The Paulaner Salvator Doppel Bock is hands down one of the best beers in the world and might be the best doppel bock on planet earth. The Salvator has a light and sweet flavor with caramel, rich malts a great bite. Slightly bitter and a hint of hops, The Salvator is just and all around pound for pound beer. The complexity of its finish sets the standard for the entire double bock style. Dark, amber brown in color, with a heavy body, the finish, although sweet, is also slightly dry. The Paulaner Salvator Doppel Bock is the perfect beer!
The name of the Paulaner brewery refers to the order of friars that resided in Neuhauser Straße in Munich who were part of the order of Saint Francis of Paola. The monks had brewed beer for their own use since 1634. The beer that was permitted to be sold on holidays was a Bock style which gained local fame. After the abolition of the Neudeck Cloister in 1799, the building was converted into a penitentiary. Franz Xaver Zacherl, the brewer, purchased the former cloister brewery and continued the “Starkbier” tradition with the product Salvator, which is Latin for “Saviour”. In 1861 the “Salvatorkeller” (Salvator cellar) was opened upon Nockherberg. In 1928 the brewery merged with the Gebrüder Thomas brewery creating Paulaner Salvator Thomas Bräu. 1994 saw the acquisition into the Kulmbacher brewery group with the affiliated producers Plauen and Chemnitz. A daughter company is the Auer Bräu AG Rosenheim. Paulaner belongs to the BHI (Brau Holding International AG), a joint venture between Schörghuber Ventures (50.1%) and with the Netherlands’ Heineken N.V. (49.9%).
By Jeremy Thomson, Tom Pittakas, Pat Smith, Paul Reiter, Tim Rodgers and Matt Goldstein
Over the last few years, there has been a serious trend towards beer in a can and Oskar Blues and Slyfox are running the show. Oskar Blues and Slyfox don’t just make 1 good beer in a can; they each make 4 or 5 great beers in a can. As well, you have to admit, the draught can like Young’s Double Chocolate and Guinness is pretty damn cool. Just admit it. You know you love beer in a draught can!
1. Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout, 10.5% ABV, Lyons CO.
2. Slyfox Phoenix Pale Ale, 5.1% ABV, Phoenixville, PA.
3. Maui Coconut Porter, 5.7% ABV, Lahaina, HI.
4. Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale, 6.5% ABV, Lyons, CO.
The annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver Colorado had over 3500 entries this year and was completely sold out 5 weeks in advance. The GABF is a 3 day event held by the Brewers Association with over 100 beer judges and 500 breweries. The 2010 GABF went from Thursday the 16th through Saturday the 18th. The original GABF in 1982 only had 22 breweries.
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Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Blue Moon Brewing Company, Denver, CO
Dr. David Ryder
Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Crosby & Baker Ltd.
Utah Brewers Cooperative, Salt Lake City, UT
UBC Brewers
Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management
Mad River Brewing Company, Blue Lake, CA
Mad River Brewing Company
Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Country Malt Group
TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea, CA
Victor Novak
Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Pizza Port Brew Guys
Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
If you are in the Philadelphia area, and looking to celebrate Oktoberfest in authentic fashion, you should really check out Rieker’s Prime Meats in Fox Chase. Located at 7979 Oxford Ave in Philadelphia. This authentic German deli was founded in 1970 by Walter and Ursula Rieker. Both Walter and Ursula were born in post WWII Germany which initially was struggling economically as a result of being torn apart by the war. At the age of 13 Walter was certified as a butcher and moved to Philadelphia to seek a better opportunity. I remember my Grandma Braun exclusively getting any and all kinds of German fare at Rieker’s. If you were from that part of the city, it was a given that it was the place to go. knockwurst, Kielbasa, fresh or smoked, spaetzle, laugenbretzel, rye bread, potato pancakes…you name it. And the sauerkraut? Well you can see the stuff being pressed down in the barrels behind the deli counter homemade, fresh, and with bacon!
Let’s not forget that Germany is the place to go for fine chocolates and desserts. The selection of German candies and chocolates is immense. I recently had been frequenting the Fox Chase area, and as soon as I passed by the store front, I had to go in and pick up some brats for Oktoberfest (See our Top 10 Oktoberfest Beers). Since the Eagles are away this week, I will cook this feast in the comfort of my own home. The main course
will be the brats simmered in beer, and on the grill. I will serve these tangy brats with fresh spaetzel, sauerkraut, and German potato salad. Feel free to add any other of the delectable foods freshly prepared to the menu as you see fit. Finally, pair these bad boys with our 2010 Oktoberfest Beer Champion Ayinger Oktoberfest or runner-up Beck’s Oktoberfest. Auf Wiedersehen und Guten Appetit!
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For the Brats:
12-16 of their fresh Oktoberfest bratwurst (A white bratwurst packed with caraway and marjoram herbs)
2- 12 ounce bottles of Spaten Oktoberfest (the o.g. Oktoberfest beer or any lager will do)
2- medium size red onions diced
1 green bell pepper sliced
1 red pepper sliced
¼ cup of sugar
Pinch of caraway seeds
Pinch of marjoram
1 stick of butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Crusty Sarcone’s club rolls to serve brats on
Tin Foil pan(s) for grilling
Sides:
2 pounds of Rieker’s homemade bacon sauerkraut (just heat on the stove)
2 packages of Rieker’s spaetzel (just fry up with a little oil)
2 pounds of Rieker’s homemade German potato salad
1 bottle Sweet Loewensef mustard
Preheat grill and set to low heat. Combine all ingredients into your tin foil pan and simply put on the grill. Allow to simmer until the brats are cooked all the through for about 25-30 Minutes. (Don’t poke them with a fork or you will “release the juice!”) Serve on the rolls with your choice of sauerkraut and/or mustard. Heat up the sides and go to town!
If everybody drank responsibly and moderately, no alcohol rehab centers would ever be needed at all.
By Tim Rodgers, Charlie Pavlov, Howard Goldstein & Matt Goldstein
If Oktoberfest means drinking over 40 different beers in a 36 hour period, than yes, it’s a festival. Germans like to watch Fussball and Americans prefer Football, so in honor of the upcoming season, we did both. We started our Oktoberfest in fine European style down at PPL Park in Chester PA awaiting Sebastian LeToux and the Union going against the Chicago Fire. We continued the debauchery a mere 15 hours later in the parking lot of Lincoln Financial field awaiting the 2010 Philadelphia Eagles home opener. All the time, working tirelessly, sampling beer after, beer, after beer. We cleansed our palates between courses of Vietnam prawns, stone crab claws, filet mignon, and 3 pound whole lobsters. Sorry, no wienerschnitzel.
Why go through all of that trouble? Well, it’s the 200th anniversary of the German Tradition of Oktoberfest started in Munich Germany in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of some prince. But as Far as the German beer crafters are concerned, the Marzenbier (March) beers are brewed in March but drank in the fall as the craft of making such fine brews require the spring and summer to prepare. They are primarily full bodied, higher in gravity and alcohol as a result of having to be stored for those months.
The change of seasons from summer to fall is a beautiful thing, and so is the harvest of fine foods, but more importantly fine beers. So we found it necessary to sample all of the Oktoberfest Marzen beers that were available to us, and give you this year’s rankings:
1. Ayinger Oktoberfest, 5.8%, Germany:
Superb flavored malts, hints of coffee, well balanced, and excellent Oktoberfest.
2. Beck’s Oktoberfest, 5.0%, Germany:
Great orange color, caramel, toffee, and coffee notes, very complex flavors yet smooth. We know. We’re as surprised as you are.
3. Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest
5.8%, Germany. Smoothly carbonated, great flavor.
4. Flying Fish Oktoberfish
5.5%, Cherry Hill, NJ. Balances the hops with autumn malts and caramel of the Oktoberfest style.
5. HofBrau Oktoberfestbier
6.3%, Germany. Interesting pumpkin and spice notes.
6. Stoudt’s Oktoberfest
5.0%, Adamstown, PA. Very good balance of bitters, hops and malts.
7. Lefthand Marzen Oktoberfest
6.0%, Logmont, Colorado. Great flavors of coffee and caramel.
8. Magic Hat Hex Ourtoberfest
5.4%, South Burlington, VT. Pine and cherry notes, good, interesting.
9. Spaten Oktoberfestbier
5.9%, Germany.
10. Weyerbacher Autumn Fest
5.4%, Easton, PA
11. Slyfox Oktoberfest
5.8% ABV, Phoenixville PA.
12. Dundee Oktoberfest
5.5%, Rochester, NY.
13. Lakefront Oktoberfest Lager Beer
5.7%, Milwaukee, WI.
14. Sam Adams Oktoberfest
5.3%, Boston, MA.
15. Heavy Seas Marzen
5.4%, Baltimore, MD.
16. Saranac Oktoberfest
5.4%, Utica, NY.
17. Victory Fest Bier
5.6%, Downingtown, PA.
18. Leinenkugels Oktoberfest
5.1%, Chippewa Falls, WI.
19. Paulaner Oktoberfest
5.8%, Germany.
20. Sierra Nevada Tumbler
5.5%, Chico, CA.
21. Southern Tier Harvest Ale
6.4%, Lakewood, NY. (Too Hoppy for an Oktoberfest)
2010 Pilsner Champion: Voodoo’s Pilzilla Wins Blind Pilsner Taste Test
By Matt Goldstein & Tim Rodgers
1. Pilzilla:
6.7% ABV, Voodoo Brewing Company, Meadville PA. Pilzilla was hands down the best pilsner of this contest and it wasn’t close. Pilzilla has excellent flavor, a beautiful cloudy color, and subtle spiciness. It’s also very light and refreshing. Pilzilla is the perfect pilsner.
2. Prima Pils:
5.3%, Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA. The Victory Prima Pils also preformed very well at the blind Pilsner trial. The unanimous #2 is a little dry, has light hops, citrus, a hint of bitterness, a nice cloudy color and a great flavor.
3. Stoudt’s Pils:
5.3%, Stoudt’s Brewing Company, Adamstown, PA. Stoudt’s Pils had a little hops, a little coriander and a beautiful flavor. This is a flat out great Pilsner!
4. Pikeland Pils:
4.9%, Slyfox Brewing Company, Phoenixville, PA. The Slyfox Pikeland Pils is a sweet Pilsner that has a hint of honey, but is has hops like a pale ale. The Pikeland Pils is also very crisp and smooth.
5. Troegs Sunshine Pils:
5.3%, Troegs Brewing Company, Harrisburg, PA. The Sunshine Pils is floral, and slightly bitter with a light hint of citrus. The Sunshine Pils has great flavor and a perfect bite. This is a great beer!
6. Paulaner Premium Pils:
4.9%, Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu, Germany. Paulaner Premium Pils was the only German beer that really stood out. The Paulaner Pils had subtle citrus and other hints of fruit and flowers, but thick, crisp and smooth with an excellent golden color.
7. Bischoff Premium Pils:
4.7%, Privatbrauerei Bischoff, Germany. The Bischoff Premium Pils was a little cloudy, had great head, and was very smooth. This Pilsner is a damn good beer.
8. Pilsner Urquell:
4.4%, Plensky Prazdroj, Czech Republic. Perhaps the most famous Pilsner in the world, the Pilsner Urquell was robust, malty, dark in color with hints of chocolate. The Pilsner Urquell may be at #8 on our list but it really stood on it’s with a unique European style.
9. Jever Pilsner
4.9%, Friesisches Brauhaus zu Jever, Germany.
10. Wolters Pilsner Premium
4.9%, Hofbrauhaus Wolters, Germany.
11. Presidente Pilsner
7.0%, Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana, Dominican Republic.
12. Radeberger Pilsner
4.8%, Radeberger Exportbierbrauerei, Germany.
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The blind Pilsner taste test was put together as follows: We went to 3 different take outs in 3 different parts of the city (can you guess which city?) and bought every bottle of beer that said Pilsner on the label. Yes, what we selected was heavily weighted to Pennsylvania and Germany which was to be expected, but the results speak for themselves as the taste test was completely blind. Each bottle of beer was put into a brown bag in a separate room and then poured into a glass by our beer wench. Yup, we have a beer wench on the payroll. Then, the Pilsner glasses were brought out one at time and we sipped back and fourth between maybe 2 or 3 beers. We ate brick oven pizza with prosciutto and basil, and all watched the Tyson-Tupac documentary, and took stringent notes on the beer.
The Pilzilla was the clear number 1 but the Prima Pils also stood out from the rest of the pack. The Stoudt’s Pils, Slyfox Pikeland Pils and Troegs Sunshine Pils could have probably been in any order from 3 to 5, but there is no doubt that the Pennsylvania Pilsners completely destroyed Germany. It wasn’t even close!
By Jeremy Thompson, Don Corino, Pat Smith, Tim Rodgers, Paul Reiter and Matt Goldstein
1. Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI:
The Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout is a shoe in to be our #1 overall beer on our next Top 100 beer list. The seasonal Breakfast Stout was already on our top 10 list and the Founders Porter was our Philadelphia Beer Week Champion. Have you ever tasted the Centennial IPA or the Curmudgeon? Please. Founders Brewing Company is the #1 Brewery in the world!
2. Bell’s Brewing Inc, Kalamazoo, MI:
It’s hard putting Bell’s at #2 on this list because these guys have taken the art of beer making to perfection. From the Bell’s Expedition Stout to the Consecrator Dopplebock and the Hopslam are 3 of the best beers in the world hands down. Add the Kalamazoo Stout, Oberon Ale and the Two Hearted Ale and you have a magnum opus in beer making.
3. Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, San Diego, CA:
The Ballast Point Sculpin IPA is largely considered to be the best India Pale Ale in the world. The Sculpin also won a gold medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup. The Calico Amber Ale is made like an English ESB but this American brew is also a gold medal winner. The Big Eye IPA and the Victory at Sea Imperial Vanilla Coffee Porter are entirely world class.
4. Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA:
Stone’s Ruination IPA, Imperial Russian Stout, Smoked Porter and Arrogant Bastard Ale are staples of the craft beer world, while their Anniversary Ale is one of the highest rated beers ever.
5. Port/Lost Abbey Brewing Company, San Marcos, CA:
The Lost Abbey Avant-Garde, Devotion and Yellow Bus along with the Port Old Viscosity, High Tide IPA and Santa’s Little Helper Stout put the Port/Lost Abbey Brewing at #5. Throw in the Hop 15 and Port/Lost Abbey competes with any brewery in the world.
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6. Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA:
Victory’s Hopdevil, Prima Pils, and Golden Monkey are almost mainstream craft beers at this point but the Storm King Imperial Stout, Hopwallop, Baltic Thunder Porter, and V-12 are all world class while the Saison du Buff might be the best Saison in the world.
7. Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, Milton, DE:
The 60 Minute, 90 Minute and 120 Minute IPA’s are some of the best IPA’s being brewed today. At the same time, the Old School Barley Wine and the Bitches Brew are some of the best beers in their class. Dogfish also collaborated with Victory on the Saison du Buff.
Established in 1829, Yuengling is America’s oldest brewery, and they make damn good beer. A few weeks ago I heard someone mention it as a craft beer. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that because I grew up on the stuff, but for about $18 a case it’s an excellent buy. Yuengling Lager has great color, flavor and bite. I was even asked to mail two cases out to a friend of mine in AZ because he couldn’t seem to find it anywhere in Phoenix. People crave this stuff!
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2. Bitburger, Germany:
I’ve had Yuengling so many times that if I was in the store right now I’d probably grab Bitburger instead. It’s full bodied, light, a little dry and a little hoppy, but very refreshing. I had a few this weekend and I can’t believe this German import sells for about $18. It’s a flat out steel!
3. Leinenkugels
Original Premium Pilsner/Lager, Chippewa Falls, WI. About $20 a case.
4. Shiner Bock
Shiner, TX. You can get a case of cans for about $20.
5. Lionshead, Wilkes-Barre, PA.
It’s a flat out good beer and you can get a case of bottles for $15. In the college days it might have been $11.
Red Stripe Light: A Much Better Light Beer than the American Standard
By Matt Goldstein
The world famous Jamaican lager Red Stripe will now make its lesser calorie version, Red Stripe Light, available in the U.S. First brewed in 1928 as an ale, then switched to a lighter style lager in 1938, Red Stripe is now an international success and one of Jamaica’s crowning economic and cultural achievements. Red Stripe was first introduced to the United States in 1985, but now the Kingston Jamaica brand will introduce its Red Stripe Light. Having had many Red Stripe lights in Montego Bay, Trelawney, Ocho Rios and Negril, I can tell you that this is a solid light beer. It’s much better than the average mainstream American light beers like Miller Lite, Bud Light and Michelob Ultra. Red Stripe Light can certainly hang with light beers such as Amstell Light, Yuengling Light, and Corona Light etc… If Red Stripe Light were introduced 15 years ago, it might have already taken a share of the premium light beer market. Hopefully it’s not too late and the beer will stand for itself.
The Perfect Beer!
2010 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards:
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