Into the Wild: A tasting to remember

I spend the better part of my free time (by some accounts the better part of my waking hours) drinking beer and attending beer events. And yet, just when it seems like nothing will come along to top the last great festival, the last great dinner, or the last great pilgrimage to the brewery of the moment, someone comes along and does just that. This time, it’s Rob DeNunzio, the author of the Bay Area beer blog Pfiff! and good friend of mine, who hosted a beer tasting designed to make any enthusiast salivate.

The willing participants

The theme was ‘American Wild Ales’, and the title of the event was ‘The New American Mavericks’. You can tell we’re already off to a very good start here considering I’m crazy for wild ales and inclined to like anything the goes by the name ‘Maverick’ (both because I like independent thinking and because I used to force my parents to rent the Mel Gibson movie of the same name on a near weekly basis). Over the course of the afternoon, we tried eight different American Wild Ales, each of which would have been a treat to open on its own, and which when served all together constituted a feast. Oh, and just in case that weren’t enough, Rob went ahead and called the brewers to ask for food pairing suggestions, which he and Alex pulled off so well that they looked, tasted, and smelled like they came out of a five-star kitchen. I don’t even have to go to the trouble of typing up each course for you, since Rob has uploaded a copy of his menu. Check it out and I assure you you’ll be resolving to quickly become Rob’s best buddy before the next of these events.

I think before moving on to the beers, it’s worth a detour into the question of, “What is a wild ale?” One thing’s for sure, they’re hot right now, and every time I turn around, there’s another one demanding its moment in the spotlight. In the most general of terms, “wild ale” is used to refer to any ale brewed with fermenting agents other than typical brewers yeast. I’m not sure I agree with this definition, and I’ll get into that below, but this was the idea governing the tasting.

The yeast used to brew most ales comes from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae species. Different breweries have their own proprietary strains, but for the most part, they’re all using varieties from this same species, and doing as much as they can sanitation-wise to ensure that’s all that gets into their beer. However, not everyone jumped on this bandwagon. Traditionally, before yeasts were well understood and modern sanitation methods developed, brewers left their wort (beer before it is fermented by yeast) open to the air, which allowed wild yeasts living in the brewhouses and carried by the wind to settle in the beer and start fermentation. Some Belgian brewers, such as Cantillon, have continuously brewed by this method to this day.

When the term ‘American Wild Ale’ is used today, it may mean brewing in this traditional style (100% wild), or it may mean brewing by a hybrid method that incorporates some elements of the modern brewing methods alongside traditional 100% wild brewing. For instance, a lot of the American-brewed ales that are often called ‘wild’ are not left open to the vagaries of windborne microorganisms. Instead, brewers pick up samples or grow cultures of the same yeasts (such as those from the Brettanomyces genus) and bacteria (such as Lactobacillus and Pediococcus) that grow in the traditional Belgian wild ales, and then deliberately introduce these into their wort. Still other American ales complete primary fermentation with a commonplace, cultured brewers yeast, and then are aged in barrels that contain wild microorganisms that contribute to secondary fermentation. Is this wild? It’s hard to say. I guess it depends on whether ‘wild’ refers to a flavor or a process. These beers will have many of the same flavors as traditional Belgian wild ales, but in the first case above the brewing process was as highly controlled as any modern American brew and in the second case most of the fermentation was completed by non-wild yeasts. From here on out, I’ll call beers from these two categories “half-wild.”

To my knowledge, only three brewers in the US make 100% wild ales in which ambient yeasts and microorganism are used to ferment wort left open to their air, without any cultured yeasts, regardless of their genus. These brewers are:

• Vinnie Cilurzo at Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, CA, whose Beatification is 100% wild, and who has many other “half-wild” barrel-aged beers with sour flavors.
• Rob Tod at Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, ME, who has a yet-to-be-named-or-released 100% wild ale aging on oak right now, as well as several “half-wild” barre-aged beers
• Phil Goularte at the Grey Parrot Brewpub in Long Beach, WA, who has a wild red ale. A quick thanks to All About Beer Magazine for tipping me off to Phil and the Grey Parrot.

For the record, before we move on, I don’t think “100% wild ale” is better than any “half-wild ale”, I make my judgments based on how the beer comes out. I just like to raise this question of ‘wildness’ because I believe we ought to have clear terminology when referring to different beers. As more and more of them come on the market, consumers can easily get confused by the distinctions between “100% spontaneously fermented”, “100% Brettanomyces fermented,” and “100% Barrel-aged”.

So, after that long detour, you’re probably wondering, “How were all those, fine I’ll say it, half-wild ales?” Well, my friend, they were delicious. As per usual my notes start diligent and start to run downhill after beer number four or five. However, you can find another recap of the tastes at Peter Estaniel’s Better Beer Blog.

• Reserve Signature Ale from De Proef Brouwerij in Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium, with collaboration from Tomme Arthur of The Lost Abbey, San Diego, CA, and paired with hefeweizen-steamed green-lipped mussels
  • This one pours a hazy gold-orange. The first time through the tasting glass, hops bitterness overwhelmed the Brett, but on the second time through the citrusy notes I remember from the last time I tasted it re-surfaced and the Brett showed through as well. Still, each time I taste it, the Brett funk seems more subdued. I’m not sure if this is a factor of time since brewing, or my own exposure to wilder tasting beers. It makes me want to consider reversing my judgment on the Lost Abbey Cable Car as the less funky in comparison with the Signature Ale

Ommegeddon from Ommegang

• Ommegeddon from Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY, paired with Arina goat gouda and roadside apples drizzled with truffle honey
  • We have a gusher here. The corks exploded out of both bottles and the golden-straw colored beer was all carbonation upon first sip. It had a much earthier smell than the last one, bringing back some of that funk I missed in the Reserve Signature. It also has a characteristic dry hopped bitterness that comes through in subsequent sips. Points for aroma, but I think the Reserve Signature gets the edge on taste. The cheese was very well paired with the beer, and the truffle honey was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever tasted. Someone, I forget who, made the comment that the apples-cheese-honey plate was very “farmhouse”-like, and thus a very appropriate compliment to such funky beers.

Fifteen from Avery

• Fifteen from Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, CO, paired with Turkish figs under a dollop of mascarpone cheese and orange zest
  • This one was clear and orange with a tinge of pink (perhaps from the hibiscus and figs?). It was the strongest yet in terms of funkiness, and also the most focused. Instead of a diffuse, unidentifiable, earthy funk, it was horse-y through and through. I didn’t taste the figs as clearly as I did last time I tried it, though even then they appeared only upon warming the beer. My impression this time was it seemed (particularly in contrast with the beers that came up next…) a bit single note, which is especially odd considering how “busy” a beer it is, what with all the Brett and figs and hibiscus and pepper. Still, I’m all for big flavors and aromas and liked the horse-y punch this one packs.

Interlude from Allagash

• Interlude from Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, ME, paired with Fra’Mani salame Nostrano and Gentile
  • We started to move into sour territory here, and I could smell it coming on the aroma of the Interlude. It was a slightly hazy orange with a layered, complex flavor that brought a richness to the table that I had been waiting for after the brighter, crisper beers we had been tasting. It’s aged in Merlot and Syrah barrels that gave it both a tart edge (likely as much from the microorganisms living in them as from the wine) and an oaky creaminess. My favorite of the line-up so far.


Temptation by Russian River

• Temptation from Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, CA, paired with Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog goat cheese and toasted sour wheat bread
  • I notice as I start to move down my tasting notes that more and more superlatives start appearing. If we didn’t have such rock stars of beer (Russian River and Jolly Pumpkin) here at the bottom of the list, I’d think it was just the 7.0 – 9.0% ABVs talking. This Belgian-style blonde ale had the sourest smell yet with the Brett still noticeable, but taking a backseat. It’s also clearly apparent that it is fermented in Chardonnay barrels from the oak that pairs with the acidity to give the brief impression that this is a white wine. That is… until you taste it. I enjoyed it more than I have upon any previous tasting of Temptation. I’m guessing no small reason it tasted so different to me this time is that this was from Batch #001, bottled in May, 2005. One of the other participants remarked that it had gotten dryer with age. I’m not sure if ‘dry’ is the right word for what it gained, maybe ‘maturity’? The younger versions of Temptation I’ve tasted have a sharper sour flavor, and while this one is plenty sour, and while sourness still dominates its aroma, the earthiness from the Brett is more apparent and layered in its taste than in the younger versions. Of course, this could all be bunk, because I believe this was the point in the tasting at which it was suggested that we “steal a fishing boat and stand off shore from Bolinas drinking beer and taunting them because we know how to find their town” by a tasting participant who will remain unnamed to protect him from retribution from pro-locals Marin County residents. Before moving on, it’s also worth noting that in my notes I called the Humboldt Fog “The BEST cheese EVER!” Excessive capitalization aside, it was indeed very good.


Oro de Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin

• Oro de Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, MI, paired with garden plucked Fairfax baby greens, tarragon, and grapes in a simple vinaigrette
  • As one of the last three of eight beers we drank, my notes become almost useless at this point as I became more and more distracted by the anecdotes unfolding around me. They include such insights as, “super-dry” and “fantastic with the tarragon.” Indeed, I loved this salad and how strongly the tarragon tasted like anise. I would like to try pairing it with one of the imperial stouts with anise falvor (such as The Abyss, more on that below), to see if it brings that characteristic out even further. I think 12 is a fantastic number for a tasting, because it’s small enough to feel intimate, and yet large enough to keep it from ever approaching quiet. At this point, I think we were all telling stories about a time that friends had drunk an amazing bottle we had been saving without even realizing what it was.


Supplication from Russian River

• Supplication from Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, CA, paired with shredded pork carnitas accented with red wine vinegar and cherry gastrique
  • I didn’t even stop to take notes on the Supplication because I almost worry about seeming like a shill for this beer. Search for it in my blog and it probably pops up more than any other (e.g. here and here). There’s a reason why it’s my favorite Russian River beer (and that’s saying a lot for a place that also brews Pliny the Elder, Beatification, and many, many other beers I love).


La Roja from Jolly Pumpkin

• La Roja from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, MI, paired with a wild plum and almond tart with a pinot noir cranberry glaze
  • This is another favorite of mine that manages to shine the brightest among its sister brews (in my opinion) even with stiff competition coming from the Oro de Calabaza and the Bam Biere. It has been much covered by the blog in the past, and I’ll let those tell the story (here and here).

The dead soldiers

As the evening wrapped up and we realized we had drunk all of the beer, which Rob informed us was approximately 850 mL per person, people started looking for what else we could do. Toronado was suggested, City Beer as well, but ultimately laziness won out when we realized that there were two more incredible bottles hiding in the backpacks of the attendees, waiting for the right moment to be brought out. Well, ‘the moment is now’ all the empty bottles seemed to say.

I have to admit, I was one of those who had been hiding something. Yes, I had brought out the Isabelle Proximus out earlier, but that was Rob’s for comping me the tasting fee. But, in the same way I can never buy clothes without wearing them out and about that very day, it was killing me to have purchased so much Lost Abbey this past week without drinking any of it. Yes, you’re thinking, “But you only bought two bottles at Toronado.” Well, that’s true… Wednesday night. I got non-buyers remorse on Thursday and went back and added a bottle of Red Poppy and Isabelle Proximus to the stash of Gift of the Magi and Cuvee de Tomme I had bought for myself the night before. Then Saturday rolled around and City Beer Store was selling the rare stuff as well, and I thought, “Well, I shouldn’t spend this much, but if I really can’t afford it, I’ll sell it off to a deserving friend.” With this in mind, I picked up two each of Angel’s Share (bourbon barrel), Cuvee de Tomme, and Older Viscosity. I know. Awesome. I’ve promised one of the bottles of Cuvee to a friend, and the rest I plan to keep for now, except… well, how can I understand how valuable that Angel’s Share is if I don’t try it? And this was the thought that prompted me to bring it to Rob’s tasting.

It was a tiny 375mL bottle and though I was conscious of not wanting to lose a single drop, the cork flew out without even being touched as soon as I unwrapped the cage. I almost cried when I saw an ounce or two spill onto the table as it erupted. We got a glass under it quickly though, and poured it around to the remaining members of the tasting. It was everything it was cracked up to be. It’s a 10.0% strong ale that pours a thick dark brown with a tan head. It had a light but rich note of chocolate, more sweet than bitter roastiness. This sweetness, combined with the high ABV, gives it a boozy, rum-my flavor, that is definitely more of a caramel-y dark rum than light rum taste. The fruits in the flavor are all dark and rich: fig, date, raisin, etc. No trace of the sour beers from earlier in the afternoon here. The oak gives it vanilla notes, but there is an independent wood-y flavor as well that grounds the beer. I’m faltering here. None of these words do it justice. Just drink it, you’ll see.

Finally, I’d be in remiss if I quit before mentioning The Abyss from Deschutes. I was worried about what could follow Angel’s Share, but this is exactly the beer that could. While Angel’s Share is a best in class Strong Ale, The Abyss is a best-in-class Imperial Stout, and it’s strong roast gave it an aggressive flavor that could stand up to anything. It has a thick molasses flavor like the Angel’s Share that made for a smooth transition, but followed up with anise, coffee, dark chocolate, and smoke. I’ve had this once before, and remember being very impressed, but my esteem has only grown for it as of Sunday. It’s smooth, rich, and above all powerful.

So to sum it all up:

• Beautiful garden setting: Check
• Delicious food: Check
• Beers worth writing home about: Check (times 10)
• Incredible company: Check (times 12)

I don’t know what else we could have asked for, except maybe a little sun, and as talented as Rob is at pulling these events together, I don’t think even he can make it shine in San Francisco.