Stift Engelszell - A New Trappist Brewery!

I have always prided myself in having solid knowledge of the Trappist breweries.  So I was a bit surprised on a recent visit to the liquor store when I noticed a new beer that I had never seen before.  It was an Austrian beer "brewed with honey."  The origin was a brewery that I had never heard of - Stift Engelszell.  Should I spend the $7 for a 1/3-liter bottle?  Probably.  And then something really caught my eye.  I noticed the Authentic Trappist Product logo.  What? 

There are only seven Trappist breweries, and none of them are anywhere near Austria.  I was a bit embarrassed that I had no idea that the beerworld's most famous and exclusive club had added a new member.  Now my "probably I should buy a bottle" turned to definitely! 

About Trappist Breweries

The Trappists are a Roman Catholic religious order comprised of both nuns and monks.  The name originated in the 17th century from La Trappe Abbey in France's Normandy province.  As a general rule they will only speak when necessary, but they are not completely silent.  They also have a reputation of being great brewers.  Monastic breweries of various religious orders have existed throughout Europe for centuries, but the Trappists are arguably the most famous.

There are a lot of beers with monks on the label.  None of these are authentic Trappist beers.  Not that there is anything wrong with them, most are superb, and some even world class.  Many are brewed for an Abbey, or have historic religious ties, but that alone does not make them Trappist.

The best way to make sure you know what you are buying is really a Trappist beer - search for the hexagonal "Authentic Trappist Product" logo.  This not only goes for beer, but for other products from monastery as well such as wine and cheese.

There are a few requirements that an authentic Trappist beer must meet:

• The beer must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery.
• The beer must be brewed by the monks themselves or under their direct supervision.
• The brewery is of secondary importance within the monastery.
• The brewery is not intended for profit making purposes - proceeds fund living expenses, and any remaining revenue is donated to charity to help persons in need.

Prior to last year there were seven Trappist breweries.  Six in Belgium - three from the French speaking south (Orval, Chimay, and Rochefort) and three from the Flemish north (Achel, Westmalle, and Westvleteren), and one brewery across the border in the Netherlands (Koningshoeven).  I've visited Belgium several times, and have had pleasure of visiting the ruins of Orval and drinking their namesake in the pub out front.  It was truly a treat.  Some day I hope to have a chance to visit the others.

Stift Engelszell

Last year the Trappist brewery at the Abbey of Engelszell, located in Engelhartszell Austria, resumed production (ceased in 1929), met the requirements to distribute authentic Trappist ale, and became the eighth Trappist brewery.  Austria is not near Belgium, the epicenter of Trappist brewing, but there are several other monastic breweries in this country as well as neighboring Bavaria.  So Stift Engelszell joining the club should not be a major surprise.

The beer I sampled was Gregorius.   Ratebeer.com categorizes this beer as an "Abt/Quadrupel" and Beeradvocate.com considers it a "Belgian Strong Dark Ale."  The monks themselves call this beer "ein dunkles Trippel."  (A dark Trippel)  Their description of Gregorius is very interesting because the Trippel style is almost always pale and strong.  Gregorius is strong, though not pale.  I've never seen or heard of a "dark Trippel."

Another interesting tidbit is the use of honey in Gregorius.  Austria borders Bavaria, the home of the famous Rheinheitsgebot, which outlaws adjuncts such as honey.  So this seemed odd at first, though on the other hand, many of the Trappist cousins northeast in Belgium use candi sugar to boost alcohol and lighten the body of their beers.  So I suppose its use by this monastery should not be too shocking.

Gregorius Tasting Notes

Gregorius pours a Porteresque dark with a beige head.  It is almost opaque.  The nose is earthy with a faint roasted character.  There is also a hint of dark fruit - more noticeable as the beer warms.  The

Cody's Flavor Wheel

flavor is fairly clean with some malt sweetness that gently fades into notes of dark grains.  Full carbonation gives Gregorius a 'fluffy' mouth-feel.   There is no discernible hop character.  This 9.7% abv Trappist finished quite dry and chalky.  It is brewed with honey, which may contribute to the considerable dryness.  (Honey is readily fermentable by brewer's yeast leaving little body behind.)

My impression was that Gregorius seemed like a roasty Baltic Porter.  Not that the 'legacy' Trappist ales fit nicely into any box (though beers like Rochefort and Westvleteren have similarities), but Gregorius struck me as a bit different.  It is definitely the darkest and roastiest of any of the Trappists.  It is also the only beer in the exclusive group that is fermented with honey.  Though many of the other Trappists use candi sugar.  It may take a while to get used to, but I think Gregorius will be a fine addition to a very exclusive club.

Here Comes Benno

Stift Engelszell has also released a second beer called Benno.  I have not found this beer in the Denver area, but reviews of it exist on the Internet, so it is already generally available.  According to the Stift Engelszell website, this beer has only been in distribution since May 30th of this year.

Ruins at Orval

Benno is a 6.9% abv "Helles Dubbel."  (Light Dubbel)  To me this seems like an oxymoron.  In general Dubbels are dark beers, and Trippels are light beers.  Though, for whatever reason, Stift Engelszell has decided to buck this trend.  And just for reference, Quads are typically dark again.  Single, Dubbel, Trippel and Quads follow ascending alcoholic strength while alternating colors.

For those of you that speak German and would like to learn more about this Trappist order and their products you can visit http://www.stift-engelszell.at.  It is interesting to note that in addition to beer the order also sells liquor, spiked chocolates, cheese, honey, honey vinegar, and Trappistenmet (honey wine/mead).  It appears that their brewery may be young, but they have a long history in fermentation and cheese making.

Enjoy the newest and eight Trappist brewery, and let me know if and where you have been able to find Benno.

Fuller's ESB (Back to the Basics)

Back to the basics

From time to time I like to write about the beer staples.  World class beers that are not over the top.

In this era of craft brewing where we can get carried away with spices, extreme alcohol, 100 IBU citrus bombs, imperial oak-aged beers fermented with wild yeast and bacteria, it never hurts to step back and remember what got us here.  (By the way, I'm currently drinking a delicious Firestone Double Jack Imperial IPA - 9.5%/100IBUs, so yes, I do love these beers too.)

When you visit the countries that taught us how to brew and ask for "ein Bier bitte," or "I'll have a pint," you are sure to end up with a local session beer.  Depending upon where you are this could be a Helles, Bitter, Kölsch, Alt, or possibly a Pils.  (you get the picture)  These offerings are refreshing and drinkable, and yes, many of them are also widely recognized as world class beers!

In this blog, I'll cover one of my favorite English staples from Fuller's Brewery.

 Fuller's ESB

When traveling in Europe I tend to prefer smaller towns to large metropolises.  One exception to this tendency is London.  I love London.  And one of my favorite local breweries is Fuller's.

Fuller's Brewery is headquartered in the west London suburb of Chiswick and has been around for over 150 years.  Arguably their most famous beer is Fuller's ESB - Extra Special Bitter.  In the US it is now common to see ESB's on tap and sold in stores.  But this is a relatively new style.  In fact the style did not exist until 1971 when Fuller's first put this name on a beer.  Up until that time in England there were Bitters and Special Bitters.  Extra Special did not exist.  Fuller's is the ESB.

Fuller's Brewery has won numerous awards over the yeas, and their ESB has been especially successful.  This beer has taken CAMRA's Best Strong Ale award a record seven times!  Now a bit about the fine Ale.

Tasting Notes

Beer: Fuller's ESB
Style: ESB/Strong Bitter
Alcohol: 5.9% abv
ratebeer.com: 96/100 (overall/style)
Suggested glass: traditional English pint
Website: http://www.fullers.co.uk

This beer pours a rich red copper color with a light cream head.  It is beautifully clear and appetizing.  ESB's aroma is a pleasant blend of earthy/grassy English hops and toasty Pale Ale malt.  The Northdown, Challenger, and Goldings hops used are quintessentially British and have the typical spicy, earthy character of the hops grown over there.  This is decidedly different from the citrus and pine characteristics found in most US hops that end up in the Bitters and Pale Ales on this side of the Atlantic.

Cody's Fuller's ESB Flavor Wheel

The body is light and refreshing as to be expected.  Its flavor is a well-balanced combination of malt and a sturdy, but never overwhelming bitterness.  There is a slight caramel malt sweetness and a touch of toffee to counter balance the bittering hops.  A wonderful fruity yeast character is present throughout.

Fuller's ESB has a well rounded, long and smooth finish with more fresh late-addition hops (Goldings?), clean malt, and the typical English mineral-character.  There is just a slight touch of diacetyl left over from fermentation. As the beer warms, the "butterscotch" will become more noticeable.  This adds yet another dimension of complexity to this fine ale.

These tasting notes come from an evening session last month.  The 12-ounce bottle was purchased here in Colorado.  Of course in London you'll experience a fresher version.  If you get the chance drink this beer on cask at a pub it will be served "warm and flat" and have a bit less alcohol.  (by design) 

Another great beer by Fuller's is their London Pride, which is a touch lighter yet.  It weighs in at 4.7% abv.  London Pride is very typical of the Special Bitter style.  I also love the other major brewery in London - Young's.  Their beers are getting more difficult to find in Colorado, but their Bitter and Special London Ale are classics.  Young's yeast happens to be one of my favorite - being very lively and fruity.

I hope you enjoyed the review.  And the next time you are at the liquor store, don't forget about those wonderful "session" beers out there.  Many of which, by the way, happen to be world class - just like Fuller's ESB!

Congratulations Warren Monteiro - 2013 Beerdrinker of the Year

Some of the greatest beer minds in the country gathered at the Wynkoop Mercantile Room on Saturday for the National Finals of the 2013 Beerdrinker of the Year competition.  I had the honor of being a judge (for the fourth straight year) along with outgoing champion J. Wilson, Wynkoop head brewer Andy Brown, Ginger Johnson – Women Enjoying Beer, and Kyle Clark - beer lover and anchor of Denver's 9-News.   After more than two hours of questioning, presentations, and being asked to identify three different blind beer samples (Hoegaarden Wit, Fuller's ESB, and Odell Woodcut #5), Warren Monteiro a New York freelance writer, beer traveler, homebrewer, and beer columnist took home the top honors.   Warren edged out Jen Schwertman, also from New York, and Kevin Cox of Muncie, Indiana to become the 17th Beerdrinker of the Year.  All three finalists proved that they were more than worthy to be on the national stage with their deep knowledge of all things related to beer.   

What it takes


Winning the Beerdrinker of the Year has nothing to do with quantity or speed - it has everything to do with passion, wit, and knowledge.  And Warren proved that he is the type of person that any beer-lover would enjoy sitting down with for a few pints.

Being a homebrewer helped Warren stay sharp on sensory perception and on top of the technical aspects of the brewing process.  He also has a great deal of practice traveling the world gaining new beer-related experiences.  He has sampled beers throughout the United States, Europe, Central America, India, Sri Lanka, and numerous other nations.  In 2012 he visited breweries and beer festivals in England, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the US.  As a matter of fact, Warren lives part of the year in London.  He samples an average of 350 beers each year.

It was a long trip, but Warren actually drove out to Denver from New York for the competition.  I suspect he did this so he could tap a homebrewed cask-conditioned Firkin version of Pliney The Elder (a Double/Imperial IPA) during the event.  (Warren drove, the Firkin rode shotgun...)  If you love hops and missed it, I feel sorry for you.  It was an excellent, well-balanced explosion of pine, citrus and malt.  I loved it.  The Mercantile Room crowd drained Warren's keg in less than one hour!

This year's judging was extremely difficult due to the quality of the finalists, but in the end Warren squeaked ahead of the competition.  All those at the event, judges and observers, hope to see Jen and Kevin back next year.

It is good to be the winner!

As the winner Warren will receive, among other things, $250 to spend at his home pub (Blind Tiger Ale House in New York), a beer brewed in his honor by the Wynkoop for next year’s competition, free beer for life at the Wynkoop Brewery, and worldwide recognition.

It is always tough to not win, but Jen and Kevin should be very proud of their performances. I am sure both will be back in the finals in the future.  Finally, I want to thank those of you that came downtown to take part in the event.  I know I had a great time, as always, and I hope you all did also!

Previous Winners:

1997: Jack McDougall of Cranford, New Jersey
1998: Bobby Bush Jr. of Hickory, North Carolina
1999: James Robertson of Pomona, California
2000: Steve Pawlowski of Roselle Park, New Jersey
2001: Cornelia Corey of Clemmons, North Carolina
2002: Gary Steinel of White Plains, New York
2003: Ray McCoy of Clemmons, North Carolina
2004: John Marioni of Bothell, Washington
2005: Tom Ciccateri of Alexandria, Virginia
2006: Tom Schmidlin of Seattle, Washington
2007: Daine Catanzaro of Norfolk, Virginia
2008: Matt Venzke of Hampton, Virginia
2009: Cody Christman of Golden, Colorado
2010: Bill Howell of Sterling, Alaska
2011: Phil Farrell of Cumming, Georgia
2012: J. Wilson of Prescott, Iowa
2013: Warren Monteiro of New York, New York
2014: Are you next?  Start working on your resume!

2013 Beerdrinker of the Year Finalists Announced

The three finalists for the 2013 Beerdrinker of the Year National Finals have just been announced.  This year’s lucky but deserving trio is Warren Monteiro from New York City (a return finalist from last year), Kevin Cox from Muncie, Indiana, and Jen Schwertman, also from New York City.  If you are in the Denver area, or have the means to travel, don’t miss this event – it is the most prestigious title in the country for beer aficionados.  Being involved in the selection process, and having reviewed numerous resumes, I can guarantee you that these three are on a different level when it comes to beer knowledge and appreciation. Warren, Kevin, and Jen will be flown in for the long weekend and pampered at the Brown Palace Hotel at the Wynkoop's expense.

The competition is open to the public and will be held in the Wynkoop Mercantile Room on Saturday, February 23th starting at 2 pm MT. Get there early to nab a seat and have time to enjoy happy-hour priced beers, including a barrel-aged Belgian specialty brewed to honor last year’s champion J. Wilson.

More information about the event can be found at:

http://www.wynkoop.com/beer-blog/item/175-wynkoop-brewing-announces-2013-beerdrinker-of-the-year-finalists


Here is a bit of background on the three finalists:

Kevin Cox, a Muncie, Indiana beer hunter, homebrewer and beer advocate. Cox has visited over 400 breweries, tasted over 6000 different beers and “stalked the perfect pint” on 4 continents and in 12 countries. In 2012 he drank beer at numerous beer festivals in the US, Belgium, England and Germany. He’s been a member of the American Homebrewers Association since 1983 and a member of Britain’s Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) since 1985.

His philosophy of beer drinking: “Beer is my passion, it’s a religion. I like to think of it as my beer ministry, teaching the virtues of good beer and safe drinking.”

Warren Monteiro, a New York City freelance writer, beer traveler, homebrewer and beer columnist. Monteiro has sampled beers throughout the United States, Europe, Central American, India, Sri Lanka and other nations. In 2012 he visited breweries and beer festivals in England, Belgium, the Netherlands and the US. He samples an average of 350 beers each year.

His philosophy of beer drinking: “It’s not a habit, it’s a lifestyle. This is why I constantly travel – to get a taste of a new brew or one I’ve been missing, and to find a way to share it whenever possible. I consider creative beer drinking to be an essential part of the tapestry of art and fellowship contributing to a full life.”

Jen Schwertman, a New York City bartender and beer evangelist who got her start in beer in 1992 at Wynkoop Brewing Company. An NYC resident since 1999, Schwertman has worked at the city’s famed Ginger Man and now works at the equally famed Blind Tiger Ale House. She has a consulting business for beer servers, co-hosts an Internet radio show about beer, and in 2012 drank and brewed beer at festivals and breweries across the US and Belgium.

Her philosophy of beer drinking: “The volume of incredible beer I’ve been lucky enough to consume is immeasurable. The number of people I’ve helped to educate is significant. But the greatest gift of my beer career has been the phenomenal people I’ve been able to meet, learn from and claim as friends. They hold an infinitely valuable place in my heart.”