned over several times. The producer then puts the L’Etivaz AOP casein mark on it as well as his initials in order to be able to guarantee traceability. The wheels remain in the press until the following morning. Weighing between 33 and 84 lbs., the wheels are rubbed with cheese dairy salt and kept at the alpine production center for a maximum of 7 days. For more information, click here.

Photo by: L’Etivaz AOP

Photo by: L’Etivaz AOP

Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone! Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!

If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >

November Cheese Club: Iowa

Posted on October 31, 2020 by mcginnessalex

Rifugio Crucolo Crucolo Il Piu Saporito Scurelle, Italy

Crucolo “Il Piu Saporito”, which means “more tasty”, is a semi-hard, mild asiago cheese coming from the Trentino region in northern Italy. The milk to make this cheese is selected from the cows that roam the pastures beneath the Trento Mountains. Crucolo has a surprisingly tangy finish to its creamy flavor. The center is white and buttery with diffused and uniform holes, making for a very characteristic cheese. The sub-crust is evenly distributed – an indicator of great attention to detail during the ripening period. The ripening process lasts over 60 days, and must be performed under optimum temperature and humidity conditions. In the aging period, the cheese forms are wetted and washed with water, then turned twice a week. The final product boasts flavors that are sweet, slightly sour, and perfectly salty with a slight bitter-spicy note. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Reach for our November Wine Club wine, Finca Buenaventura Aureo Cabernet Sauvignon, when pairing with this cheese. For beer, grab a Hard Cider or a Porter when pairing with this cheese. WINESTYLES: Bold BEERSTYLES: Fruity and Spicy ABOUT RIFUGIO CRUCOLO: The company takes its name from the place where it was built, and still today is the restaurant Rifugio Crucolo, on the “top” of the mountain in the heart of Val Campelle- halfway between the Valsugana and the Lagorai mountain range. The Crucolo Refuge has entered the register of historic businesses, as it has remained in the same family management since 1782. Thanks to the love and loyalty of customers, the Crucolo company continues to grow each year. Today, they are exporting their own brand of cured meats, cheeses, and liqueurs worldwide.

Sant Gil d’Albió Garrotxa Catalonia, Spain

Gorratxa, pronounced ‘ga-ROCH-ah’, is a semi-ripened cheese with a natural flowery rind. Made with pasteurized goat’s milk, it is creamy and compact texture in the cut. This moist and cakey Catalonian import is fast becoming Spain’s most famous goat cheese. Crafted in the foothills of Northern Spain, Garrotxa offers a white pepper piquancy and looks like a river-stone. Its milky, delicate taste is not at all typical of a goat’s cheese. The full-bodied cheese is rich in flavor with a soft paste and a moist, creamy, yet almost flaky, texture. It is covered by a velvety grey mould coating that lends it a woody aroma, yet the rind is not ideal for eating. Garrotxa’s flavor is reminiscent of damp earth underlined by slightly nutty & herbal essences.

HOW IT IS MADE: Made with pasteurized goat’s milk, then aged for several weeks in caves to ensure the delicately, cakey texture won’t harden up. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: For wine, pair with a Cava or the Finca Buenaventura Aureo Chardonnay from this month’s Wine Club. The clean, lactic qualities of the cheese strike harmoniously with the fruitiness of these two wines. For beer, look to pair with a Farmhouse Ale or Sour from our Sour, Tart and Funky or Fruity and Spicy sections. WINESTYLES: Silky, Nectar, or Bubbly BEERSTYLES: Sour, Tart and Funky, or Fruity and Spicy ABOUT SANT GIL D’ALBIÓ: Sant Gil d’Albió is a family business in Catalonia, Spain, with 35 years of experience in the production of artisanal cheeses. Currently produce close to 90,000 kg (about 198,416 pounds) of cheese a year; their products are made in an artisanal way, producing only the highest quality of cheeses. Sant Gil d’Albió exports about 40% of their production, mainly shipping to the United States and throughout Europe. Sant Gil d’Albió is a dynamic, growing company; expanding their range of products and modernizing their facilities, without forgetting their roots. They are a leading company in the production of artisanal cheese in Catalonia, receiving various awards for the quality of their products, including Garrotxa cheese, Lactium d’Or 2019 award. The family business is part of the ‘Lal de Cabres Catalanes’ label, a group of farmers and cheesemakers that defend the consumption of products made with local milk. They continuously maintain the quality of all cheeses and ensure all products are sold at a fair price.

Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone! Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!

November Beer Club: Iowa

Posted on October 29, 2020 by mcginnessalex

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Rum Barrel-Aged Quad
Chico, California

When beer meets barrel, incredible things happen. The passage of time and the influence of wood combine to create a final product much greater than the sum of its individual parts. Sierra Nevada’s ‘Trip in the Woods’ series is designed to highlight the complex interplay between beer and barrel. Each beer has matured in a wooden cask, originally used to age mellow spirits, the time in slumber creates rich and layered flavors unique to this difficult and hands-on process.

This classic Quad in rum barrels is a nod to the great Trappist brewers of Belgium. Deep ruby-brown in color, the beer is rich and full-bodied with the style’s familiar to dark fruit flavors, while the yeast creates a hint of spice. Rum barrels impart delicate sweetness and complexity to this beer, that can be enjoyed today or cellared for years to come.

BeerStyles: Malty & Sweet
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
ABV: 9.8% alcohol / volume
Bitterness Units: 45

ABOUT THE BREWERY:

Sierra Nevada shook things up in the ’80s, and it helped launch a beer revolution that’s in full force today. Ken Grossman started Sierra Nevada with a hand-built brewhouse in Chico, California with the odds stacked against him. In 1980, that patchwork of pipes, pumps and tanks began making beers that forever changed the course of American craft brewing. Since then, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company continues to push boundaries, whether that’s in the brewhouse, with sustainability, or in the great outdoors. Learn more about their story here.

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Tag Archives: November Beer Club

November Beer Club: Iowa

Gueuzerie Tilquin
Oude Gueuze Tilquin à l’Ancienne, 375 ml
Rebecq, Région Wallonne Belgium

Abbazia Tre Fontane
Tre Fontane Tripel, 11.2 oz
Roma (Rome), Lazio Italy