Hey Bartender

Most Belgian beers are ales. That means that they are made with yeast that ferments at the top of the fermentation vessel. By contrast, lagers use yeast that ferments at the bottom of the fermentation vessel. Ales also ferment at much higher temperatures than lagers, resulting in a much faster fermentation period, usually less than a week. The yeast used to produce ales also produces, as a by-product, esters, which manifest themselves as the fruity and flowery aromas that you'll find in many ales. Belgian ales are a specific type of ale, but the Belgian ale tree has quite a few leaves. I'd like to focus on three that seem to be the most confusing: Dubbel, Tripel, and Quadrupel.

In Belgium, the Dubbel is a rich malty beer that is spicy with a mild alcohol characteristic. It doesn't have as much fruitiness as the Belgian Strong Dark Ales, but there are some hints of dark fruit in this type of beer. You'll also find mild hop bitterness, but it does not linger. There can also be hints of caramel as well. Dubbels tend to be medium to full-bodied with lots of carbonation. The best known Belgian Dubbel is Chimay Premiere (or Chimay red label). This is one of my personal favorites. When poured into a glass, you're blessed with a creamy head that hints at a light apricot aroma produced by those esters described above. Each mouthful of this delicious ale is so well-balanced and so silky smooth that you hardly notice the subtle bitterness at the finish. No description is adequate when this beer is the topic. It pairs well with beef, pork, wild game, pate, and hearty pasta dishes. Hand-crafted Chimay cheese from the Scourmont Abbey is a nice compliment to this beer as well. For those willing to take the next step with this style, Westmalle Trappist Dubbel is an excellent choice.

If some is good, then more is better. At least that seems to be the theory behind the Tripel. The name is derived from a part of the brewing process where, long ago, the brewers of this fine beverage decided to use as much as three times the amount of malt than is used in a standard Belgian ale. Traditionally, Tripels are bright-yellow to golden in color, which is slightly darker than a Pilsner. This style tends to have very complex aromas and flavors. They are generally sweet and fruity because of the pale malts used in the brewing process. The light body of this style comes from the use of Belgian candy sugar, which not only lightens the beer, but enhances the complex aroma and flavor. These beers are known for their high alcohol content, but also for their ability to mask an ABV that can be as high as 12%. Allagash Tripel is a good example of the Tripel style. It's golden color and thick head paves the way to a very complex liquid with hints of honey and bananas. It's a very refreshing beer that is perfect for the summer months and it weighs in at 9.00% ABV. It pairs well with mussels, scallops, and crab cakes. It also stands up pretty well to Stilton bleu cheese and asparagus. My next level Tripel selection is the St. Bernardus Trippel Abbey Ale. This was a surprising find that I quickly added to my favorites list. If you can find it, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

The Quadrupel is a style not meant for the faint of heart. It was inspired by the Trappist monks of Belgium who are very well-known for their brewing prowess. A Quadrupel is considered to be an ale of great strength with bold flavors when compared to a Dubbel or a Tripel. These beers are typically dark, ranging from deep red to garnet in color. They are full-bodied, rich, and malty in flavor and can be sweet and slightly bitter. Most Quadrupels range from 9.00 to 13,00% ABV. An excellent example of this style is Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend, produced by Brewery Ommegang, located in Cooperstown, NY It's a blend of a strong Belgian Ale and Kriek, a cherry lambic beer from Belgium. This beer is dark with complex chocolate, dark cherries, caramel malt and toffee and it weighs in at about 9.8% ABV. It pairs well with wild game, roasted meats, a rich cheeses. By default, it also pairs well with chocolate desserts. For those interested in taking the next step with the Quadrupel style, Koningshoeven Quadrupel Trappist Ale is a classic example of a Belgian Quadrupel. It definitely lives up to the title Strong Belgian Ale.

So, there you have it! Dubbels, Tripels, and Quadrupels -- demystified. If you haven't realized it by now, hopefully you'll soon begin to come to grips with the fact that there is more to beer than meets the eye. Today, we barely scratched the surface, but we at least have a better idea about what some of the mysterious words on Belgian beer bottles mean. I hope to be able to continue to help you determine whether you'll like a beer before you spend your hard-earned money on it. As always, whether you're enjoying beers from Belgium at home alone or with friends, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

Let's begin by adding a new word to our vocabulary. On the highest mountain peaks around the world, the purest snow falls and accumulates. Over time, this snow is compressed to form glaciers. For the glacier impaired, they are large, slow-moving masses of ice which happen to be the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth. The process that culminates in the formation of this pure, dense ice is called Névé.

Névé is also the name of a successful gourmet ice company located in California. Its owner, Michel Dozois, a long-time bartender in the Los Angeles area, also dreamed of making perfect cocktails. Like myself, he realized that even the best ingredients can taste shockingly awful if the ice that is available isn't the best quality. The ice that I regularly use to make cocktails begins to melt as soon as I get it from the ice-machine. Once I place the cubes in a cocktail glass, they begin to tarnish the taste of the cocktails I make. Two things happen to cause this. First, since the ice isn't made using the purest water, foul flavors and odors present in that water immediately ruin the drink. Second, this kind of ice melts very rapidly, causing the cocktail to become diluted -- almost unrecognizable when compared to what you originally ordered.

The Névé Luxury Ice Company has found a solution to these problems. Ironically, their solution isn't exactly new. They've actually stepped back in time to the days when blocks of ice were delivered daily to bars. During those days, attention to detail was the rule. The highest quality water was used and it was frozen at the optimal temperature to ensure that quality was maintained from point to point. Today, Névé uses the purest water possible. The ice-cubes that they produce are frozen for a minimum of 48 hours to ensure the slowest dilution rate possible. The finished product fits perfectly into almost any glass: tall or short. The size and solidity of each cube leads to perfectly chilled, undiluted cocktails that look and taste great.

The first Névé cube that I was made aware was a large cube that fits perfectly into an Old-Fashioned or rocks glass. It's one large cube crafted specifically for drinks like Scotch or whiskey on the rocks. I read that Michel Dozois uses this particular cube to sell his products. He takes two glasses: one filled with regular ice cubes and one containing one of his huge signature ice rocks that reportedly takes up about 50% of the glass. He adds a shot of his favorite Scotch, Laphroaig, to each glass and then waits -- patiently. About every seven minutes or so, he'll ask the potential client to take a sip of each drink. After a while, it becomes apparent the the glass containing the Névé ice rock is still a delicious Scotch whiskey served seemingly neat and very cold while the other is a watered down nightmare.

The results of this experiment aren't exactly obvious at first, but they are very important from both the bar owner's and the bar patron's points of view. First, the patron gets a drink that tastes great from start to finish. He also gets a glass that doesn't continue to refill itself as the ice melts. The bar owner gets a happy patron that will finish his drink more quickly and, in turn, quite possibly, order another since he/she actually enjoyed the first. Bar owners will also revel in the knowledge that compared to the price of a conventional ice-machine, Névé Luxury ice is very cost effective. It's hard to convince some bar owners of the importance of ice, but if you can get over that hurdle, the next step should be pretty easy. Throw in the fact that they'll deliver to anywhere in the U. S. and it should be a done deal.

In addition to the large cube I described earlier, Névé makes long ice spears that can be used in tall glasses such as those used to make Collins styled drinks. They also produce ice specifically designed for bartenders that enjoy shaking their drinks to death. The design of these cubes ensures little dilution while guaranteeing that they will not crack or explode during the shaking ritual. There are also ice spheres that can be used in any type of glass to add plenty of aesthetics and allure to any cocktail. For those interested in taking things to the next level, Névé will also create specialty cubes to suit your needs.

So, there you have it -- Névé Luxury ice unfrozen. As I said at the beginning, bartenders do dream. It's great to know that there are people out there that not only dream, but make their dreams, and by association, our dreams, come true. I have not experienced Névé Luxury ice up close yet, but as soon as I find a place that uses their products, I'm there. I would love to be able to sip a little Talisker from a glass that has been filled with one of these amazing ice rocks and enjoy its chilled, yet neat Island Single Malt Scotch goodness from start to finish. As always, when enjoying anything on the luxury rocks, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

What is Drambuie?

Drambuie is a golden-colored liqueur made from aged malt whisky (Scotch) blended with heather honey and a secret mixture of herbs and spices. Rumors abound that this secret mixture contains, at the very least, anise, nutmeg, and saffron. Drambuie is produced in Broxbum, West Lothian, Scotland. It is 40% ABV or 80 proof and is generally enjoyed neat at room temperature. I know a few who enjoy it with coffee and I've even seen a Rusty Nail recipe that includes Drambuie as a key ingredient.

The name Drambuie has at least two possible origins. The first suggests that it is derived from the Scottish Gaelic phrase an dram buidheach, which loosely translates to the drink that satisfies. A second Scottish Gaelic phrase, an dram buidhe, which translates to the yellow drink is also a possible origin.

The history of the drink is shrouded in mystery. Legend suggests that after the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Prince Charles Edward Stuart fled to the Isle of Skye where he was given sanctuary by Captain John MacKinnon of the Clan MacKinnon. The legend goes on to suggest that as a reward for providing the aforementioned sanctuary, Prince Charles gave Captain MacKinnon his prized drink recipe. Years later, the recipe was given to James Ross, who ran the Broadford Hotel on the Isle of Skye. He made enhancements to the recipe, which he used to entertain friends and guests. The legend goes on to tell us that during this time, the drink was given its name. Drambuie became a registered trademark in 1893.

What we know today as Drambuie, was not available commercially until 1910. That year, only 12 cases were sold. By 1916, Drambuie was being shipped to British soldiers stationed around the world. Those familiar with Drambuie may have noticed the new style of bottle and label. This new packaging commemorates the 100th anniversary of its first bottling in Edinburgh. Among the many features of the new look are the sword-slashes on the neck to remind us of one of the brand's alleged origins during the Jacobite uprising in 1745. The four diamonds are said to represent the values most closely associated with Prince Charles: Risk, Rebellion, Passion, and Mystery. And you thought that this was just a regular old bottle on the bar.

Are you ever going to do another post on a region of France?

Yes. I've missed writing those, so I plan to do more soon. In the meantime, let me tell you about an amazing French wine that I received as a gift recently. It's from a place called Domaine les Bruyeres, located in the northern Rhone region. The Rhone wine region is located in Southern France and is known for Cotes du Rhone and Chateaneuf-du-Pape. Crozes Hermitage is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) located in the northern Rhone. Les Bruyeres is tucked neatly and not so quietly away in the Crozes Hermitage AOC. The wines there are mostly red and, by law, are made from the Syrah grape, sometimes blended with small quantities of Roussanne or Marsanne grapes. Ironically, Roussanne and Marsanne are both white wine grapes.

David Reynaud took the reins at Domaine les Bruyeres in 2000. He immediately began making dramatic changes to their wine-production. First, he converted them to organic production methods. Later, he moved to biodynamic production techniques. Most recently, he built a new facility that uses gravity rather than standard mechanical pumps to move the wine step-by-step through the wine-making process. This is said to be far gentler on the wines.

My gift was the Domaine les Bruyeres Corzes Hermitage (2009). It is a very fruity and lightly oaked style of red wine. I found it to be very intense and concentrated, yet quite refined. The tannins were amazingly silky. I was quite impressed. What was most impressive was its age. This wine is still quite young, so in a few years it will be even more extraordinary than it is right now. I happened to have some bleu cheese available while I drank this awesome nectar of the Gods. It paired pretty well with it. You can enjoy venison, bison, and smoked meats with it as well, but my favorite way to enjoy wines this good is in a glass. No food required.

Why do bartenders hate making frozen drinks?

Hate is such a strong word. I do know that, personally, frozen drinks are not my favorite. It's not because I don't like making them. It's because they present so many problems. First, they are time consuming. At my bar, we have very nice blenders, but they have a very inconvenient location. Once I mix the ingredients, depending on which bar I'm working, I either have to walk a country mile to use the blender or hand the drink off to another bartender who is already griping because they now have to stop what they were doing to help me out. Second, equipment is an issue. As I said, at my bar, we have really nice blenders, but the ice that our ice-machine produces and the mixes that we use to make frozen drinks don't always play nicely together. No two frozen drinks ever turn out the same way. If we had equipment made by Island Oasis or that company that supplies Slurpee machines to 7-11, my drinks would be perfect every time. This is not the case in many bars. This leads to the next reason that I don't like frozen drinks. After I spend all that time making them, someone will send it back because they can't taste the liquor in the drink or the drink is too icy. First, your drink is frozen. By definition, that means it is really cold. Frozen drinks numb your tongue, thereby canceling your ability to taste most liquors. Second, frozen and ice are almost 100% synonymous with one another. Complaining about a drink being too icy is like complaining that water is too wet. My suggestion for those who enjoy frozen drinks is to do the following. If you know a place that makes them the way you like them, only order them at that place. Think about it. You don't order french fries at Burger King if you think that they suck. You will drive out of your way to get french fries from McDonald's. The same logic, such as it is, applies here. If you go to a new bar and you don't see state-of-the-art equipment made by Island Oasis or a similar company proudly displayed, don't order your favorite frozen drink. You're probably not going to like it. Lastly, if you look at the bar's drink list, and they don't proudly advertise frozen drinks, it's because they'd rather spend their time making cocktails that won't be returned for one of the reasons I've mentioned above.

As I said at the beginning, hate is a strong word. None of us hates making drinks. It's what we do for a living. Frozen drinks just happen to pose a logistical problem that many restaurants aren't equipped to solve. By following the guidelines above, you should be able to determine whether you'll be able to enjoy a nice frozen drink when you're in unfamiliar surroundings. I know that there are places that do these kinds of drinks very well. I've been to several. I've also been to places that don't even bother to offer them. My worst experiences have been in the places that will make the effort if you ask. That's just asking for trouble. So, again, follow the guidelines and to be safe, make sure you have a drink alternative in mind in the event you find yourself in a place that doesn't or can't make a frozen drink. We, as bartenders, want you to have the best bar experience every time you visit our bars. Sometimes, this can only happen if we meet in the middle.

So, there you have it! Drambuie, Crozes Hermitage, and frozen drinks -- demystified. I love answering your questions. Please keep them coming. As always, whether enjoying Drambuie neat, Crozes Hermitage in a glass, or your version of the perfect frozen drink, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!