LENNDEVOURS

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]
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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]
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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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