So I spent the evening with the always lovely (and recently engaged) Heather Nephew. We decided to head downtown and enjoy a little bit of what Kalamazoo Restaurant Week had to offer. Now I am a Restaurant Week veteran, normally trying at least three restaurants biannually as there is one Restaurant Week in the winter and one in the summer. Yesterday I went to The Union with my boyfriend, and though we didn't sample any of the more.... fermented options, as I had to work immediately afterwards, the meal was, as always, completely delicious and we had a great time.
Photo from mlive.com
Heather and I decided to hit Epic Bistro, one of many fantastic restaurants participating in creating a special menu for the event. While the food was spectacular and innovative and all that jazz, especially the arugula salad topped with capers, tomatoes, garlic, and a fried soft shell crab (seriously, get it now if you can), we also did not forget that Epic Bistro is attached to Central City Taphouse. While it was so hot that the only thing Heather could think about was a cool, refreshing Oberon, I decided to revisit a brew from my hometown of Holland, Michigan.
The Monkey King Saison from New Holland Brewery was just what I was looking for. It was about 96 at its hottest peak today, and I honestly had been dreaming of a nice cool saison to settle in with.
This photo is certainly at its frothiest point because the head got quite thin very quickly, and reflected a slight amber tone from the beer itself. On top of amber tones, the beer also shows some hazy straw-colored gold in the glass.
The nose was definitely grainy and filled with sweet wheat. Some tripel-esque banana ethers are coming through as well. A little nutmeg and peppercorn are in there as well.
As far as taste, the yeast and grain really shine through. It has sweetness to it that mixes well with the grain, almost like a sweet roll effect. In the middle there's the tiniest bit of lemon tartness and a little bit of spice. I enjoy the little bit of barnyard funk going on right towards the end of this, it makes the entire brew a little more earthy and definitely a stand out from other saisons that I have tried. Definitely not as crisp, fruity, or spicy as I would have thought, but New Holland does put their own twist on things and I did enjoy this brew.
For a hot day like today, you can't really go wrong with this one. I would not call it spectacular, but only because I know what New Holland can do, and this brewery can really wow you with some of the beers they put out on the market. It really is a lovely balance of sweet and refreshing mixed with a drier funk. It drinks smooth, and does well at a nice, brisk temperature.
And with how hot it is today, I will not settle for anything above brisk.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm probably going to try out some hot yoga in my apartment, because it is definitely hot enough to do that right now. Then maybe I'll need another icy cold beer.
Is there any significance to the different kinds of glasses used to serve beer?
ReplyDeleteSo you DID find out how to post, yay! For a lot of glasses, the shape affects the head and the aroma. Each glass is specific to the type of beer to give each a consistent looking head and better retention. Most importantly, the head is kind of a netting for all sorts of nuanced aromas. Especially for someone who does blind tastings, aroma is essential in distinguishing what you're drinking. There are a lot of glasses, though, that are cultural traditions and have just become associated with the particular style of brewing.
ReplyDelete