The Beer Babe

What on earth is Kombucha (and other stories)

Carla Companion — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:32:20 GMT

So, while I may have spent an exorbitant amount of time learning about beer and beer styles, I admit that I never came across the word Kombucha until a few weeks ago. Or maybe I had seen it and just not thought it was relevant. But when I was at a local beer store, looking into their cooler at a row of glass bottles from Urban Farm Fermentory - one caught my eye that had lots of words I didn't know on it.

"Urban Farm Fermentory - Kombucha Culture - Chaga Chai" the bottle said.

"Handcrafted. Bottle Conditioned. Gluten Free. Keep Refrigerated. 500 ML. 1.5% ALC By Vol."

I stared at the label and thought two things. First, this wouldn't be in the beer/mead/wine section if it wasn't in that general category. Second, I like chai tea so I'll bring this home and figure out what it's all about later.

Well after some Googling I found out the answer. Kombucha is a beverage made from fermented tea, that contains live yeasts and bacteria and creates its own carbonation. So it's in the family of fermented beverages. Typically, it is served with the actual culture still intact (think that kind of film that forms on the top of a glass of juice when you leave it out for a few days... don't do an image search for this, trust me). Chaga, on the other hand, is a type of fungus that grows only on Birch trees, and has purported health benefits. So far I've gathered that it's fermented tea with fungus inside. Sounds delicious! Always up for an adventure, I decided to crack this open and give it a shot.

It pours a tea color, but with some definite carbonation present. The big bubbles almost spit at the top of the glass (like a great Czech pilsner would) and the smell is unique. It definitely has a little tea flavor, but I'm hit mostly with an acetic acid (vinegar) and almost an apple undertone. Not having any idea what this should smell like, I just dove in for a sip.

I was pleasantly surprised - the taste was a lot more like cider than I imagined it would be. There was a tight tartness - the kind that dries out your mouth a little like vinegar. But the tartness was mellowed by a bunch of spice notes - almost like the spices that would accompany a spiced chai latte. I ended up describing it as a "tart apple cider with a little bit of chai spice" when I had to fit its description into a 140-character-or-less statement. I would try it again if offered, and if nothing else it was an interesting learning experience. Also, with under 2% alcohol, you could probably drink this for breakfast.

Now, Urban Farm Fermentory is best known for their ciders - and I had the opportunity to try their Hopped Cidah as well. This one is a little more familiar in appearance and in taste. It pours a beautiful straw yellow that's cloudy with big bubbles. The aroma is all fresh apples and the taste takes on a very earthy characteristic - like you've just eaten a big part of a fresh McIntosh apple peel. The earthiness is probably due to the Cascade hops, and it adds an interesting element to it. This is not a "hoppy" cider, particularly, but the hops bring a nice new dynamic to something you might be used to.

Urban Farm Fermentory (also known as UFF) is part of the "yEast Bayside" community that includes Rising Tide Beer, Bunker Brewing, Maine Craft Distilling and Tandem Coffee Roasters. The area there seems to be rich for collaboration, experimentation, and community-focused endeavors. I can only wait with anticipation to see what else comes out of this blossoming area.

Two books for your beer bookshelf

Carla Companion — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:21:40 GMT

A few years ago, there were only a handful of books written about beer, and most concerned themselves with methods for brewing it, or stories of how a particular brewer rose to fame and success. There have been some highlights along the way, but I am very pleased that beer writers are beginning to take a look back at how exactly the American craft beer industry ended up where it was today.

The growth of craft beer in the U.S. has not been a steady march forward since the repeal of prohibition, but rather an undulating journey of booms and busts, near-misses and resurrections, champions and underdogs. In that journey, there is a surprisingly small yet indomitable cast of characters that made an immense impact on the craft brewing landscape. Two recently-published books have helped to bring those people to light - and allowed some of the as yet untold stories to come out.

The first book I must recommend for anyone with an interest in craft beer is The Audacity of Hops. I must applaud author Tom Acitelli for the amount of research that this book must have entailed. The stories of the pioneers of craft beer is easy to gloss over and oversimplify, but Acitelli dives in and tackles all the twists and turns. Arranged in short chapters, the portraits serve as snapshots of the people and the events that brought us to where we are now. If you thought we're now in the midst of the beginning of craft beer's growth, you're mistaken.

Starting with pre-prohibition brewing through the consolidation of breweries and the hairy near death of American beer altogether, Acitelli introduces us to the big names - Fritz Maytag, Jack McAuliffe, Charlie Papazian, Michael Jackson - and starts to weave their stories together. Amazingly comprehensive, it also reads a bit more like a novel with tons of important characters parading in and out, and is easy to get sucked in. I started reading this and couldn't put it down. Somehow, I knew of these pioneers and some breweries no longer in operation, but didn't really know them or understand how interrelated they are.

Also featured in the middle to later sections in the book is the venerable David Geary and his outspoken positions on the craft beer industry throughout it all. Along with Geary, several New England and Maine breweries are brought up from time to time, and it's easy to see what New England has brought to the table over time.

However, if you are looking for an introduction and overview of Maine's brewing history as well as a clear picture of the Maine brewing scene, you now have an excellent resource. Josh Christie's Maine Beer : Brewing In Vacationland dives in head first. With profiles of nearly all of Maine's breweries, as well as descriptions of the most well-known or interesting beers from each brewery, Christie takes on the history of how Vacationland arrived at it's place in craft beer - as well as the people who made it what is today. Picking up where The Audacity of Hops leaves off, Christie does a great job giving some much-needed context and background that helps beer drinkers sort out the rich beer culture here.

Also, this book is a good one to bring up with you to camp, or to sit on your front porch and flip through it while sipping your favorite Maine beer. It really does help one to understand Maine a bit better - from the strong personalities and the slightly off-kilter and ambitious ideas of the brewers. I've had the pleasure of meeting a lot of the people featured in Christie's book, and yet I still learned a great deal about Maine beer, especially what happened before I arrived, and what's going on now outside of Portland.

The Audacity of Hops is available through online booksellers like Amazon (and I would be surprised if you couldn't find it at Books a Million in the Maine Mall - they have a decent beer book section). Maine Beer is available for sale through Christie's website (Brews and Books) and at independent book stores all over Maine. A few breweries are carrying this one, too, including Baxter Brewing Company, Boothbay Craft Brewery and Rising Tide. Both books are must-haves for those interested in beer and in Maine - and both make for great summer reading - especially if you have a beer beside you while you're reading it.

Maine Island Trail Ale

Carla Companion — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:20:04 GMT

Every summer I take a vacation with a friend to Vinalhaven Island - the highlight of which is usually kayaking around the inlets and tiny islands and hanging out with eagles, seals and the sights and sounds that make summer sing with life. I am grateful for the opportunity to do this, but also grateful that the coast of Maine has stayed mostly natural, and that there are so many Mainers that are fighting to protect its beauty. The Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) has been working for 25 years to create sustainable ways that people can enjoy Maine's islands and waters without leaving a harmful impact. Through partnerships with private landowners and public lands, MITA created the first ever water-trail - The Maine Island Trail - stretching 375 miles and including almost 200 islands.

In support of this effort, Rising Tide Brewing Company endeavored to create a beer for summer that would capture a little bit of the feeling of summer in Maine, and also contribute to MITA's goals of coastal stewardship. To do this, Maine Island Trail Ale was created, and portions of the proceeds from the sale go back to MITA. Making its debut (very appropriately) at Portland Greendrinks, the beer has been well-received - so I went to grab a bottle of its second batch that was released this week.

The bottle is pretty - and features a map of the trail on top. The beer is a session pale ale with an ABV of 4.3% - so this is no alcohol bomb, and can easily be consumed on a relaxing summer evening. It pours a thin copper color with terrific pine and citrus aroma. The beer features Simcoe and Citra hops (two of my favorites) and they are the ones bringing the delightful whiffs of forests and fruit to my nose.

The hops make this one quite "zippy" (at least that's the word that sprung to mind when I sampled it) and are in no way heavy-handed. There is plenty of citrus in the taste, and it comes off with a very summery feeling. The mouthfeel on the Maine Trail Ale is also pleasantly light. It is a refreshing alternative to those that can coat the tongue with their sticky or resinous feel. This is a beer that would be excellent for a really hot day - lots of flavor without weighing you down. It has a very approachable hop profile to it, and I'd say it might even be a good one to use to get a friend to "test the waters" of hoppy beer while keeping one foot in the familiar.

This is the second beer in Rising Tide's collaboration series, and I am hopeful that they will continue finding place in the community to participate like this. It is one thing as a brewery to state that you are committed to building community, it is another thing entirely to actually engage with the issues that matter to your customers and to your local area. Rising Tide has accepted this challenge with pride - and I think that their commitment to finding ways to help is worth a toast. Cheers to that!

Brace yourself, it's festival season

Carla Companion — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 01:49:44 GMT

There are a lot of fantastic things about being involved in the rise of craft beer. The incredible growth in this state is creating jobs, bringing people to the state to try Maine beer, and beer events are quickly becoming a part of our life in this state and in Portland. As the interest in craft beer grows, there is one thing that is occurring that can sometimes be challenging. Starting in the beginning of June, beer-related festivals and events begin to fill the calendar.

In an attempt to keep you apprised of the beer festival landscape - here are summaries of some upcoming fests in Portland and the differences between them. I know I like to have a little bit of a plan for my summer - and dreaming about the beer that will be at these fests is a fun activity on an early summer evening. I will share a bit more about other events in the state and in the region next week.

Portland Summer Beer Festivals

For Portland, there are three "big" festivals going on in town this summer.

June 21-22nd - "The Festival"

This festival might have the most generic name, it is probably the most unforgettable opportunity on the list. The Festival is put on by Shelton Brothers and 12% Imports - companies responsible for bringing most of the amazing Belgian beer (among others) into the U.S. for craft beer enthusiasts.

There are three sessions between Friday and Saturday, and you can purchase tickets for one or three of the sessions (though I don't know how your liver would come out on the other end if you did all three). The tickets range from $65-150 and include 24 two ounce pours per session. But considering that this is usually high-test, rare and interesting beer, this is not a festival to attend if you're looking to go through tons of beer quickly. Additionally, the brewers of this fabulous beer will be there, so this is a beer geek's dream. There will be more than 70 breweries represented with more than 200 beers pouring. The beer list is full of international delights as well as some national and regional representatives in the mix.

Location: Portland Yacht Services Building, 58 Fore Street

Tickets/More info: Shelton Brothers Festival

July 13th - Craft Beer Comes to Portland

If you are looking to get a taste of Maine beer all in one place, this is the festival for you. Put on by the Maine Brewer's Guild, the proceeds go towards supporting craft beer in Maine. For the past two years this festival has been in Boothbay, and was well-attended by nearly all of the state's breweries. This year it has moved to the Maine State Pier which should make for an interesting venue.

If it is anything like previous years (and all indications are that it will be) the focus will be on the local, with brewers bringing one-offs and beers brewed especially for the fest, in addition to their regular lineups. As a special treat, Charlie Papazian, president of the national Brewers Association and author of "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" will also be in attendance. Tickets ($50/regular $75/VIP) include beer samples, tasting glass and food. This is outdoors and will be held "rain or shine." I hope that the weather holds out, because this is an outstanding opportunity to get to know our state's beer and the great people that make it.

Location: Maine State Pier

Tickets/More info: Maine Brewer's Guild

August 30-31st - Portland Brew Festival

This beer fest has a little for everyone. A combination of the accessible and familiar with the special and rare, this fest will feature 35+ brewers and more than 90 different beers are already anticipated. $35 tickets include a tasting glass and access to all of the beer. The list is already well-rounded (and growing) and includes Allagash, Sebago, Baxter, Gritty's and some new faces from Maine, too, including Infidel Brewing. From around the region we'll also get Brooklyn, Clown Shoes, and White Birch, among others.

This is the kind of fest you can bring your friends to - whether they are beer geeks or not. The atmosphere of this festival is fun - usually people are friendly and I enjoy that it's a little bit smaller than some of the mind-blowingly huge ones that get thrown in Boston. With sessions on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening, it's also easy to fit it into busy Labor Day weekend plans.

Location: 58 Fore Street

Tickets/More info: Portland Brew Festival

Looking at these fests side-by-side, they seem to speak to the different types of craft beer people in Maine. If you want the rare, the funky, the international and the renowned, The Festival is for you. If you're really looking to get an intimate knowledge of Maine's craft beer landscape - then Craft Beer Comes to Portland is where you can get a taste of everything Maine has to offer all in one place. And if you're looking to taste some great beer from the state and around the region in an atmosphere welcoming to all levels of beer geekery, then the Portland Brew Festival would fit the bill.

In my case, I'm a little of each of those people. I'll see you there.

Nothing missing in Omission Lager & Pale Ale

Carla Companion — Sun, 26 May 2013 14:41:53 GMT

I consider myself to be very lucky not to be affected by any kind of gluten sensitivity. Many of the people that I know, however, do have either a gluten allergy, Celiac disease, or some other medical reason that gluten negatively affects them. Unfortunately for the beer lover, this significantly narrows the choices for beers that you can drink. Since May is Celiac Awareness month, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about my favorite options for gluten-free beer.

Most gluten-free beers are made with sorghum, which is a type of replacement grain. It is actually from a grass, and can be used in beer to take the place of the malted barley usually used. However, this imparts an entirely different malt flavor, and in my experience, a slightly plastic taste to the aftertaste. There have been some sorghum-based successes, however. Recently Dogfish Head Brewing put out their T'weason Ale which included a strawberry flavor that somewhat diffused the sorghum off flavors. But even that was kind of a turn off for some of my friends as they lamented why their beer had to be flavored with something else to be enjoyed.

Then, enter Windmer Brothers. Known for their perfect-to-style hefeweizen, they embarked on a mission six years ago to try and make a better gluten-friendly beer, prompted in part by some people that they knew who wanted to continue enjoying beer despite their limitations. The result became its own craft beer brand - Omission. But what makes Omission beers different is that they don't substitute for malted barley, instead they use a "proprietary process" to remove and obliterate the gluten. They then test every batch of beer before it goes out to make sure it falls under the international standard for being labeled as gluten free (which is anything less than 20 ppm). What's also neat is that you can go online and check the test results yourself for each individual batch of brew.

There are two Omission beers right now - a Lager and a Pale Ale. I have had the opportunity to sample both, and I will be honest, my expectations were low. I've had a lot of gluten-free beer and been disappointed each time. But this floored me. If you didn't tell me that this was gluten free I would never have known.

The Lager is light, crisp, and will be a great one to enjoy on a hot summer day, and could even be something that light lager fans might want to switch to just because of the taste. It is a light yellow, subtly hoppy and mostly just refreshing, with no aftertaste at all.

The Pale Ale is the one that I want to shout to the rooftops about, however. This beer is a great pale ale on its own. It is a dark amber color, the aroma is hoppy and bright, and the taste is nearly equivalent to any pale ale you could order around town. No more missing the hops and the malty balance of beer, this one is spot on to style. Like the lager, this is indistinguishable from beer containing gluten.

Now, as far as how they do this, I can only imagine that the little magnet on the logo has something to do with this, but the "proprietary" process seems to be a secret that Windmer brothers wants to keep, at least for now.

I enjoyed browsing the website for Omission, because it is full of people expressing their joy at finally being able to enjoy beer again. This beer is available in Maine anywhere craft beer is sold, so if you've been looking for a good gluten-free beer you shouldn't have to look very far.