Beer Tasting, Four Different Beers

The "Beer Tasters" got together early last week to try out four beers that Doug the Beer Maven had received for reviewing.

These are what we drank in the following order:

1- Alexander's Fest 

2- Schnitt in a joint production with Lervig of Norway,  How's- It Hanging -- 

3- Shikma's HaMishteh, which used traces of  3,000 year-old yeast. This is a special edition, which can't be purchased in stores.

4- BeerBazaar Brewery's OMG Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout from 2019 

The format and atmosphere of this tasting session were very relaxing; we sat around a dining room table instead of wandering in a noisy festival. 

Unlike our tastings at festivals, here we had the bottles, and the one can from Schnitt, with us to examine, so we were able to check out things not usually known to us. We discovered a connection between the alcoholic content and the calories per 100 ml. They were amazingly (for the ignoramus -like me-) similar. I wasn't all that happy in discovering that. Apparently there is a need for more sugars/carbohydrates to produce alcohol. So if you're concerned about calories and carbohydrates, the alcohol content is easier to discover than the calories on the bottles; the print is usually larger. 

We started off by sharing the bottle of Alexander's Fest Lager, which we all agreed was pleasant, fruity and light. It's the beer you can drink socializing on a summer evening without eating a real meal. Only afterwards did we discover that it had the least alcohol and calories.

After the Alexander, we tried het collaborative effort, a beer by Schnitt and Lervig of Norway, which we all enjoyed. It had a stronger aroma and taste than Alexander's Fest. Plus it has more alcohol and calories. Now that I've become aware that the more alcoholic kick the more weight it adds, I'm not very happy, but this beer was worth it.

We suggest more of a meal or snack with the Schnitt-Lervig beer.

Shikma's HaMishteh had more flavor and darker color, as you can see, than Schnitt-Lervig though it has the same alcohol and calorie contents. Combining ancient and modern technology there are traces of  3,000 year-old yeast. Ancient yeast is more like the natural yeast of sourdough bread. Yeast is needed for fermentation which turns the hops and other vegetation into alcohol/beer.

HaMishteh is definitely recommended with some food. 

So far, we agreed that we enjoyed the first three beers we had tasted. Now, would the fourth be better or worse?

Then Oh My Gd! 

We finished our tasting session with BeerBazaar Brewery's OMG Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout from 2019! It was like drinking a sweet chocolate-coffee syrup with the kick of a strong beer. We almost fought over the last drops; it was that good. For those who like coffee and/or chocolate liquor, you'll probably like BeerBazaar Brewery's OMG. It's more an adult drink than the sweet liquors, and nobody would expect you to limit yourself to a shot glass. It's beer! And, yes, it does have more alcohol and calories than the others, but it's worth every last one.

To summarize, all four beers were good, pleasant to drink and flavorful. Thanks to Doug for inviting me to the tasting and looking forward to the next one.

SHEVET Imperial Stout, Great Strong Beer

The gift package I received from SHEVET Beer included their new Imperial Stout, and I'm a very happy camper. 

Imperial Stout is a very full flavor, tasty rich beer. The hops are coated with a chocolaty taste, and you can see it's dark brown, almost black. 

Imperial Stout was brewed as a "small batch" specially to sell this winter, and I hope they brew lots more for next winter. I'm sure people will be looking to buy it. If you like a nice strong, tasty beer buy some before it's sold out. At this point you can still order from SHEVET.

It's a good thing I'll be going to bed soon, since it's 8.5% alcohol.

For more background/information about this great beer read what my beer maven Doug Greener has to say in Israel Brews and Views. 

Shapiro's Oatmeal Stout Beer, Nice, Dark and Tasty

I like a nice dark, but not too sweet, beer. So a few weeks ago when I found Shapiro's Barista Beer in a liquor store on Agrippas Street, on the border of Machane Yehuda, I mentioned that to one of the staff. Taking into account that I had made it clear that Shapiro Beer is a favorite of mine, he recommended their oatmeal stout.

Shapiro's Oatmeal Stout may be the same dark brown as those cheap dark/black beers sold in Israel inexpensively in the soda selection, but the taste is definitely a world apart. 

Shapiro's Oatmeal Stout is rich and satisfying, perfect way to end a chilly day.

While writing this post, I decided to check out my report about the Stout Beer Tasting I had participated in almost four years ago under the tutelage of Doug Greener, my beer maven.  That evening I discovered that I liked stouts, so I was curious about how Shapiro's ranked. To my great surprise, it wasn't in the running. That seemed strange, because according to Shapiro's site, they've been in business since 2011, though I have no idea how long they've offered their oatmeal stout. I guess it's time for Doug to offer another tasting session to try out what the Israeli craft breweries are now offering as stout.

Beer and Coffee Beef, Perfectly Delicious and Easy to Make

You may remember that I wasn't happy with the Malka "Stout" beer I had bought and even wrote that I saw it as the perfect addition to beef. Davka, that morning I had perked my coffee, and had some leftover, since the percolator is larger than even I need for my morning fix. So, I decided to google "beer, beef, coffee" to see if there were recipes or suggestions. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't going to actually follow a recipe; I just wanted to know if people cook their beef in those two delicious liquids. Apparently there is a whole genre of beef cooked in beer and coffee, so I got cooking!

Ingredients:
beef, one of the least expensive cuts from the freezer section
onion
fresh garlic
carrots
vegetable oil
stout beer* (any strong black beer would do)
strong coffee*

Directions:

1. soak beef in water for at least half hour, and then spill it in the sink
2. add vegetable oil to beef in pan
3. place on high flame to sear
4. turn over to sear all over
5. add cut onion and garlic
6. turn to expose garlic to hot oil
7. cut carrots, large-not small, and add to pot
8. pour in coffee and beer
9. add water** if liquid doesn't reach at least half way up
10. cover, cook on high flame until it reaches a boil, then lower flame to simmer.
11. Check periodically to see that there still is liquid. Add if necessary. 
12. Cook for at least an hour and a half, usually better if more. 

That's it. Beer and Coffee Beef is very easy to make. Don't be afraid to be creative. Potatoes or other long-cooking vegetables can be added to the carrots. Enjoy!

Tell me in the comments about how yours comes out or if you've ever made any beef dish that is similar.

*At least a half a cup of each, though even less would be ok; you can add water if there doesn't seem to be enough liquid.
**Most of the recipes I saw on google included tomato paste, so if you're afraid there won't be enough flavor/liquid from the beer and coffee you can add that or even tomato juice.

MALKA Stout Beer... Not My Favorite

When I bought the Shapira Ale I loved I also bought a dark stout from Malka Beer.

I poured the beer slowly, but instead of a glass of beer, I found myself with a glass of light coffee-colored foamy bubbles. It took ages for me to be able to pour in some more and then finally taste it.

As much as I love the Shapiro Ale, I don't like the Malka dark Stout. It's too dry and bitter for me. That surprised me, because I generally like dark flavorful beers whether the unique Israel craft beers or those from the large international breweries.

This Malka stout won't go to waste. I see it as a great cooking beer. I'm thinking of experimenting, using it with fish, instead of the beef, my usual beer partner. What do you think?

I must thank Doug, the Beer Mavin for getting me introduced to Israeli craft beers.

Stout Beer, Big is Not Always Best

Doug serving the tasters

My friendly beer mavin, Doug Greener, has finally released the results of our Stout Beer Tasting, and I was certainly surprised when we discovered the names of the craft beermakers. I'm not a real expert, not even close, but I do like beer. I actually like it better than most wines, but we don't serve beer, since my husband doesn't drink it. Also, here in Israel beer is pretty expensive, yes, even compared to the lower priced (which I buy in Rami Levy which has good prices) kosher wine.

That's me, photo by Mike Horton

Tasters putting their taste in words

Those stouts are sure fizzy

Rather flatter in height

One of the things we were told to pay attention to was the height of the beers' head and compare the various ones. Of course, for us judges, they are simply numbered, and we had no idea which companies' we were drinking.

Doug is in touch with various Israeli craft beermakers and always has something new for us. Also, although some of us judges are regulars, there's always someone new.  We all try to help Doug and his wife Trude as much as possible.

Mike Horton doing two jobs at once, judging and photographing.

I have no doubt that you're curious about which Israeli stout beers we liked the most and which we didn't like at all. That is the point of this post. I wouldn't want you to waste your money when you buy Israeli beer, which is not cheap at all.

As I alluded to in the title of this post, davka, the biggest companies came out with the worst stout beers. And this time, the panel was all in agreement as to the two best and two worst of the six. That surprised me even more than our results.  So, it's not a matter of any basic disagreement among us. All of us tasters agreed on those very basic rankings. It hadn't happened in the previous tastings I had participated in when the same beer could be in the top or bottom two according to different judges. 

Now for the drum roll....

• Sixth and last place, Jem's Stout- I found it much too carbonated tasting artificial
• with Dancing Camel's Stout a close Fifth- not much flavor
• Second Place was Malka's which had a nice pleasant taste
• and First Place was Lela Mild Stout which had a wonderful aroma and taste.

So, if you're wondering what to bring me, now you know! Thanks to Doug for another wonderful experience and tasty, refreshing evening.

Photo by Mike Horton

Fun Healthy Nosh

Last week I discovered a great healthy, tasty nosh. For me it was better than salted nuts or candy. I had dropped into a supermarket to buy myself something that could be my "dinner" at the beer tasting. We all know that beer isn't all that low in calories, though beer tasters aren't given all that much to drink of each beer. This is really as much as we get of each beer.

I had thought of buying a perfectly ripe avocado, but there weren't any ripe ones for sale. They were all as hard as rocks. I wanted a protein and couldn't have dairy, since I had eaten a late fleishig/meat lunch. Then I spied these sprouts. At first I thought they were like the sprouted lentils I've bought and loved in Rami Levy. But it was only when I opened the package and began eating them that I realized that there are all sorts of sprouted beans and legumes. They were a real treat and totally delicious.

I wasn't even tempted by the more fattening things on the table, like the bourekas, but I did eat the salad and some other bean-type thing that someone had brought.

Nosh on the sprouts while waiting for the stouts winners to be announced on Doug's blog.