WHAT’S BREWING

P.2 Brooklyn Brewery

P.4 Tai lgate Beers

P.5 Imperial Stampede

P.7 Pie Per fect ion

P.8 SweetWater Hash Brown

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

Off Tap. is a bimonthly publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Copyright 2015 ABC Liquors, Inc. All rights reserved. Not all products are available in all stores. If the product you’re looking for isn’t available, ask us to order it for you! Meghan Guarino Editor Allie Smallwood Contributing Editor

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BROOKLYNBREWERY

The first question during my interview with Brooklyn Brewery’s famed brewmaster Garrett Oliver yielded an unsurprising response, one you’ve read in countless other articles about the author, teacher and all around Renaissance man: before moving to England in 1983, he didn’t like beer. “There was no craft beer in the United States. There was one kind of beer and frankly, I didn’t like it. I never liked it. I drank it. We drank beer because it was there,” he said.

Thirty or so years ago, craft beer was nonexistent, save for anything brewed in garages or bathrooms for house parties or just the fun of it. These mass-produced, “industrial” beers became the “norm,” which, according to Garrett Oliver, is not and was not actually “normal.” The final minutes of our conversation brought us right back to this very point: “A country of this size, with 350 million people, is supposed to have 4,000 breweries. The idea that we had 40 breweries that made one kind of beer…”—the kind Oliver didn’t like in the early 80s—“…was a sick idea that came out of a period of time when we had one kind of bread and three kinds of cheese and had basically destroyed American food. And the kind of industrial beer that came out of that period was part of that same culture.”

This assembly line way of life that swapped freshness for flat-lined blandness has become something many people don’t even remember. It doesn’t exist in our current world of new, interesting, different and local.

The culture as it is currently is a return to the normality that preceded the small number of big

breweries in the 70s, 80s and even the 90s. “One thing people don’t quite understand about craft is that it’s not a trend or a fad. There is no pendulum that’s going to swing back in the other direction.

Craft actually represents a return to normality. It’s just a normality we don’t remember anymore,” Oliver said. “And that’s what craft beer really is. Craft beer is not actually any different than the rise of good chocolate or good cheese or good bread or all these other things that are coming back. All the stuff that we used to have that we forgot about for 40 years maybe, it just happens to be the 40 years that many of us grew up in so we thought it was normal, but it wasn’t normal. This is normal.”

This mindset that beer should be flavorful and complex and something you enjoy as opposed to something you drink just because it is there has been an underlying factor in Brooklyn Brewery’s success. This shift back to a “normal” society demanding the goodness that is inherent in craft beer allows Brooklyn Brewery to thrive as an advocate and creator of truly enjoyable brews.

“Structure, balance and deliciousness.” That’s what defines a Brooklyn beer, said Oliver. “There is not a Brooklyn house flavor…however there is an overall house character, which is that it all seems to fall into place with its balance, its structure—it plays out nicely. It doesn’t beat you

over the head trying to show off in some particular way.”

“We’re looking to do something we think is a beautiful expression of what it is,” he said.

Take Sorachi Ace, Brooklyn Lager or any of the other 40 beers the brewery produces every year. Each is distinctive and reflective of its intended style, though the brew crew is not a stickler for style, Oliver said. “We are a brewery that has a classical heart, but we’re doing rifts off of it,” he explained. “We’re taking things that we’ve been big fans of for a long time and then, in a way, giving them a different light by bouncing them in another direction, by making them ours and by having respect for them but not so much respect that you can’t play with them.”

Besides, craft beer is supposed to be fun, Oliver said. “I think sometimes people forget that part.” With a respect for the industry and a mind for expanding a style’s flavor profile and complexity, the industry is a playground for craft beer lovers, foodies and even wine and cocktail enthusiasts. And it’s a playground Brooklyn Brewery rules.

“I heard somebody say once that one definition of success is to become the person you always claimed you were,” Oliver said. “And I think we’re arriving at a place—I’m not saying we’re as good as we could be, but we can at least see it from here. That ideal is somewhere within sight. The level of our objective quality—measured, actual quality day to day—our consistency and our ability to actually carry out crazy ideas that we have is way beyond what it would have been seven or eight years ago. So in a way, even though we are quite a bit bigger than we were 10 years ago, we are so much more of a craft brewery now than we were.”

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“we are a brewery that has a classical heart,

but we’re doing rifts off of it. we’re taking things that we’ve been big fans of for a long time and then, in a way, giving

them a different light by bouncing them in another

direction, by making them ours and by having respect for them but not so much respect that you

can’t play with them.”

MEGHAN GUARINO

TAILGATE BEERS

Tailgates are one of fall’s most joy-filled

activities. Grilled food, cold drinks and good ol’

American football—it doesn’t get much better than

that. Love the sport? Tailgate to get hyped up for

the big game. Hate the game? Slap some burgers

on the grill anyway—it’s the perfect opportunity to

chat up the cute neighbor you’ve

been eyeing for the past couple

weeks.

And since tailgating is a sport in

and of itself, no ordinary brew will

do. Beers to be gulped at tailgates

have an entirely different set of pre-

reqs than your average beer. You

want something that’s sessionable

so that you can sip all day long

– in the heat – and not lose your

cool. You want a combination of

versatility and adaptability; a liquid

that links up well with wings, chili,

burgers, hot dogs or a chocolatey

dessert; a brew with just enough

personality to wow your friends, but

just enough crafted balance to keep

them coming back for more.

This is why growlers are so

incredibly awesome. These beer-

toting containers are the perfect

addition to change up your usual

tailgate. Ten different beers in ten

different growlers sounds like a

party. One cooler with 30 cans of

the same beer? No, thank you.

Each beer on tap at our Brew

Stop growler filling stations—be it

local, rare or otherwise delicious—will bring a little

something unique and lip-smacking good to the

table… uh, truck bed. Kegs are old news. People

want options these days, and if you’re the one

who shows up with four different growlers of craft

beer, you’ll be the tycoon of the tailgates! Here are

the four beer styles you need to fill your growlers

with this season for the best tailgate of the year.

Oktoberfest, while it’s around. These amber ales

are made to pair with the best of the best when

it comes to tailgate fare. Plus, this easy-drinking

style has the right amount of malt and body to

keep your tailgate guests interested without

distracting them from the big task of getting

amped for kickoff.

Session IPA. Tailgating can last for hours,

especially if kickoff is set for after the sun goes

down. Keep up with the rest of the crowd with

a style that has all the complexity of the usual

IPA, but the lower ABV needed for a party of this

magnitude. Session IPAs also typically pair well

with rich flavors found in dishes like

pulled pork and spicy meats.

Kölsch, or any other light-styled

lager. Take into account the time of

day you’ll be tailgating—most often

it’ll be when the sun is directly

overhead. Combat the scorching

heat with a light, bright beer meant

to keep you refreshed. A crisp

Kölsch is a food-friendly crowd-

pleaser, exactly the type of beer

you need for entertaining a horde

of football frenzied tailgaters.

American pale ale. Of course

you’re going to indulge in fatty,

meaty foods at a tailgate, so

slosh a beer that cuts through the

heaviness and provides some

balanced crispness. Queso dip,

guacamole and jalapeño poppers

are waiting to be washed down by

a refreshing American pale ale.

Visit abcfws.com/BrewStop to find

the growler filling station closest

to you and get your tailgate brews

early—our growlers are guaranteed

fresh for at least 14 days when

stored unopened. Just remember,

our taps change regularly and

often. Follow your Brew Stop beer consultant on

Twitter to keep up with what’s being tapped all

season long.

ALLIE SMALLWOOD

You hear the stamp of their cases through the chilly air, smell the escaping

aromas from their bubbling heads, feel the little exhales of carbonation as they

pour—when the Imperials rank and file onto the shelves of your local ABC store,

they demand attention for more than just one reason. A beer with the word

“imperial” in its name announces, with sheer determination, that it will fulfill that

age-old New Year’s resolution of being a bigger, bolder and stronger version

of itself.

The origin of these super soldiers goes back to the 1800s when England brewed

beer and shipped it to Russia’s Imperial Court. Over time, the word “imperial” has

come to mean something different for the brewers of today: It indicates that the

beer, whatever its style, is going to be stronger, more flavorful and have a higher

ABV. An imperial IPA is usually hoppier and more pungent than typical IPAs. An

imperial stout is bolder and roastier than its brethren and, like an imperial IPA,

wears the badge of honor of having a higher ABV. Even seasonal beers can have

imperial status. The Pumking and its darker brother, the Warlock, from Southern

Tier Brewing are almost 9% ABV and are known for their complex pumpkin

flavor profiles.

While perusing the shelves, keep your eye out for the Russian imperial stout—

while this beer is also strong, the word “imperial” is just part of its name. If you

are shopping for a hoppy beer, the Maharaja Imperial IPA from Avery Brewing is

an excellent example of a very hoppy beer whose ABV comes in at 10.2%. If you

prefer darker beers, the Oatmeal Yeti Imperial Stout from Great Divide Brewing

is a bold, dark beer that weighs in at 9.5%. As we head into the holiday season,

these bigger, bolder beers are just what you need to ring in the cooler weather.

There’s no better beer to bring to a holiday party than an imperial.

OSKAR BLUE’S

G’KNIGHT IMPERIAL RED

Our “Velvet M-80” is a hefty,

dry hopped double-red IPA with

a nose full of aroma, a sticky

mouthfeel, a malty middle and

unctuous hop flavors. G’Knight

sports a surprisingly sensuous

finish for a beer of its size (8.7%

ABV, 60 IBUs). – Brewery notes

GREAT DIVIDE

YETI IMPERIAL STOUT

Yeti Imperial Stout is an onslaught

of the senses. It states with big,

roasty malt flavor that gives way to

rich caramel and toffee notes. Yeti

gets its bold hop character from

an enormous quantity of American

hops. It weighs in at a hefty 75

IBUs. – Brewery notes

NEW BELGIUM

RAMPANT IMPERIAL IPA

Burly and bitter, Rampant Imperial

IPA pours a pure copper and

carries the sheen of a rightly

hopped beer. The Mosaic and

Calypso hops bring stonefruit to

the front seat, and the addition of

Centennials nod towards citrus for

a well-rounded aroma. The taste

expands these hops with heavy

peach tones and a profoundly bitter bite. There is some

malt sweetness to stand up this imperial India pale ale,

and Rampant IPA’s finish is bone dry. – Brewery notes

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Imperial StampedeMAKENZIE LADD

Pie PerfectionFall may be the season of cinnamon, spice and everything bold

when it comes to beers, but we like to think of it as the season

of pie. And we don’t mean pumpkin pie beer. We don’t even mean

pecan pie brown ales or chocolate cherry stouts. No, we’re talking

about warm, golden-crusted, custard-filled pies piled high with

fresh whipped cream. Take your pies to the land of fall beer

dreams with a few recipes to ramp up this season’s best desserts.

PUMPKIN PIE

6 oz Pumpkin beer

15 oz Pumpkin puree

6 oz Sweetened condensed milk

2 Eggs

3/4 t Ground cinnamon

Mix pumpkin puree and spices togeth

er. Add sweetened condensed

milk, pumpkin beer and slightly beaten eggs to the bowl. Stir to

combine. Pour into pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Turn down the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let

cool before serving with mounds of freshly whipped cream.

1/2 t Ground nutmeg

1/2 t Salt

1/4 t Ground ginger

1/4 t Ground cloves

1 9-inch pie shell

Adapted from The Tiny Table

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CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE1/3 cup Porter1 cup Brown sugar2 cups Pecans, chopped3 Eggs3/4 cup Light corn syrup Combine butter and chocolate in a pot over medium heat. Stir until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, flour, syrup and beer. Slowly add the chocolate and sugar mixture, stirring to combine. Pour into the pie crust. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Let cool before serving.

1/2 cup Dark chocolate chips3 T Butter, cubed and cold3 T Flour1 9-inch pie crust

Adapted from The Beeroness

8989 South Orange Ave.Orlando, Florida 32824

NEW FROM ATLANTA-BASED

BREWERY SWEETWATER BREWING

COMPANY comes a ruby-hued India

brown ale. This hopped-up brew has an

aroma reminiscent of its cousin, Hop

Hash Double IPA, with fragrant pine

and citrus notes that follow through in

the flavor of the beer. Lightly roasted

malt and a dark chocolate sweetness

greet the beer’s hoppiness for a

well-balanced imbibe that will leave

you reaching for another bottle. Hash

Brown is made with Apollo, Mandarina

Bavaria and Hop Hash for a citrusy,

resiny, phenomenally dank brew. With

60 IBUs and 6.2% ABV, Hash Brown

is an easy-drinking, medium-bodied

beer with slight spice and slight

sweetness for the slightly warm,

slightly cool days ahead. Pair Hash

Brown with chocolate and caramel,

roasted meats and carnitas or steak

tacos. As part of their Catch and

Release series, Hash Brown is only

around for a limited time. Catch this

seasonal in cans or bottles in most

ABC locations!

SWEETWATER HASH BROWN