October 24th, 2007
Chopperz Bierfest 2007
Beer, beer lessons, beer brats, beer conversations, beer rankings. There is a theme here. Oct 21st kicked off what is likely to be a semi annual event for Chopperz. Bierfest 2007 celebrated all that was good about beer. The fest consisted of 10 beers to taste, which included some seasonal favorites, as well as some new Off the Rail beers brewed for Chopperz. The overall winner for flavor was the Chopperz Eclipse Chocolate Stout, which tasted so good, guests wanted to use it as ice cream topping. For folks that did not make it, we ranked beers on a 1-6 pack scale stolen from the gentlemen at www.frostygoodness.com. The ranking descriptions are funny and well worth a read and can be viewed here. The actual rankings are as follows
Chopperz Eclipse Stout- Chocolately-goodness pitch black in color. Too thick to be hanging out session beer, but tasty enough to be enjoyed daily. Eclipse is not syrupy sweet, but does have a nice thickness that clings to the glass. Ranked #1 (3.62)
Beer #2 skipped internationally until the last review
Rogue Santas Private Reserve- Soild tasting ale by Rogue. Just a touch of malty sweetness, with citrus hops, the kind that you now are there, but don’t kick you in the jaw. Ranked #3 (3.53)
Bridgeport Ebenezer Ale- Interestingly spiced beer and a nice sipping ale. The 6.4% is well hidden, but sneaks up like a Halloween ghost. Ranked #4 (3.46)
Full Sail Wassail- Big, full bodied and creamy smooth with a fruity, chocolate malt, and honey flavor. You can taste the alcohol and hops. Ranked #5 (3.31)
Deshutes Julbeale- A syrupy beer with nutty flavor. Little to no extra spicing. Mild hop flavor comes at the finish in a drying, slightly bitter floral taste. Ranked #6 (3.17)
Chopperz Smoke Hut Porter- Not an ridiculously flavored porter. It has enough roasty character to satisfy most dark beer lovers, yet is extremely drinkable for a darker beer. Tasted like a lighter version of the Eclipse Stout. Ranked #7 (2.86)
Off the Rail Belgium Wit- Given this was my first Wit, my taste buds were not sure what to expect. The flavor is an interesting mix of tart and spice. Most folks were not too pumped about this beer. Ranked #8 (2.71)
Pyramid SnoCap- One of the the most god awful beers ever tasted. Unanimously despised by almost every taster. Oxidized, skunked, bitter, rancid, were just a few of the descriptions written. Ranked #9 (2.5)
Surprise ranking of the year. #2 ranked beer was O’Douls Amber (3.6)- Surprisingly good. Caramel malts add flavor to the what is normally non-alcoholic swill. Definitely drinkable.
For the folks who asked the method/recipe for the brats were as follows
Poke holes in brats with fork
Simmer brats in pot for 20 minutes with
3 chopped and caramelized onions
2 bottles of beer (I used Haymaker Extra Pale Ale)
4 Bay Leaves
2 splashes of liquid hickory smoke
Grill brats until golden brown, then place in crockpot with holding liquid until ready to eat
Holding Liquid
2 bottles of beer (I used Macs Amber)
4 Bay Leaves
2 Caramelized Onions
2 cans drained stewed tomatoes
3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
Also requested, the recipe for Above the Rests Northwest IPA is below as well
6 pounds (2 cans) light malt extract syrup
1 pound munich malt grain (crushed)
1 pound 2-row pale malt grain (crushed)
2 ounces Centennial Hops (for bittering)
1 ounces Cascade Hops (for flavoring)
1 ounces Cascade Hops (for aroma)
1 teaspoon Irish Moss (for clarity)
1 tube Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar for bottling
