Beer Review - Great American Beer Festival

The Great American Beer Festival 2010

For the Beer Snob, there is a no greater thrill than a beer festival.  The ability to bounce from beer to beer, smelling, tasting, enjoying all of the differences that water, yeast, hops and malt can give.  At the GABF, the biggest beer festival in the world,  there were over 2,200 different beers to sample.  Did you get that?  Over 2,200 different beers! 

The festival has 4 sessions spread over 3 days beginning on Thursday and ending on Saturday evening and because of a loaded work schedule, we were only able to attend the last session on the last evening.  That means we had 5 hours to find the perfect beer.  Beer snobs take our beer sampling seriously, observing color, clarity, smell, taste...these things take time.  So, you have to be selective, choosing a few of your favorite types, medal winners, interesting sounding or rare beers one ounce at a time. 

UNFORTUNATELY, by the last session, the Saturday evening session, many of those are gone...RATS!  We also found that Saturday evening is when the idiots appear.  Lots and lots of idiots, wearing matching 'drinking team' shirts, swilling everything that they can get their hands on with no regard whatsoever of quality or type.  Pushing, shoving, yelling, flatulent idiots, all between me and liquid joy. 

I hope that I have not made is sound as if there were no great beers left.  No, no my friends, there were plenty, just many of those that I was really looking forward to sampling were long gone.  So here is a synopsis of the suds that I tried before I tired of stupidity and bailed.

Sprecker Brewery - This Glendale, Wisconsin  brewery was the only booth where I loved every beer that I sampled.  The Abbey Triple, Black Bavarian and Smoked Ale were all world class brews and worthy of road trip.

Barrel Aged TempT - Red Eye Brewing, Wausau, Wisconsin.  A golden belgian style ale.... yummy.

Wee Heavy scottish style ale and the O'Fallon Smoke ale were two fine entries from the O'Fallon Brewery in O'Fallon, Missouri.  Where?  Yeah, me too.

Dirty Bastard Scottish Ale - Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  High Octane, peaty, smokey goodness.

The Capital Brewing Company in Washington D.C. had a Weizen Dopplebock that would make a German brewer proud.

The Black Lager from the Great Northern Brewing Company in Whitefish, Montana was more like a porter in flavor.  Call it what you will, I call it delicious.

The Grand Lake Brewing Company from Grand Lake, Colorado brews only small batches of artisan beers.  The Plaid Bastard strong scotch ale was full bodied, potent and magnificent.

Funkwerks may be the dumbest frigging name for a brewery I have ever heard.  Started by an award winning homebrewer in Fort Collins, Colorado, Funkwerks will be producing their Belgian style Saison for the general public in December.  It is as good a saison as I have ever tasted, and I have tasted a lot.

Horseheads Brewing in Horseheads, NY produced our biggest surprise of the evening.  Surprised by the ingredients and surprised that we liked it.  Hot-Jala-Heim uses Jalepeno and Anaheim peppers.  Smells like peppers, tastes like beer...with a kick.  Good wintertime treat.

Great Adirondack Brewing Company in Lake Placid, NY is part of the Great Adirondack Steak and Seafood Company.  If their food is as good as their Abbey Ale I will happily visit on our next trip to upstate.

I love bourbon...I love Stout....Bourbon Barrel Stout by the Green Flash Brewing Company in Vista California gave me wood.

By this time, we had samped beer from about 60% of the breweries on the floor in about 3 hours.  Perfect timing.  But the moron meter had reached 11 and we were forced to leave.  But much like the Pilgrams crawling on their hands and knees to the shrine at Lourdes in an attempt to be healed, we will come crawling back to Denver on September 29, 2011 to find our perfect beer.

Heart Attack of the Month - Huarache

Huarache

I have been to many restaurants on the suggestion of friends who will rave about a dish or item that they tried that has them singing the praises of the restaurant.  I have found that in many cases, the dish tried by these friends was indeed worthy of a raised eyebrow, but that almost everything else on the menu is absolute crap.  Conversely, most of these dishes are artery and colon blockers that are sure to cause you gastrointestinal distress in the very near future.  So I have decided to reveal a few of these offerings to the god of flatulence so that you may decide if you would like to risk the wrath of your doctor when he sees how high your cholesterol count has gotten.

A Huarache (pronounced hwa-rah-cha) is the ubiquitous leather sandal that you see literally everywhere, worn by almost everyone, in Mexico.  It is also a common street food in Mexico City and shaped roughly like the sandal for which it is named.  Imagine if you will a half inch thick, shoe shaped, mass of masa (the corn based dough used to make tamales, tortillas, etc.) fried so that it has a crispy crust and a firm, spongy interior.  Add a smear of refried beans so that whatever you add next won't fall to the wayside (some versions will have red or green sauce).  My next chosen layer was Tinga Chicken (chicken slow cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic and chipotle pepper) but you may have pork, beef, tongue or whatever floats your boat.  Next comes the greens; lettuce, cilantro, salsa, etc. then the queso blanco.  Add cream and avocados and there you have a coronary on a plate.  Expect the heartburn and your satisfaction to last late into the night. 

Restaurant Review - Restaurant Week

Dallas Restaurant Week 2010

Those of us not blessed with trust fund money must be strategic in our dining options.  Our ultra high end dining choices are made cautiously, after dilegent research, because nothing is more crushing to a foodie as just having spent $200.00+ dollars on an average meal in a popular restaurant that has been hyped by the beautiful people.
Dallas Restaurant Week is the perfect chance for John Q. Public to sample several potential high enders and see if the quality is equal to the hype AND your karma gets a boost for the donation to the North Texas Food Bank made by the restaurants. 
There have been rumors of grumblings by many of the restauranteurs of the difficulties created by the unwashed masses decending upon their demenses like a plague of locusts.  The bumkins are hogging tables usually filled with patrons paying full price.  Then their is the tip issue.  Serves make smaller tips due to the fact that the cost of the Restaurant Week specials is typically much lower than the average meal served.  And of course, the barbarians from the 'burbs don't really tip well, do they?  So are the restauranteurs serving an inferior product to those partaking in the festivities?  Let's find out.....

Fearings at the Ritz Carlton, Dallas

Dean Fearing has become the darling of the Dallas press.  His innovative food preparations and masses of well trained servers make for a delightful evening.  The decor and casual easiness of the staff takes what could be an intimidating experience down a notch and makes the dining as comfortable as the seats. 

The dining options on the Restaurant Week menu were virtually identical to the options offered on the normal dinner menu with no perceived loss of quality.  In direct opposition to the rumors, the servers tended a bit toward over enthusiastic at times, hovering over us and refilling our water glasses seemingly after every sip.  All in all a very good experience with the realily equalling the hype.

Cadot

Jean-Marie Cadot, a Paris native, another shining star in a family that has been in the restaurant business since the 1700's.  His extensive experience includes cooking and baking degrees from the Ferrandi Cooking School and the Grands Moulins de Paris Baking and Pastry school.  He apprenticed and worked in several Michelin starred restaurants in France and New York and finally, somehow, ended up in Dallas.  Man o' man am I happy that he did.  The decor and ambience are so relaxed that there is no intimidation factor (like you often feel while dining in a fine French restaurant) whatsoever.

As with Fearings, the items on the Restaurant Week menu are the same as those on the normal dinner menu.  It was surprising to find that the items on the regular dinner menu were so modestly priced that some of our group ordered from it instead of the Restaurant Week selections and paid virtually the same amount.  Our server was quite personable and friendly and knew when not to intrude on the conversation.  Mm. Cadot stopped by our table and chatted for a bit, which was well received by the gang.  He is thrilled to be a part of Restaurant Week and wanted to be sure that the meal met our expectations.  Hell yes.  I will return here often and highly recommend that you try it as well.

Pappas Brothers Steakhouse

Steak.  Wonderful, tender aged steak.  We Texans love steak.  It is our birthright, our passion, and no one does it better than Pappas Brothers.  Forget that the mediocre chain restaurants next door are owned by the same group, this is everything that a high end steak restaurant needs to be.  It seems to be a given that in Dallas steak houses ignore the time of your reservation and Pappas Bros is no different, expect to wait.  The ambience is casual, yet formal at the same time and the maze of tables, busting servers and connected rooms can be confusing when you are attemting to find the restroom after a few glasses of wine.

Typically, Pappas Brothers steaks are served ala carte.  Thus your sides and deserts would normally cost you quite a bit more than your already fairly expensive steaks.  The Restaurant Week menu allowed us to eat quite a bit more than you would normally get for a fraction of the price.  As with the 2 others reviewed, the steak you get on the Restaurant Menu is identical to the regular menu.  Service was attentive and efficient.  Of the 3, Pappas turned out to be the greatest value, with portions so large that we were forced to take some home.  Having eaten in most of the other high end steakeries in town, I believe that this is the finest steak restaurant in Dallas.

Synopsis. 

It may be true that some of the restauranteurs are having a problem with the Restaurant Week experience, but neither I nor anyone that I spoke to had evidence to back the claims.  So the decision is:

Rumors - 0, Fine Dining Experiences - 3

Enjoy.

Fearing Restaurant

2121 McKinney Avenue

Dallas, TX 75201-1873
(214) 922-4848
http://www.fearingsrestaurant.com/

Cadot Restaurant
18111 Preston Rd # 120
Dallas, Tx 75252
(972) 267-5700
http://www.cadotrestaurant.com/

Pappas Brothers Steakhouse
10477 Lombardy Ln
Dallas , TX 75220
(214) 366-2000
http://pappasbros.com/home/

Beer Review - Arrogant Bastard Ale

Arrogant Bastard Ale - 7.2% ABV

The first time I tasted this ale I was so overwhelmed that I just sat and stared at the glass, slowly blinking, waiting for death.  'Surely' I thought, 'I have just sipped from a vat of left over chemicals, meant to destroy jungle in Vietnam'.  I survived, but was never to be the same person again.

This is one of the most in your face beers I have ever tried.  The Stone brewing company call it "an aggressive beer".  Yeah, aggressive like a Grizzly Bear, crossbred with a rabid Wolverine, and trained by Michael Vick. 

The ale is clear brown with with a persistant head, medium carbonation and has a lightly floral smell, with no hint at all of the explosion of flavor to come.  Every part of this beer is over the top; huge hops, massive malts and an underlying dryness .... juniper?  The most unexpected part of all is that the ale is quite balanced, with the hops winning out and after you recover from that first sip, you realize that it is quite delicious and quite drinkable.  Casual beer drinkers will not be able to finish a pint of ABA, but if you are serious about your suds, this one is a very special treat.

Stone Brewing Company

1999 Citracado Parkway

Escondido, CA 92029

http://www.stonebrew.com/
http://www.arrogantbastard.com/

Beer Review - Peroni Nastro Azzurro

Peroni Nastro Azzurro - ABV 5.1%

Nastro Azzurro must be Italian for Nasty Ass....because that is what this swill reminds me of.  Gaaaackkk..this skunky swamp water will never cross my lips again.  Nuff said.

Birra Peroni Industriale S.p.A.

via R. Birolli, 8

Roma, 00155
Italy
http://www.peroniitaly.com/us/default.aspx

Beer Review - Belhaven Scottish Ale

Belhaven Scottish Ale - 3.9% & 5.2% ABV

The Belhaven Brewery began brewing ales for commercial purposes in Dunbar, Scotland in 1719.  That, my friends, means that they have had nearly 300 years to perfect their recipe, and perfect it they have.  Family owned and operated until 1972 when it was finally taken into the corporate world, changed ownership a few times and finally ended up in the hands of Greene King, out of England, which has been brewing for a paultry 200 years or so themselves.  Thankfully Greene King also produces some fine beers and their best known brand sold in the U.S. is probably Old Speckled Hen.

 

The first thing that you will notice when you are having a pint drawn for you is that much like Guinness, it looks as if you are being poured a glass of milk.  This is due to the fact that the beer is nitrogen infused instead of carbonated and gives the ale a smooth, creamy texture.  The nitrogen rapidly disapates leaving a clear, ruby tinted, brown ale with a persistent, off-white, creamy head.  Malts and hops are perfectly balanced and you will notice a slightly earthy undertone, not unlike that of scotch whisky, along with a hint of sweetness.

Let me assure you that you will not find a more drinkable ale on the market today.  The incredibly balanced flavor and smooth texture make this the finest day-to-day ale you will likley ever try and is perfect for every season.  It is the brew of choice stocked in my refrigerator and is quite likely to remain that way for a very long time.

The Belhaven Group

Spott Road
Dunbar, East Lothian
EH42 1RS
Scotland
http://www.belhaven.co.uk/row/index.php

Restaurant Review - Mike Anderson's BBQ

Mike Anderson's BBQ

A true Barbeque aficionado will travel great distances for great Barbeque.  Swallow at the Hollow in Roswell, GA, Dreamland Bar-b-que in Tuscaloosa, AL, Interstate Barbeque in Memphis Tennessee, McClard's Bar-B-Q Restaurant in Hot Springs, Ar, Ball's BBQ in McAlester, OK......none are too distant for those who dream of tearing apart smoky, savory meat in a carnivorous rampage.  We don't care if it is BBQ, Bar-B-Que or Barbeque...we don't care if it is beef, pork or even turkey, we love it all!  Of course, here in Texas you will always find a goober who will poo-poo anything but brisket, but they are poor, misguided souls who have fallen for the propoganda of the 'real' Texas mystique.

It has always confounded me that Dallas, the face of Texas worldwide, has such crappy barbeque, the national food of Texas.  Now don't get you panties in a bunch just yet, let me finish.  Regardless of what the windbags tell you, the barbeque experience is not just about the meat....it is the meat, the sauce, the sides and even the restaurant itself.  You will find shining examples of each of those in different locations around the city, but until now, I had never experienced it all in one location.

Now typically, I cannot stand to repeat dining experiences.  One day here, another day there, across town the next, but I have eaten at Mike Anderson's 3 times in 2 weeks...a record I think.  And I have gorged on almost everything on the menu and have found few faults.  Once you have navigated the line and memorized the menu posted on the wall, you will finally arrive at the serving station, where the first person you will see will be Mike, carving up either brisket, pulled pork, turkey, hot links, or.....and asking you if you want a potato with your meat (or meats) or if you would like to cruise the sides.  Trust me, cruise the sides.  Those wonderful, flavorful, fattening sides. 

The brisket is tender and lean and has just enough fat left on to keep it from being dry.  Big, meaty ribs are perfect for rib fans.  The pulled pork is as tender and moist as any you will get in the southeast.  The sausages were probably the weakest items of the meat portion the menu, but still pretty good.  Of couse you will want to try the 2 or 3 meat plate of your first try which comes with 2 sides and a slice of toast.  The sauce is served on the side, as it should be.  *Hint - try the Jalepeno sauce located on the pickle bar at the end of the line for added stomach lining damage.

I strongly suggest the Sloppy Mike which is a version of  a Sloppy Joe that will have you singing Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire.  Or perhaps you are not so hungry and just want a potato?  Holy Mutant Spud Batman!  The Monster BBQ Baked Potato comes with the meat of your choice as well as all of the normal evil...butter, cheese, sour cream, etc, and it is as big as the frigging plate!  There is a version with double the meat that is just too much to comprehend.

The sides are the boost that lifts Mike Anderson's up above the rest.  There are several types of beans for you to enjoy as well as several potato styles...the Garlic and Cheddar Smashed Potatos are the best of the lot.  The 'most likely to cause a coronary' of the sides is an artery clogger called Cheezy Cornbake.  Cornbread with sweet corn, grilled sweet onion & poblano peppers. To that they add sour cream and bake it on a mound of cheddar cheese.  Good thing they are next to a hospital.

Mike Anderson's BBQ is located on Harry Hines between Inwood Road and Medical District Drive with the big, shiny hospitals on one side and the barrio on the other.  You can be sure that you have found it by the line of salivating patrons stretching out of the front door and through the parking lot.

Mike Anderson's BBQ
5410 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75235
Tel. (214) 630-0735
http://www.mikeandersonsbbq.com/