The Brü Revü – Thirsty Planet Jittery Monk

Thirsty Planet has been in Austin for a few years and while it’s not brand spankin new it is still a new brewery in town.  Their Bucket Head IPA is available in most decent bars around town (and is a damn good beer in its own right), but I want to review the Jittery Monk.  It’s a Belgian Coffee Abbey Dubbel which is a unique combination that just seems right.  Coffee brews are generally saved for the stouts and porters as their natural flavor profiles blend well with the richness of a coffee flavor.  Why no one has thought of trying this with a Belgian Abbey is beyond me because this was an outstanding beer.   This beer looked like coffee, smelled like coffee, and even tasted like coffee.  I have read elsewhere that the Jittery Monk is made with cold pressed coffee by Kahona Coffee which is a local roaster.  The coffee excellently balanced and accentuated the Belgian Abbey flavors that blended together to create a smooth creamy brew with no burnt bitterness and no fuss. This is an extremely complex and understated beer sent directly from the Belgian Beer Gods to us. This may be one of the best beers in Austin, and it is definitely one of the best new beers on the scene.  I only hope Thirsty Planet continues to brew it as this could put them on the national brewing map, and I would love to be able to keep drinking it around town!

Thirsty Planet Jittery Monk

The Brü Revü – HeBrew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A

The Bittersweet Lenny’s RIPA was my second HeBrew brew and it packed a wallop! The Bittersweet Lenny’s RIPA is a rye based Double IPA commemorating the 40th anniversary of the death of Lenny Bruce and is brewed with “an obscene amount of malt and hops.  The brew poured a deep copper color with the faint hint of hops and sweet malt.  The taste was more along the lines of a Barleywine than a true IIPA with loads of the sweet malts on the front end that gave way to the bitter hops on the finish.  It had a very clean and balanced profile with a heavy, sticky body that stayed true to the bittersweet moniker.  For the high ABV this beer was surprisingly smooth and dry.  Another great beer from He’Brew.

HeBrew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A

The Brü Revü – Pilsner Urquell

Pilsner Urquell is THE Pilsner. The original and the meter for which every pilsner is to be measured. That says a bit much in my opinion, but it is the original Pilsner that began in the Czech Republic and a very good beer. I remember having this beer years ago and thinking it was a terrible skunky brew that did not justify all the accolades. Now after the years and a more refined palate I can appreciate this 'original' Pilsner. It poured a bright gold with a substantial white head. While the skunky aroma and taste still remain I can now recognize the hoppy tones and sweet malty backbone that make this beer so revered.  I can easily see why this beer became the definition of a style although I personally prefer the Victory Prima Pils. If you are looking for something light to beat the Texas heat, but with enough bite to keep your attention, you can't go wrong with a Pilsner Urquell.

Pilsner Urquell

The Brü Revü – Victory Prima Pils

The Victory Prima Pils is the perfect pilsner. It has a great full bodied pilsner taste with a load of hops to make this a dynamic taste experience.  It poured a light golden color with a full creamy head. The first taste was reminiscent of many of the hoppy IPAs I have been having lately but there is enough of the signature German pilsner flavor to keep it well within the style. I had this on a hot Texas afternoon and it was light enough to tame the Texas heat and the dynamic hoppy bitterness kept me coming back for more. The Prima Pils is a perfect pint of Pilsner perfection.

Victory Prima Pils

The Brü Revü – Jester King Brewery

On a recent Saturday, I took a trip out to the Jester King Brewery for one of their regular tours and tastings.  It is outside of Austin off of 290 towards Dripping Springs, which is not far from where I live in Southwest Austin.  For $10 you get parking, a Jester King glass, and 6 half pour tastings.  I was at the fiasco that was their original Grand Opening, and they have definitely improved since then and the crowd was a good sign they are building a reputation.  The tour itself was very informative and efficient.  Jester King brews in a local farmhouse style that tries to evoke the flavors of their immediate surroundings including harvesting the natural yeasts in the area to use in their beers.  This process took them time to perfect and their high quality and careful patience is proven in their beers which all have a very herbal and earthy edge.  Each batch of beer is slowly fermented and bottle/keg conditioned which creates a good 2 month process and add another month if they barrel age.  I have been on many brewery tours and Jester King has come close to perfecting the experience.  They have a beautiful hill country location as well as very friendly and informative staff.  This is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and family friendly too!

On to the beers:  I decided to go down the menu which went from lightest to heaviest in terms of both alcohol and flavor presence.  I believe this was done for a reason, although they will let you go in any order you wish.
Jester King Le Petit Prince Farmhouse Table Beer This beer is their farmhouse table beer and although it has a very low abv, 2.9%, it was very flavorful.  A very pleasant surprise.  I had their original Commercial Suicide that was their previous low alcohol brew and I didn’t care much for it.  This was a huge improvement with loads of hops and a nice light body.
Jester King Noble King Hoppy Farmhouse Ale The Noble King had a very nice hop profile that was well balanced by their farmhouse yeast.  It was a very tasty hoppy beer that was highly drinkable.
Jester King/Mikkeller Drink’in the Sunbelt Next up was their collaboration with the Gypsy brewer Mikkeller and it was a Hoppy Wheat beer.  Again another hoppy beer which surprised me a bit considering my experience with them in the past and not what I expected out of a farmhouse brewery.  Another excellent beer where the wheat added a carefully balanced and bready compliment to the citrusy hops.

Jester King Farmhouse Wytchmaker On to the Wytchmaker.  I have had this one several time previously, but not the farmhouse version.  The Wytchmaker was originally made with an English ale yeast I believe so I was interested in the difference the farmhouse yeast would make.  This was still an outstanding beer with the farmhouse yeast mellowing the hops a bit although you are still left with a nice hoppy coating on your palate.  
Jester King Boxer’s Revenge Barrel-Aged Wild Ale The Boxer’s Revenge was another one I had at their Open house which I remember being more of a Saison in flavor profile, and boy is it different now!  This beer is matured in Oak whiskey and wine barrels and it has a very tart and funky taste.  It was very shocking at first, but by the end I was in love.  Definitely a different brew and different beer taste experience.
Amager Rugporter (Rye Porter) And lastly was their guest tap which was a Rye Porter from Denmark.  This was like dessert.  Very big and tasty with the sweetness of the rye balanced by a bitter chocolate flavor.  Yum!

All in all the Jester King beers show a depth and complexity of a mature brewer although they have only been in business for about a year and half.  All the beers I tasted were outstanding and I can’t wait to spend another Saturday afternoon at this beautiful brewery.

Beer Bums Meeting – June 2012 – Texas beers

I saw on some other blogs that they were taking a challenge for June to drink nothing but beers from their state.  I thought that was a good idea so our meeting was all Texas beers with bonus points for bringing and Austin beer.  The Texas craft beer scene just keeps getting better and this is a theme we will need to revisit. All good beers in this line-up with the Real Ale Devil’s Backbone always a favorite of mine.  Speaking of, looks like someone got a new label?  I brought the Hops and Grain Alt for the lone Austin representative.  Bonus points for me I suppose.

Real Ale Devil's Backbone
Rahr & Sons Bucking Bock
Hops & Grain Alt-eration Ale
Saint Arnold Elissa IPA
Saint Arnold Summer Pils

 










Next Month, July– 49 & 50 Beers  (Beers from Hawaii and Alaska)

The Brü Revü – Saint Arnold Weedwacker

The Weedwacker is part of Saint Arnold’s moveable yeast series where they take their usual Lawnmower brew and use a Hefeweizen yeast.  Their Lawnmower is a Kolsch style beer and the Hefeweizen yeast gives it a very different and dynamic flavor. It had the bright and clean tastes of the Lawnmower with the distinct bubblegum Hefeweizen flavor to round it out.  The Weedwacker was kind of a light hefe and I prefer it over the traditional Lawnmower.  Is was a great summer brew where the hefe yeast gave the beer a deeper more flavorful profile than the usual warm weather beers. This is a Texas beer not to be missed especially during our hot Summer.

Saint Arnold Weedwacker

Pint Glass Nights - June 2012

Misc. pint glass nights around Austin for June. Buy the beer, keep the glass.

Gingerman – Mondays, at 6 PM
June 04 Negra Modelo
June 11 Franziskaner
June 18 Boulevard
June 25 Victoria

The Tavern – Tuesdays
Check their facebook page for glass updates

Zax Pints and Plates – Wednesdays, at 6 PM
June 06 Victory Summer Love
June 13 St. Arnold Summer Pils
June 20 Green Flash West Coast IPA
June 27 TBD

Flying Saucer - Wednesdays, at 7 PM
June 06 Spaten/Franziskaner
June 13 TBD
June 20 TBD
June 27 Chimay

Draught House – Wednesdays
Check their twitter page for glass updates