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Date

February 22 2013

Written By

Swag Brewery

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Craft Beer and Movie Pairings: Oscar Edition

Written By Swag Brewery - February 22 2013

Do we need another excuse to drink good beer? Nope. Did we find one anyway? Yep. Cue up one of these Oscar-winning movies of years past and enjoy one (or three) Acadamy-approved pairings.


Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2004 Winner)   British Pale Ale

Beer was the most popular drink in middle earth, and it was often consumed in large quantities out of metal steins. The British Pale Ale style was originally brewed with very rich, hard water (something that would have likely been available in the shire), and typically has low alcohol content. This noble choice would not impede one's ability to protect the ring.




Million Dollar Baby (2005 Winner) | Porter

The dark, bold, and roasty flavors often found in porter-style beers will be your ringside companion for this edgy drama. Historically an English style, the newer American-style porters are often available in a range of alcohol content, from lightweight (4%) to fairly heavyweight (8%).




Crash (2006 Winner) | American IPA

Known for its spicy, citric, and bitter flavors, the American IPA pairs well with the hard-edged grittiness Crash's plot and characters. The film is set in Los Angeles, and California is one of the main stomping grounds for the ever-popular West Coast IPA style, further solidifying these partners in crime.




The Departed (2007 Winner) | American Rye Ale

American gangsters are synonymous with back room deals and strong drinks. This uniquely American style of beer that often flies under the radar (like a good mobster deal) can have notes of spice, slight sourness, and rye whiskey.




No Country for Old Men (2008 Winner) | Bock

Set in 1980's Texas, this thriller is deserving of a beer that is is dark like oil but drinkable enough to quench desert-crossing thirst. Also known as a "symbol for better times to come", the bock is a perfect match for this talkie.





Slumdog Millionaire (2009 Winner) | Light Lager

The mild bread and malt flavors of Indian (or Indian-inspired) lagers will serve as an unassuming yet welcome companion to the dramatic trials and triumphs of this spicy, savory, and sweet story. And, you should be able to acquire some for less than one million rupees!





The Hurt Locker (2010 Winner) | American Strong Ale

What could be more American and strong than an American Strong Ale? Pair this intense, forceful military flick with an equally strong liquid comrade.





The King's Speech (2011 Winner) | English Bitter

English culture and English Bitters can be described using the same three adjectives: dry, clean, and unoffensive. England's staple beer of both past and present, the Bitter is often served with low carbonation and close to room temperature and - leaving more room in the fridge for leftover bangers and mash.

Commercial examples: Fuller's ESB, Redhook ESB, Shipyard Old Thumper, Honker's Ale



The Artist (2012 Winner) | 

Bière de Garde

The Artist and the Bière de Garde style both exemplify romance, art, and French culture. Known for toasted malt flavors, noble hop aromas, and fruity esters, the Bière de Garde is a complex yet balanced beer that will keep your mouth happy during this silent film.

Commercial examples: Ommegang Bière D'Hougoumont, Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza, Two Brothers Dumaine DuPage, New Belgium Biere De Mars

Date

July 06 2012

Written By

Maxwell Arndt

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3 Comments

Suds and Sun - 5 Craft Beer Styles to Help You Beat the Heat

Written By Maxwell Arndt - July 06 2012

Thanks to this wonderful gift of sun and humidity, we're hot right now. Really hot. So hot that we've swapped our t-shirts for beer, in fact. Since the shirts are off and the beers are in hand, we thought we'd throw together a list of 5 craft beer styles that pair perfectly with heat and sun. Put these on your to-drink list for the summer!

American Pale Lager

Sometimes referred to as "all-malt," this category of beer refers to lagers brewed without cereal adjuncts (mainly rice or corn). Though often still yellow and fizzy, these beers will display a broader depth of malt flavor and a more complex bitterness vs. their adjunct counterparts (like those produced by Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, etc.). A lot of these beers are known as "gateway" beers for their ability to convert people into craft beer drinkers!







Cream Ale

Spawned from the American light lager style, cream ales are brewed as an ale (using top-fermenting ale yeast) but are often cold-conditioned like a lager. Adjuncts (as would be used in a lager) such as corn or rice are used to lighten the body. It is not uncommon for smaller craft brewers to brew all malt Cream Ales. They are often pale straw to pale gold in color with low hop bittering and some hop aroma though some microbreweries have given the style more of a hop character. They should be well attenuated and highly carbonated.




American Wheat

These beers range within the pale to golden range in color and are reminiscent of a Hefe Weizen in appearance, unless filtered. They typically have a long-lasting head with a light to medium body with higher carbonation. Often served with a lemon wedge (popularized by Americans) to either cut the wheat or yeast edge, which many either find to be a flavorful snap ... or an insult and something that damages the beer's taste and head retention!

Examples: Bell's Oberon, Magic Hat Circus Boy, Smuttynose Summer Weizen


Fruit Lambic

Fruit beers can include a wide range of styles and brewing processes, from American wheat beers with fruit additions to Fruit Lambics. In the case of Fruit Lambics, whole fruits are traditionally added after spontaneous fermentation has started. Kriek (cherries), Frambroise (raspberries), Pêche (peach) and Cassis (black currant) are common fruits, all producing subtle to intense fruit characters respectively. Once the fruit is added, the beer is subjected to additional maturation before bottling. Malt and hop characters are generally low to allow the fruit to consume the palate. Alcohol content tends to be low. 


Saison/Farmhouse Ale

Saison (French for season) is a farmhouse ale that was traditionally brewed in the winter, to be consumed throughout the summer months. Not long ago it was close to being an endangered style, but over recent years there's been a massive revival; especially in the United States.

This is a very complex style; many examples are very fruity in the aroma and flavor. Look for earthy yeast tones, mild to moderate tartness. Lots of spice and with a medium bitterness. They tend to be semi-dry with many only having touch of sweetness.







Date

June 01 2012

Written By

Maxwell Arndt

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Taste of Summer: Our Favorite Pizza and Craft Beer Pairings

Written By Maxwell Arndt - June 01 2012

Do you like pizza, good beer, or both? So do we. We're thinking summer, and summer to us means awesome food and awesome beer. Check out some of our favorite pizza and craft beer pairings. Why not try one of these combos tonight?

Hawaiian Pizza + Unfiltered Wheat Beer
The savory Canadian bacon and sweet and acidic pineapple flavors pair well with the light wheat and tropical notes of the Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus hops in Tallgrass Halcyon. Other wheat beers suggestions: Bell's Oberon and Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat.

 


Jalepeño Bacon Pizza + IPA
The grapefruit notes and assertive bitterness in a beer like Summit's Saga IPA help cut the heat and savory fat flavors in the herby and zippy jalepeño bacon pizza. Other IPA suggestions: Surly Furious and Founders Centennial IPA.

 


Vegetable Pizza + Bock Beer
Sweet, earthy notes in a mushroom and pepper vegetable pizza compliment the light sweetness, caramel, and low bitterness of a beer like Alaskan Birch Bock. Other bock suggestions: Anchor Bock and Shiner Bock.

 


Margherita Pizza + Belgian Tripel
Creamy fresh mozzarella, meaty tomato, and spicy basil are well complimented by the smooth sweetness and peppery fruit notes of a Belgian Tripel like the Westmalle Tripel. Other Tripel suggestions: La Trappe Tripel and Leffe Tripel.



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