New York Cork Report

Drink Local Beer. It's That Simple.

By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist

Lenn asked me to write a year-end post and I've been mulling over what you might be interested in hearing about.  I could give you a list of all the great locally brewed, Long Island beers that I've tasted this year. I could tell you which ones were my favorites, but in the end such lists and recommendations reflect a personal taste. They might prompt you to try something new, but ultimately you'll have to decide for yourself what you like. So, instead, I'd like to tell you about what I've been thinking about this past year.

I've been covering the Long Island beer scene for three years now and I'm happy to report that the state of craft beer is still improving; however, the landscape is changing. With Southampton's deal with Pabst for nation-wide distribution we suppose we are witnessing the success of one of our own. After all, our culture typically views growth and expansion as a good thing. On the other hand when one of our local breweries turns into a national brand, we risk losing something that it truly Long Island as the brewery reshapes itself to compete in the national market. Good or bad? Well, that's a question that I've been pressing craft beer drinkers to ponder over on The Beer Hall.

Big brewers do make excellent beer. But the question that those of us in the "craft" world have to confront is just how compatible "craft" is with "big". There's a camp that says is all about the beer and how it tastes.  There's another camp that says, no is not just taste, its also about how the beer is made and under what conditions. Who's right? The answer depends a lot on whether you think your actions (such as your choice of beer to drink) has any connection with shaping the sort of world you want to live in.

Big questions for something that is supposed to be refreshing and relaxing. But these are precisely the things we should be thinking about.

So I've been turning beer drinking into a social, cultural and political philosophy that is firmly rooted in a view of the world that I think makes a lot of sense. The fundamental principle of this philosophy of drinking is that local is better. This principle isn't obvious to everyone.

Unfortunately, if I tried to articulate it here, Lenn would probably get annoyed by the ten thousand word post that would result. (Editors note: No I wouldn't. Bring it on Donavan)

I've started doing three things this year that I think could go along way to developing Long Island's craft beer culture. First, I drink craft beer as close to home as possible. I go to my local pub and pay a little extra for beer because it's important to have locally run businesses that support local brewers and they can't keep their doors open if we don't show up. Second, when I go to my local pub, my first beer is always a locally brewed beer. Show the pub owner that there is support for locally brewed beer by actually drinking it. If you must have the lastest IPA from the West Coast, save it for your second pint. Third, I brew my own beer and primarily drink that when I'm drinking at home. Believe it or not, brewing at home is the one act that really drives craft beer culture. You might think it would eat into local craft brew sales, but what it does is make the local brewing scene stronger. Good homebrewers are the next generation of local commercial brewers.

If you believe the news, we have some dark economic times ahead. Premium products like craft beer might be hit hard. We've already seen a price jump as a result of the "hops shortage." Other factors are sure to drive the price up even further. With the price of a craft pint now up to $7 in many places on the Island, people might be tempted to choose a industrial macro alternative at $5 pint. However, if we shell out the extra bucks for a locally brewed beer, we will be creating jobs and wealth right here on Long Island where it will do us the most good. 

So next time you head out for a craft beer at your local pub, make it a locally brewed beer.

Holloween Costume Firkin Friday at DEKS in Rocky Point

By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist

While I've been off promoting my new book, The Beer Hall Guide to Long Island, the beer scene has been moving and shaking. 

There are many opportunities coming up and going on where the beer-curious drinker to find and taste some excellent beers and to improve their beer knowledge.  The Long Island Beer and Malt Enthusiasts are now hosting a series of beer "study" sessions (once a month on a Thursday, see the Long Island Beer Calendar) where beer experts and novices come together at one table to taste and discuss the history and qualities of a particular beer style.

Long Island also has a beer tradition that I've not seen in other parts of the county (at least at the level that we take it): pumpkin ale season. Each September the Island's breweries release their take on a pumpkin flavored ale and we can't get enough it seems. If you have never had a pumpkin ale, you should know that there is a wide variation in the quality of the different versions out there. Some brewers gimmick-up their pumpkin ale with a sugar and spice rim. This tasty flourish hides, rather than reveals the pumpkin flavor. True pumpkin ales will be able to stand on their own and go down pleasantly without the aid of a sweetener. One such pumpkin ale is the Pumpkin Ale from Southampton Publick House.

Next Friday on Halloween, you'll be able to try cask conditioned Southampton Pumpkin Ale at DEKS American Restaurant in Rocky Point. The firkin will be tapped at 6 p.m. and anyone in costume will get their first pint on the house. Don't miss out on this opportunity to try a fantastic pumpkin ale direct from the cask.

Now Available: The Beer Hall Guide to Long Island

You've probably noticed that our resident beer guru, Donavan Hall, hasn't been contributing to LENNDEVOURS much lately. Well, he had a good reason for that. He was putting the finishing touches on The Beer Hall Guide to Long Island, one book that every beer lover on Long Island needs in his or her library.

Donavan knows more about beer on Long Island than anyone I know. Plus, he's one heck of a writer, so no one is more qualified to write such a book.

I haven't picked up my copy yet, but I will this weekend at the North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ and Wine Festival, where he'll be selling them.

About the book:

"This guide brings together the best that the Long Island craft beer scene has to offer. Anything listed in this guide is a top rated craft beer destination. All of Long Island's breweries and brewpubs are listed, as well as the top taprooms and beer stores. Each listing is accompanied by an informative (and entertaining) article.

By writing this beer guide, Donavan hopes that craft beer enthusiasts will learn more about the incredible and growing beer culture here on Long Island, and that you might find out about a place or two that you haven't visited yet. In addition to covering all of the best breweries, taprooms, and beer stores, you'll find information about amateur craftbrewing and about how to become more involved in local craft beer culture.

Donavan Hall regularly writes about beer, brewing, and pub culture on The Beer Hall. He is also the voice of Radio Beer Hall a twice monthly podcast about brewing and slow living."

Congratulations on finishing the book, Donavan. I look forward to raising a pint or five with you the next time we meet up.

You can buy the book over at Lulu if you can't make the beer festival this weekend.

Firkin Friday at DEKS and Sixpoint in Bellport

By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist

The next Firkin Friday at DEKS is coming up soon; it's this Friday, the 18th. A firkin of Green Flash Hop Head Red is on its way from Vista, California for our cask conditioned drinking pleasure. Hop Head Red is "a deliciously full-bodied and appropriately hoppy ale," according to Celebrator Beer News. It earned the silver medal in the American-Style Amber/Red Ale category in the 2007 Great American Beer Festival, the USA's oldest and most prestigious craft beer competition.

As far as I can tell, this may be Hop Head Red's Long Island premier (in a firkin, at least). The Hop Head Red was spotted on tap at Big Z Beverage on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington (if you want a preview). Green Flash is a popular brewer in southern California and they've had a presence on the East Coast for at least a couple of years. Their IPA has been readily available in multiple venues on the Island (notably at Bobbique in Patchogue).  Currently, a Green Flash Imperial IPA is pouring at Once & For All in Patchogue.

The next day (Saturday the 19th), you should head on down to Dave's Bellport Beer & Soda where a representative from Sixpoint Craft Ales (Brooklyn) will be present with 7 or 8 different kegs for our sampling and purchasing pleasure.  Bring a glass and a growler.  The event starts at 1 pm and the good folks of the Long Island Beer & Malt Enthusiasts will be grilling hot dogs and burgers for the hungry masses.  If you come out, you'll find ample parking at the Bellport train station at the corner of Station Rd. and Montauk Hwy.  If you come out, be sure to meet the new manager at Bellport Beer, Rich Thatcher.  He's a friendly and beer-knowledgeable guy.

These are Long Island Beer & Malt Enthusiast-sanctioned events. Come on out and meet a bunch of fellow beer lovers. If you are new to the scene, make sure you introduce yourself. I'll be wearing my RadioBeerHall.com button, but you can always ask for me at the bar or at the grill. Everyone at DEKS and Bellport Beer knows Donavan. One more thing, all these beer events (and more!) are listed on the Long Island Beer Calendar.

Cask Night at Deks: March 28th

By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist

It's happening again: DEKS American Restaurant in Rocky Point is having another cask night.

This time there will be an entire firkin (that's a little more than 10 gallons) of a special edition from the York Brewery in England. York Brewery has been experimenting with different varieties of hops and has been releasing ales that use only a single variety. The advantage of this for the person interested in developing their beer tasting skills is that single hop beers make it possible to focus on the flavor coming from only that one hop. The hop variety that we'll be studying on Friday is called Saaz.

Saaz is a hop that originally comes from the region that is now the Czech Republic. This hop is responsible for the characteristic flavor of Bohemian Pilsners (most notably Pilsner Urquell). Saaz is often described as floral and/or grassy. Personally, I associate the aroma with crisp spiciness, so typically, when I brew with this hop, I'm looking for it to deliver an edge to the aroma and flavor that contrasts with the round, maltiness of the grain.  Saaz is one of the four noble hops whose characteristic is a restrained (or delicate) bitterness and pronounced aroma.

I've never tasted York Brewery's experiment with Saaz hops, but it will be interesting to see what they are able to bring out of this hop.  Hope to see you there.  The firkin will be tapped at 6 pm and pints will be served until the firkin runs dry.

4th Annual Long Island Real Ale Festival: Mild Preview

By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist

Last year I attended the Long Island Real Ale Festival with my beer writer hat on. This year, I'll be there as a brewer. On January 6, my brewing buddy, Mike Voigt, and I mashed-in and brewed up a batch of an English-style Mild that we'll be proud to serve at this Saturday's Long Island Real Ale Festival held annually at the Blue Point Brewery in Patchogue.

The beer has been fermenting away at Mike's house for the last couple of weeks and earlier this week it was ready to transfer into the firkin.  We sampled a couple of pints right out of Mike's totally swank 14 gallon stainless steel conical fermenter and pronounced the beer utterly delish.

We've been working on this Mild recipe for a few months. We've brewed two pilot batches and tweaked the recipe to our taste. If you are not familiar with Mild, it's a historic style that isn't brewed too much nowadays because Milds (as the name implies) are low alcohol beers.  They are dark beers (usually) and you'd think that you are looking at a stout or a porter, but a Mild is a beer that you could probably drink all day and never get a buzz. (Okay, I've confused you; why would anyone want to drink beer and not get a buzz?  The taste!)

These low-alcohol Milds were originally brewed as refreshers for laborers who would be working at steel mills or other hot, physically demanding jobs. These workers would sweat out copious amounts of fluid and they would be in serious need of re-hydration to avoid death. The Mild was perfect. These manual laborers could drink ten or fifteen pints of Mild and then get back to work, but refreshed.

In the 21st century, no one (at least not in the "western" world) labors that hard and beers tend to be in the "relaxer" alcohol range (6% ABV and up). But we shouldn't look down our noses at Milds just because they won't knock us on our collective ass.  They are still full-bodied, full-flavored brews. If you don't believe me, then come to the Long Island Real Ale Festival this weekend (January 26, tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door) and we'll prove to you that Milds are just as flavorful as any other beer.

If you'd like to know more about what "real ale" is, then I invite you to listen to a recent episode of Radio Beer Hall (#101) and find out the answer to the question "what is real ale?"

Listen: download the mp3 (6.6 MB, 14:25 mins) [other info]
Subscribe to the beer podcast: regular feed | with iTunes

Next Cask Night at Deks: Oakham Bishop's Farewell

By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist

A firkin of Oakham Bishops Farewell has just arrived in the US.  This particular firkin is reserved for thirsty Long Island beer enthusiasts. It will be tapped at Deks in Rocky Point on Friday, February 8.

For the last few months Deks has played host to a series of cask nights instigated by the nascent Long Island Malt and Beer Enthusiasts, an organization devoted to the promotion of craft beer culture on Long Island.  I was very happy to see Lenn at the last cask night. (That cask night is also the subject of the 100th episode of my Long Island beer podcast Radio Beer Hall.)

Last September, I wrote about what cask conditioned or real ale is, but some of you might not know what a "cask night" is. If you've never attended such an event, then you'll have a chance early next month.  I'll give you a taste of what to expect at a cask night.

If you arrive when the cask is tapped, you'll get to see the cellarman (or "landlord" or "publican", etc.) tap the cask. The cask sits on top of the bar on a wooden rack known as a stillage. The first thing the cellarman does is drive a soft spile into the top vent of the cask.  After that he'll use his trusty mallet again to drive a tap or spigot into the serving port. All this takes a few minutes and is quite dramatic. When the cask is tapped everyone cheers and the beer starts flowing.

While the cask might be the focus of the event, what's fun about cask nights is the social dimension. Beer lovers from all over Long Island will converge on the pub for the cask night. The topic of conversation usually starts with beer, but as the night goes on you'll have made some new friends.

A cask is usually small enough that it will be finished the same night that it is tapped. Typically, we've been procuring casks that contain 40 pints. The cask of Oakham Bishops Farewell is a full firkin which is about 80 pints. So we hope that you'll come out and help us put this ale to good use.

If you can't wait until the next cask night at Deks, the annual Long Island Real Ale Festival is taking place at the Blue Point Brewing Company on Saturday, January 26. The event starts at 1 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m.

November 9th Cask Night at Deks

By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist

A little over a month ago I told you about the first "Firkin Friday" at Deks in Rocky Point. We had a good turn out of local beer enthusiasts to sample a Long Island-brewed, cask-conditioned ale.

I snapped this pic of my brewing colleague, Mike, taking the first sip of the first pint of Blue Point Oatmeal Stout at our first Cask Night. That's the back end of the firkin on the right.

Dean and Kevin (the owners of Deks) are going to host another Firkin Friday on the 9th of November. Mark your calendar. It's on the Long Island Beer Calendar already.

Keep you eye on my new beer-focused blog, The Beer Hall, because I'll be telling you what the cask is when we finally secure a supplier. I wish I could tell you now, but we want to get you a really, really fresh cask.

It's important to get a good turn out for these events since pub landlords are only going to order casks if it is lucrative for them to do so. We can help foster a rich beer culture here on Long Island by supporting such efforts as bringing real ale out this far on the Island.

If you aren't so sure why cask conditioned ale is any different or more special than regular tap (or bottled) beer, then check out my guide to "Real Ale."  Hope to see you there!

Editor's note: I'm planning to attend this event as well, so if you (for whatever reason) want to have a beer together, join us.

Long Island Beer Event: Cask Night at Deks - Firkin Friday

By Beer Columnist Donavan Hall

Put this on your calendar! Firkin Friday at Deks in Rocky Point will feature a firkin of cask conditioned Oatmeal Stout from Blue Point Brewing Company. The cask will be tapped at 9 p.m. on Friday, September 28, 2007.  If you never had cask conditioned ale, now's your chance.  If you love cask conditioned ale already, come on out and join us.

Cask conditioned ale is a young beer. The brewing process for the ale is the same, but just as the primary fermentation slows, the beer is transferred from the fermenter to a cask where it continues to ferment or condition. The result of this conditioning is that the beer is alive with still active yeast which provides a natural level of carbonation without external pressurization.

Cask conditioned ale can be served (at least) two ways: with a beer engine (or hand pump), or with a stop-cock (gravity fed).  Most cask conditioned ale you get at pubs is served with a beer engine.  The beer engine draws the beer out of the cask and mixes it with air as the beer is dispensed. The beer engine imparts a full, creamy texture to the beer.

Gravity feeding is allowing gravity to push the beer out of the keg into the glass under its own weight.  For our Firkin Friday at Deks, the ale will be gravity fed. Don't worry though, gravity fed beer is the real deal. You'll be tasting the freshest, most honest beer possible; it's a complete different experience than regular draft beer.

Cask conditioned ale is also called "real ale". Our friends in England are fond of their real ale.  One thing I've heard people say about the beer in England is that it is "warm and flat." However, that's a negative way to think about it. The beer is served between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit which is warmer than draft beer by about fifteen degrees, but it's not "warm." The relative flatness I've explained above. The cask conditioned ale has dissolved in it one atmosphere of carbon dioxide rather than two or three.  So instead of thinking "warm and flat" think "full flavored and smooth." The warmer temperature allows you to taste the beer, and the smoothness improves the contact of the beer with your tongue and makes the beer go down easier.

It's important to come out to Deks on that Friday night because there won't be any cask conditioned ale on the next night. The cask is for one night and one night only. The reason for this is that keeping the beer more than one night isn't possible. When the ale is dispensed from the cask, air is allowed into the cask.  This air leads to the oxidization of the ale and makes for a less palatable brew the next day. We want you to experience only the freshest cask conditioned ale possible, so all 80 pints have to go that night.  If we succeed, then we can look forward to more Firkin Fridays. See you there!

Beer Podcast: Those Summer Beers

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

Show notes: On today's show, let's talk about summer beers.  Right now I'm drinking Shoals Pale Ale from Smuttynose.  Okay it's not a Long Island beer, but  I picked this up at Big Z's in Huntington along with some other summer beers.  My idea of a summer beer is one that is thirst quenching, light on the alcohol, and has a dry finish (tartness is a bonus).

Speaking of summer beers, I brewed a hefeweizen last Sunday.  It's fermenting away right now.  I brewed this beer from extract (a prepared malt syrup) instead of starting with malted barley and wheat.  If you listen to the show, I explain how I did the brew and how I'm keeping the beer cool while it ferments.

On July 5th Southampton Triple will be available at beer stores and on tap at your finest Long Island pubs.  A Triple is a Belgian Abbey style ale that is higher in alcohol and light colored.  If you've ever had the Chimay Cinq Cent or Westmalle Triple, then you'll have an idea what to expect.  When the beer is available, I'll get a bottle and critique it on the show.

Also on the Calendar, DEKS in Rocky Point is hosting another Beer Dinner.  This one will be on July 11th at 7 pm, so mark your calendars.  The cost is $30 and you must reserve you spot before 5 pm on July 9th.  You can reserve in person or give them a call at 631-821-0066.   I have a food menu and Mike and I are still working on the beer pairings.

Just to remind you, if you love beer and/or whiskey, you'll want to join the Long Island Malt Enthusiast mailing list.  I'll keep you alerted of all the news on Long Island beer and whiskey news.

Listen: download the mp3 (8.9 MB, 18:32 mins) [other info]
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Beer Podcast: Captain Lawrence Brewing Company

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

I'm back this week with more reportage on the Long Island beer scene.

For the whole story, you'll have to listen to the podcast (links below), but I'll give you a quick overview of what to expect.

On today's show, I take a trip to out to Big Z Beverage in Huntington (1675 East Jericho Tpk., 631-499-3479) and talk to the new owner, Mark Tuchman.  He took over the business a little over two months ago and he's been reshaping his beer store into a craft beer destination.

In the Long Island Beer Round-up, I give you a quick report on a visit to Canterbury Ales. I had a couple of Southampton beers on tap that night, and the Hanami Ale from Smuttynose. The tap system at Painter's is back up and running and pouring three different Blue Point ales, but the only tap pouring fresh beer was the Blueberry Ale, both the Summer Ale and Toasted Lager were past their prime.

Also on the Calendar, DEKS in Rocky Point is hosting another Beer Dinner.  This one will be on July 11th at 7 pm, so mark your calendars.  I have a food menu and Mike and I are working on the beer pairings. I'll let you know next week what we came up with. Also, DEKS has a new beer on tap; it's the Sixpoint Brownstone. It's very fresh and delicious right now, so go soon.  I'll be there later today to have a pint or two.

I'll tell you about the B.E.E.R. (Suffolk County's homebrew clue) meeting and about Scott Vaccaro from Captain Lawrence Brewing Company in Pleasantville, New York. Scott talked to the club for about twenty minutes and then served up six excellent bottled beers. I play a four minute clip where Scott talks about his brewery and his beers. 

Captain Lawrence is not yet distributing its beers to Suffolk County, but I have had a few of Scott's beers on cask at Bobbique in Patchogue.

I wrap up the show with a trip out to our CSA, a good place to get locally grown and organic ingredients for your brewing.

Just to remind you, if you love beer and/or whiskey, you'll want to join the Long Island Malt Enthusiast mailing list.  I'll keep you alerted of all the news on Long Island beer and whiskey news.

Listen: download the mp3 (12.7 MB, 26:26 mins) [other info]
Subscribe: regular feed | with iTunes

Beer Podcast: Blue Point Hoptical Illusion

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

I'm soloing it again, but Rich will definitely be back on the show soon. On this installment I pop open a Blue Point Hoptical Illusion. It's a fairly hoppy IPA.

IPA stands for India Pale Ale. It's a style of beer invented in England, but has been adopted by Americans and turned into a completely new beer. The English version was a Pale Ale that was more alcoholic and more highly hopped. The hops act as a preservative to keep the beer fresher tasting over the long voyage from England to India (hence the name). The American version (I should say versions since there's a West Coast style that is even hoppier than the standard American IPA) is hoppier and makes use of American hops. The West Coast variety has a marked citrus character from the Pacific Northwest-grown hops.

I tried an experiment and poured the Hoptical Illusion right down the center of the glass to form an enormous head. (I used an oversized glass to avoid spillage.) The idea was to release the aroma and the carbon dioxide. Why?  Well, I wanted a flatter beer. The citrus-like bitterness of the IPA is already tongue scrubbing enough without the bubbliness from the carbonation.

I've been pouring down the center of the glass lately just to get this flattening effect and to increase the head. This led to a dispute with a friend of mine over the correct way to pour a beer. As far as I'm concerned you can pour it how you want as long as the beer goes into the glass. But some people have strong opinions on this topic.  How do you pour your beer? (Over ice cream?)

For the philosophically inclined I decided to play a segment about the philosophy of taste and of flavor perception. Then I finish up the show with an on the spot recording at a pretty cool beer bar I visited while in Houston, Texas.

I'll be back next week with another surprise episode.

Listen: download the mp3 (10.0 MB, 20:45 mins) [other info]
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Beer Podcast: Legends in New Suffolk

On today's show I tell you about my trip to Mr Beery's in Bethpage to try Moo Thunder!  I hopped on a train and made it to Mr Beery's just in time.  The beer club at Mr Beery's had almost drained the keg before I got there.

  Next on the show, I take the whole family on a trip out to Legends in New Suffolk.  Legens is a sports bar was some really excellent food.  They have about 30 or so taps and an extensive beer list that advertises more beers than they actually keep in their cellars.

  I tell you about the drinking space and the beers, and Denise will give you a description of the food.  The food was the real surprise.  I wasn't expecting such good grub at a sports bar.  If you haven't been out to New Suffolk.  This is a great day trip for anyone trolling the East End.

We'll wrap up the show with a Mixing It Up segment.  May was the month of Mexican Beer Cocktails.  Over the next few shows I'll be treating you to some commentary about beer concoctions with ingredients such as tomato juice, shrimp, and salsa.

When you finish listening, think about giving the show a helping hand.  Have you just visited one of Long Island's pubs or brewpubs?  Then send an email (donavanhall at gmail dot com) or an mp3 and tell me what's on tap, what's new, and what you liked and what you didn't.  Been to a good beer bar or beer store and spotted something that your fellow Long Island Beer Enthusiasts should know about?  Speak up!

Also check the Long Island Beer Calendar often.  If you have an event to put on the calendar, send me an email.

Next week... Beer Tasting Philosophy and a trip to the Flying Saucer in Houston

Listen: download the mp3 (10.5 MB, 12:24 mins) [other info]
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Beer Podcast: "The Session" Southampton 10th Anniversary Old Ale

On today's show... it's The Session, hosted this month by Gastronomic Fight Club.  You all are familiar with "Wine Blogging Wednesday", well, the beer bloggers of the world decided that if the grape people had their coordinated blogging events that we malty types should have one too: enter The Session.

The Session is the brain child of beer writer Stan Hieronymus, author of Brew Like a Monk (which I've written about on The Spirit World).  The first Session was in March and there's been one on the first Friday of the month ever since.  Today is The Session #4.

The subject for today's Session is local brews and I devote the first part of the show to participating in that blogging event.  My original plan was to take the microphone to John Harvard's and talk freely while doing a sampler, but real life often gets in the way of my plans.  The rules were to pick the brewery or brewpub closest to your house.  Well, for me, that would be John Harvard's.  In the end I had to pick the brewery or brewpub that actually had beer in my house.  This week it's another Southampton brew, their 10th Anniversary Old Ale.

I round out the first half of the show with a report on some Long Island Beer destinations: the Brickhouse, Doc Finley's Publick House, and Canterbury Ales.  And, of course, I do the Long Island Beer Calendar.

In the second half of the show, Rich joins me for a chat about the recent Spring Craft Beer Festival held at the Nassau County Colosseum.  Rich put the attendance for his session at about 250.  Another person emailed me a brief report about the festival and said they figured there was about a thousand at the evening session.  Both agreed that the Nassau County Colosseum was a sad place for a beer fest.

Next week... I take the family to Legends in New Suffolk.

Listen: download the mp3 (18.8 MB, 41:05 mins) [other info]
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Beer Podcast: Recap of Beer Dinner at Deks

On today's show you'll get a quick update about what's happening in Long Island's beer scene.  Check the calendar often if you don't want to miss a beer event.

Featured Beer: Our featured beer is the Southampton May Bock.  We taste that and give you our impressions.

Beer/Food Pairing:  Then, Rich and I talk about the beer dinner at Deks in Rocky Point.  The story behind this beer dinner is this: Together with podcast regular, Mike, I encouraged the owners of Deks to stage a beer dinner.  Beer dinners are something that I know a lot about.  My wife Denise (another regular on the podcast, remember the food and beer pairing segments we've been doing?) and I have been hosting beer dinners at our home for many years.  They are so popular that we realized we needed to move these events to a bigger place than our living room and actually get some help with the food preparation.  So I explained to Dean and Kevin at Deks just what I had in mind and they said, "Let's do it."

You'll hear all about the dinner on the show, but I'll give you a short preview.  We had five beers and five courses.  Dean and Kevin came up with the menu, then Mike and I suggested the beer pairings.  With the scallops wrapped with bacon we paired Allagash White.  Next we paired the cheese quesadillas with Chimay Cing Cent.  For the salmon wrapped in phyllo dough we had Flying Dog's Old Scratch.  We paired Einbecker Mai-Urbock with pickled shrimp with a Thai sauce glaze.  We finished the evening with chocolate mousse on espresso infused lady fingers paired with Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout (easily the best combination of the evening).

If you haven't been to Deks in a while, you might want to stop in and check out their new twelve tap system and expanded craft beer selection in the bottle.  Mike and I have been giving suggestions to Dean about what to make available to Long Island beer lovers.  Stop in some time and ask "What's new?"

If you want to find out more about beer on Long Island, visit my web site and check out the Long Island section.  Also, if you like drinking good beer and want to learn more, join our Long Island Malt Enthusiast group.

Next week... We'll have recap of the Spring Craft Beer Fest.  And we'll do a tasting of beers from one of Long Island's breweries.

Listen: download the mp3 (8.5 MB, 18:28 mins) [other info]
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Beer Podcast: Blue Point Summer Ale and Barcade

Rich Thatcher and I are back again this week with another installment of our Long Island beer podcast.  As always we have Long Island beer news and a run down of all the upcoming events listed on the Long Island Beer Calendar.  You'll get my report on the Southampton Beer Dinner last week and an update about what's available at John Harvard's in Lake Grove.  Rich joins me to talk about today's featured beer, Blue Point's Summer Ale.  It's one of those refreshing beach beers.  We round out the show with a trip to Barcade in Brooklyn where we play Asteroids while drinking beer.

Next week we'll take you to the Blind Tiger in Manhattan and we'll be tasting more Long Island brews.

Listen: download the mp3 (16.6 MB, 36:15 mins) [other info]
Subscribe: regular feed | with iTunes

Beer Podcast - Southampton Biere de Garde

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

On today's show... I'm joined by my co-host Rich Thatcher.  We'll be taking you to Spuyten Duyvil, a cool beer bar in Brooklyn.  Our featured beer of the day is Southampton's Bière de Garde.

I was hoping to get some coverage of last night beer dinner out at Southampton Publick House, but I didn't get back from the dinner until after midnight.  Needless to say I had a good time.  I'll tell you all about it soon.

Southampton is putting on their beer dinner again, but this time in Huntington at Canterbury Ales.  This event will be on the 21st and you can find the details on the Long Island Beer Calendar or on my blog.

If you really like beer dinners, mark this event on your calendar:

May 23rd: Beer and Food Tasting

WHERE: Deks American Restaurant in Rocky Point
WHEN: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 at 7 pm
WHAT: Hand Crafted Beer with Hand Crafted Food
RSVP: 631-821-0066 or deksrockypoint at optonline dot net

Taste a line-up of 5 beers paired with 5 appetizers.  Price per person is $30.  I'll be on hand to talk about the beers.  The chefs at Deks are putting together a special menu.  I'll let you know what the menu is when I find out.

We finish up the show with a beer blend, a high gravity "three threads" using all Weyerbacher ales.

Coming soon to the show: The Session #4 on June 1st will be a "Local Brews Event" hosted by Gastronomic Fight Club.  We'll be participating by picking a local brewpub and doing a whole show devoted to their beer.  Leave a comment and let me know which of Long Island's breweries you like best.  Maybe I'll make the featured brewer "the people's choice."

Next week... We'll take you  to Barcade where we drink beer and play Asteroids.

Listen: download the mp3 (13.9 MB, 30:28 mins) [other info]
Subscribe: regular feed | with iTunes

Beer Podcasts: Sixpoint Craft Ales

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

Rich and I are back together in front of the microphone today to tell you about Sixpoint Craft Ales in Redhook, Brooklyn.  We went out to Sixpoint for the tour and came back with some wheat beer that we drink on the show.  Rich also brought along a bottle of Sixpoint's Russian Imperial Stout; it's called Bolshoi, but I'll be damned if I can read the label.

As always we have a complete update of what's going on in the world of Long Island beer.  Lots of beer dinners in the month of May.  I'll even be doing a little beer education at the beer dinner at Deks American Restaurant in Rocky Point on May 23rd.  That's a Wednesday evening.  Come out at 7 pm and for $30 you get 5 beers paired with 5 appetizers.  You should RSVP: call (631) 821-0066.

If you have a beer event you want to get onto the show and onto the Long Island Beer Calendar, just send me an email: donavanhall at gmail dot com.

Next week, we'll take you to Spuyten Duyvil in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  Enjoy the show!

Listen: download the mp3 (16.6 MB, 36:07 mins) [other info]
Subscribe: regular feed | with iTunes

Beer Podcast: Crop Circle Ale and More

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

I hope you all enjoyed the last installment of the Long Island beer and malt podcast, The Daily Catch. This week I'm joined by Rich Thatcher, fellow beer and whiskey enthusiast and contributor to Catch & Release (my blog) where he writes about whiskey and Long Island restaurants.

Rich and I talk with Dudley Cates, the man behind Crop Circle Ale.  We caught up with Dudley out in front of Shoreline Beverage in Huntington.  It's not just a cool name for a beer, it's brewed with malted barely from the fields in England where the crop circles appear each year. Dudley says there are still crop circles appearing in the fields and the first one of the season is due soon. 

After that, we take you on a trip to Mugs Ale House in Brooklyn and our recurring guest Mike tells us about his JW Lees 1988.

I then finish the show by telling you about my latest beer cocktail concoction: the Long Island Sunrise.

Next week... We take you on a trip to Sixpoint Craft Ales in Brooklyn and taste some of their new wheat beer.

Listen: download the mp3 (9.4 MB, 20:27 mins) [other info]
Subscribe: regular feed | with iTunes

A Long Island Beer Podcast: The Daily Catch

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

A little more than two years ago, I started exploring the world of podcasts.  I forget the details, but I know Lenn planted the seed for the idea of doing a beer podcast. He sent me a link to a wine podcast and I started listening. Being a beer enthusiast I started searching for beer related podcasts. I found a few and started listening.

It wasn't long before I plugged a microphone into my laptop and started doing my own podcast.

The Daily Catch (that's the name of my podcast) went through a number of name changes and format changes before I arrived at the present form. Each week I taste and talk about one Long Island beer. There's an overview of upcoming beer-related events on Long Island. I also do several recurring features:

• The Brewer's Kitchen focuses on beer and food pairing. 
• The Cottage Brewer covers the culture of brewing beer at home. 
• Mixing It Up gives you some suggestions for mixing up beer cocktails.

On today's show, the featured beer this week is Brooklyn Brewery's Local 1. I tell you about the upcoming beer dinner at Southampton Publick House (May 10). There's another installment of the Brewer's Kitchen: paring Tapas and ice cream with an Imperial Porter. I'll be taking you to the Brooklyn Brewery tasting room to experience that scene. And, we'll round out the show with some beer mixology: how to make a Strawberry/Banana beer cocktail with Blue Point Toasted Lager. 

Use the links below to listen or subscribe to the RSS feed.

Listen: download the mp3 (16.2 MB, 35:16 mins) [other info]
Subscribe: regular feed | with iTunes

Enjoy!

A Long Island Holiday Brew Round-Up

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

In the last couple of days I've made partial rounds of our Island's brewpubs to see what the brewers have on tap for us this holiday season.  John Harvard's in Lake Grove has my favorite locally brewed holiday ale, the Holiday Red.  The best thing about this ale is that it's fully bodied, malty, and isn't a spice tea.  You might recall how much I like pumpkin spice ales from my last contribution.  I would probably like spiced beers more if the spices were used more subtly to finesse the beer's natural flavor rather than as decongestant.

Over at the Brickhouse in Patchogue you'll find the Blitzen on tap.  This is a spiced up version of their red ale with the malt bill ratcheted up to give this Winter warmer a decent kick at 7.3 percent alcohol by volume.  If you are having two of these make sure you call a cab.

The Blitzen is fresh right now and probably at its peak so get over to the Brickhouse before "the day" if you want to try this beer at its best.  What you'll taste is a scoop of malt and a dash of holiday spice.  While I understand the reason for the prominence of the spice character (namely, so that the novelty seekers can get a smack in the tongue even if their palates are fatigued) I find the spice in the Blitzen a little over the top for my taste.  The spices end up being a little harsh in the back of the throat after you've made it halfway through the pint.

If you can't make it to your local brewpub in the next few days, keep an eye out for the Blue Point Winter Ale.  It's available in fine bars, pubs, and restaurants (and at grocery stores and beer stores in the bottle) all across the Island.  This beer is dark and malty and had no spices in it.  (If you are interested, check out the review of this beer that I wrote last year.)  In fact, the Blue Point Winter Ale is a good seasonal drinking beer.  I usually keep several bottles in the beer cellar to enjoy with a home cooked meal or to relax with in front of the fire.

Before signing off, I'll give you a bonus.  I went into New York City last weekend and passed some time while waiting for a train at The Ginger Man (on 36th Street just east of 5th Avenue on the north side of the street).  I had a pint of Sly Fox's Christmas Ale.  (Sly Fox is over in Pennsylvania, but there's a local connection.  Southampton Publik House is using Sly Fox's brewery to produce their 750 ml corked and caged series of beers.)  Sly Fox's Christmas Ale is another variation of the Pale Ale with spices holiday brew.  It alone isn't worth a trip into the City, but if you find yourself wandering around Manhattan you'll be able to find a few holiday beers that haven't made their way out on to the Island yet, like Very Bad Elf or Mad Elf from Tröeg's Brewery in Pennsylvania.  And keep you eyes pealed for Santa's Butt.

Restaurant Review: Waterzooi (Garden City, NY)

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall

In one of my (yet to be published) novels I created a Belgian-style restaurant and brewpub in the Long Island town of Port Jefferson.  This little beer fantasy of mine is not so far from reality.  For those of us on the East End who are willing to drive into Nassau County, we can get our taste of Belgium at Waterzooi in Garden City (850 Franklin Avenue).

Denise and I decided to take in the Sunday Brunch at Waterzooi and we were pleased to find ample parking in the public lot right out front.  The interior of is reminiscent of a cozy underground crypt, but despite the grotto-like ambiance, we elected to sit out on the patio and experience our beer and our meal in bright and breezy surroundings because it was such a nice day.

For starters we ordered the Petrus Old Brown Ale from Brouwerij Bavik, a slightly sour Flanders Oud Bruin that was light and thirst quenching.  The Petrus was served from a bottle (as opposed to the tap).  Our waitress (who looked astonishingly like Audrey Tautou in Amelie) poured the bottle at the table.  She roused the yeast prior to the pour by working the bottle in her palms, then decanted half the bottle, then swirled and completed the pour.  I probably wouldn't have been that rough with bottle if I was pouring for myself, but I have yet to find a Belgian-style restaurant whose wait-staff doesn't have the impression that American Belgian beer enthusiasts want to drink a yeast colloid instead of a bright beer.  I heard recently that in Germany one beer bar (at least) was serving the yeasty dregs of it's Hefeweizen kegs in shot glasses for patrons who just can't get enough yeast.  I suppose there's nothing technically wrong with dumping a load of yeast into your glass, just be aware that the beer will taste very different with the yeast than it does without.  Yeast tends to impart a bready character to the beer and it mutes any crisp tartness that may be present.

Try this experiment at home with a Witbier:  Decant carefully the first half of the bottle into  one glass, then swirl and rouse the yeast and pour the rest into a different glass.  Sample and compare.  Take note of which you prefer.

We also ordered Nostradamus from Brasserie Caracole, a dark, thick dessert beer that I thought Denise might like.  She did like it, but we both agreed it was a better beer to end a meal with rather than as a starter, so we ordered a second round after splitting the Petrus Old Brown reserving the Nostradamus for later which turned out to be a good idea since I prefer Nostradamus at near room temperature and it was served to us that day at around 40 °F.

For our next round we order two Wits: a strawberry Witbier called Frubee from Brouwerij Huyghe (makers of the famous Delirium line of beers) and the St Bernardus Witbier.  That was the first time I had tasted either beer.

I was totally blown away by just how much strawberry flavor the brewers managed to get into that 8 ounce glass of Frubee.  Taking a sip of that beer was like sucking on the sweetest, ripest strawberry you've ever tasted.  This too was a dessert beer, but it was light enough in the body to be refreshing.  The St. Bernardus Wit was most impressive.  I'd love to do a side by side taste test of Hoegaarden and the St. Bernardus Wit.  My guess is that the St. Bernardus would put Hoegaarden to shame with respect to flavor and crispness.  That's what I look for in a good Wit, lots of flavor, crisp tartness, and a dry refreshing finish.  It shouldn't taste watered down or finish sweet.  My impression of Hoegaarden has changed over the years.  I believe Hoegaarden has been getting lighter in flavor, but that could just be the natural development of my palate as I seek more and more strongly flavored beers.

Welcome Donavan Hall to LENNDEVOURS

Because a man (or woman) can't live on local wine alone, join me in welcoming Donavan Hall to the LENNDEVOURS team. A Rocky Point, NY resident, Donavan is going to be covering the under-appreciated local beers of Long Island and New York State.

He already covers the beer scene for several online publications including The Spirit World, A Good Beer Blog, and his own blog Catch & Release. If you are thirsty for Long Island brewed beer, check out his Long Island Beer Guide. He's also an avid home brewer, Long Island wine lover and, yes, LENNDEVOURS reader.

Welcome, Donavan...and show us the way to local beers.