WHAT’S BREWING

P.2 Don’t Float the Mainstream

P.4 Wax On

P.5 Malt Truths

P.6 Beer Br ine Your Hol idays

P.8 Anchor Brewing

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016

Off Tap. is a bimonthly publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Copyright 2015 ABC Liquors, Inc. All rights reserved. Not all products are available in all stores. If the product you’re looking for isn’t available, ask us to order it for you! Meghan Guarino Editor Allie Smallwood Contributing Editor

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We have approximately 30 beer consultants on Twitter. To find the one nearest you, tweet us @abcbeercountry or email us at offtap@abcfws.com to be pointed in the right direction.

MEGHAN GUARINO

abcfws.com

DON’T FLOATthe Mainstream

Photos courtesy of SweetWater Brewing

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The lazy characters of SweetWater’s iconic motto drift across everything SweetWater does. Every can, bottle, truck design and t-shirt has “Don’t Float the Mainstream” emblazoned across it, usually with the brewery’s mascot, the rainbow trout, close by.

The motto, set by founder Freddy Bensch during the early days of the brewery, serves more of a purpose than to simply welcome the team and their patrons to a laidback atmosphere. Sure, the tie-dye patterns and outdoor scenes readily invite nature lovers and beer aficionados into the open doors of the brewery, but the combination of the motto and the team behind the brews stands for something more important: sustainability and conservation.

The duo behind SweetWater Brewery got their start in Colorado, working their way through college. After graduation, Freddy Bensch and co-founder Kevin McNeary found their way to California for a more in-depth beer education, leading them to bounce from West Coast brewery to West Coast brewery, gaining hop knowledge and stylistic techniques from a number of beer professionals. Soon the pair scraped enough money together to open their own brewery, and a memorable trip to Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics sold Freddy and Kevin on the location of SweetWater Brewery. (Kevin has since left SweetWater to embark on other glorious brewery projects. Rest assured, he is still a great friend of SweetWater.)

From Colorado to California to Georgia, the love of the outdoors never left Freddy and Kevin. In fact, a creek near the company’s first location in Atlanta lent its name to the brewery. And because of their constant belief in and love of the environment, the brewery aims to make the world a little bit greener in all that they do.

“We partner with the Georgia Conservancy on some projects,” brewmaster Mark Medlin said of

the effort, expanding into some of the projects the brewery team takes on to keep waterways and parks around Atlanta clean. “We also have the Water Keeper program that we raise money for the local water keeper to clean up the Chattahoochee,” he said. “We try to do our part.”

From packaging to distribution to spent grain, SweetWater makes a concerted effort to create a greener, more sustainable lifestyle. This dedication to the environment gives credence to brewery’s motto.

And though the style and laidback atmosphere is evident on cans and in the brewery itself, it is missing not only in the brewery’s passion for sustainability, but in the beers produced there.

Instead, SweetWater makes beers full of flavor, hops, body and complexity. There is nothing “lazy” about these beers. “We work hard and play hard,” Medlin said. “We work hard to make great, consistent beer.”

The brewery’s flagship beer, SweetWater 420, boasts the boldness of a typical West Coast style beer, brewed with generous amounts of Cascade and Centennial hops. This extra pale ale clocks in at 5.7% ABV and has a label adorned with the rainbow trout and a couple of buddies fishing. 420 stands as a representation of SweetWater’s roots, right down to the beer’s name—it was brewed for the first time on April 20, 1997, just two beers and four months after SweetWater Brewing Company first opened its doors.

In addition to 420 and a series of limited and seasonal brews, SweetWater currently brews five other year-round beers, including SweetWater Blue and Hop Hash Double IPA, both as bold and robust as the 420.

You can find SweetWater beers in ABC locations around the state.

SWEETWATER BLUE

SweetWater Blue is a unique, light-bodied ale with a hint of fresh blueberries. It begins with an appealing blueberry aroma and finished as a surprisingly thirst-quenching ale. – Brewery notes

SWEETWATER IPA

This mammoth India pale ale is loaded with intense hop character and subjected to an extensive dry-hopping process. Our IPA is unfiltered, leaving all the natural flavors intact. – Brewery notes

SWEETWATER FESTIVE ALE

A strong ale brewed with generous amounts of rich malt, coupled with a hint of cinnamon and mace to keep you warm and toasty all winter long. – Brewery notes

SWEETWATER HOP HASH DOUBLE IPA

We scraped all the hash out of the Yakima hop pelletizers we could get our sticky fingers on to concoct the dankest double IPA out there. The pure hop lupulin, aka “hash” (the resiny stuff), meshes seamlessly with the 2-row, pilsner and wheat malts, allowing it to deliver a pungent punch to the palate. – Brewery notes

WA

X O

NTechnically speaking, there is no real reason to cover the caps of your beer in wax. And when I say “technically speaking,” what I really mean is that from a scientific standpoint, waxing the caps of your bottles serves no purpose in the development of a beer’s flavors unless you do not want them to develop at all. There has been little research on the subject, but what research has been done suggests that waxing the tops of beer bottles seals the cap so tightly that no oxidation occurs, preserving the beer’s current flavors, body and aromas. Little oxidation occurs with a crown cap. This small amount of oxidation is the cause of the changing flavors in beer you age.

That said, a waxed cap looks cool, even if it is hard to get off, and it is something you can easily do at home with any beer bottle in your collection. If you’re planning a beer-studded basket for your craft-loving friends this holiday season, try waxing a few gift bottles for a personal touch on a usual present. Here’s how.

1. Get the goods. Stock up on your favorite beers that are good now. Not the brews you want to age if the rumors are true about the wax removing any chance of oxidation.

2. Get the wax. Either snag a bag of bottling wax or grab hot glue sticks and crayons from your kids’ art supply stash. If you’re smuggling the crayons and hot glue sticks, keep in mind this ratio: 3 mini hot glue sticks to 1 crayon.

3. Get to work. Strip the labels from the crayons and break up your ingredients into smaller pieces. Heat them in a container you don’t mind ruining, like a cleaned out soup or soda can.

4. When I dip, you dip, we dip. Practice your dipping technique to get the look you want. Dip and twist for a clean line, or dip and quickly set aside so the wax drips down the sides like a limited Terrapin brew. Truly, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

How to remove that dang wax cap you just put on your beer:

Like I said, the wax cap looks cool. It’s

all about presentation. And when you’re

doing it for someone else’s holiday gift,

it’s no sweat off your back when it comes

time to open a bottle for drinking…

Unless that someone is you and you’re

stuck doing the dirty work your so-called

“pal” handed over as a gift. Here’s hoping

the beer is at least one you like. And if

that’s the case, here are a few tips to

unwaxing your sealed bottle.

• Take the wax off before you chill

the bottle. You’ll thank me later.

• Heat the wax around the cap and use

a knife to slice through the softened

seal. Peel away to expose the cap

while the wax is still pliable.

• Use a wine key. Those things are like

Swiss army knives. There are a lot of

tools in one to help you work your

way through the wax.

• If you love your friends, add a short

string around the neck of the bottle

before you wax, leaving a tail sticking

out, just like those little Babybel cheese

rounds. A quick pull of the string and

you’re a step ahead of the wax-

removal process.

MEGHAN GUARINO

MALT TRUTHS: Your beer is probably TOO COLDALLIE SMALLWOOD

The serving temperature of beer is a ladder of craft

beer geek-dom few ascend.

Each and every style of beer falls into a bracket

of serving temps. The strength of the beer is usually

correlated with the temperature at which it’s to

be served; strength as in ABV, not strength as in

robust flavor. The higher the ABV, the warmer the

temperature at which it should be enjoyed. Weird,

though, because the higher the alcohol in spirits,

the colder you want it, right? Well, strong beers are

designed to be sipped slowly, so that each stage

of enjoyment is one of new flavors, aromas and

textures. Lower alcohol beers are usually served as

refreshment first and foremost, but of course can still

contain beautiful bouquets and vast flavor profiles.

Craft beer is chock full of flavors, complexity, fruit,

spice, malt and hops that only warmth can coax out.

This is especially important to note when pairing

craft beer and food; one would entirely miss key

notes of a brew that would harmoniously echo

the flavors of the meal if the temperature

wasn’t accurate.

Climb the ladder this winter and geek out with

this handy guide to serving temps.

32°

40°

39°

40°

40°

45°

45°

45°

45°

45°

45°

45°

45°

45°

54°

54°

54°

54°

54°

American Lagers

Amber Ale

Trappist Ales

Scotch Ales

Baltic Porters

Sour Ales

Abbey Dubbel

Saison

English Pale Ale

Bitter

Belgian Quads

Dark, Spiced Winter Ales

Mead

Stouts

Belgian Ale

Dortmunder/Helles

Altbier

Berliner Weisse

Kölsch

Cream Ale

Low Alcohol Cider

American Pale Ales

Belgian Ales

Bocks

Strong Ales

Bock

Bière de Garde

Old Ale

Brown Ale

Barley Wines

Imperial Stouts

Glühkriek

India Pale Ale

Porters

Dunkel

Schwarzbier

Tripel

Wheat Beers

Hefeweizen

Pilsner

VERY COLD 32-39 degrees

COLDER 40-45 degrees

COLD 45-54 degrees

CELLAR TEMP 55-58 degrees

WARM 59-62 degrees

WARMER62+ degrees

55°

55°

55°

55°

55°

55°

55°

58°

58°

58°

58°

58°

58°

58°

58°

59°

62°

62°

62°+

62°+

62°+

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The combination of words may change

from family to family, but it is universally

acknowledged by children everywhere that it

takes one simple phrase to set up the most

classic of dinnertime wars: “Eat your steamed

vegetables.” Now you are welcome to insert

“carrots,” “broccoli” or “peas” as experience

suits, but whether uttered over weekday

dinner, a restaurant outing or the monumental

I-slaved-over-the-stove-all-day-feast, you

knew the battlefield was set as soon as the

word “steamed” clattered loudly over the good

china. As an adult preparing to create your own

decadent spread this holiday season, I suggest

going with a preparation method that avoids

those childhood scars and asserts yourself as

the grown-up carnivore that you have grown to

be—and what could be more grown-up than

incorporating craft beer into the cooking of

a holiday meal with a good old-fashioned

beer brine?

Though similar to marinating, brining is

different in that turkey is soaked for 16-18

hours in a heavily salted concoction of herbs,

spices and in this instance, beer. Add a little

science, toss around the word “osmosis,” and

you get a process in which moisture is drawn

into the meat resulting in a tender and juicy

turkey that has been enhanced by your chosen

ingredients and tenderized by the addition

of beer.

I decided to create a brine recipe that would

make my holiday turkey an all-in-one meal.

Typically I only use warm spices on pork, but

with the heavy salt content present in the brine

that would be applied to the turkey, my taste

buds gravitated toward citrus and sugar in the

hope that it would balance the saltiness that

would inevitably be drawn into the meat. The

citrus in this recipe was provided by sliced

tangelos and Dogfish Head Kvasir, a beer

created using an Old World recipe with the

primary flavors coming from the addition of

the tart and citrusy cranberry. Be aware that

if you choose a beer that tastes differently

from Kvasir, you may want to adjust certain

ingredients. For example, many people find

that an IPA brings out the saltier and spicier

flavors in food which means that you would be

wise to add different herbs and spices to the

brine if you have your heart set on using that

particular style of beer.

Beer Brined Citrus Turkey

1 Turkey, completely thawed and rinsed (my

small turkey weighed in at 6.04 lbs)

3 quarts Water

1 quart Beer (32 ounces)

Note: A bomber can range from 22-25 fluid

ounces and a six pack will usually add up

to 72 ounces, but you should always check

your bottle or packaging to be sure.

6 Tangelos (or other citrus fruit)

2 cups Salt

1 cup Brown sugar

½ tbsp Cinnamon

½ tbsp Ground clove

1 tbsp Nutmeg

2 tsp Ground pepper

1 Oven bag

1 Roasting pan

Directions

In a large pot combine the salt, sugar and

spices with three quarts of water, stirring

occasionally as it warms. When the mixture

begins to boil, take it off the stove and allow it

to fully cool before adding the beer. Make sure

that the brine is completely cool before pouring

it into the oven bag with the turkey because hot

liquid will begin to cook the meat prematurely.

Placing the brine briefly in the fridge or freezer

will help to speed the cooling process as well

as give you time to clean and truss your turkey

if you so desire.

As soon as the brine has cooled and your

turkey is ready to go, slice the tangelos and set

them aside. If you would like to baste the turkey

with citrus and/or flavors from your brine as it

cooks later, slice only four tangelos and save

two, setting them aside with a small portion of

brine in a separate container. For easy handling

and transport from fridge to counter, I put the

turkey into an oven bag and set the bag into

a roasting pan with high sides that kept the bag

from rolling and spilling. Once you have the

turkey situated, pour the brine into the bag

and top with the tangelo slices.

The turkey should remain in the brine for 16-18

hours, but you can adjust the time according

to your cooking schedule. When you are ready

to roast the turkey, remove it from the brine

and thoroughly rinse, then thoroughly dry—

otherwise, leaving water on the skin will end up

steaming the turkey. (And who wants steamed

turkey? Save it for the vegetables.) Cook your

turkey as you normally would, but if you have

decided to baste the turkey with the brine and

tangelos you set aside, pause an hour into

roasting and slice your tangelos in half so that

you can squeeze them over the turkey after you

have brushed a layer of brine over the skin.

I found that basting the turkey with brine and

tangelo juice made the outer meat taste sweet

with warm flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg,

lightening the sugary base that had cooked the

skin crispy. The meat underneath picked up a

lot of the cranberry beer’s zest while retaining

some of the semi-sweetness of the tangelos

that sat in the brine alongside the turkey.

Although they were unusual flavors for

a holiday turkey, the moist and tender meat

had all the fixings of family gathering without

the actual dishes: cinnamon and nutmeg,

pumpkin pie, cranberry-orange sauce and

a cold glass of beer.

Beer Brine Your HolidaysMAKENZIE LADD, BEER CONSULTANT – SARASOTA @ABCBEERMAKENZIE

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8989 SOUTH ORANGE AVE.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32824

Every year for the last 40 years, Anchor Brewing has released a Christmas ale that is a liquid embodiment of the holiday spirit. This year, the 41st year, is no exception.

With a tradition as expected as Christmas itself, the San Francisco-based brewery known for their Steam Beer revises their Christmas Ale recipe. And though the ingredients are known only to the brewers themselves, this beer is always a dark, spiced ale with rich aromas and a balanced body.

As with the annually tweaked recipe, the tree on the label is also different every year, though drawn by the same, faithful artist. In years past, the label held such arboreal beauties as the Sequoia in 1976, the Douglas Fir in 1977, the Paper Birch in 1991 and even the Coconut Palm in 1995. This year’s depiction is of a Deodar Cedar, a full, lush evergreen with drooping boughs begging to be

decorated. The tree is native to the Himalayas and common in many decorated San Franciscan homes, an easy choice for the Anchor team as they spotted the tree less than a block from the brewery’s front door.

Celebrate the holidays and the New Year with a beer fit for the occasion. Made in the spirit of the season, Anchor Christmas Ale is as festive and decorative as it is delicious.

Anchor Brewing 2015 Christmas Ale