Owen's Classic Beer Styles Posts During Quarantine 2020

By Owen Ogletree

For social distancing entertainment and beer education during the quarantine of 2020, I posted regular Facebook shout-outs to utterly amazing classic beer styles. Seek out these remarkable beers and thank me later...

New SE Craft Beer Reviews

Remember to grab some take-home beer from your local craft breweries. These businesses need your support right now! Look below for nine great regional beers that Owen has enjoyed in mid-May 2020...
 
 
Creature Comforts / Burial Beer 
Culture Keepers Maibock
A Creature Comforts / Burial Beer collaboration, Culture Keepers is a delicious, 7% ABV Maibock lager with classic German malt complexity, a honey-like note and floral noble hops. This amazing lager is not an easy style to make, but Creature and Burial nailed it. Four-packs are now available at Creature's contactless, drive-through area at the Athens brewery. 
 
 
 
Orpheus Brewing
The 12th Labor
Wow! This 13.9% Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels offers smooth, viscous flavors of chocolate, espresso, black malt, dark fruit and vanillin from barrel-aging. Use caution, as this delicious, potent brew that's made with Belgian abbey yeast and dark candy syrup goes down way too easy. Drink it with rich cherry cobbler or burnt ends of brisket. 
 
 
 
Orpheus Brewing
Transmigration of Souls
The original 10% ABV version of Orpheus' popular double IPA has returned! Pick some up now at the Atlanta brewery. The guys at Orpheus say, "Transmigration of Souls is an irresponsibly hopped Double IPA, bursting with life from an absurd amount of aromatic hops." I agree. This is a well-constructed, malty, boozy IPA with exceptional hop character. 
 
 
 
Wild Heaven Beer
Don't Stand So Close to Me
This German-style lager that's brewed with Saaz and Hallertau hops makes for a wonderful, sessionable tipple that's clean, refreshing and packed with classic German flavors. The deep golden beer offers a tasty noble hop character in the finish that pairs well with brats, seafood and white pizza. 
 
 
 
Wild Heaven Beer
Fauci Spring Acai Pale Ale
This new pale ale is brewed with acai berries and experimental hops so new that they don't even have a name yet. Named in honor of Dr. Anthony Fauci, this extremely pleasant pale ale showcases additions of acai berries that hold a high antioxidant quality and interesting flavor profile. 
 
 
 
Atlanta Brewing Company
Conjuring Cultures - Ode Brugge
The brewery only has a few remaining 500 ml bottles of this amazing mixed fermentation red ale made with tart cherries. This well-crafted tart ale took me back to Flanders, Belgium with its complex, fruity nuances backed by beautiful malt and a wild fermentation character that's smooth and complementary of the dark fruit notes. This is a must-try beer. 
 
 
 
Atlanta Brewing Company
Hartsfield IPA
Here's a 6.2% ABV India Pale Ale with an elegant hop profile featuring Citra, Mosaic and an additional rotating hop variety. I love a delicious, no-nonsense IPA with crisp hop flavor and appealing bitterness, and Hartsfield fits the bill. Enjoy it alongside grilled meats or a juicy cheeseburger and fries. 
 
 
 
New Realm Brewing
Jacked Squatch
Do your best to get your hands on this elusive canned release from New Realm. Jacked Squatch is a flavorful, West Coast Double IPA with 9.5% ABV, a gorgeous malt backbone, complex esters and a beautiful hop profile that provides deep hop aroma, flavor and pleasant bitterness. Being a West Coast-style IPA, this ale is only slightly hazy and contains no distracting lactose additions. It's definitely one of my new favorites. 
 
 
 
Highland Brewing
Rising Haze IPA
This unfiltered IPA from Asheville comes in at 7% ABV, packing gorgeous hop flavors from Mosaic, Ekuanot, Galaxy, Apollo, Citra and Centennial. Look for juicy notes of orange, grapefruit, tropical fruits and apricot. This is a wonderful beer to pair with spicy foods like Mexican, Cajun and Indian.
 

Owen Ogletree & The Beer Wench Pick Beers for Take-Home Dinners

CHOPS & HOPS in Watkinsville, Georgia

Takeout Beer Dinners

Stay safe and happy during the COVID-19 quarantine and support local businesses. 

Call Chops & Hops any day this week to reserve your take-home beer dinner that will be available after 5:00 pm each day (until they run out for the week)! Only 24 beer dinners will be available each week, so call soon to reserve: (706) 310-1101.

The chef at Chops prepares four delicious courses, and Owen Ogletree and The Beer Wench choose an amazing Georgia craft beer to go with each course. You order in advance, pull up to Chops & Hops at the appropriate time, and your four chilled beers and four courses are brought out to you. It's safe and easy. Only $40 per person or $70 per couple. 


Week 2: April 20-24, 2020

A short video preview of the dinner from Owen Ogletree and The Beer Wench...

Week 2: April 20-24, 2020...

Course 1: Apricots, shaved Brussels sprouts, walnut, blue cheese salad.

BEER: Dry County Lechuza is brewed right here in Georgia using traditional Mexican Lager ingredients. With light toast, honey-like malt nuances, and a slightly higher ABV than its south-of-the-border inspirations, Lechuza still maintains a classic Mexican lager drink-ability that will provide a crisp palate cleanser for the rich, flavorful salad.

Course 2: Sage turkey sausage stuffed mushrooms.

BEER: Reformation Cadence Belgian-Style Ale. This 6.9% ABV beer is inspired by Belgian abbey Dubbel ales. Cadence has a fruity aroma with hints of toffee, figs, clove, and Belgian candy sugar. The fruity, caramel-like notes should pair beautifully with the earthy, caramelized sausage.

Course 3: Cucumber, feta, fried watermelon bites with pickled shrimp.

BEER: Southern Brewing Company's Fog Machine New England IPA is a 6% ABV hazy ale that glows like "liquid sunshine." Light hops provide citrus, fruit juice and pineapple aroma and flavor character, without too much bitterness. This approachable IPA should make a great complement to the tart, complex shrimp.

Course 4: Strawberry cobbler topped with house-made whipped cream and a chocolate covered strawberry.

BEER: Jekyll Brewing Erin Go Braugh Irish Coffee Porter. With a hint of whiskey in the finish, this 5.7% ABV porter offers notes of coffee and cream, light chocolate, and a bit of toffee and brown sugar in the finish. The fruit and cream notes of the strawberry dessert should accentuate the dark malt character of this quaffable brew.

******************

Week 1: Starting April 13, 2020

A short video preview of the dinner from Owen Ogletree and The Beer Wench...

Week 1: Starting April 13...

Course 1: Arugula mango crab salad  
Beer: BREWING FULLER'S EARTH BRUT SAISON
An approachable saison, Fuller’s Earth is delicate across the board. From it’s golden straw color to the gentle ester aromas, the essence of orange peel, lemongrass, and ginger gently come through a finely carbonated, balanced bodied beer for a soft and dry mouthfeel.

Course 2: Harissa, goat cheese & herb tartlet 
Beer: CREATURE COMFORTS/ALLAGASH 2020 GET COMFORTABLE BELGIAN-STYLE IPA
Creature Comforts collaborated with Allagash Brewing to create an IPA that leans into Allagash’s expertise in brewing Belgian-style beers—as well as highlighting a shared love of hops. This juicy, fruity Belgian-style IPA (6.6%) features Topaz and Comet hops in addition to local wheat sourced from both breweries’ communities.

Course 3: Fried chicken with lavender blackberry coulis, roasted root vegetables 
Beer: ARCHES BREWING MYSTIK BOCK
The strong, sweet malt character is the hallmark of the style, complemented by a deep amber color. The malt character is balanced by a slight hop bitterness that allows the toasted grain and caramel flavors to shine through. ABV: 7.2%

Course 4: New York cheesecake with dark cherry compote
Beer: BURNT HICKORY BIG SHANTY IMPERIAL STOUT
This graham cracker stout is a Georgia original. Made with honey, cinnamon and real graham crackers, it’s a roasty, yet sweet and strong, milk stout. 9% ABV.

Photos from 1997 Midwest International Beer Exposition

Owen found some old photos of his trip to Chicago's 1997 Midwest International Beer Exposition to meet acclaimed beer writer Michael Jackson and Merchant du Vin founder Charles Finkel. The Beer Wench and Owen learned a great deal about craft beer at this event...

Chicago Craft Beer Conference 1997

Charles Finkel is the founder of Merchant du Vin beer importer and Pike Brewery in Seattle. 

The Beer Wench

Merchant du Vin tasting booth

Michael Jackson (right) introduced the world to craft beer back in the '80s and '90s.

Beer writer Randy Mosher (left) and Michael Jackson on the stage

Owen Ogletree

Owen Ogletree

The Beer Wench and Owen visited Chicago's brewpubs.

Michael "The Beer Hunter" Jackson with The Beer Wench

It was an honor to meet Michael Jackson.

Images from our Brewtopia France Group Trip 2020

In February of 2020, Owen Ogletree took 38 craft beer enthusiasts to Paris, Brittany and Normandy, France to experience amazing scenery, food, cheeses, cocktails, wine, craft beer, and excellent company.

Want to join a future Brewtopia trip with Owen?
Details: https://www.classiccitybrew.com/brewtopiatrips.html
Subscribe to Owen's monthly email Brewsletter to hear about future trips: 
https://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/subscription?username=brewtopia

Just a few photo highlights from our French journey...

Photos by Mike & Deanne Stock and Owen Ogletree

What an amazing group of travelers!

First stop: a tour of the gorgeous Palais Benedictine Distillery

Benedictine cellar

Lovely tour, tasting and meal at Dupont Cidery.
These ciders are among the world's best.

Brewery La Bambelle grows its own malt and hops.

Brasserie La Tête Dure's Yannick & Sébastien

Jeff and Don pull pints for the group at Le Fous brewpub in Brittany.

Solène Barreau & Raphael Landreau gave a marvelous tour and tasting session at L'Âne Brasseur farm brewery.

Dinner and beer at Frog Revolution brewpub in Paris

A stirring walk on Omaha Beach

Tasty ciders from Normandy and Brittany

We made our way to the summit of the Eiffel Tower.

The French cuisine was to die for.

Brittany has some remarkable breweries.
The whole range from Brasserie La Tête Dure was scrumptious.

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey

Fresh seafood in the small port town of Cancale

Valley of Saints showcases sculptures depicting Breton historic figures.