Hey Bartender

IF YOU KNOW me at all, then one thing is abundantly clear -- I love stouts. Yes, I like IPAs, Hefe Weizens, Black Lagers, Amber Ales...., but I love stouts. I love them from the tap, the bottle and the can. If it's super-dark, then I'm super-happy to become one with its rich, roasted, malty essence. Some think that I'm not well, while others have no idea what I'm talking about. Today, we'll address those needing enlightenment.

Stouts are dark beers made from roasted malt or barley, hops, water, and yeast. Traditionally, the term stout refers to the strongest and stoutest porters produced by a brewery. The typical ABV for these beers range from 7% - 8%. Around 1721, the name porter was first used to describe a dark beer that was popular with the street and river porters of London. This beer was made with, among other things, roasted malts. As time passed, this same beer became known as stout. Back then, stouts were very popular in Great Britain and Ireland, but when pale ales started to pick up steam, dark beers became less popular, except in Ireland where Guinness and Murphy's grew in popularity. There is some debate over whether porters and stouts are the same. If I didn't tell you which you were drinking, you probably couldn't tell the difference. The terms are, in essence, interchangeable.

There are many variations on the stout theme. Most are familiar with the Irish or Dry stout. This style is very dark and quite often has a coffee-like flavor. Of these, Guinness is by far the most well-known. As far as stouts go, I find this to be the lightest of the stouts.

Imperial stouts are strong dark beers that emulate a style that was created during the 18th century in London. Known as Russian Imperial or Imperial Russian stouts, this beer's sole purpose in life was to be consumed by Russian Empress Catherine the Great and her court. Not only was the period in which she ruled considered the Golden Age of the Russian Empire, but said Golden Age was fueled by a really good beer. This style is known for its alcohol content, which can be as high as 10%. In the case of the beer brewed for Catherine the Great, the high ABV was necessary to prevent the beer from freezing during transport across the infamously cold Baltic Sea.

Milk stouts are stouts that contain lactose, a sugar derived from milk. These beers are also known as sweet or cream stouts. Since lactose is unfermentable by the yeasts used to make beer, it adds sweetness, body and a few extra calories to the finished product. Oatmeal stouts have oats added during the brewing process. The addition of oats tends to make this style rather bitter. Chocolate stouts are stouts that have a noticeable dark chocolate flavor. This flavor is derived from the use of darker more aromatic malts, in particular chocolate malts, which derives its name from the process used to roast it until it acquires a chocolate color. Coffee stouts use dark roasted malts that tend to lend a bitter coffee flavor to finished product. In recent years, brewers have begun adding actual ground coffee and whole coffee beans to the mix in order to enhance the coffee flavor.

I love this time of year because of the proliferation of stouts on the shelves of my favorite beers shops. I've discovered a few new ones and a couple of old favorites. The newest beer on my stout favorites list is Hitachino Nest Sweet Stout from Kiuchi Brewery in Japan. Last year, I discovered their Espresso Stout, so I couldn't wait to give this one a try. It falls under the category of sweet or milk stouts and it did not disappoint. It's really dark in color with very little head when poured into a glass. It definitely has the aroma of milk, chocolate, and roasted malts. The flavor was more of the same with the addition of a little coffee. I was surprised by how light it was and at 3.9% ABV, you could drink quite a few.

I'm quite certain that Catherine the Great would have loved my favorite seasonal beer, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. It's a Russian Imperial Stout that weighs in at 10% ABV. This beer is a deep, beautiful black liquid that smells like chocolate and Cognac. It's bitter at first, but it rounds out quite nicely. The roasted malts and chocolate are soothing and the high alcohol content gives the impression that you are being warmed from the inside. This is a very delicious, very drinkable beer. Sadly, it's a limited release that disappears quickly every year.

Breckenridge Brewery, located in Colorado, has a Vanilla Porter that I am quite fond of these days. Remember, stout and porter are interchangeable, so we've not gone out of bounds. It's dark brown in color and smells like chocolate, vanilla and caramel. The aromas blend well. The palate is sweet with hints of coffee, vanilla, dark chocolate and caramel. Overall, this beer is very well-balanced and quite drinkable. It's definitely something I'll drink often.

So, there you have it, stouts -- untapped. As I said at the beginning, I love stouts. And, yes, I've had them for breakfast. No beach getaway is complete unless I have a Guinness while walking on the beach at sunrise in search of dolphins. You should try it sometime. Also, you should give some of the local stouts some love. Starr Hill Dark Starr Stout, Legend Smoke Chocolate Stout, Legend Porter, Legend Chocolate Porter, Williamsburg Alewerks Coffeehouse Stout, St, George Imperial and Russian Imperial Stout, and O'Connor's Dry Irish Stout are all quite worthy of some attention. These and others brewed in Virginia are excellent examples of this great beer style. As always, whether drinking stouts or porters alone or with friends, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

SINCE ABOUT 2005, Pinot Grigio has been a popular white wine choice in the United States. In the year or so since I've been living in Richmond, I've probably poured more glasses of Pinot Grigio than any other wine. I'm not sure what has caused its popularity to soar, but I'm quite convinced that it's time to give it a little extra attention.

In the beginning, there was Pinot Gris, a white wine grape known since the Middle Ages in the Burgundy region of France. It is thought to be the descendant of Fromenteau, which is the name associated with several grapes from the medieval period in Burgundy. Thought to be a mutant clone of Pinot Noir, both grapes found their way to Switzerland during the 14th century. Several accounts suggest that it was a favorite of Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. During his reign, he had cuttings of Pinot Gris transported to Hungary by Cistercian monks. During the 18th century, a German merchant named Johann Seger Ruland discovered Pinot Gris growing wild in the fields of the Palatinate, a German wine-growing region. Today, Pinot Gris is grown around the world. France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Taiwan and even China produce wines using this grape.

Before you get confused, this post is about Pinot Grigio. The confusion lies in the names that this grape and the wines produced by it are given. For lack of a better term, let's call them synonyms. In parts of France, it's known as Fauvet. In Alsace and the Languedoc, it is referred to as Auxerrois gris and Fromentau, respectively. Austria, Germany, and Romania use the name Ruländer, while here in the United States we use Pinot Gris. So, where does Pinot Grigio come from? Pinot Grigio is a genetic clone of Pinot Gris grown in Italy.

In Italy, Pinot Grigio is often blended with Pinot Noir to enrich and lighten the wine's flavor profile. Pinot Grigio grapes can range in color from bluish gray to pink or brown. The word pinot is French and translates to pine cone, a reference to the fact that the grapes grow in small pine cone-shaped clusters. It grows best in cooler climates and matures relatively early compared to other grapes. The sugar level of these grapes is high, which produces either sweet wines or, if fermented to dryness, dry wines high in alcohol. One important note on wines made from this grape: they should be consumed within two years of their vintage.

Italian wines made from Pinot Grigio are often described as having floral, smoky, and honey flavors with a slight hint of citrus. They are usually dry, crisp white wines that are low in tannins and high in acidity. Generally, Pinot Grigio pairs well with seafood, pork, and chicken as long as these foods aren't prepared with ingredients high in acid.

I've sampled quite a few Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris over the years. Although I'm not a big white wine drinker, a few have stood out in my memory. Trimbach is one producer that stands out. In my notes, I found a description of a 2001 Trimbach Pinot Gris that I really enjoyed. The color was yellow -- almost like a lemon. The nose was very rich. I sensed a blend of apple sauce, pears, mango, apricots and almonds. The palate was full of pears, apricots and cranberries. It was very well-balanced with a nice acidity level. The finish was smooth, giving way to more pears and a hint of citrus. I didn't know it back then, but Trimbach is one of the leading producers of this kind of wine.

Closer to home, I've recently discovered Acrobat Pinot Gris, from King Estates in Oregon. The 2010 vintage has a pale straw color with golden highlights. The nose has pear, melon, orange, lemon, kiwi, and a little spice. The palate has a nice balance between its residual sugar and acidity. I found it to be very clean and refreshing. I'd definitely recommend it if you're interested in trying something new.

Tokay d'Alsace also falls under the Pinot Gris umbrella. It's made from 100% Pinot Gris grapes grown in the Alsace region of France. In 2006, the official name of this wine was changed Tokay d'Alsace to Pinot Gris d'Alsace. The removal of name Tokay was done in an effort to avoid confusion with the Hungarian wine called Tokay. In Hungary, Tokay or Tokaji is the name given to wines from Tokaj-Hegyalja, a wine region in Hungary and Slovakia. Unlike Pinot Gris, these wines are made from six officially approved grapes: Furmint, Hárslevelű, Yellow Muscat, Zéta, Kövérszőlő and Kabar. These wines tend to be super sweet and are typically served with dessert. I've had some of these as well. The sweetness can't possibly be described. You have to sample it yourself to appreciate how sweet this wine can be.

So, there you have it, Malvosie -- uncorked. A Pinot Grigio by any other name is just as good. The name isn't changed to protect the innocent, it's interchanged to reflect the origins of what's in the bottle. Pinot Grigio definitely requires that you know a few of its pseudonyms in order to recognize it when you decide that you're going to look for one in your local wine shop. Fortunately, those who work in such shops are familiar with this subject and are eager to help you find what you're looking for. As always, whether drinking Pinot Beurot, Monemvasia, Gris Cordelier, or Sivi Pinot alone or with friends, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

IN MY LAST post, I unraveled some of the mysteries surrounding Oktoberfest. This reminded me that it was time to do my annual unofficial Oktoberfest beer review. As unofficial assignments go, beer reviews are my favorite. When I do these kinds of reviews, I try to find beers that I've never had before, so that I can broaden my horizons while introducing new things to those interested in such things. This year I chose to adhere to the adage think globally, drink locally. To do so, I made my way to the downtown Richmond location of Capital Ale House. Not many places have their selection, so it was easy to find a few new beers to enjoy and discuss.

I found an interesting way to drink this year's batch of beers. I chose only those that I'd never had before and were brewed in the United States. I started with the most locally brewed beer and worked my way out of the city and then out of the state. Obviously, the first beer on the list was Legend's Oktoberfest. Legend uses the Märzen style for its Oktoberfest. Märzen literally means March. Before the advent of refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew beer during the summer months because of the hot temperatures and the possibility of bacterial infections. Märzens were brewed in March and kept in cold storage during the spring and summer months, so that they wouldn't spoil. This style tends to be full-bodied, rich, toasty and typically dark in color with medium to high alcohol content. Legend hits the target dead center with their Oktoberfest beer. It has a heavy caramel nose that tastes very sweet. It's definitely full-bodied and creamy, and at 5.4% ABV, you can have more than one.

Next, on my virtual crawl I tried St. George's Oktoberfest. For those unfamiliar with St. George Brewing Company, it's located in Hampton, VA. Their Oktoberfest is also done in the Märzen style. It's an amber liquid that has very little head when poured into a glass. The nose has hints of malt and hops. The palate is sweet with some hints of caramel. It's very light compared to Legend, but it's very drinkable.

Round three took me slightly north to Milton, DE, home of Dogfish Head. Punkin Ale is their seasonal beer that usually is released in time for Oktoberfest. It actually made its debut in 1994, nearly six months before Dogfish Head existed. It is a clear amber-colored liquid that screams pumpkin as soon as your olfactory senses kick in. You'll also get hints of cinnamon, brown sugar, allspice, and nutmeg. The taste gave me an idea of what it would be like to bite into the inside of a pumpkin. There may be some clove cleverly hidden in there, but it complements the pumpkin quite nicely. It is medium-bodied with high carbonation and I found it to be quite delicious. At 7.0% ABV, it packs a slight punch.

Continuing north, I discovered Saranac Octoberfest. If you're unfamiliar with the Saranac name, this fine beer is brewed by Matt Brewing Company, located in Utica, NY. Among other things, they claim to have sold the first beers after Prohibition. Their Octoberfest beer is definitely the Adirondack's finest. Like Legend and St. George, Saranac's Oktoberfest is a Märzen. It's a copper/amber color with a malty aroma that gives way to a slight sweetness. The taste was very well balanced with hints of malt and a slight sweetness. It's medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

To balance the east coast bias of this post, my next round hailed from Colorado. New Belgium Brewing's Hoptober Golden Ale is an American Blonde Ale and it's quite different from all the other Oktoberfest beers that I tried. It's golden in color with a big creamy head when poured into a glass. The nose has hints of sweet malt, hops and flowers. It's crisp and refreshing with a nice level of carbonation. It's sweet with light spices and a bit of hoppiness. I found it to be very interesting and the flavor profile was quite different compared to the other beers I tried. It's packaged in 22 ounce bottles and weighs in at 6.00% ABV and it's definitely worth trying.

In my last post, I mentioned that only beer brewed within the city limits of Munich can be designated Oktoberfest Beer and only those beers are served at the Munich festival. I was fortunate enough to find one at Capital Ale House. Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen is probably the prototypical Oktoberfest beer and it's what you should expect when you drink real German beer. It's clear with a slight orange-tinted golden color and an awesome frothy head. The nose is dominated by spicy yeast and pale malt. There were also hints of nuts and hops as well. The taste starts with some really prickly carbonation that yields to spices and yeast. The finish is really clean, but slightly dry. The medium body makes it very drinkable. If you're interested in drinking what is being consumed at the big festival in Munich, this is the best example I've come across in a while.

So, there you have it, the unofficial Octoberfest beer review -- untapped! For most, the fall season means cooler temperatures, shorter days, and colorful leaves on trees. For me, it means that richer, more robust beers will begin to hit the shelves. Oktoberfest signals the beginning of a season full of these great beers that I can enjoy. If you're like me, then this is an exciting time of year. As always, whether enjoying your favorite Oktoberfest beer alone or with friends, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!