Beer With Me

General Washington's Tavern Porter: Go America.

General Washington's Tavern Porter

Something different this week, BwM readers. I just took a weekend road trip to the former nation capital of Philadelphia, and now feel imbued with patriotic zeal. During my stay, I had the pleasure of checking out the "Independence After Hours Tour", an American experience involving dinner and a tour/show featuring some of our nation's most prominent figures from the 18th century (my friend actually played Thomas Jefferson). During dinner, you have the option to partake in some historic brews, and I simply couldn't resist. Thusly, I bring you "General Washington's Tavern Porter," the darker of the two drinks available (as opposed to Thomas Jefferson's Tavern Ale)

This beer was originally brewed by order of the good General himself, in order to quench the thirsts and improve the morale of his troops, during the Revolutionary War. Apparently, Mr. Washington was a big fan of thick, dark porters. I'm also assuming that since he and his troops were starving half the time, a full, heavy brew really hit the spot on a cold, winter night in Valley Forge. Kind of a romantic idea, the more I think about it. Except for the starving part.

Years later, the recipe was re-created by the Yards Brewing Company, who began mass-manufacturing the drink for historical purposes, namely, to be served as one of the beverages-of-choice at Philadelphia's landmark City Tavern. Yards itself was started in 1988, and have grown in popularity thanks to their affiliation with City Tavern and their line of "Revolutionary Ales." Now, it is one of their staple drinks.

Ah, the beer. A dark porter with a small head but a firm body, I was at first put off due to its similarities to Guinness, which is one of the few beers I really have a hard time stomaching. I looked over at my friend, who had ordered the Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale, a light, amber beer, and thought I would regret my decision. But to my surprise, the liquid was much more viscous than I anticipated, not at all like Guinness. The molasses-based brew had a full-bodied, light taste, with just the right amount of bitterness without making the stuff overly potent. There was a lasting aftertaste, mostly of darker fruits like cherries and dates. There is also a thick nuttiness that lingers afterwards, making this beer quite a memorable experience for a porter. It is filling, but not terribly so.

Overall, I was impressed with the porter, especially given my preconceived notions based on sight alone. Considering its rarity, I doubt if I'll again sample the Yards' historic drink, but if I should ever find myself in Philadelphia again, and near the City Tavern, I would definitely be back for more.

The Beer Essentials:
Name: General Washington's Tavern Porter
Rating: 9/10
Brewery: Yards Brewing Co.
ABV: 7.0%
Type: Dark Porter
Available in: Bottles or on tap
Location: As far as I know, only at City's Tavern in Philadelphia, PA, or directly from Yards Brewing Co.
Other: This was the original recipe for Washington's favorite drink!

Don't worry, gang. I'll probably be back next week with a slightly more traditional review, but for now, you'll have to suffice with my salute to the nation's first president.

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Blue Point: The Toasted Lager

Blue Point's Toasted Lager

Welcome back, beer lovers. If you're just joining us, this is the second installment of "Beer With Me," a weekly blog devoted to every 16-20 year old's favorite beverage: good old fashioned beer. Every week I will pontificate, proliferate, and speculate on a different variety of beer, with historical/cultural information as well as, of course, my own personal review of said beer.

This week, I'm sitting here with my new friend, Blue Point Brewery's Toasted Lager. Started just ten years ago by two guys from Long Island, Mark and Peter, Blue Point Brewery has quickly earned a stellar reputation with their tasty variety of ales. It also has the esteemed status of being Long Island's ONLY microbrewery. What I like about this place is that it's sort of like the Frankenstein's Monster of breweries - with fermentation vessels, storage tanks, and the like gathered from a wide array of breweries throughout the country. A bit creepy, but hey, it pays to recycle, right? And they brew over 10,000 kegs a year. Not bad so far, Mark and Pete. Not bad at all.

Toasted Lager is one of BP's most reputed beers, having won the World Beer Cup Gold Award. A copper lager with "hints of caramel, malts, and hops", Toasted Lager is 12 fluid ounces of savory delight made from six different malts: Carapils, Crystal, English Pale, Munich, Wheat and Belgian Caravienna. They call it "Toasted" Lager because of its brewing method: a direct-fire brew kettle create burning hot flames to give the drink that "toasted" flavor.

Upon tasting it, I can immediately taste why this brew is so popular. There is no "warming up" to the flavor - it's all there from the first sip, and without leaving a massive aftertaste. This may be one of the beer's faults, however, as it is over right after the last gulp. There is nothing to remember it by. Yet it goes down smoothly and has a refreshing breadiness to it that many beers today lack, in my opinion. Like most lagers, fruitiness is substituted for a malty sensation that is well balanced and pleasant to the palate. I also find a slight corny or nutty quality as I continue on with the drink. It's great - the more you drink, the more subtle flavors you can discover, like watching the third season of "Lost" over and over again and catching all the new Easter Eggs. But I digress.

Overall, Toasted Lager is a great, non-filling beer with a wide mix of flavors that reflects the multiple malts used in its creation. The balance is struck perfectly, and while it may not be the most memorable beer on Earth, it doesn't leave any sour taste in my mouth (I meant that metaphorically).

Beer Essentials:
Name: Toasted Lager
Rating: 8.5/10
Brewing Co: Blue Point Brewing Company
ABV: 5.3%
Available in: 12 fl. oz. bottles or on draft

Thanks for joining me again, everyone. Tell your friends about me, and as always, ANY feedback, questions, or criticisms are appreciated! Bottoms up!

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Old Speckled Hen: A British Bitter

Beer of the Week: Old Speckled Hen

Old Speckled Hen

Leave it to the British to create a completely revolting sounding name for a beverage. Right up there with the Hobgoblin, Monkey Wrench, and Otter Head (that last one cracks me up). But in truth, OSH was a misappropriation of the name "Owld' Speckled 'Un," so all things considered, I suppose we got the "bitter" of two evils. Har har.

On to the history lesson. OSH is a relatively new bitter, only 30 years old. First brewed in '79 by Morland Brewery in Oxfordshire to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary, this beer is now property of Greene King Brewery, which brags that they still employ yeast strained in 1986 for this drink. Delicious. It's now served in a handful of countries, like Sweden, Singapore, Britain, Australia, and of course, the good ol' U.S.A. Nowadays, the drink is popular and easy to find, but in my opinion, not as widely known as it could/should be.

The beer itself: A lovely-looking amber bitter, OSH has a sort of wooden-golden tone. This may not sound visibly appealing, but trust me, it's a nice looking bitter. And this is from an avid bitter-avoider. A good frothy head, but not so soapy that you're drowning in suds. It's a malt ale, and thus has that fruity, fully-flavorful aroma to it, perfect if you're in the mood for a sensory experience. Light? Oh no, my friends. This is bitter full-ness at its finest. The taste is a fine balance of strong and soothing, and it goes down easier than many other ales. While not perhaps a revolution in the beer department, Old Speckled Hen does a great job of mixing flavors and offering a satisfyingly full experience without being weighed down.

Stats -
Rating: 7.5/10
Brewer: Morland Brewery
Alcoholic Volume: 5.2% (drafts are 4.5%)
Type: Bitter Malt Ale
Available in: 500 ml bottles or cans (as well as on draft)
Other: The label on this beer is octagonal - a rare choice amid beers.

This has been my first installment of "Beer With Me." I'd love feedback from all you crazy kids out there in the Blogosphere, so please, share your feedback, criticism, suggestions, etc. Oh, before you go, check this: OSH. Don't you love it when old Brits talk beer?

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