So I’ve been having some problems with trying to get the pictures from Saturday’s brew day off of the camera, but hopefully I’ll be able to get them up along with the article up this weekend. I had planned to make this post after the one on Brew Day, but I figured I’d put it up now since the other post is being delayed.
In the most recent issue of Beer Advocate magazine, Zeno’s Pub of State College, PA was named #15 on the list of the top places in the world to have a pint. Being the place where I learned to love craft beer, it will probably always be my favorite bar no matter where I go. If you ever have the opportunity to go here, you should. I’ve been going to Zeno’s since the first week I was 21 so I’ve been to many of their beer festivals, but this one is a little special. I love sour and funky beers so I was really excited when they announced this fest. This fest was $20 for dinner and 10 samples from this list:
It was a little disappointing to see only a few traditional sours on the list, but given the cost of the beers it’s understandable. I would have personally paid more to have more lambics and gueuzes on the list, but the point of the fests that they put on is to introduce people to new beers. I decided to pass on the Avec les bon Voeux de la Brasserie Dupont, Ommegang Hennepin, and Victory Helios because I had previously had them. The only other beer on the list that I had had was the Drie Fontein Doesjel, but that beer was so fantastic that I had to have it again. Most of the beers were good, some great, and others underwhelming. Here are some of the ones I tried:
1. Drie Fontein Doesjel: This beer poured a beautiful hazy orange color with no head. While technically not to style for a gueuze, this beer is not carbonated. I prefer all of my beers at a lower carbonation level than most, and this is especially true for gueuzes. Fortunately I have only come across one that is as highly carbed as the style guidelines suggest. The nose is full of fantastic funk and sourness. The flavor includes the funkiness from the nose with added barnyard and lemon characteristics. There is a surprisingly high level of body that lends itself well to the rest of the beer. Great gueuze. 4.5/5.0
2. Lost Abbey Red Barn: Probably the best looking beer of the fest. Pours a pale gold with a nice cap of white foam. The aroma is yeasty with fruity and phenolic notes that are typical for a saison. The taste is a blend of sweet and sour which isn’t very normal for the style and it finishes somewhat dry, but not as dry as I’d like. The carbonation level is spot on and helps to keep the mouthfeel from being too thin. Probably my favorite of the saisons that I had at the fest, even though it wasn’t the best stylistic example. 4.0/5.0
3. Duchesse Kriek: This beer pours a very pretty light ruby red with a small layer of head. There is a light hint of pie cherry sourness in the nose with a little barnyard funk. The flavor is the same as the nose minus the cherry, plus a little vinegar, and a lot of sweetness. The level of sweetness in this beer is probably more acceptable for an Oud Bruin than a Flanders Red and it’s a little off-putting. There isn’t nearly enough cherry character for this to have Kriek in the name, and to be honest it reminds me a lot of the normal Duchesse de Bourgogne. Not a bad beer, but this missed the mark for me a bit. 3.5/5.0
Overall, this was a very interesting festival. I know that a lot of the people there had never tasted a beer with brett or sourness before, so I hope it served to open some eyes. As a side note, we have a lot of interesting things coming up in the near future. Stay tuned.
Gluttony Brewing 