Snitz Creek Brewery - "Seltzer's Smokehaus #7" rauchbier

A few weeks back, I swung by Lebanon, PA-based Snitz Creek Brewery during a work trip up to the Lebanon Valley. Nestled in small-town Pennsylvania, the brewery is pretty small; it's a narrow but long storefront (kinda like a rowhouse) with a bar / small kitchen up front and a brewing system in the back. But like a lot of places in Central PA, everybody's super friendly and the bartender let me try a few samples (I was going to be driving an hour plus back to Carlisle, so it's not smart to have more than a couple of sips.) I saw today's beer - an 8.5% ABV rauchbier - up on the board, and knew I had to try it - and I'm glad I did! I immediately got a crowler of it to go.

Rauchbier is a German word for "smoked beer" and actually has a pretty interesting history. Like the gose, this is a style of beer that dates back to the 1500s. It's made with malted barley that is dried over an open flame, as opposed to drying in the sun or more modern methods like forced-heat (like, in a kiln, which is how much of the world's beer was made.) The result of stoving it over an open flame is a barley that imparts a smoky flavor which one doesn't get in any other method.

This particular example, called "Seltzer's Smokehaus #7", is made in partnership with Seltzer's Lebanon Bologna, 115-year-old smokehouse in Palmyra, PA. The malted barley used in the beer are smoked inside Seltzer's smokers; and the results were well-received (so much so it made the news!) And so of course I had to try this. This one comes in 32oz can (a "crowler.") Also known as a quart can, it's become my preferred size, and was filled up fresh from the tap before my eyes.

The beer pours an attractive dark amber color, and throws an light aroma of malts. It generates tan-colored foam.

It's a medium red color in the glass. Hard to see because of the pictures, but there's a lot of carbonation in there.

 I'm very impressed. It's one of the savoriest, smokiest beers I've ever had. The smoke flavor dominates, presenting a really strong flavor of sweet malts, wheat flavors, and mesquite throughout. The carbonation is just right and the beer has some tasty bready flavors on the long lingering finish. The flavor sticks with you for quite some time after the sip; I'm almost enjoying the lingering flavors more than I am the initial ones (almost!)

Also of note - this beer is 8.8% ABV, and that's pretty substantial. But you wouldn't know - this beer hides alcohol well and drinks far below its actual weight. It's a smooth, easy-drinking beer that I could see myself having quite often. The biggest attractor here of course is the smoke flavoring, and aside from drinking, I'm wondering what kind of ways one could cook with this - it'd go great in a beer bread or as a seasoning for some grilled chicken. Also, if I wanted a cigar with this, I'd of course pair it with Drew Estate's "MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured."

In the end, I'm a huge fan. This is a smokehouse in a can and a real home-run for Snitz Creek. Definitely give this place a look if you're ever in Lebanon County, PA - it's worth the trip for this beer alone (not to mention their "Opera Fudge", a chocolate stout, which I'll be reviewing later!)

Pasqua Vigneti / Cecilia Beretta - "Soraie" red blend [Italy]

I don't think I've reviewed too many Italian wines for this blog. Like France, Italy has far too many wines to exhaustively try and many oenologists dedicate their lives to the study and appreciation of Italian wines. And there are a couple of Italian wines that seem to be most popular, or at least most common. When I was in Italy with my father, I think our dinner reds were generally Chianti and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. But, of course, there are plenty of others that are worth trying, and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't give them a try!

Today's is one such blend. It's called "Soraie" by winery Pasqua Vigneti E Cantine S.P.A., under the trade label Cecilia Beretta. 

The wine, made near Venice in the northern Italian province of Veneto, is made using a technique called appassimento, which allows the grapes to dry naturally for a bit before starting the winemaking process. This allows the grapes to ripen first, which changes the flavor and the amount of sugar in the grapes. The appassimento technique is used often; Amarone is a very popular wine made in this style.

According to today's bottle, this wine is made from vines grown at the highest altitude of the vineyard; it contains the following grape proportions:

• 40% Merlot
• 30% Corvina (an Italian varietal also known as Cruina or Corvina Veronese)
• 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 10% Croatina (another Italian grape, often grown in Lombary and Emilia-Romagna regions)

My research indicates the two Italian grapes mentioned above are often parts of blends, especially Croatina, which is indicated as a common part of Amarone blends. Interesting! I've never had those, but I have had Merlot and Cab Sauv...and my knowledge of Merlot, and given the weight of Merlot in this blend (especially given it's a northeastern Italian Merlot) I have a feeling it's going to be soft and easy-drinking; contrast to a more aggressive red like a a Pinot Noir, perhaps, or even a Zinfandel.

Initially, it's bright and soft, even a bit thin, but develops into bright cherry and strawberry flavors that form the body of the wine. Not a lot of alcohol or tannic flavors in there. There's a lingering finish of fruit with some nice sugary sweetness. Texture-wise, I found this to be smooth and silky with not a lot of objectionable qualities. Overall, sweeter and lighter than I expected, although very pleasing. 

These kinds of wine are called "fruit-forward" or "fruit-driven." The ripeness of a grape can be a strong indicator of a fruit-forward wine; so it's no surprise then that grapes partially-ripened before being made into wine would yield a very sweet and fruity wine. The softness of the wine, i.e. the lack of tannins and low acidity, makes it an easy drinker and suitable for both pairing with food and with drinking on its own; food-wise, I've served it with dishes like cumin-crusted pork with blood orange & fig reduction; also with pan-fried lemon chicken with mushrooms and roasted green beans (pictured below) and I imagine it would go great with any Italian dish with white sauce (here I'm thinking, maybe my homemade goat cheese alfredo.) At $8.99, it's very affordable and a good buy, especially to have on hand in case you're looking for a nice red to pair with dinner. 

Kirkland Signature - 2013 Napa Valley Meritage [California]

Ass mentioned previously, Costco is an unexpectedly good source of wine. Their house brand, Kirkland Signature, makes everything from wine to frozen shrimp to baby wipes, and as previously noted, I've had many Kirkland wines before, all with generally positive results. It's worth noting, however, the interesting way many so-called "house wines" are produced. Companies like Kirkland or Trader Joe's will buy up whole or partial crop yields from vineyards and make straight varietals or blends "on contract". Sometimes these grapes are the worst out of the whole yield, but sometimes they are quite good and can come from some pretty famed regions, such as today's, from Napa Valley (to which I will be heading, hopefully, this summer for a 3-week tour.) Generally, companies that create house labels tend not to divulge from which vineyards their grapes come; sometimes this is because it's a blend of many different grapes from multiple vineyards, and sometimes fancy vineyards don't want their names slapped on a $4.99 bottle of Merlot.

Today's "bottled poetry" is a 2013 bottle of their Napa Valley meritage. Meritage is a term used to describe American wines made in the Bordeaux style. As we know, proper terms like Bordeaux, Chianti, Chablis, Champagne, and many others are protected by origin laws (think copyright for wine), no US producer can make wine called "Bordeaux" - even if it's an exact copy. So hence the Meritage. This particular bottle is a precise blend of:

• 61% Merlot
• 17% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 8% Cabernet Franc (a personal favorite)
• 7% Malbec
• 7% Petit Verdot

It presents a nice color in the glass, and throws a bright, fresh berry nose.

The flavor is full-bodied, for sure, and delivers a slightly sweet flavor of cherry, grape skins, and some woody flavors like cedar. Nice elements of fruitiness with some tannic notes, but an overall velvety-smooth consistency. It's always nice to have a wine that doesn't give you heartburn.

I like how jammy, bright, and full-bodied it is (with a price point that can't be beat!) I think this was something like $8.99 at Costco. A nice blend, perfect for most applications, and one of those wines could can feel comfortable bringing to a party, drinking on its own (also known as "quaffing") or pairing with a variety of meals. As for pairings, I'd probably do pasta (not too heavy on the sauce), or a meat dish like a shepherd's pie or even a cheese plate (here I'm thinking a soft, triple-cream brie and some water crackers.)

Napa Valley sign photo credit of www.napavalleyhotelandsuites.com. All other photos my own. 

Beer Flash: 3 Star's "Nectar of the Bogs" cranberry saison

Here's a fun beer I got this from my colleague Avi - it's a rather light, 5.0% ABV saison made with cranberries brewed by Washington, DC-based Three Stars Brewing. It's called the "Nectar of the Bogs", a saison made with a mix of Centennial, Citra, and Cascade hops. I've seen a cranberry gose before, but never a saison made with cranberries. Today's beer comes in a pint can.

It's fizzy, light, slightly sour, with some citrus flavors presenting with a familiar (yet not terribly yeasty) backbone of saison. The sourness builds and delivers a burst of cranberry on the finish.

It's not too sweet (a valid concern) but also not super tart (another concern.) Overall, it's pleasant. I find it's quite like their Peppercorn Saison, same base I assume, with a tart little twist. I like that it's light in alcohol, as well; it makes it an easy drink and a perfect hot-day beer.