Brooklyn Brewery

A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it’s better to be thoroughly sure.
-Czech Proverb

(Bier Baron in D.C.)

Brooklyn Brewery is two for two now.

A few weeks ago I had “the concoction”–a new brew based off ‘The Penicillin’, a scotch-based cocktail.  Controversy over being misrepresented as having health benefits kept them from using ‘penicillin’ as the brew’s name.  Upon first sip, it is bewildering.  It definitely is immediately mossy which is so strange for a beer.  The grassy taste is like that of a cheese!  So I spent the entire drink trying to figure out what was going on in this beer.  After doing a little research I found out the cocktail combines peat smoked malt (which definitely has a large presence in this beer) ginger, lemon juice and honey.  It’s gotten really terrible reviews for being medicinal but I find it curious and interesting. It is made with English Peat Smoked Malt, English Pale Malt, and German Pilsner Malt.  The hops are Willamette, Cascade, Fuggles, Kent Goldings, Simcoe, Citra, Sorachi Ace, and Amarillo. They have also added dried lemon peel, minced ginger, wildflower honey, and lemon juice (from Sicily as if that makes a difference).

On to pumpkins..

Did you know? Morton, Illinois is considered the pumpkin capital of the world, and will be holding its annual Pumpkin Festival in a week.  ahh my favorite time of the year!  Pumpkins.  Technically a fruit, but with the heartiness of a vegetable.  They bring to mind memories of football, cheese balls, naps, and that beautiful yellow, gold, and brown leaf snow that happens every fall.  I’m hoping to find a pumpkin fest to go to around the DC area to show my gratitude to this faithfully seasonal gourd.  But until then, i’ll just drink them.  Last night I had Brooklyn Brewery’s Post Road Pumpkin Ale and it was the best pumpkin brew I’ve had this year.  Some Pumpkin brews tend to be overly pumpkinized.  Like drinking a carbonated glass of pumpkin extract.  blegh! But this one tastes like a pumpkin pie with less spice and more honey.

I found a recipe here for Brooklyn Brewery Pumpkin Ale Chocolate Cake that uses the chocolate stout for the chocolate drizzle.  Looks like I have my next baking project!

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