26 Nov The Sipping Point: 11/26: Stillwater Ales and Beer Pairing
Sips of the Week
Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes: Click here 1. Stillwater Ale’s Cellar Door ($10.99)
- Brewmaster’s Notes: over the ages the term ’cellar door’ has numerously been referred to as the most beautiful term in the English language. Upon setting out to create the first summer addition to the Stateside line up of ales; the feeling that almost instantly came to me was that of beauty & cleansing. Many summer offerings tend to lack the complexity of their bigger, colder season counterparts; so my goal was to craft an ale of extreme balance with a delicate complexity that allows for contemplation while also providing quaffable refreshment. Read more at www.StillwaterAles.com
2. Stillwater Ale’s Autumnal ($10.99) Brewmaster’s Notes: This deep amber hued ale takes its inspiration from Germany while still nodding to the Belgian farmhouse tradition. The base is comprised of German two-row, wheat, Cara-Munich, and roasted barley. Generously hopped with a blend of Perle, Spalt, and Hallertau Mittelfrüh and fermented with a rustic Belgian farmhouse ale yeast. These elements together provide a mélange of earth and fruit aromas backed with hints of caramel with a dry clean finish. 3. Stillwater Ale’s Folklore ($10.99) Brewmaster’s Notes: As with most Stillwater beers, Folklore blurs the lines of style characteristics. Reminiscent of a Stout, Porter, and Belgian Strong Ale. Boasting aromas of dark cocoa, roast, Belgian yeast, and a light hint of smoke. Weighs in at 8.4% ABV but retains a lean elegant body with the ABV deceptively hidden throughout. Stillwater Ales are available at Wells Discount Liquors in Baltimore or at a retailer near you.
Featured Guest
Brian Strumke of Stillwater Ales
Briam Strumke of Stillwater Ales joins us for the Sips of the Weeks and fills us in on his gypsy brewing! Stillwater Artisanal Ales is the nomadic ‘gypsy’ brewing venture headed by Baltimore native, Brian “Stillwater” Strumke. A former internationally renowned techno DJ and producer who has extensively traveled much of the US and Europe, he returned home in 2004 to delve into a new passion, brewing. Brian rather quickly made his mark in the homebrewing community for his often odd concoctions and unconventional brewing methods. Brian eventually cut his teeth by ranking in some local homebrew competitions, which eventually led to wins in the Sam Adams Longshot and Holiday Competitions, as well as the AHA (American Homebrewer’s Association) Nationals. These accolades were surprising given that Brian’s beers rarely fit into BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) categories; even the more “traditional” beers he made would have some sort of twist. In 2010, after about 5 years of backyard brewing, Brian has taken Stillwater Artisanal Ales to the public. Brian now travels to various breweries in the US and Europe hand-crafting small-batch, authentic ales. Within its first year, Stillwater Artisanal was awarded ‘#2 Best New Brewer in the World’ by international beer rating resource Ratebeer.com and has been featured in such media outlets such as NPR, Washington Post, Food & Wine, NY Magazine, and the Atlantic to name a few.
Listener Question
Dorothy Fuchs of Baltimore, MD wants to know what kind of wine to cook with…Should you choose the cheapest the best quality or somewhere in between? Laurie explains the ins and outs of Cooking with Wine found on page 95 of The Sipping Point: A Crash Course in Wine.
Wine Sandwich of the Week (aka Food Pairing)
Executive Chef Ted Stelzenmuller of Jack’s Bistro in Canton shared with us the secrets to pairing beer with food. One match the weight and intensity of the beer to that of the food. Another tactic is to take the prominent flavors of the beer and put with foods that have or complement them. Want to know more? Visit Jack’s Bistro for their weekly beer pairings and special beer dinners.
Tune in next week:
We’ll talk about sparkling wines for the holidays. Hugh Davies from Schramsberg Vineyards is going to tell us about his blind tastings around the country with top sommeliers tasting both US and French sparklers and Stacey Adams of Tastings Gourmet how to create fast and easy wine and cheese pairings for a stress free gathering.