Wild Rose Brewery

I've been posting on an approximate bi-weekly schedule.  Or whenever I do something beer-related.  I still have a few more of the most common beer defects to share.  I will also relate my adventures at the Wild Rose Brewery from a recednt trip to Calgary.

3. Did you just skin your knee?  Or is your beer spoiled by chlorophenols?  These compounds contain a benzene ring bound to a phenol molecule, and possess an aroma that may remind you of disinfectant, or “that Band-Aid smell”.  Chlorophenols are formed by yeasts when chlorine and chloramine are present in the water.  Most water is treated with chlorine or chloramine to kill harmful bacteria.  It’s really easy to dechlorinate your water though, with Campden tablets (sodium metabisulphite) or using an activated carbon filter.

2,3-Butanedione
Pronounced "Die-ass-a-till"

4. Diacetyl is the chemical responsible for a buttery flavor in some of your favorite foods.  Sour cream, sourdough bread, and many cheeses are fermented foods that would be substantially less delicious without diacetyl.  This flavor can be pleasant at low levels in some oak-aged beers, but will make your beer will taste like movie popcorn at high concentrations.  This defect is usually caused by an infection with Lactobacillus spp. or Pediococcus spp.; however, diacetyl is a natural by-product of yeast fermentation.  To remove it, brewers do a “diacetyl rest”, and leave the beer in fermenter for two or three days, allowing the yeast to re-absorb any remaining diacetyl.

You won’t find either of these problems with Wild Rose beer.  On a recent trip to Calgary I had the good fortune to go for lunch with my partner in crime and a new friend.  The three of us are all avid beer enthusiasts, and were looking for an appropriate location to catch up.  We couldn’t have chosen a better place.

Wild Rose was established in the fall of 1996 in Calgary's Foothills Industrial Park, and began bottling their beers in flip-tops in 2002.  They have been at their current location in a large Quonset at the Currie barracks since 2006.  However, word is on the street that the lease of Building AF23 will not be renewed and they will soon have to relocate.

Wild Boar Meatloaf Sandwich

Customers are welcomed to look about their equipment and see how it’s made, and the brewery offers drop-in tours on Saturdays.  Instead of mini-kegs, they sell large quantities of beer in “Party Pigs” which provide the equivalent of 25 bottles of beer.  These large glass are self-pressuized, have a refrigerated shelf life of four to six weeks, and make a unique attraction for your next party, at $50 plus a refundable deposit.

Gravlax cured with Velvet Fog

The six signature beers include an IPA, Brown Ale, Wred Wheat, Velvet Fog, SOB (Special Old Bitter...I know what you were thinking), and Wraspberry Ale (a wheat ale with a hint of raspberry).  However, there is always a seasonal variety of unexpected character.  I began my meal with a short glass of the current seasonal, a dark smoky porter with just a hint of cherry.

The menu contains many items that incorporate beer as an ingredient, including the pulled pork sliders drenched with apple Brown Ale BBQ sauce.  Pretzels are served as an appetizer, with two beer mustards – a grainy Dijon prepared with the oatmeal stout, and a spicy Dijon made with an India Pale Ale.  Entrees could be paired with a variety of sides including the oatmeal stout baked beans, and the salad with Wraspberry wheat ale dressing.  I’m indecisive to begin with, but such a wide variety of creative items made it very difficult for me to choose.

The Best 'Wurst

My partner in crime ordered the Wild Boar Meatloaf Sandwich, a patty made with ground beef, pork and wild boar wrapped in bacon served on a whole wheat Kaiser bun with a variety of condiments.  My new friend chose the salmon gravlax, cured with Velvet Fog ale and served on a bagel with fresh dill, cream cheese, red onion, and capers. I went for “The Best 'Wurst”.  This plate was a bit of everything - two free-range pfefferwurst pork sausages from Two Old Country Sausage shop, served with Oatmeal Stout baked beans, sauerkraut, apple-braised cabbage, grainy mustard, and freshly baked bread.

I bought a souvenir glass for my vast collection, and left the Quonset extremely satisfied.  If you are ever in the area, drop by for a pint and a bite to eat.  You won’t be disappointed.

Steuven, Richard. Beer Me: Down With Diacetyl. April 2003. http://beerme.com/diacetyl.php

Beer Geeking May 26^th, 2011. http://beer-geeking.blogspot.ca/2011/05/water-chlorine-chloramine-and.html

Wild Rose Brewery http://www.wildrosebrewery.com/index.html

The Dog Days are Over

Why does my beer taste weird?  Kind of like...corn.  Whether you’re a home-brewer or not, there are some key beer defects you should look for.  I’ll share a few of the most common ones over the next few weeks so you know what to look for.  Although none of these chemicals will kill you, you deserve better.  Have a little dignity and look for something else to imbibe.  Life’s too short to drink substandard beer.

X gon' give it to ya...wait, DMS?
Thought you said DMX!

1) A cooked corn or cabbage flavour is cauased by dimethylsulfide, often abbreviated DMS.  More common in ales, it is a sign of a grain infection or improper chilling of the wort.  In darker beers this flavor may also remind you of tomato soup.  The typical flavor threshold is around 35ppb.

2) Does your beer smell or taste of rotten eggs? Or is grandma perming her hair in the kitchen sink again? Volatile sulfur compounds like sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are produced in small amounts during mashing, but are usually driven off with a vigorous boil. When the smell of sulfur is overwhelming, this can indicate some serious contamination by the yeast. However, a subtle whiff of sulfur (like a burned match) can be desired by some brewers.  This is a famous trait of many beers brewed in Burton-on-Trent in the United Kingdom.

If your beer tastes like corn, you have a problem.  But if your corndogs taste like beer, I wouldn’t complain.

I’ve waited a long time to try this recipe.  I had great ambitions of conquering my shear terrier of the deep-fryer.  I failed in the latter respect, and used a frying pan with only 2 inches of oil instead.  They didn’t turn out too ruff.

I paws-ed only a moment to make this special ketchup, and holy shih-tzu is it good!  It would give some other tiresome foods a new leash on life.  Burgers, fries, or mac n’ cheese. Unless you’re a mac n’ cheese purist and don’t believe in ketchup.  I respect that.

Enough with the dog puns.  Schnauzer chance to make some corn dogs!

Beer Battered Corn Dogs

The dog days are over.  I won't be making these again for a while.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

 11/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup beer

1/2 cup buttermilk

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

12 hotdogs, cut in half

Chipotle ketchup, for dipping

1. In large bowl, combine of the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper.
2. In a smaller bowl, combine together eggs, beer and buttermilk; whisk into dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. Pour enough oil into deep-fryer or Dutch oven to come 2 inches (5 cm) up side. Heat until deep-fryer thermometer registers 375ºF (190ºC).
4. Meanwhile, in bowl, toss hotdogs in remaining flour until coated. Insert thick wooden skewer two-thirds of the way into each for handle and tap off excess flour.
5. Pour batter into a tall glass or deep bowl.  Dip hotdogs into batter to coat, adding 1 to 2 tbsp water if too thick.
6. Gently add hotdogs to oil. Fry in batches until golden brown (about 1-2 min), turning halfway through.  Drain on rack or paper towel to blot oil.

Makes 24 mini corn dogs

Chipotle Ketchup

1 cup ketchup

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp chipotle pureé

1. Combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
2. Mix vigorously to combine.
3. Serve with corn dogs or other foods.

Beer Sensory Science. June 2^nd, 2011.  http://beersensoryscience.wordpress.com/category/defects-and-taints/

Drinking Made Easy. The 10 Most Common Beer Defects.  October 19^th, 2012. http://drinkingmadeeasy.com/booze-in-the-news/the-10-most-common-beer-defects/

Frederick’s Original Ale Makers (FOAM) http://f-o-a-m.org/beer_off_flavors.php

Recipe adapted from Canadian Living Magazine, June 2012

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/beer_battered_corn_dogs.php

Feliz Navidad

Masa harina - corn flour dough for tortillas.

There’s nothing wrong with a white Christmas.  However, some people often forget that other cultures celebrate Christmas too.  Even those without access to spruce trees and snow.  This year, I had no problem hopping on a plane and leaving behind Edmonton’s -20 degree Celsius temperatures.

I spent this Christmas on a beach.  In Mexico.  Huatulco, to be exact. This region is in the state of Oaxaca, and is home to nine beautiful bays, soft white sand, and coral reefs.  And some spectacular food.

Street food - a lucrative enterprise

The state of Oaxaca is famous for its cuisine.  They are known for seven different “moles” – rich sauces often made with chocolate.  The region is also rife with delicious street food – these foods are often cheap, quick to assemble, and easy to eat on the fly.  Street food is a pivotal component of many cuisines, from Mexico to Mumbai.  Tacos are the best example of Mexican street food, and are a lucrative business requiring a few ingredients and some form of transportation.  One savvy individual had established a lucrative business in the back of a well-preserved Ford Gremlin in Santa Cruz.

Salsa verde with avocado, smoked chili salsa,
and pico de gallo.

The Chiles and Chocolate cooking class was held in Santa Cruz at Cafe Juanita, a tiny bistro popular among locals and tourists alike.  We made corn tortillas from raw masa, watching them puff up on a terra cotta disc called a “comal”.  The tacos were filled with .  Queso Oaxaca or “quesillo” – a stringy cheese wrapped like a ball of yarn – was used to fill several small quesadillas.  We made two kinds of tacos: a typical breakfast variety with zucchini, mushrooms, and sour cream; and a lunch taco with shrimp, tomatoes, and a cactus called “nopale”.  Garlic, tomatoes, tomatillos, and chiles of various types were assembled in various combinations to create four different salsas to serve with each dish.

Warming tacos on the comal.

When I returned to my Canadian climate, I tried to recreate the experience at home with store-bought instant masa harina (corn flour).  I was horribly disappointed at the results.  Not only was I lacking some necessary equipment (a tortilla press and a comal), but I sorely missed Mexico’s high humidity.  My dough dried out in minutes, and I was left with taco shells that were dry and torn.  I’ll try again once I am better equipped, and can deal with Alberta’s cold, dry climate again.  It’s gonna take some getting used to.

I did however invent a delicious way to cook shrimp to fill store-bought tacos.  With beer, of course.  And a lil’ bit of tequila.  Don’t add to much, or it might “ta-kill-ya”.

See This is Why I’m Hot for Pico de Gallo and Guacamole recipes.

Beer-garita Shrimp Tacos

Buen apetito!

 1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

¼ cup Onion, finely diced

Shrimp

¼ cup beer

 2 tbsp Tequila or Mezcal

8-10 corn tortillas (6” taco size)

2 cups chopped cabbage

Guacamole

Pico de Gallo

Cheese (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic.
2. Season with salt, and cook until onion begins to sweat, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the tequila and beer, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate any browned bits. Return the pan to heat.
4. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat and stir in the lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve as tacos with cabbage, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese as desired.

Note: Cheddar cheese has no place in Mexican food.  As soon as you add it, your meal becomes “Tex Mex”.  Just don’t.

Spice Up Your Life

Home, sweet home!

Ginger has been used as a folk medicine for over 3000 years to treat indigestion, motion sickness, and to relieve fatigue.  Approximately 90% of the world trade in spices is accounted for by ginger, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cassia, mace, nutmeg, pimento and cardamom – all potential ingredients in holiday baking.

ɑ-Zingiberene

The pungent flavor is due to a variety of compounds in the root, which include gingerols, shogaols, essential oils, and sesquiterpene derivatives (ɑ-zingiberene) obtained from the rhizomes (the underground stem of the plant).  Ginger oil is used in many foods and beverages, including ginger ale, ginger beer, and various desserts.  The oil is also used in other industries as an ingredient in cosmetics, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals.

I am far from crabby when I
get my hands on a Crabbie's.

Not to be confused with ginger ale, ginger beer is a spicy beverage – far more potent than the stuff you’re given on an airplane to fend off motion sickness.  Crabbie's has had great success marketing their alcoholic ginger beer, and often sells out at my local liquor store when I am especially in need.

Sushi's new best friend.

In the past, the Phillips brewery out of Victoria, BC released Gentleman Jim’s Real Ginger Ale in 2009, a sweet seasonal cooler.  However, their most recent Ginger beer is entirely different.  This is in fact a true hopped beer, with the raw ginger flavor adding an extra kick.  This brew is especially good with sushi, clearing your palate much like the pickled pink stuff they put next to the wasabi.  Am I the only one that eats that stuff?

Just as the coffee companies bring out the gingerbread lattes at Christmas time, there are seasonal gingerbread.  Yukon Brewing company released a Winter Spice Ale for their ADD series, while Big Rock and Paddock Wood produce similar beers when the season hits.  The molasses flavor of a rich stout lends itself especially well to the spices used in Christmas sweets.

Why not switch up your contribution to this year’s Christmas potluck?  Skip the rum-spiked eggnog and the fruitcake, and bring these cupcakes instead.  Your family will thank you.  Sincerely this time.

Ginger Beer Cupcakes

"Yo, tell me what you want,
What you really really want!"
- Wannabe, Spice Girls 1996

¾ cup ginger beer or stout

½ teaspoon baking soda

⅔ cup mild molasses

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting pan)

2 tablespoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

2 large eggs

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or line two 12-cup muffin tins (20 wells).
2. Bring beer to a boil in medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda - the mixture will foam.  Be really careful that the mixture doesn’t escape from the saucepan and stick to your lovely clean stove.
4. When the foaming subsides, stir in the molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  Let cool and transfer to a large bowl.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and black pepper.
6. Whisk in the eggs, oil, and grated ginger to the stout mixture until well combined.
7. Gradually whisk the dry mixture into the stout, stirring vigorously until smooth after each addition.
8. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared wells (20) ¾ full.  The batter will be very thin – you WILL miss the pan, I guarantee.
9. Gently tap the pan against the counter to dislodge any large air bubbles.  Fill the 3 empty muffin wells with water and place pans in oven.
10. Bake until the top of the cake is just firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean from the center – about 22 to 25 minutes.
11. Cool the cupcakes 10 minutes before removing from pan.  Set aside until completely cool before frosting.

Makes 20 cupcakes

Eggnog Butter Icing

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp eggnog

1 ½ cups icing sugar

1 tbsp rum (OR ½ tsp rum extract)

¼ tsp nutmeg

1. In large bowl, combine butter with 1 tbsp eggnog.
2. Beat in sugar alternately with eggnog and rum until evenly blended.
3. Beat in rum extract and nutmeg.
4. Fill piping bag with icing, pushing it down to the tip of the bag.  Pipe icing in a spiral motion from the outside to the middle.
5. OR if you’re lazy (like I usually am), spread the icing on with a knife.  It doesn’t look as pretty, but it tastes the same.  Trust me.
6. Top with chopped crystallized ginger, Christmas sprinkles, or mini gingerbread cookies.

Ginger, the Genus Zingiber.  CRC Press 2004. Edited by K . Nirmal Babu and P . N . Ravindran.

Photo courtesy www.thedrinksbusiness.com

Living in the Limelight

"Ruffle the rhythm and it must be Sublime"
- Don't Push (Sublime)

I’ve mentioned the use of lime in Corona to cover up the “skunky” flavor of oxidized humulones (click here to see post).  Lime tastes good with beer, even to a beer purist.  Eventually someone caught on and started marketing a lime-flavored beer.  Some lime beers end up tasting more like a Shandy (half beer, half lemonade).  However, anything is better than the sugar-laden, fluorescent pseudo-sodas in the cooler (Palm Bay anyone?...No? Didn’t think so).  Keep your dignity.

Bud Light lime made it big when it was introduced the summer of 2008.  Every brewery started making their own version: Big Rock Lime, Dead Frog...even Corona.  Miller Genuine Draft jumped on the wagon too, and produce a lemon version as well.

Why did I choose to write about lime beers in the middle of Winter?  Because I want to pretend it’s summer.  And I found some cheap ones in the sale bin.  Beer on a budget.  Enjoy this smoky and sweet cornbread made with Big Rock Lime.

Chipotle Lime Cornbread

"Living in the limelight,
the universal dream."
- Limelight (Rush)

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ cup milk

½ cup lime beer

Zest of one lime

2 tbsp lime juice

3 large eggs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons chipotle pureé

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Line a 9 x 5 x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan or 12-cup muffin tin with parchment or muffin liners.
3. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl.
4. Whisk milk, lime zest, lime juice, eggs, melted butter and chipotles in medium bowl.
5. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; stir until blended.
6. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
7. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes for the loaf or .
8. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn bread out onto rack; cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins

Recipe adapted from Epicurious http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chipotle-Corn-Bread-101828

IBU and UB Me?

In the morning, I like my coffee to taste as bitter as I feel.  More often than not, I like my beer that way too.  My fellow Hopheads will understand.

The hop-burglar?

For years breweries have challenged themselves to produce the beer with the highest ABV.  Now several breweries have begun competing to produce the beer with the highest magnitude of IBU.  So far the Danish brewery Mikkeller has taken the lead with the juggernaut strength of 1000 IBU.

Bitterness in beer is measured in International Bittering Units (IBU), which reflect the alpha acids (as measured with solvent extraction using a spectrophotometer) provided by the hops in the brewing process.  However, the same level of IBU may be perceived as more or less bitter depending on the beer style.  A magnitude of 50 IBU in a heavy imperial stout may not be perceived as bitter as in in a crisp low-alcohol lager.  A higher IBU is often needed to balance the flavor in more full-bodied, high alcohol beers.

The India Pale Ale is known for a more pronounced hop flavor than other styles, and will typically have between 40-65 IBUs. I am especially fond of double IPAs, which can be between 60 and 100+.  I have previously mentioned the Dragon Series by Alley Kat, a series of double IPAs each single-hopped with a different variety.  The most recent release has been the Orange Dragon, brewed exclusively with Summit hops.

The bitterness of a beer can add an extra kick to your cooking.  This French onion soup can handle the of an India Pale Ale.  I used Hop Head from Tree Brewing company, a personal favorite.  A double IPA however, would undoubtedly overpower the pleasant pungency of the onions.  Enjoy as I did!

The toasted bread topped with cheese
is know as the "crouton"

French Onion Soup

 3 Tablespoons olive oil

5 cups thinly sliced yellow onions

½ teaspoon salt

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

8 cups beef stock

1 cup beer (India Pale Ale or a Brown Ale works well)

1 sprig fresh rosemary

½ tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

6-8 slices French bread, cut in rounds

1 cups grated cheese

Completely unlike those tasteless cubes
you put on top of Caesar salad.
Do it right.

1. Heat oil over low heat in a heavy soup pot. Add onions, cover, and sweat until they are tender (15 to 25 minutes).
2. Heat beef stock over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
3. Remove the cover, increase heat to medium, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook 30-40 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are golden and caramelized.
4. Sprinkle in the flour; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Off the heat, whisk in beef stock. Add the beer, rosemary, and thyme. Season to taste.
6. Return pot to range and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, partially covered, for 40-60 minutes.
7. When ready to serve, turn on oven broiler and toast bread rounds.
8. Ladle soup into individual oven-proof bowls.
9. Place a piece of toasted bread on top of soup and sprinkle generously with grated cheese.
10. Place under broiler until melted and bubbly.

Makes 6-8 servings

Gamboa, BJ. Battle of the IBUS. Drinking Made Easy. November 3^rd, 2012. http://drinkingmadeeasy.com/blog/battle-of-the-ibus/

Challenge Accepted

What can I add beer to?
A better question to ask is "What CAN'T I add beer to."

I don't have any food science or brewing tales this week.  Instead I'd like to issue a challenge to my fellow omnomnomnivores:

Name a dish I cannot add beer to.  Without making an inedible mess.

No, really.  So far I've made sauces, soups, meat dishes, pasta, baked goods...even a salad.I'm curious to see what others think would be impossible.  Although I have a running list of things to make, I'd like some new ideas.  From an unbiased third party.



In the meantime, enjoy this gratuitous recipe for cookies made with chocolate stout.

Chocolate Stout Pecan Cookies

I need to stop using chocolate stout.
It's just too easy.

1 cup butter, unsalted

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups chocolate stout

2 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup pecan halves, broken into coarse chunks and toasted

1 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (325°F in a convection oven).
2. Pour beer into saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Reduce beer until only 1/3 cup remains.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and cocoa.  Beat until smooth.
4. Pour beer into butter and sugar mixture, and stir vigorously.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
6. Add dry mixture to butter mixture gradually
7. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chips.
8. For best results, chill the dough overnight to solidify the butter.  This gives the cookie more shape and prevents spreading.
9. Scoop dough with a teaspoon and form into balls, placing them onto nonstick or greased baking sheets.
10. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
11. Place on wire rack to cool.

Makes approximately 48 cookies.