Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gif Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Heater Allen Coastal -- Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/22/heater-allen-coastal-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/22/heater-allen-coastal-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/22/heater-allen-coastal-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Heater Allen BrewingPhoto: Heater Allen Brewing

When it comes to craft beer, "lager" might as well be a four-letter word. Rebelling against Coors and their watery kind, microbrew drinkers gravitate toward bold, super-bitter IPAs and potent imperial stouts aged in bourbon barrels. In turn, the crisp, elegant lager has been discarded like dishwater.

I also fell into that camp. Why sip a simple lager when a battalion of crazily flavored craft beer awaited my mouth? Give me hops, or give me death! On my recent trip to Portland, Oregon, plenty of hoppy brews tickled my taste buds. But I also found a lager that made me appreciate the unfairly maligned style.

The swoon-worthy beer was crafted by McMinnville, Oregon's Heater Allen Brewing, the hop-crazed state's only all-lager brewery. "If there hadn't been this huge hole in Oregon, I wouldn't have tried to launch the brewery," owner and brewer Rick Allen told me when I was researching my beer book. I heard rave reviews about his lagers, including the dark, slightly smoky Scwarz; crisp, golden Pils; and the malty Dunkel. But hadn't tried any Heater beers till last week, when I cracked the bottle of Coastal I'd brought back to Brooklyn.

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]]>beerfeaturedHeater Allen BrewingOregon beerJoshua M. BernsteinTue, 22 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST"Kiss Me Kate" Brew a Tribute to Kate Middletonhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/18/kiss-me-kate-brew-a-tribute-to-kate-middleton/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/18/kiss-me-kate-brew-a-tribute-to-kate-middleton/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/18/kiss-me-kate-brew-a-tribute-to-kate-middleton/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kate Middleton Royal Wedding beerPhoto: Castle Rock Brewery

Planning a wedding is enough to drive any normal couple to drink, much less the successors to the royal throne.

Thus, we won't fault Prince William and princess-to-be Kate Middleton if they need to sand away their stress with a cool pint of beer -- or four. If that's the case, the couple should order a keg of the aptly named Kiss Me Kate, a commemorative brew crafted by Nottingham, England's Castle Rock Brewery.

"Kiss Me Kate will be elegant, tasteful and British to the core," head brewer Adrian Redgrove said of the pale ale, which will be released about a month before the April 29 wedding.

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]]>BeerfeaturedKate MiddletonKiss Me KateRoyal Weddingroyal wedding beerroyal wedding detailsJoshua M. BernsteinFri, 18 Feb 2011 14:00:00 ESTBeer Marshmallows? Oh, yes!http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/08/beer-marshmallows/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/08/beer-marshmallows/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/08/beer-marshmallows/#commentsFiled under:

beer marshmallowsPhoto: Derek Hatfield


Beer has long been a key ingredient in a savory foods, from cheesy soups to steamed mussels, but rarely has beer dipped into the sweet side. Until now. Truffle truffle, an artisan chocolatier in Chicago, recently debuted its beer marshmallows -- the newest addition to the company's "beer & pretzel"" line.

Founder and owner Nicole Greene makes every marshmallow from scratch, then dips each fluffy, square-shaped marshmallow into milk chocolate. Finally, she tops them with crunchy bits of a sweet, salty beer-and-pretzel brittle. Voila! A beer marshmallow.

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]]>beerbeer marshmallowsmarshmallowsKristine HansenTue, 08 Feb 2011 16:00:00 ESTHair of the Dog Adam - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/07/hair-of-the-dog-adam-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/07/hair-of-the-dog-adam-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/07/hair-of-the-dog-adam-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Hair of the Dog Brewing's Adam beerPhoto: Bernt Rostad, Flickr

Though it pains me to admit it, I've reached my beer limit. That was the result of spending five days in Portland, Oregon, gallivanting from brewpub to brewery to bar with schoolboy glee and a thirst that was, till now, unquenchable.

For the foreseeable future (well, until Wednesday, at least), my liquid diet will be limited to coffee and water. Beer? That can wait. And that's a very good thing.

Like wine, beers can age, evolve and develop complex new aromas and flavors. Time can smooth a beer's rough edges, melding and mellowing flavors. While not every beer is suitable for aging (lagers, pilsners and hop-forward brews are best fresh), burlier beers such as Belgian strong ales, imperial stouts, old ales, and barleywines can stand the test of time.

One of the country's top proponents of aging beers is Alan Sprints, the founder of Portland's Hair of the Dog Brewing. "All of our bottle-conditioned beers are meant to age," told me for my Imbibe article on cellaring beer. Thus, when I was in town, I beelined to the brewery to give his brews a spin.

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]]>BeerfeaturedHair of the Dog BrewingPortland BeerJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 07 Feb 2011 16:00:00 ESTSuper Suds for the Super Bowlhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/04/super-suds-for-the-super-bowl/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/04/super-suds-for-the-super-bowl/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/04/super-suds-for-the-super-bowl/#commentsFiled under: ,

super bowl beers from wisconsin and pennsylvaniaPhoto: robbplusjessie, Flickr; Sonnett, Flickr


With the Super Bowl but a week away, it's time to start stocking your fridge with your favorite beer. But instead of reaching for a Bud, opt for a brew hailing from the state of your favorite team.

If you're rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers, try one of these Pennsylvania-based beers:

Troëgs Hopback Amber and Nugget Nectar: If you like your beers with a fragrant hop profile, try these two amber-hued beauties from Harrisburg's best brewery. The caramel-nuanced Hopback is suitable for four quarters of sipping, while the imperial-strength Nugget Nectar (a seasonal released in February) packs a piney, earthy punch that'll hit you like a Troy Polamalu tackle.

Victory Brewing Prima Pils: As a hopeful indicator of the game's outcome, order a case of Downington-based Victory's pitch-perfect pilsner. It's plenty effervescent, with a snappy hop bite that'll keep you coming back from kickoff to the final whistle. Hopefully, Ben Roethlisberger will take a knee in the, yes, victory formation.

Yuengling Lager: If you dig the Steelers' time-honored tradition, try this traditional lager from America's oldest brewery. Since 1829, Pennsylvania's Yuengling has been pumping out this balanced, smooth-drinking amber lager that has a touch of caramel sweetness -- unlike any members of the Steelers, mind you.

Our picks for Green Bay Fans after the jump.

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]]>beergreen bay packerspittsburgh steelerssuper bowlJoshua M. BernsteinFri, 04 Feb 2011 15:00:00 ESTLocal Food and Global Beer: The L.A. Times in 60 Secondshttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/04/local-food-and-global-beer-the-l-a-times-in-60-seconds/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/04/local-food-and-global-beer-the-l-a-times-in-60-seconds/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/04/local-food-and-global-beer-the-l-a-times-in-60-seconds/#commentsFiled under: ,

craft beersPhoto: Skye Chilton, Flickr


  • American breweries used to look to Europe for pointers. Now the tables are beginning to turn.
  • What do you do with an unlimited supply of olive oil? You cook with it...in everything. And we mean everything.
  • Santa Monica high schoolers are getting schooled in local food -- and they're finding it a delicious lesson.
  • Roy Choi, the mind behind the moveable feast that is the Kogi Korean BBQ truck, has opened the A-Frame, which is (always) in Culver City.

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]]>beerKogi Korean BBQlocal foodolive oilNaomi ShulmanFri, 04 Feb 2011 11:30:00 ESTSmuttynose Wheat Wine Ale - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/17/smuttynose-wheat-wine-ale-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/17/smuttynose-wheat-wine-ale-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/17/smuttynose-wheat-wine-ale-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale beer bottlePhoto: familynight, Flickr

It was an arctic winter night and snow was tumbling down, as fluffy as freshly grated Parmesan. There was no way I was slogging to my local bar for a nightcap. I reached into my fridge. "It's time for a stomach warmer," I said to myself, retrieving a Smuttynose Wheat Wine.

Ever since I could legally order a beer, I've been savoring brews from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, brewery Smuttynose. They're an East Coast stalwart, makers of lip-smackers such as the English-influenced Shoals Pale Ale and the citrusy Finestkind IPA. But the brewers really let their hair down in the Big Beer Series, devising burly beauties like the S'Muttonator Doppelbock, Belgian-style Farmhouse Ale and Wheat Wine Ale.

When the hybrid brew -- it's like a potent barley wine with a large percentage of wheat, which adds a softer, richer mouthfeel -- was released in 2005, it was the first commerically bottled take on the style. Accolades were almost instant: Wheat Wine Ale won a gold at that year's Great American Beer Festival.

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]]>alebeerBeer of the WeekfeaturedSmuttynoseJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 17 Jan 2011 13:00:00 ESTThe Nose Knows Beerhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/14/identifying-aromas-of-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/14/identifying-aromas-of-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/14/identifying-aromas-of-beer/#commentsFiled under: ,

sniffing beerPhoto: Tojosan, Flickr


When it comes to identifying the aromas of beer, the scientific community has spoken: Your nose is no good.

While trained sniffers -- both men and, increasingly, women -- have long helped assure quality control in brewing, the scientists claim human noses are slow to assess scents, they're subjective, easily fatigued and require pretty expensive upkeep. What, you think those Kleenex are going to pay for themselves?

Instead, in a review published in Trends in Food Science & Technology, scientists from Spain and Iran (hardly global brewing powerhouses, mind you) offered an alternative to a human schnoz: an electronic nose. "The demand for electronic noses in brewing is growing because the versatility and ease of operation of these instruments make them suitable for quick and accurate analysis of beers or for monitoring quality in the production process," the scientists wrote.

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]]>beerbrewingelectronic noseJoshua M. BernsteinFri, 14 Jan 2011 16:00:00 ESTBrouwerij De Dochter Van De Korenaar Bravoure - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/10/brouwerij-de-dochter-van-de-korenaar-bravoure-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/10/brouwerij-de-dochter-van-de-korenaar-bravoure-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/10/brouwerij-de-dochter-van-de-korenaar-bravoure-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

De Dochter Van De Korenaar BravourePhoto: De Dochter Van De Korenarr

Suds. Brewski. Barley pop. There are dozens of synonyms for beer, but I'll bet you a buck you've never heard this 16th-century Flemish phrase: De Dochter Van De Korenaar, translated into English as "the daughter of the corn ear."

It's not a phrase consigned to a dusty history book. Instead, it's the moniker for one of Belgium's newest, smallest and best breweries. In 2007, brewmaster and owner Ronald Mengerink (who has brewed since he was a teenager) opened the taps at De Dochter and soon garnered fans of his genre-bending brews.

"With every beer he creates, he's looking to invent something new," says Brian Ewing, owner of importer 12 Percent. "His beers tend to be more of hybrids -- things that blur the lines between multiple styles."

For starters, Noblesse is a 5.5 percent ABV Belgian pale ale that drinks as crisp and desert-dry as a saison, with citric flavors, slightly sour nose and heady bitterness. Courage is a potent wheat ale (8 percent ABV) with flavors recalling star anise or perhaps fennel. The Embrasse strong ale (9 percent ABV) earns its complex notes of coffee, cocoa, toffee and a touch of smoke from a blend of eight malts.

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]]>beerBeer of the Weekbelgian beerJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 10 Jan 2011 17:00:00 ESTFull Sail Bump in the Night - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/03/full-sail-bump-in-the-night-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/03/full-sail-bump-in-the-night-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/03/full-sail-bump-in-the-night-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Full Sail Brewing's Bump in the NightPhoto: Full Sail Brewing

This year, a new breed of India pale ales burst onto the beer scene displaying a tint typically associated with stouts and porters: black.

While those tarmac-hued brews weigh on your tongue like a sack of marbles, black IPAs remain remarkably light. They balance an IPA's bitterness with a darker beer's roasted, chocolaty character, creating a lip-smacking mash-up. (Since a black India pale ale may seem oxymoronic, some brewers and bloggers dub this style a Cascadian dark ale. It references the Pacific Northwest's Cascades range, where many breweries are located. I like black IPA myself, but whatever floats your boat.)

The current avalanche of black IPAs includes Deschutes' Hop in the Dark; Laughing Dog's Dogzilla; and, fresh off the bottling line from Oregon's Full Sail Brewing Company, Bump in the Night (proudly called a Cascadian Dark Ale on the label, FYI). "As a small, independent craft brewer, we have the freedom to be creative and explore new beer styles," said Full Sail CEO and founder Irene Firmat.

As expected, Bump (6.5 percent ABV) pours a smidgen lighter than a lump of Christmas coal. Then the trickery begins: The beer's nose is floral, full of citrus and tropical notes and a touch chocolate, while the fruity, moderately bitter (65 IBUs) flavor is cut with toast and roast.

For this bitter beer, going to the dark side is a very good thing.

Any black IPAs or, err, CDAs that tickle your taste buds? Spill it in the comments.

Joshua M. Bernstein has written about brews, bars and booze for New York Magazine, Time Out New York, Imbibe Magazine and The New York Times. His beer book, Brewed Awakening, will be published by Sterling in 2011. Follow him on Twitter @JoshMBernstein.

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]]>beerBeer of the WeekIndia Pale AleJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 03 Jan 2011 16:00:00 ESTExtreme Beer: Why Do We Love It?http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/30/hops-and-extreme-beer-why-do-we-love-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/30/hops-and-extreme-beer-why-do-we-love-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/30/hops-and-extreme-beer-why-do-we-love-it/#commentsFiled under: ,

extreme beer Pliny the Younger from Russian River BrewingPhoto: --Mark--, Flickr


American craft beers keep upping the hops content, making them more and more bitter. But, reports Lizzie Buchen, in New Scientist magazine, humans have a universal dislike for bitter flavors. "Many bitter substances are at best nutritionally useless and at worst downright toxic," Buchen writes, "so we have evolved ways to protect ourselves. Placing a bitter foodstuff on the tongue will trigger a reflex reaction that encourages us to spit it out, or increase saliva flow to wash the taste away. A harmless bitter substance inserted directly into a person's stomach will generally induce nausea."

So why are we running after bitter beers with names like HopSlam?

Psychologists, chemists, neuroscientists and brewers offer Buchen a complex web of reasons, ranging from our craving to be considered connoisseurs to a basic love of carbs ("bitter, hoppy beers often have a higher content of sugar-releasing malts, making for a more intense carbohydrate fix"). And, of course, there's the old "benign masochism" that University of Pennsylvania psychologist Paul Rozin speaks about: pure and simple thrill-seeking, pushing ourselves to the limits of pain, for pure pleasure.

Read the full story at New Scientist (Note that you have to register with the site for access, but it's worth it: This is one of the best science mags on the market.)

And for our resident beer expert Joshua Bernstein's take on a high-hops brew see his post "Hoppin' Frog B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout.

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]]>beerCraft beerhopspsychologySlashfood EditorThu, 30 Dec 2010 15:00:00 ESTTop Beers of 2010http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/28/top-beers-of-2010/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/28/top-beers-of-2010/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/28/top-beers-of-2010/#commentsFiled under:

Photos: Samuel Adams, Odell Brewing, Otter Creek Brewing


This has been a very, very good year for drinking beer. Shuffling through my smudged, beer-stained notes, I see I enjoyed countless IPAs, stouts and wild yeast-spiked sour ales. Though most were enjoyable, some suds rose to the top of the pint class. Here are eight of my most memorable sips of 2010.

Boston Beer Co.: Infinium Ale
The Samuel Adams crew spent two years collaborating with Germany's legendary Weihenstephan brewery to create this effervescent, 10.3 percent treat featuring a fruity, champagne-like twang. What makes Infinium extra-special: It's the first new beer style created under Germany's beer-purity law, the Reinheitsgebot, in more than four centuries.

Half Acre Beer Company: Daisy Cutter Pale Ale
One of my favorite new pale ales is the Chicago brewery's Daisy Cutter, which is jammed with a quintet of fragrant, aromatic hops (Warrior, Columbus, Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo) that check in at 60 IBUs -- and just 5.2 percent ABV. That means citric, piney Daisy slides down nice and easy.

Brooklyn Brewery: Sorachi Ace
Brewmaster Garrett Oliver hit a grand slam with this lean and yeasty golden saison, which packs plenty of pepper and spice and some oddball flavors thanks to Japan's little-known Sorachi Ace hop. I'm talking lemons and buttered toast. This beer's a lovely little thing I could drink all night.

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]]>beerbest beers 2010Joshua M. BernsteinTue, 28 Dec 2010 17:00:00 ESTNew Belgium-Allagash Vrienden - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/27/new-belgium-allagash-vrienden-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/27/new-belgium-allagash-vrienden-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/27/new-belgium-allagash-vrienden-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: New Belgium


The bitter endive -- both the curly-leaved frisée variety and the broad-leaved escarole -- is all too often an unsung player in the vegetable kingdom. You'll occasionally see endives served in salad, or perhaps braised with a little butter. But now, thanks to Allagash Brewing and New Belgium, the humble endive has found a home in a beer bottle.

When the brewers began plotting their hibiscus-flavored collaboration release, Vrienden (Flemish for friends), "we wanted a very simple sour so as not to compete with the hibiscus," said New Belgium brewmaster Peter Bouckaert. New Belgium's wild Brettanonyces yeast proved too potent, so the brewers turned to Allagash's strain of Lactobacillus bacteria and Brett. "The Allagash microbes bring just the right amount of sour and elevate the hibiscus notes to where they belong," Bouckaert added.

(As for the endive, that brainstorm hit at the beginning of the brew day, when the brewers sautéed a batch of the veggies till they caramelized. It would, in the words of Bouckaert, add "endive" flavor to the beer.)

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]]>beerBeer of the WeekNew Belgium-Allagash VriendenJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 27 Dec 2010 16:00:00 ESTFirestone Walker 14 - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/13/firestone-walker-14-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/13/firestone-walker-14-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/13/firestone-walker-14-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.


I used to imagine that brewers and winemakers got along as well as cats and dogs -- two breeds with drastically incompatible temperaments.

But then I heard the tale of Paso Robles, California's Firestone Walker Brewing Co. In honor of its tenth anniversary, in 2006, the Firestone team decided to concoct a singular brew blended from different barrel-aged beers. Firestone brewer Matt Brynildson enlisted a crew of winemakers who lent their expertise in formulating what became known as 10 -- a lush, layered elixir worthy of a wine glass.

The project was such a success that Brynildson and Firestone have replicated it each year, creating the fingerprint-unique 11, 12, 13 and, finally 14. "Our contribution to the extreme side of craft brewing has been to bring winemakers into the process," brewmaster Brynildson explained. "It's a fantastic education for us to use the incredible palates of these winemakers to learn about our own beer."

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]]>beerFirestone Walker Brewing CompanystoutJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 13 Dec 2010 17:00:00 ESTBell's Expedition Stout - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/06/bells-expedition-stout-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/06/bells-expedition-stout-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/06/bells-expedition-stout-beer-of-the-week/#comments

Bell's Expedition StoutPhoto: Bell's Brewery, Inc.


A few months ago, I had reason to consult a doctor. But this particularly doc didn't specialize in curing aches and illnesses. Instead, "Dr." Bill Sysak focused on beer, especially the art of cellaring suds.

Over the past several decades, Sysak has become one of America's most renowned beer-aging experts, and his insights proved invaluable to my recent cellaring article in Imbibe magazine. We discussed the beauty of aging Belgian strong ales, barley wines and stouts. "Bell's Expedition Stout is one of my favorite beers to age," said Sysak, currently the the beverage supervisor and certified Cicerone at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens.

Expedition Stout? I've long been a fan of Michigan-based Bell's brews, including the aromatic Two Hearted Ale and summery Oberon. Yet I'd never tried Expedition. A word of advice: Don't make that same mistake.

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]]>beerfeaturedstoutJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 06 Dec 2010 16:30:00 ESTIron Hill Winter Wheat Wine-Oh! - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/29/iron-hill-winter-wheat-wine-oh-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/29/iron-hill-winter-wheat-wine-oh-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/29/iron-hill-winter-wheat-wine-oh-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

With Old Man Winter bearing down, it's time to start switching up my sipping beer. Since spiced Christmas ales don't tickle my tongue, I often look toward amped-up stouts or perhaps a strong, stomach-stoking barley wine such as Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot.

Lately, though, I've been exploring barley wine's little-known sibling, wheat wine. It's a mash-up of lightly tart, almost fruity wheat ales and rich barley wines -- a rare, delicious hybrid.

"You don't see a lot of wheat wines on the marketplace," says Mark Edelson, the director of brewery operations for the Iron

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]]>beerBeer of the WeekJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:00 ESTDecember Food Festivalshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/29/december-food-festivals/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/29/december-food-festivals/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/29/december-food-festivals/#commentsFiled under:

tamales filled with squash beans and chipotlesPhoto: Maggiejumps, Flickr


There's no hunkering down for the winter for people who love food festivals. This month, you can catch strong libations, hot tamales, food fit for tony snowbirds, cookies worthy of a Christmas carol, and a New Year's Eve in a pickle.

Annual Holiday Ale Festival, Portland, Ore., Dec. 1-5: This sudsy soirée bills itself as the best beer-tasting event at which to cure the brrrs. With more than 50 beers offered this year -- among them Hopworks Urban Brewery Kentucky Christmas, a hometown strong ale -- things are sure to get merry around Pioneer Courthouse Square. On Sunday, Dec. 5, the 7th annual Beer and Brunch private event will include four exclusive brews not available during the rest of the festival.

Indio International Tamale Festival, Indio, Calif, Dec. 4-5: The tamale is a celebratory food, owing in part to its complicated production, one that families have mastered best. Since 1992, the city of Indio and its merchants have been feteing this Mexican food for feasts with a mariachi soundtrack. Make tracks for the best of the best tamales, an eating contest, folk dancers and carny attractions at what the Food Network calls one of the top-10 "All American Food Festivals."

Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival, Palm Beach, Fla., Dec. 7: South Florida residents and snowbirds aren't rubbing their beautiful climate in our faces They're just taking advantage of a good thing. This one-day event features participants and sponsors from the Sunshine State's favorite grocery, Publix; to the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach; Rocco's Tacos and Tequila Bar; and Four Roses bourbon as well as local celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein. Local master sommeliers, like Virginia Philip of The Breakers Palm Beach, will also be on hand for special presentations.

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]]>beerChristmasfood festivalsnew years eveJose Ralat MaldonadoMon, 29 Nov 2010 11:00:00 ESTHe'Brew Jewbelation 14 - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/22/hebrew-jewbelation-14-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/22/hebrew-jewbelation-14-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/22/hebrew-jewbelation-14-beer-of-the-week/#comments

He'Brew JewbelationPhoto: Shmaltz Brewing Company

As a kid, celebrating Hanukkah meant spinning the dreidl, lighting candles, snacking on my mom's crisp latkes and, glory be, opening up a present for eight great nights -- take that, Christmas.

But as an adult, the Festival of Lights has lost some luster. Now, I have to make my own latkes. And gifts? I'm lucky if I get a single sweater tucked into a JCPenney box. That's why this year I'm taking present-buying into my own hands and nabbing a bottle of He'Brew Jewbelation, crafted by the Shmaltz Brewing Company.

Each Hanukkah brings a new Jewbelation recipe, and this one -- done in honor of the brewery's 14th anniversary -- is a knee-knocking doozy: 14 hops, 14 malts, 14 percent ABV.

"Our brewer, Paul McErlean, has done a tremendous job of finding a way to balance all of the ingredients in the Jewbelation beers to make the final product complex and aggressive, but also well thought out and totally drinkable -- for a 14 percent ABV brew," says founder Jeremy Cowan.

Well, I wouldn't go that far. While the ruby-black ale has a figgy, grassy nose, this ain't no dainty butterfly. From the first

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]]>beerBeer of the WeekfeaturedJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 22 Nov 2010 17:00:00 ESTMagic Hat IPA on Tour: Encore -- Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/17/magic-hat-ipa-on-tour-encore-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/17/magic-hat-ipa-on-tour-encore-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/17/magic-hat-ipa-on-tour-encore-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under:

Magic Hat Encore IPAPhoto: Magic Hat

"Do I have to drink the Magic Hat beer?" my friend Aaron asked, eying the bottle of Encore with equal measures of skepticism and fear. Aaron, a dedicated IPA and saison drinker, had long ago been turned off by Magic Hat, namely the apricot-esque #9 ale. I, too, couldn't stomach the fruity tipple. But Encore made me reconsider my misgivings about Magic Hat.

Earlier this year, Magic Hat launched its IPA on Tour series, a yearlong experiment featuring a different IPA every quarter. First up was the balanced, malty Blind Faith, followed by the generously bittered h.I.P.A. These are both palate-pleasing, above-average IPAs, but Encore deserves to take a bow.

The beer is a bit of a hybrid, a wheat beer's body wearing an IPA's clothes. What does that mean? Well, Encore pours a murky orange with a head that leaves a lovely lace. Thanks to Simcoe and Amarillo hops, the brew boasts a grapefruit perfume, but there's also a smidgen of sweetness. On the tongue, Encore drinks easy and zesty, thanks to a grassy, citric bitterness supported by a malty backbone. Some juicy fruitiness and twangy wheat seal the grade-A deal.


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]]>beermagic hatJoshua M. BernsteinWed, 17 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST10 Crazy Craft-Beer Flavorshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/12/10-crazy-craft-beer-flavors/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/12/10-crazy-craft-beer-flavors/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/11/12/10-crazy-craft-beer-flavors/#commentsFiled under:

Kelp Seaweed Craft BeerPhoto: Bernt Rostad, Flickr


Does your beer only contain water, hops, barley and yeast? Boring. Driven by creative impulses -- and aided by an arsenal of spices to rival a restaurant kitchen -- craft brewers today are creating beers that are as unorthodox as they are exquisite. Here are 10 flavorful weirdos.

Short's Key Lime Pie
Michigan-based Short's makes countless kooky brews (for instance, Bloody Beer features tomatoes and Bloody Mary seasonings), but I like Key Lime Pie. It's made with marshmallows, graham crackers and lime, expertly evoking the dessert.

Mama Mia! Pizza Beer
This beer doesn't just taste like pizza -- it's made with pizza. An entire whole-wheat pizza margherita is used in the brewing process, complete with basil, oregano and garlic. Thankfully, the beer is strained before it's bottled.

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]]>beerCraft beermicro brewsMicroBrewsJoshua M. BernsteinFri, 12 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST