Spotlight on IPLs

 IPAs have dominated the American craft beer market for years with a loud, celebrated, and very American fashion.

India pale lagers are their lesser known, younger cousin. Similar personality, different family. Still big and bold, but a little more straight-laced and collected at the same time.

Lagers are fermented at colder temperatures for a longer period of time and produce cleaner, crisper beers. Ale yeast goes through a quicker, higher temperature fermentation resulting in spicier, more estery and complex beers. Like India pale ales, IPLs put the bold, hoppy aromas and bitterness at the forefront, but because the lager yeast, creates a drier, more crisp and clean brew (they're not quite as elaborate as their ale counterpart).

The cleaner lager yeast provides a back drop for hops to shine. While the BJCP still doesn't consider IPL a category of its own, the style still upholds some of its own characteristics. The primary difference between an IPL and a hoppy pilsner is the use of more aggressive, pungent ale hops. IPLs are an example of the merging of stylistic categories, and also the constantly evolving hop market.

New hop varieties are constantly being introduced to the market. They offer new characteristics which lend themselves to exploration. IPLs are a hybrid, a mutt of the craft beer world, and an example of its progression.

Here are a few of my favorite IPLs you can find on the shelves at Harry's 

Otter Creek Citra Mantra, 5.75% abv
Otter Creek Brewing Company, Middlebury, VT

Citra Mantra is a spring seasonal release from Otter Creek. It's single-hopped with 100% Citra hops. Citra hops are a modern American hop that are known for their strong floral and citrus aroma and flavor. They're a pungent, distinctive "impact" hop. Citra Mantra is tropical fruit and tangerines without the cloying. Pilsner, Munich, and Vienna malts.

 

Thomas Hooker Defiance Double IPL, 7.7% abv 
Thomas Hooker Brewing Company, Bloomfield, CT 

Defiance is an imperial lager, boasting almost 8% abv. Despite the higher alcohol content, it finishes clean and smooth. Hopped with Citra and Azacca hops. Pilsner, Carahell, and Vienna malts.

Fathom, 7% abv 
Ballast Point Brewing Company, San Diego, CA 

Ballast Point is a major player in the game. They're most commonly known for their Sculpin IPA which is loaded with tropical fruit flavors. The lager yeast tones down the fruit in Fathom and pushes citrus and pine up front. Dry hopped with Ahtanum hops. Munich and Vienna malt base.  

Hoponius Union, 6.7% abv 
Jack's Abby, Framingham, MA

Perhaps one of my favorites. Jack's Abby only brews lagers. Hoponius Union uses a blend of classic American, West Coast IPA hops for a big tropical fruit and citrus aroma. The nose follows through on the taste with a clean finish.

Summer of the Session

 It's an art form to brew a high ABV beer that isn't hot and boozy on the palate; a beer balanced by bittering hops that complement the sweet maltiness of the grain. But in the same right, and perhaps even more challenging, I've learned it's just as skillful to brew a session beer on the other end of the beer spectrum, without compromising well-balanced flavor.

What makes a good session beer?

  By definition, session beers have less than 5% alcohol by volume (ABV). A good session beer is the ideal beer for summer; it's lawnmower beer, boat beer, deck beer, beach beer, social beer. Its a beer that you can drink easily and even repetitively whether it's lunch and you're going back to the office or you're already stuffed full of barbecue. But just because it's "light and easy," so to speak, doesn't mean that the flavor profile has to be compromised.

 It's the imperial beers, the bigger, bolder, American beers that have been exploiting the craft beer world over the last fifteen years. But session brews have been around for centuries. And yes, session beers may be nothing but the latest trend in our smug world of beer geekery, but they're rising up once again to remind us what beer is all about. Enjoying a beer is more than just chasing a buzz, it's drinkable congeniality and companionship. A good beer is about camaraderie, enjoyment, relaxation, and community.  It's about friendship, meeting new people, and good times.

Last summer we saw a surge in breweries producing their own take on a session, but this summer, even more so, is the summer of the session. These are my top five picks ( in no particular order) of session beers you can find in the cooler at Harry's this summer. Just in time for some boat beer on the Fourth. Cheers.

1. Introvert Session IPA,  4.8% ABV

Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO. 

 Packed with quintessential American hops - cascade, chinook, sterling, and comet , the nose breathes tropical fruit aromas, but finishes cleaner and more earthy on the palate. It has a medium to fuller body for a low ABV beer.

2. Simmer Down, 4.9% ABV

Sebago Brewing Company, Gorham, ME. 

 El Dorado, mosaic, and ahtanum hops. Floral and grassy backed up by some pale, bready maltiness. Bright and clean.

3. Effortless IPA, 4.5% ABV

Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, Elmsford, NY. 

 Dry-hopped with mosaic and palisade hops, the nose on this is aggressive and bold. A little bit of pine and grapefruit to follow but subtle and pleasant. The key to this one is the dry hopping process which emphasizes the aromatics.

4. Evil Twin Mission Gose, 4% ABV

Brewed at Westbrook Brewing Company, Mt Pleasant, SC. 

 Traditionally brewed with salt and coriander, Gose style beers are rooted in German tradition and their bright acidity was made for the summer. This beer is tart and refreshing with slightly herbal notes from the eucalyptus that it's brewed with. My only complaint is that it doesn't come in a six pack of cans.

5. Sierra Nevada Nooner Pilsner, 5% ABV

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA. 

 A classic German pilsner. Brewed with spicy and floral German hops, the Nooner is a crisp and dry lager, but true to Sierra Nevada character, it's also hop forward.

- Amy Ettinger

Help Wanted - Part Time Cashier(s) & Craft Beer/Stock

HELP WANTED

   Harry's Wine & Liquor Market has a long history of great customer service, selection, and a knowledgeable staff. Today we begin our search for the next additions to that legacy and we are seeking a few exceptional people to work with our team.

Are you one of the people that we are looking for?

Some things we need to know as you consider applying with us:

Are you customer service oriented?

Local to Fairfield Connecticut?

Do you have your own transportation?

Have a valid drivers license?

Are you at least 18 years old?

Do you have a flexible schedule?

   If you are interested in our Craft Beer/Stock position, you will need to be physically fit, willing and able to do manual labor including Stocking shelves and coolers along with making deliveries in our company vehicle. You must also have a thirst for knowledge about great craft beer and artisan spirits. Our craft beer/spirits team is strong and led by some of the best in the industry. We are looking to pass that on to the next thirsty soul that is looking for an opportunity to work and learn at a top notch store.

   Maybe you want to work in our most important customer service position as a cashier. These girls and guys are the face of Harry's and work to be sure that each customer that comes through our door leaves satisfied. Every member of our team is important but this is truly the back bone of what we do. We are looking for people to fill day and evening shifts and we can work with your college schedule.

These are NOT summer positions. We are looking for people that will start with us now and be able to work with us in to the future.

Harry's is a great place to work with an inviting staff and an ownership that wants you to love your job 

Are you ready? 

Let's get started!

Please apply in person at our store located at 2094 Post Rd. Fairfield, Ct.
Ask for Patrick

Joining the celebration of a bygone era this Saturday April 18th

Join us all day Saturday April 18th as we help to celebrate "National Record Store Day"!

While it's true that we are not a record store, we have been around long enough to remember the days when they were in almost every town. Some of our staff can even remember the days when we would save our allowance or leaf raking money and go down on Saturday afternoon to flip through the display bins and pick up a new 45 or the latest album from our favorite artist.

Sadly those days are mostly only read about in the history books as mom and pop record stores were pushed out by the big box giants and then more recently iTunes and digital music downloaded via the web has become the way that we get our music.

In an ironic twist some of our kids have uncovered our old turn table and the corresponding stacks of records long ago stored in the cellar or attic. This generation seems to rediscovered and even better yet, they have fallen in with love the music that we and even their grandparents used to listen to on that dusty old memory.

As the saying goes... "What's old is new again"

In a nostalgic look back, Dogfish head brewing has produced a very limited number of these wonderfully cool portable record players and we will be spinning vinyl all day Saturday April 18th in respectful remembrance of the days gone by. Come by and celebrate the flecky, crackling and sometimes scratchy sound that only an old school record player can produce and hear some great music from its generation.

Hopefully it will inspire you to go into your boxes of long forgotten teenage memories and find your own turntable so you can plan a "family night" and share some music from your childhood with your kids. If you've let your records go at the yard sale there are a few actual "Record Stores" still in business here in Connecticut and we are sure that they would love to see you and give you the personal service that also seems to all too often also be a thing of the past.

-Cheers!

The cold weather is here! Beers that were brewed with that in mind

The cold weather has finally arrived here in Connecticut and the release of seasonal beers is right on time to meet Jack Frost. 

Renzo and his crew are putting the selection together and getting them in the cooler. Some of them will be in limited quantities so be sure to get yours while they are still around!

Craft Can Brew Crew at "The Vibes"

These past few days have been filled with lots of Vibes attendees stopping in on their way to Seaside Park to pick up their "essentials", Shopping lists have included lots of beer (in cans of course) and ice and the occasional request for Vodka or other spirit in a plastic bottle. Not many people heading over are looking for wine, go figure!

Some of the younger folks on our staff and in one case, her entire family are taking some time to enjoy a weekend full of music and good times. Everyone scrambling early to get a good spot and Set up camp for the long weekend and Renzo has even requested Monday off (his recovery day). It is fun to watch the bussling around for what has become an event that draws people from hundreds of miles away. We had one group in from Pittsburgh PA that were told to stop at Harry's on their way in for their craft beer in cans.

It seems that campers however, have upped the ante on "roughing it". Lying on the hard ground and sleeping in a tent, lawn chairs to sit on, along with a lack of a shower for a couple of days, and the meals that won't be described as "gourmet" may still be the norm. These things remain perfectly acceptable to this crowd... The cooler though, thats a different story! The cooler looks the same on the oustside but when the lid is taken off the "roughing it" is suddenly at a different level. No cheap beer for these music fans. Inside that old Coleman cooler there is an oasis of craft brew to get them through the long weekend. It may be beer and hotdogs at the campsite, but it is very good beer!


Our stacks of these small batch brews in can have been given a work out as these campers prepare to settle into their camp sites and our supply of ice has been hit just as hard. I guess you have to have your priorities and it is clear where those lie with this crowd. Fun group of people!

We wish all of the attendees and enjoyable weekend filled with music and fun. Hopefully the rain will stay away, Stay safe.

Eclectic, Eccentric, & that unforgettable smile! A memorable night...

De Dolle Brouwers

"The Mad Brewers"

                

              Have you ever wondered what your Harry’s beer crew does on their spare time?  Besides researching and tasting amazing beers for our own pleasure. We scour the area for local breweries that rival established overseas breweries.  That exploration ensures our shelves are jam packed with the finest and tastiest beers for your delight.   

           This past Wednesday Renzo and I drove up to OEC Brewing in Oxford Connecticut.  OEC presented an intimate evening with Kris Hertleer of De Dolle Brouwers from Esen, Belgium.  Kris Hertleer is the owner and brewer of De Dolle and a highly animated man.  As with most individuals in the beer world, you have to possess a certain level of crazy and passion.  Kris has ample amounts of said qualities, and it was a complete joy to be in his presence.  A perfect example would be his passport picture.  On numerous occasions, he is stopped at the customs counter because the agent believes his passport to be a fraud or a joke.  His photo consists of an ear-to-ear grin while wearing a red bowtie with white hearts that surpasses his smile by 4 inches on both sides.  Some would say clownish, I say, pure class with a dash of merriment, as shown by the hearts. I wish I had taken a picture of it to show my readers.  While at the counter, the agent inquires about the authenticity of the passport and Kris asks why it has been mistaken to be a fraud.  After a few minutes of deliberation, Kris reaches into his carry-on bag, retrieves the same bowtie from his picture, and commences to put it on.  His signature smile is next to be put on to await the laughter and stamp of approval from the border agent.  I could not imagine pulling off the same stunt.  As I said, brewers need a small amount of crazy. 

                 

           Kris brought six of his beers; Arabier, Oerbier, Boskeun, Export Stout, Stille Nacht 2008, and Stille Nacht 2013.  Currently at Harry’s, we carry Arabier, Oerbier, Boskeum, and Export Stout.  We will carry the seasonal winter, Stille Nacht “Silent Night” later this year.   It was a treat to try the ’08 and ’13 Stille Nacht in one setting.  Age has done wonders for the ’08 as it had an oak and maple nose, with licorice up front that finished huge in smoked oak.  It reminded a few of us as a barley wine.  The ’13 had a berry and floral nose, and a spicy taste that lead way to medium alcohol heat.  The ’08 was the winner but it was old in a good way, not past its prime, but old.  I think the ’10 would taste best right now.  

The Oerbier has great tartness and masks the 9.0% ABV.  The Oerbier label has been something   Kris let us in on another cool fact about one of De Dolle’s icons.  You can find it on this label.  It is Kris’s vision of what his yeast cells would look like.  The yeast cell is holding a brewers fork in its right hand and beer in its left.  It symbolizes the science and hard work that comes together to produce their beer.  The 1980 on its sash marks the end of the decline of breweries and the resurgence of new breweries as well Oerbiers birth. 

I have always overlooked.

Arabier was interesting as it brought out my wine side taste buds.  It tasted like pears with the slightest hint of Riesling.  A very complex beer that has some spice and earthiness. 

 

 

The next beer is the Easter release, Boskeun.  The name means “rabbit of the wood” and the label displays a   It is complex, yet light on the mouth.  There are many contrasting flavors giving it much depth.  It starts with peanut and caramel giving way to pepper and yeast. 

rabbit relaxing in the spring with a beer.

The last beer is the Special Extra Export Stout.  The nose brings dark fruit like prunes and figs with some cocoa nibs.  The taste is fruity, dark, and tart, which I like in a beer. 

                Overall, the night was filled with great beer and people.  This was my first introduction to OEC Brewery and their beers.  I was completely blown away by their creations and was more than happy to be there.  I would say they rival many overseas breweries and we are lucky to have OEC in our backyard.  I will do a follow up on OEC’s beers another day, for today it is all about De Dolle.  

- By Billy Sanchez