When NABC's Porter become "old," but not as a result of aging.

Label art by the inimitable Tony Beard.

Ten years ago this July 17, I explained a delicate issue about Porter. 

First, let's review the origins of Bob’s Old 15-B.

When NABC first brewed Bob Capshew's competition-winning homebrewed Robust Brown Porter back in 2003, the reaction was so favorable that we decided to continue. Later, when the Beer Judge Certification Program unexpectedly altered its numbering system for style categories and subcategories, Bob's became prefixed "old" rather than be renumbered – but don’t be fooled, because the flavor is forever young.

Here is what I wrote at the time. Note that Publicanista! has long since been abandoned, but the ale lives on. 

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New Albanian Brewing's porter to become "old," but not as a result of aging.

Every other week, and sometimes more often if there’s time, I write Publicanista!, the official newsletter of Rich O’s Public House, the New Albanian Brewing Company and Sportstime Pizza.

You can subscribe to this on-line newsletter by going to www.newalbanian.com and following the directions in the box to the bottom right of the page.

Here’s an excerpt from last week.

NABC brewer Jesse Williams has a batch of Bob’s 15 B porter on the way, and therein a problem has arisen. Evidently, the official numbering scheme for style and sub-style definitions has changed, and according to the Beer Judge Certification Program, 15 B now refers to German Dunkel Weizen.

I’m inclined to leave the name unchanged for the sake of tradition, and to observe the vital dictates of remaining contrarian at all times with respect to style, but your thoughts are appreciated. Next Friday (July 22) we’ll have a cask-conditioned firkin of Bob’s 15 B pouring from the beer engine.

Both my business partner Amy and longtime FOSSILS club stalwart Ed Tash wrote to suggest that we change the name of the beer to Old 15 B, and Ed included this rationale:

I've been giving some thought to your dilemma, caused by the BJCP changing robust porter from 15 B to 12 B. I suggest you call your Porter "Bob's Old 15 B.”

Here's why. There is book about Jack Daniels whisky published about a year ago that attempts to explain the origin of Jack Daniels Old Number 7.

According to the author, the number 7 was the license number of the Jack Daniels distillery. The borders of the county the distillery was located in changed, and the distillery changed counties (without moving), which caused the distillery to be given a new license number. Jack Daniels had established “7” as a brand name and didn't want to start over with a new name, so he put "Old Number 7" on the barrels, bottles, etc.

I have not read the book, but I heard the author interviewed on WFPL-FM 89.3 when the book came out.

Now you know more about Jack Daniels than you ever wanted to know, but bottom line is that I think you should keep 15 B in the name; your customers already know the name and what to expect from the beer.

Besides, only a handful of geeks know that Robust Porter is now 12 B.

Ed makes a strong case, and Amy agrees -- so it will be.

The forthcoming batch of Bob’s Old 15 B will be the first to bear the qualifier … but not the last.

Cheers.

NABC's Kaiser 2nd Reising (Pre-Prohibition Pilsner) is on tap at both locations.

It's time again for the annual release of NABC's Kaiser 2nd Reising, which is a perennial favorite of mine. While probably biased, I think it's delicious.

Kaiser 2nd ReisingYour great, great granddaddy’s PilsnerBefore World War One, the Paul Reising Brewing Company was New Albany’s pre-eminent brewing concern, and it occupied a respected position in the pantheon of local business. In the contemporary age, NABC recognizes Paul Reising and the city’s other brewers of old with this Pre-Prohibition Pilsner.
40 IBU
5.9% ABV

Pre-Prohibition Pilsner has been renamed Pre-Prohibition Lager in the Beer Judge Certification Program's (BJCP) most recent style guidelines. No matter. In the Louisville context, these are the forerunners of the beers we knew in their bastardized dotage when we were young pups: Falls City, Fehr’s, Oertel’s, Sterling, Wiedemann and so on.

The BJCP's historical beer categories have my enthusiastic approval. Here's the relevant definition in its entirety.

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Historical Beer: Pre-Prohibition Lager

Overall Impression: A clean, refreshing, but bitter pale lager, often showcasing a grainy-sweet corn flavor. All malt or rice-based versions have a crisper, more neutral character. The higher bitterness level is the largest differentiator between this style and most modern mass-market pale lagers, but the more robust flavor profile also sets it apart.

Aroma: Low to medium grainy, corn-like or sweet maltiness may be evident (although rice-based beers are more neutral). Medium to moderately high hop aroma, with a range of character from rustic to floral to herbal/spicy; a fruity or citrusy modern hop character is inappropriate. Clean lager character. Low DMS is acceptable. May show some yeast character, as with modern American lagers; allow for a range of subtle supporting yeast notes.

Appearance: Yellow to deep gold color. Substantial, long lasting white head. Bright clarity.

Flavor: Medium to medium-high maltiness with a grainy flavor, and optionally a corn-like roundness and impression of sweetness. Substantial hop bitterness stands up to the malt and lingers through the dry finish. All malt and rice-based versions are often crisper, drier, and generally lack corn-like flavors. Medium to high hop flavor, with a rustic, floral, or herbal/spicy character. Medium to high hop bitterness, which should neither be overly coarse nor have a harsh aftertaste. Allow for a
range of lager yeast character, as with modern American lagers, but generally fairly neutral.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a moderately rich, creamy mouthfeel. Smooth and well-lagered. Medium to high carbonation levels.

Comments: The classic American Pilsner was brewed both pre-Prohibition and post-Prohibition with some differences. OGs of 1.050–1.060 would have been appropriate for pre-Prohibition beers while gravities dropped to 1.044–1.048 after Prohibition. Corresponding IBUs dropped from a pre-Prohibition level of 30–40 to 25–30 after Prohibition.

History: A version of Pilsner brewed in the USA by immigrant German brewers who brought the process and yeast with them, but who had to adapt their recipes to work with native hops and malt. This style died out after Prohibition but was resurrected by homebrewers in the 1990s. Few commercial versions are made, so the style still remains mostly a homebrew phenomenon.

Characteristic Ingredients: Six-row barley with 20% to 30% flaked maize (corn) or rice to dilute the excessive protein levels; modern versions may be all malt. Native American hops such as Clusters, traditional continental hops, or modern noble-type crosses are also appropriate. Modern American hops such as Cascade are inappropriate. Water with a high mineral content can lead to an unpleasant coarseness in flavor and harshness in aftertaste. A wide range of lager yeast character can be exhibited, although modern versions tend to be fairly clean.

Style Comparison: Similar balance and bitterness as modern Czech Premium Pale Lagers, but exhibiting native American grains and hops from the era before US Prohibition. More robust, bitter, and flavorful than modern American pale lagers, and often with higher alcohol.

Vital Statistics: 
OG: 1.044 – 1.060
FG: 1.010 – 1.015
IBUs: 25 – 40
SRM: 3 – 6 
ABV: 4.5 – 6.0%

Commercial Examples: Anchor California Lager, Coors Batch 19, Little Harpeth Chicken Scratch

Thumbs up as we welcome the BJCP's long-anticipated bee style guideline revisions.

The BJCP's completely updated beer style guidelines are on the street, and Draft Magazine offers a few take-aways:

Every few years, the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) issues its Bible: a collection of beer style guidelines that inform homebrew competitions. They’re also sometimes used to judge professional brewing competitions, and to generally set a framework for a style. Like the Bible, these guidelines are taken as honest truth by some, while others choose to interpret them as they see fit. Without wading too far into that debate, we can say that the issuing of revised guidelines always reflects the beer world at its current time. The last revision came in 2008; seven years later, the BJCP officers have released a guide with notable additions and changes.

It will take a while to absorb the contents of this truly major overhaul, although these three additions are eye-catching:

• 21B Specialty IPA, by color (black, red and white) and nationality (Belgian).
• 27 Historical Beer, ranging from Kentucky Common to Sahti.
• 28 American Wild Ale, in three verses.

In recent years, I've organized the Gravity Head program by style. My practiced routine probably has gone flying out the window with the introduction of these guidelines -- so it looks like I'll be hitting the books earlier than usual in preparation for Gravity Head 2016.

BEER JUDGE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: 2015 STYLE GUIDELINES

Judges and stewards needed for the Kentucky State Fair Homebrew Beer Competition on Sunday, August 14.

From Tom Person, Vice President of Louisville Area Grain and Extract Research Society (LAGERS). Regrettably for me, the judging always takes place the same weekend as Great Taste of the Midwest.

Fellow BJCP judges and appreciators of fine homebrew:

The Kentucky State Fair Homebrew competition is coming up soon. It will be held Sunday, August 14th ... starting at 10:00 a.m. sharp. We are anticipating up to 500 entries this year, so your exhaustive beer knowledge and superb sensory and judging skills are sorely needed and will be greatly appreciated. Judge registration will be from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., with a light breakfast available (so come early!)

We are planning on two judging sessions: an a.m. session (10:00 – 12:00), and a p.m. session (1:00 – 3:00) ... with a lunch provided between sessions. The p.m. session will be followed by a Best of Show judging, and after wards we are planning an awards ceremony to announce the winners.

Use the link below to register to be a judge or steward at this competition:

http://www.lagersclub.com/kystatefair/competition/

Here are the steps once you get to this site:

1. Under the Judge and Steward section ... If it is your first time to this site, then click on the “please register” link. Note: If you have already entered beers with the 2011 Kentucky State Fair competition this year, then you already have an ID. Just click the “log in” link.

2. The first page is where you create your account with an e-mail address, a password for this site, and a security question.

3. Second page is where you put in your name, address, etc.

4. Third page is where you put in your judge info ... BJCP number, rank, beer preferences and dislikes, etc. Under the beer preferences and dislikes, just select any one of the sub-categories that you like or dislike. We will consider your choice to be for all beers in that class. Example: I want to judge Stouts, so I check 13A – Dry Stout. (you don’t have to check all 6 stout categories)

When you have completed your judge registration, there will be a summary page, and you will also see a link to print your Judge Waiver sheet. Please use this link to view and print your judge registration sheet, sign and date it, and then bring it with you to the competition. (If you don’t print it at home, don’t worry ... you’ll just have to sit there the morning of the competition, blurry-eyed, and fill out one of these forms while every one else is drinking coffee and eating donuts!)

Thank you for your help in judging the 2011 Kentucky State Fair Homebrew Competition.

Office Hours reaches Category 23.

It all started last September ...

BJCP listing of Lager, minus Bock, at tonight's Office Hours with the Publican.

... and now it's approaching a conclusion.

With summer break looming, tonight at Office Hours with the Publican, we arrive at the final Beer Judge Certification Program style category. It's Category 23 — Specialty Beer, described like this:

This is explicitly a catch-all category for any beer that does not fit into an existing style category. No beer is ever “out of style” in this category, unless it fits elsewhere.

Unusual "techniques or ingredients" fall in Category 23, such as the steinbier method (stone-brewing) and the use of potatoes as an adjunct.

It's also referred to as an “incubator,” intended for existing styles deemed not yet appropriate to have a category or sub-category, although Belgians are excepted and given their own catch-all. Examples in Category 23 include Australian Sparkling Ale and Czech Dark Lager, as well as one of particular interest to us lately: Rye IPA.

I'm heading to Keg Liquors shortly for field research. Office Hours begins at 6:30 p.m.; it's five bucks per head; and we'll be in Prost, as always.

Office Hours tonight: "Category 22 — Smoke-Flavored/Wood-Aged Beer."

Office Hours with the Publican is winding down before summer break, but we still have two BJCP style categories remaining for reviewing and sampling before calling it a year.

Tonight (Monday, May 16), it’s Category 22 — Smoke-Flavored/Wood-Aged Beer:

22A. Classic Rauchbier
22B. Other Smoked Beer
22C. Wood-Aged Beer

As many of you know, these styles are among my personal favorites. We begin deliberations at 6:30 p.m. at the Public House, back in the rear area of Prost.

Next Monday, May 23, will be the grab bag known as 23. SPECIALTY BEER, which completes the BJCP style examination we began last summer.

The following Monday, May 30, is the Memorial Day holiday, and there'll be no Office Hours. However, there may well be a final hurrah on Monday, June 6 … more on that one later.

Tonight: Office Hours (Strong Ales) & Gravity Head lineupdate.

Here's a quick Gravity Head lineupdate as we go into Monday, February 28. Note that tonight's Office Hours with the Publican at 6:30 p.m. will begin an exploration of BJCP style category 19, which includes Old Ale and both English and American Barleywines.

If time permits, we'll root through the cellar and see if a few examples of aged styles can be found, perhaps for vertical comparison against fresher examples, or perhaps not. This might take a Monday or two, either way. The public is invited, and the price is $5 per person.

ON TAP NOW

00. THREE FLOYDS - STYLE UNTO ITSELF
Three Floyds Behemoth 2010 (American Barleywine) 10.5%
Three Floyds Owd Engwish Bawley Whine (English Barleywine) 10.5%

5C. DOPPELBOCK
Sun King Dominator Doppelbock 8.1%

13F RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 18%
NABC Thunderfoot (2010) 10%
Upland Teddy Bear Kisses 10.2%

14C IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Bell’s HopSlam 10%
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA 18%

16E. BELGIAN SPECIALTY ALE
Stone 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale 9.5%

19B ENGLISH BARLEYWINE
Boulder Killer Penguin Barleywine 10%
Brooklyn Monster Ale 10.3%

19C AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
NABC Jaxon 11%
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine (2001) 9.6%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout 9.5%

23 SPECIALTY BEER
Clipper City Heavy Seas Prosit 9%
NABC/O'Fallon/Schlafly C2 Collaboration Ale 10.7%
Stone Double Bastard Ale (2009) 10%

BONUS UNLISTED SELECTIONS
22C. Upland Bourbon Barrel Winter Warmer 9%+
22C. NABC Willett Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Stout 8%+

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RANKS OF THE DEPARTED ... LISTED SELECTIONS

00. THREE FLOYDS - STYLE UNTO ITSELF
Three Floyds Barrel Aged Moloko 2009 (Bourbon Barrel Baltic Milk Stout) 9.5%
Three Floyds Dreadnaught (Imperial IPA) 9.5%
Three Floyds Mikkeller Ruggoop (Rye Wine) 9.5%
Three Floyds Moloko (Baltic Milk Stout) 8%
Three Floyds The Creeper (Doppelbock) 9%

18C. BELGIAN TRIPEL
NABC Le Diable Blonde (2010) 10.7%

18E. BELGIAN DARK STRONG ALE
Brooklyn Cuvee Noire 8.7%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
Dogfish Head Burton Baton 10+%

23 SPECIALTY BEER
Bell’s Batch 9000 12.5%

DEPARTED BONUS UNLISTED SELECTIONS
22C Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout 9.4%

Office Hours for Monday, February 14: Trappists for my sweetie on Valentine's Day.

Not fruity Lindemans, no.

For tomorrow night's Office Hours, we'll be switching the agenda I announced some time back, but which I'd already been contradicting aloud because I had it in my head that Trappists were going to be on Valentine's Day. They are. This is final. Remember that Trappists fall into various BJCP style categories. For Monday night the 14th, we're going to drink Trappists, chat about Trappists, and dispense with the usual style sheets, although I'll make an effort to note where they usually are placed.

Monday, February 14

Certified Trappist Ale Night

Monday, February 21
Category 18 — Belgian Strong Ale (minus certified Trappists)
18A. Belgian Blond Ale
18B. Belgian Dubbel
18C. Belgian Tripel
18D. Belgian Golden Strong Ale
18E. Belgian Dark Strong Ale

BJCP Category 17 (Sour Ale) tonight at Office Hours.

Tonight at Office Hours (in Prost, Pizzeria & Public House), you'll almost certainly sour on the experience, because it's time for a tasting of Category 17's Sour Ales, and a dip into the strange worlds of Acetobacter, Brettanomyce and Lactobacillus delbrueckii.

17A. Berliner Weisse
17B. Flanders Red Ale
17C. Flanders Brown Ale/Oud Bruin
17D. Straight (Unblended) Lambic
17E. Gueuze
17F. Fruit Lambic

As with last week's Belgians, I must again ask for a bit larger tasting fee of $10 a head tonight. The kicker is that a few of these are impossible to find at present, and it might be a while before we get them back owing to wholesale distribution problems.

Office Hours tonight: Belgian and French Ales from Category 16 (Part Two).

Tonight's tasting of 16E. Belgian Specialty Ale has all the makings of a scrum.

This is a catch-all category for any Belgian-style beer not fitting any other Belgian style category. The category can be used for specific beers; to produce a beer fitting a broader style that doesn’t have its own category; or to create an artisanal or experimental beer of the brewer’s own choosing (e.g., strong Belgian golden ale with spices, something unique).

There is no doubt in my mind that as a catch-all category, 16E is a sprawling and imperfect mess, ranging from Trappists (we're holding these for their own night - see the comprehensive schedule for details) to Saisons (Moinette, Bon Voeux) and quasi-Lambics (Lindemans?) placed here owing to minute differences with the necessary arbitrariness of their own categories, and including products from Achouffe, De Dolle and Ellezelloise (Belgium); Unibroue (Canada) and New Belgium (USA).

In Belgium, my experience is that most cafes resort to geography: If it comes from the French-speaking region of Wallonia, it's a Wallonian ale, case closed.

Several of tonight's beers are on the expensive side, so I must ask for $10 a head this evening. In return, we will open a bottle of DeuS, which retails for over $30. Other choices will come from the discard list, i.e., excellent Belgians that we cannot purchase on a daily basis, placing them in the "rotating appearance" category henceforth.

This one's going to be a diverse tasting, with quite little rhyme or reason to it. Before I forget, if you missed them, Amy W. posted her photos from last week:

Photo essay: Office Hours with the Publican on January 17, 2011.

Office Hours tonight: Belgian and French Ales from Category 16 (Part One).

We continue to follow the BJCP's numerical pathway with tonight's opening of Category 16, with two caveats as previously reported here: By popular demand: Comprehensive schedule for Office Hours with the Publican (through February 28).

First, 16E. Belgian Specialty Ale waits for its own night, next Monday, January 24.

Second, seeing as officially certified Trappist ales are scattered throughout the BJCP's listings and do not occupy their own category, we'll save them until the end, for one night, on Monday, February 21.

BJCP Category 16 — Belgian and French Ale

16A. Witbier
16B. Belgian Pale Ale
16C. Saison
16D. Bière de Garde

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP style 17.

Here is another in a series of postings revealing the sections of our new, evolving beer list at the NABC Pizzeria & Public House. Style 17 poses problems that pertain both to designations of particular beers (reds, browns) and my desire to keep the imported choices at a minimum. See if it makes sense, and let me know.

Bear in mind: What beers are available for putchase from wholesalers on a daily basis, year-round? Based on breaking information, it may not be possible for me to stock Bruocsella for precisely this reason.

17. SOUR ALE

17A. Berliner Weisse
Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse (Weihenstephaner)
Germany; 5% … 16.9 oz … 8.75

17B. Flanders Red Ale
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja … MI; 7.2% … 25.4 oz … 18.75

*New Belgium La Folie … CO; 6% … $.$$

17C. Flanders Brown Ale/Oud Bruin
(Currently, good examples are not available)

17D. Straight (Unblended) Lambic
Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella … Belgium; 5% … 25.4 oz … $.$$

17E. Gueuze
Hanssens Oude Gueuze … Belgium; 6% … $.$$

17F. Fruit Lambic
Sweetened: Lindemans Cassis (Currant); Framboise (Raspberry); Kriek (Cherry); Peche (Peach); Pomme (Apple) … Belgium; 4% … 8.25

Roger maintains a small and changing reserve list of authentic Lambics from Cantillon, Drie Fonteinen, Girardin and others. Ask for it.

Previously:

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP style 16.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 14 and 15.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 10 - 13.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 6 - 9.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 2 - 5.

No worries: Still a Lite-Free Zone, with no 1A allowed.

Office Hours tonight: German Wheat and Rye Beer.

Yes, I know: It's a slight let-down after the grandeur of last week's Imperial IPA festival, and yes, these wheat ales might be better understood in warmer weather, but as I explained last week, we might as well follow the BJCP's numerical pathway.

By popular demand: Comprehensive schedule for Office Hours with the Publican (through February 28).

We'll break out the Franziskaners, Weihenstephan, Schneiders and Aventinus (Doppelbock and Eisbock), but there'll be no Roggenbier, as they're almost impossible to find, and it is questionable whether they even merit separate designation ... but no one asked me, right?

Category 15 — German Wheat and Rye Beer

15A. Weizen/Weissbier
15B. Dunkelweizen
15C. Weizenbock
15D. Roggenbier (German Rye Beer)

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP style 16.

Here is another in a series of postings revealing the sections of our new, evolving beer list at the NABC Pizzeria & Public House.

Previously:

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 14 and 15.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 10 - 13.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 6 - 9.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 2 - 5.

No worries: Still a Lite-Free Zone, with no 1A allowed.

16. BELGIAN AND FRENCH ALE

16A. Witbier
*Celis White … MI; 3.9%. … $.$$

16B. Belgian Pale Ale
NABC Tafelbier … IN (draft)

16C. Saison
Ommegang Hennepin … NY; 7.7% … 25.4 oz ...10.00

16D. Bière de Garde
St. Amand French Country Ale … France; 5.9% … 25.4 oz … 14.50

*Two Brothers Domaine DuPage French Style Country Ale … IL; 5.9% … $.$$

16E. Belgian Specialty Ale
Achouffe Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel … Belgium; 9% … 25.4 oz … 12.75

Achouffe La Chouffe … Belgium; 8% … 25.4 oz … 12.75

Achouffe McChouffe … Belgium; 8% … 25.4 oz … 12.75

Avery “The Reverend” Quadrupel … CO; 10% … 22 oz … 11.00

DeuS Brut des Flandres … Belgium; 11.5% … 25.4 oz … 37.75

La Trappe Quadrupel (Koningshoeven) … Netherlands; 10% … 25.4 oz … 16.00

New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale … CO; 5.6% … 22 oz … 7.50

Ommegang Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend… NY; 9.8% … 25.4 oz … 11.75

Orval … Belgium; 6.9% … 7.75

Scaldis (Dubuisson/”Bush”) … Belgium; 12% … 8.54 oz … 6.75

Office Hours: Imperial India Pale Ale, a.k.a. Double IPA ... a.k.a. San Diego Pale Ale?

Tonight at 6:30 p.m. we gather in Prost to inaugurate a New Year with a style guaranteed to produce a crowd of hopheads: San Diego Pale Ale.

What?

Well, read through the syllabus below and you'll find an article, albeit from 2006, suggesting that "Double IPA" should be renamed for its roots in Southern California. What follows is everything I plan on bringing tonight, so those planning on attending can print it if desired. I'd like to once again thank Todd Suyemasa for opening his cellar to broaden the scope of our tasting.

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OFFICE HOURS for Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

***BJCP Category 14 — India Pale Ale, continued

14C. Imperial IPA

Aroma: A prominent to intense hop aroma that can be derived from American, English and/or noble varieties (although a citrusy hop character is almost always present).

Appearance: Color ranges from golden amber to medium reddish copper; some versions can have an orange-ish tint.

Flavor: Hop flavor is strong and complex, and can reflect the use of American, English and/or noble hop varieties. High to absurdly high hop bitterness, although the malt backbone will generally support the strong hop character.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-light to medium body.

Overall Impression: An intensely hoppy, very strong pale ale without the big maltiness and/or deeper malt flavors of an American barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, lacking harshness, and a tribute to historical IPAs. Drinkability is an important characteristic; this should not be a heavy, sipping beer.

Comments: Bigger than either an English or American IPA in both alcohol strength and overall hop level (bittering and finish). Less malty, lower body, less rich and a greater overall hop intensity than an American Barleywine. Typically not as high in gravity/alcohol as a barleywine, since high alcohol and malt tend to limit drinkability. A showcase for hops.

History: A recent American innovation reflecting the trend of American craft brewers “pushing the envelope” to satisfy the need of hop aficionados for increasingly intense products. The adjective “Imperial” is arbitrary and simply implies a stronger version of an IPA; “double,” “extra,” “extreme,” or any other variety of adjectives would be equally valid.

Ingredients: Pale ale malt (well-modified and suitable for single-temperature infusion mashing); can use a complex variety of hops (English, American, noble). American yeast that can give a clean or slightly fruity profile.

Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.070 – 1.090
FG: 1.010 – 1.020
IBUs: 60 – 120
SRM: 8 – 15
ABV: 7.5 – 10%

Commercial Examples: Three Floyd’s Dreadnaught, Bell’s Hop Slam, Stone Ruination IPA, Great Divide Hercules Double IPA, Rogue I2PA, Dogfish Head 90-minute IPA, Victory Hop Wallop

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FIRST FLIGHT: USA AT LARGE

Lagunitas Sonoma Farmhouse Hop Stoopid (ABV 8%), Petaluma, CA
For those mornings when you have to cut right to the chase, this is the one. Sure to blast through just about anything still lingering from the night before, this mouthful of Hops and huge rich Malt has a guarantee built right into the name! IBU 102

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (ABV 9%), Milton, DE
90 Minute IPA was our first continually-hopped beer, which is a method of hopping that allows for a pungent, but not crushing hop flavor. Since introducing the world to the continual-hopping method with our 90 Minute IPA, we've since released a continually-hopped 60 Minute IPA\, 120 Minute IPA and even a 75 Minute IPA (a cask-conditioned blend of 60 & 90 Minute IPAs). In addition to the continual-hopping 90 Minute IPA recieves during the boil, we also utilize our 'Me So Hoppy' device to dry-hop the beer
during conditioning. 90 IBU.

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA (ABV 10%), Denver, CO
Hoppier, maltier and with more alcohol than a standard IPA, Hercules Double IPA definitely is not for the faint of heart. Hercules Double IPA is, however, an elixir fit for the gods. A brash but creamy wonder, Hercules pours a deep orange-coppery color, forming substantial lace in the glass. Hercules Double IPA delivers a huge amount of piney, floral, and citrusy hop aroma and flavor from start to finish. A hefty backbone of nutty, toffee-like malt character balances Hercules’ aggressive, punchy hop profile. 85 International Bittering Units (IBUs).

Southern Tier Gemini (10.5% ABV ), Lakewood, NY
High in the winter sky, two parallel stick figures are visible & known as “the twins,” or the constellation Gemini. The astronauts of the 1960s flew as teams of two in a program named after the celestial pairing. At Southern Tier, we have our own fraternal twins, Hoppe & Unearthly. Blended together & placed in this vessel, the mission of our Gemini is to travel high & take passengers on a journey far into the heavens.
10.5% abv • 5.8ºL * 22° Plato
Malts - Two Row pale malt, Malted white wheat, Cara-pils malt, Red wheat.
Kettle hops - Columbus, Chinook, Cascade;
Aroma hops - Amarillo;
Hop back - Styrian Goldings;
Dry hops - Amarillo, Cascade, Centenial, Chinook & Columbus.

SECOND FLIGHT: SAN DIEGO STYLE?

Stone Ruination IPA (ABV 7.7%), Escondido, CA
So called because of the immediate ruinous effect on your palate. 100+ IBUs. Bracingly bitter. Thick, pungent hop aroma. We would say that no hops were injured in the brewing of this beer, but that would be a massive lie. In fact, the words "Stone Ruination IPA" are what older hop vines use to cause little hop vines to quiver with fright and lose sleep at night . We at Stone honor the brutal massacre of countless hops with this "Liquid poem to the glory of the hop!" Paganism at its best! Hops: Columbus and Centennial

Alpine Beer Company Pure Hoppiness (ABV 8%), Alpine, CA
A West Coast Double IPA So mega-hopped it will take you to hop heaven. We’ve used hops in the boil, more hops in the giant hopback, and added to that, an incredible amount of dry-hopping for that cutting-edge “hop bite.” Once you’ve tasted this unique beer, all others pale in comparison. 1.072 OG Classified IBU

Green Flash Imperial IPA (ABV 9.4%), Vista, CA
San Diego-style IPA, as it has come to be known by many, is a super-hoppy, high gravity, yet highly quaffable ale. Green Flash Imperial IPA is created in this new tradition, with intense hop flavors and aromas from a unique blend of Summit and Nugget hops. IBU 101

Port Brewing Hop 15 (ABV 10%), San Marcos, CA
First brewed in 2002 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the original Pizza Port location in Solana Beach, we searched high and low and combined 15 of our favorite hops which were added every 15 minutes to the boil. Somewhat darker than other Double IPA style beers, our beer oozes the hop goodness of pine needles, freshly squeezed citrus and ground spices which are only moderately tempered by a sweet malt finish. Thankfully, for all of us hopheads, we have decided to brew this beer more than once a year. Look for Hop 15 to make appearances from time to time when space permits us to brew this, one of our favorite ales. O.G.: 1.086 F.G. : 1.014; Hops - 15 different varieties; Malt - Two Row and English Light Crystal

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Some believe bitter brew should be renamed to reflect San Diego roots, by Peter Rowe (March 8, 2006; San Diego Union-Tribune)

Garrett Oliver gets around. The brewmaster at New York City's Brooklyn Brewery, Oliver is familiar with the beers of Belgium, Great Britain, Germany and Southern California.

In San Diego, he's especially fond of the so-called double India Pale Ale. Loves the beer.
Hates the name.

“Since the style they call 'double IPA' originated in the San Diego area,” Oliver argued, “shouldn't it be called San Diego Pale Ale?”

Marc Jilg, founder of Craftsman Brewing Co. in Pasadena, seconded the motion. “Historically,” Jilg said, “you could make a compelling argument that San Diego originated the double IPA.”

The double IPA, though, is not quite a native. Vinnie Cilurzo is credited with creating the style in 1994, when he was running Blind Pig Brewery in Temecula. Blind Pig IPA set the bar high and bitter – the recipe called for four varieties of malts, but the intensely aromatic and bitter hops were the star. Ditto, his Inaugural Ale.

Brewers measure a beer's bitterness with IBUs, or International Bittering Units.

Budweiser scores 12 IBUs. Your average IPA, about 60. Blind Pig IPA? An eye-watering 92. Blind Pig Inaugural Ale? A staggering 120.

In 1995, Cilurzo unleashed these hop monsters on the Great American Beer Festival. The Blind Pig Brewery folded in 1998. Inaugural Ale, which reappeared for a few years as Anniversary Ale, is only remembered by diehard Blind Piglets. But the Blind Pig IPA has attained cult status, and its descendants have won official recognition. Today, there is an “Imperial or Double India Pale Ale” category at both the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup.

So why should a beer style that originated in Temecula and now enjoys global recognition as double IPA be re-named San Diego Pale Ale?

For several reasons:

1. The existing name doesn't make sense.

“The idea of a 'double IPA' is patently silly,” Oliver said.
India Pale Ales were developed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as a way to keep beers fresh on the long voyage from London to Calcutta. By adding generous amounts of two preservatives – alcohol and hops – brewers could make pale ale that would survive the four-month journey in drinkable fashion.

If, that is, it passed muster with Calcutta's “beer assessor.”

The IPA, then, “was one of the most tightly defined beer styles in history,” Oliver noted.
By that tight definition, these beers are not IPAs, single or double.

2. Our drinkers love this style.

San Diegans are notoriously passionate about hops. Our best beer bars – among them O'Brien's, the Liar's Club and Wit's End – are top-heavy with hop-heavy offerings.
“If you drink hoppy beers every day,” said Jilg, “your definition of hoppiness needs to be recalibrated up a bit.”

3. Our brewers love this style, too.

You can find double IPAs in other parts of the country – Dogfish Head makes the 120 Minute IPA, with a mammoth 120 IBUs, in Milton, Del. But climb into a car in Milton and drive 30 minutes. You will not find a half dozen local brewers making versions of this beer.

You will in San Diego, where almost every brewery produces a version of double IPA.
A version with a distinct flavor. “They stand out among other IPAs from damn near anywhere else in the world,” said Pat McIlhenny, the founder of Alpine Beer Company.

4. In San Diego, this is the signature beer.

Or so insists a New Yorker.

“When we brought our golden, very hoppy 8 percent pale ale, Blast, to the Great American Beer Festival, we put up tasting notes that called it a San Diego Pale Ale,” Garrett Oliver said.

“Our West Coast brethren seemed to enjoy Blast, but they still seem oddly meek about claiming their bragging rights.”

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 14 and 15.

For the sake of public discussion and viewing, I'm gradually posting sections of the new, evolving beer list at the NABC Pizzeria & Public House. Information is as yet incomplete, and I look forward to feedback. The current plan is to launch this effort in late January, which means that there'll be close-outs periodically as we offload and reload.

The goal remains using the bottled list to educate, and simplifying it so that the beers on it are always on it, every day. There'll be seasonal and specialty offerings, too, as compiled on other lists.

Previously:

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 10 - 13.
Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 6 - 9.
Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 2 - 5.
No worries: Still a Lite-Free Zone, with no 1A allowed.

14. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA)

14A. English IPA
*Brooklyn East India Pale Ale … NY; 6.8% … $.$$

14B. American IPA
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale … MI; 7.1% … 4.00

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA … DE; 6% … 4.25

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA … CA; 7.2% … 3.75

Stone IPA (India Pale Ale) … CA; 6.9% … 22 oz … 6.50

Victory HopDevil … PA; 6.7% … 3.50

14C. Imperial IPA
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA … DE; 9% … 5.25

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA … CO; 10% … 22 oz … 11.50

Stone Ruination IPA … CA; 7.7% … 22 oz 8.25

15. GERMAN WHEAT AND RYE BEER

15A. Weizen/Weissbier
Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse … Germany; 5% … 16.9 oz … 5.50

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier … Germany; 5.4% … 16.9 oz … 5.75

15B. Dunkelweizen
Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel … Germany; 5%. 16.9 oz 5.50

Schneider Weisse … Germany; 5.4% … 16.9 oz … 6.25

15C. Weizenbock
Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock (Schneider) … Germany; 12% … 7.25

Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock (Schneider) … Germany; 8.2% … 16.9 oz … 7.75

15D. Roggenbier (German Rye Beer)
(Only sporadically seen outside Germany)

IPA into view for Office Hours, tonight.

Thanks to everyone who made last Monday's Imperial Stout tasting happen. I'm planning on being back in the saddle tonight, as Office Hours rams headlong into the BJCP's Category 14 ... and this means hops, hops and more hops.

We'll be going very light on English IPA owing to the abundance of straight American IPA available for sampling.

Imperial IPA will have to wait until January 3, as the 27th of December is our annual Pants Down Potluck Port Drinkers Circle (this year with guided tasting).

Sampling and commentary at Office Hours costs $5 and runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Public House.

***Category 14 — India Pale Ale (IPA)

14A. English IPA

Overall Impression: A hoppy, moderately strong pale ale that features characteristics consistent with the use of English malt, hops and yeast. Has less hop character and a more pronounced malt flavor than American versions.

14B. American IPA

Overall Impression: A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale.

14C. Imperial IPA

Overall Impression: An intensely hoppy, very strong pale ale without the big maltiness and/or deeper malt flavors of an American barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, lacking harshness, and a tribute to historical IPAs. Drinkability is an important characteristic; this should not be a heavy, sipping beer. It should also not have much residual sweetness or a heavy character grain profile.

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 10 - 13.

Remember: We'll be doing many American Pale Ales (and IPAs, for that matter) on draft, too, so there will be representation galore for this consumer favorite style. Note that Bell's Expedition Stout, while a staple of previous lists, falls through the cracks here because it is not available everyday. I suspect we'll have some around. The goal remains using the bottled list to educate, and simplifying it so that the beers on it are always on it. There'll be seasonal and specialty offerings, too.

10. AMERICAN ALE

10A. American Pale Ale
BBC American Pale Ale … Kentucky; 5.7% … 3.50

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale … California; 5.6% … 3.75

10B. American Amber Ale
New Belgium Fat Tire … Colorado; 5.2% … 22 oz … 7.50

Stone Levitation … California; 4.4% … 4.00

10C. American Brown Ale
*Dogfish Head Indian Brown … Delaware; 7.2% … $.$$

11. ENGLISH BROWN ALE

11A. Mild
NABC Community Dark … on draft, every day

11B. Southern English Brown
(BJCP says: “Increasingly rare.” Unavailable here)

11C. Northern English Brown
New Castle Brown Ale … England; 4.7% … 4.25

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale … England; 5% … 5.00

12. PORTER

12A. Brown Porter
Samuel Smith “The Famous” Taddy Porter … England; 5% … 5.00

12B. Robust Porter
Founders Porter … Michigan; 6.5%. … 4.00

Rogue Mocha Porter … Oregon; 5.3%. ... 4.25

12C. Baltic Porter
Baltika “6” Porter … Russia; 7% … 16.9 oz … 5.50

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter … Maryland; 9.2%. … 5.25

Sinebrychoff Porter … Finland; 7.2%. … 6.25

13. STOUT

13A. Dry Stout
Guinness Stout … on draft, every day

13B. Sweet Stout
Left Hand Milk Stout … Colorado; 5.2%. … 4.25

13C. Oatmeal Stout
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout … England; 5%. … 5.00

13D. Foreign Extra Stout
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout … Ireland 7.5% … $.$$

13E. American Stout
*Avery Out of Bounds Stout … Colorado; 5.1% … $.$$

13F. Russian Imperial Stout
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout … Colorado; 9.5% … 22 oz … 11.50

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout … California; 9% … 5.00

Samuel Smith Imperial Stout … England; 7% … 5.00

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 6 - 9.

Asterisks denote beers we must add to the list; all prices are subject to review, and if not listed, that's because we don't know the cost yet. My standard for selection has been everyday availability, year-round, with preference to American-made beer over imports when sensible.

Obviously, there'll be exceptions. Maybe this would be a good time to ask Sun King if we'll be permitted to buy cans ... details, details.

6. LIGHT HYBRID BEER

6A. Cream Ale
*Sun King Sunlight Cream Ale … Indiana; 5.3%. … $.$$

6B. Blonde Ale
*Southern Star Bombshell Blonde … Texas; 5.25% … $.$$

6C. Kölsch
Reissdorf Kölsch … Germany; 4.8% … 16.9 oz … 6.25

6D. American Wheat or Rye Beer
*Three Floyds Gumballhead … Indiana; 5.5% … $.$$

7. AMBER HYBRID BEER

7A. Northern German Altbier
(I’m still looking)

7B. California Common Beer
Anchor Steam … California; 4.9% … 4.25

7C. Düsseldorf Altbier
BBC Amber … Kentucky; 4.19% … $.$$

8. ENGLISH PALE ALE

8A. Standard/Ordinary Bitter
(Usually UK cask ale only; few are exported)

8B. Special/Best/Premium Bitter
*Schlafly Pale Ale … Missouri; 4.4% … $.$$

8c. Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
Fuller’s ESB … England; 5.9% … 4.50

Old Speckled Hen … England; 5.2% … 16.9 oz … 6.75

9. SCOTTISH AND IRISH ALE

9A. Scottish Light 60/-
(Cask ale only; not exported to the USA)

9B. Scottish Heavy 70/-
(Only sporadically available in good condition)

9C. Scottish Export 80/-
*Belhaven Scottish Ale … Scotland; 5.2% … $.$$

9D. Irish Red Ale
Smithwicks … Ireland; 4.5% … 4.25

9E. Strong Scotch Ale
Founders Dirty Bastard … Michigan; 8.5% … 3.75

*Three Floyds Robert the Bruce … Indiana; 6.5%. … $.$$

Traquair House Ale … Scotland; 7.2% … 8.75

Bottled beer list piece by piece: BJCP styles 2 - 5.

For public discussion and viewing, I'll be posting sections of the new, evolving beer list at the NABC Pizzeria & Public House.

Let's just say that in filling the slots of the BJCP categories that denote what many of us would consider "lesser" beer styles (clears throat), there are many to choose from, little that inspires, and much debate, although Bockland is more interesting than the rest.

Also, bear in mind that everything's provisional at this point. Category 1, Light Lager, is here: No worries: Still a Lite-Free Zone, with no 1A allowed.

2. PILSNER

2A. German Pilsner (Pils)
Warsteiner … Germany; 4.8% … 4.00

2B. Bohemian Pilsener
Pilsner Urquell … Czech Republic. 4.4% … 3.75

2C. Classic American Pilsner
(NABC’s Kaiser 2nd Reising periodically appears on draft).

3. EUROPEAN AMBER LAGER

3A. Vienna Lager
Samuel Adams Boston Lager … Massachusetts HQ; 4.9% … 3.75

3B. Oktoberfest
(Seasonal only, circa September)

4. DARK LAGER

4A. Dark American Lager
*Leinenkugel Creamy Dark … Wisconsin; 4.9% … $.$$

4B. Munich Dunkel
Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel … Germany; 5% … 16.9 oz … 6.50

4C. Schwarzbier (Black Beer)
Kulmbacher Monchshof Schwarzbier … Germany; 4.9% … 16.9 oz … 6.75

5. BOCK

5A. Maibock/Helles Bock
Rogue Dead Guy … Oregon; 6.5% .. 4.25

5B. Traditional Bock
*Berghoff Traditional Bock Beer … Wisconsin; 5.4% … $.$$

5C. Doppelbock
Celebrator Doppelbock … Germany; 6.7% … 5.75

Spaten Optimator … Germany; 7.2% ... 4.00

5D. Eisbock
Kulmbacher (Reichelbräu) Eisbock … Germany; 9.2% … 5.50