And hopefully we'll have decent weather just like in this picture.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Maibock
I'm really sick of Winter. Here in New England this year it has been particularly rough. But tommorrow comes the antidote. I'm going to brew my seasonal Maibock to be ready for the 1st week of May. A Maibock recipe can be fairly simple. Yet in the end, if done right, it is liquid gold. Basically I'll use lots of Pilsener Malt. For each 5 gallon batch I'll use about 12 pounds of Bohemian Pilsner Malt from Weyerman's in Bamberg. I'll add just a smattering of Hersbrucker hops and then finally Bavarian Lager Yeast and let nature and 2 months of cold lagering do the rest. Over the next 2-4 weeks I'll brew 10-15 gallons of this beer and have them kegged and ready to go by May 7th. Let's hope for good weather because on that day my beer garden will be opened, complete with Maypole, kegs of Maibock, beer soaked Brats, and picnic tables to sit at. Good times are coming!
And hopefully we'll have decent weather just like in this picture.
And hopefully we'll have decent weather just like in this picture.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Feakle
Today I was talking via email to a fellow Franconian beer lover who also happens to live in Ireland (County Clare), plays the the fiddle, and loves Traditional Irish Music like myself. We were talking about some of the great music pubs in County Clare and the conversation turned to the village of Feakle in East Clare. My mind wandered back to a few years ago when Dorothy and I visited this tiny village that also happens to be a mecca of Traditional Irish Music. It's one of the least likely places that any tourist of Ireland would think of visiting. East Clare is well off the beaten tourist tracks of Ireland and the trust me the tourist tracks of Ireland are well beaten. Feakle is in a world of its own though. It's not far from Shannon Airport, only a 1 hour drive, yet seems a world away by the time you arrive there. Forget about finding a hotel. There aren't any. There's only one B&B still in operation. There were two when Dorothy and I went several years ago. But there are pubs! Four pubs to be exact. That is if you count the one pub that is really a gas station. Anyway, pubs appeared to account for half of the buildings in the village. I will say that in my extensive pub crawls of Ireland (I've easily visited over 100 - trust me I've counted) two of the main pubs in Feakle rank in my top 5 easily and I'd rate Pepper's as #1.
What's so great about these pubs? Firstly, they are no bullshit Irish pubs through and through. Not one of these are in any way manufactured super Irish pubs that we have here in the US. These pubs are like drinking in someone's living room, with a turf fire as a backdrop, and they're that small too. Step outside of Pepper's and you're looking over unspoiled Irish, rural countryside. Step outside of Lena's (now called Shortt's) and your standing on main street of what seems like one of the smallest villages in the world. Then again at Shortt's you might find yourself in a "shut in", as we did, so you may not be stepping outside until 3am.
What you will find in these two pubs is a perfectly poured pint of Guinness and, on the right night, perhaps the best live Irish music session you've ever heard in your life. Luckily the nights to be there are predictable. Sessions happen on Wednesday night for Pepper's and Thursday for Shortt's and have been for many years.
Other than the music and the Guinness, the only thing similar to the inside of these two pubs is the size. Pepper's Bar is the absolute postcard for the quaint and cozy Irish pub with flagstone floor, warm turf fire, pictures of past musicians that have played there, delicous home cooked Irish food, and a view of the countryside out the window. Shortt's is no frills. I felt like I was drinking in a weird cross between Grandma's kitchen and a 1950's diner. Mind you I was pretty plastered at the time. Pepper's seemed like it had more outsiders/music lovers whom drove some distance to be there that night, whereas Shortt's seemed more like a locals hangout. In Shortt's, I vaguely remember a farmer lecturing me about his herd of cows in a mostly unintelligable East Clare accent. It was at Shortt's around 1pm that we realized we were in a "shut in". Pubs in Ireland legally close at 11am yet we were still there and the beer was still pouring. Let's face it there are no police in Feakle and there's no reason for them to go there.
Dorothy and I left the cameras at the B&B those nights so unfortunately I can't share a pictorial of these places but I can link you to the websites that will do them more justice anyhow:
http://www.peppersoffeakle.com/index.html
http://shorttsbar.com/
Also of potential interest is the Feakle Music Festival that happens here in August where many musicians and hardcore music lovers descend upon this small village every year. Lots of good photos at this website too.
http://www.feaklefestival.ie/
Good times!
What's so great about these pubs? Firstly, they are no bullshit Irish pubs through and through. Not one of these are in any way manufactured super Irish pubs that we have here in the US. These pubs are like drinking in someone's living room, with a turf fire as a backdrop, and they're that small too. Step outside of Pepper's and you're looking over unspoiled Irish, rural countryside. Step outside of Lena's (now called Shortt's) and your standing on main street of what seems like one of the smallest villages in the world. Then again at Shortt's you might find yourself in a "shut in", as we did, so you may not be stepping outside until 3am.
What you will find in these two pubs is a perfectly poured pint of Guinness and, on the right night, perhaps the best live Irish music session you've ever heard in your life. Luckily the nights to be there are predictable. Sessions happen on Wednesday night for Pepper's and Thursday for Shortt's and have been for many years.
Other than the music and the Guinness, the only thing similar to the inside of these two pubs is the size. Pepper's Bar is the absolute postcard for the quaint and cozy Irish pub with flagstone floor, warm turf fire, pictures of past musicians that have played there, delicous home cooked Irish food, and a view of the countryside out the window. Shortt's is no frills. I felt like I was drinking in a weird cross between Grandma's kitchen and a 1950's diner. Mind you I was pretty plastered at the time. Pepper's seemed like it had more outsiders/music lovers whom drove some distance to be there that night, whereas Shortt's seemed more like a locals hangout. In Shortt's, I vaguely remember a farmer lecturing me about his herd of cows in a mostly unintelligable East Clare accent. It was at Shortt's around 1pm that we realized we were in a "shut in". Pubs in Ireland legally close at 11am yet we were still there and the beer was still pouring. Let's face it there are no police in Feakle and there's no reason for them to go there.
Dorothy and I left the cameras at the B&B those nights so unfortunately I can't share a pictorial of these places but I can link you to the websites that will do them more justice anyhow:
http://www.peppersoffeakle.com/index.html
http://shorttsbar.com/
Also of potential interest is the Feakle Music Festival that happens here in August where many musicians and hardcore music lovers descend upon this small village every year. Lots of good photos at this website too.
http://www.feaklefestival.ie/
Good times!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Happy Thoughts - Spezial Keller
Okay the weather just keeps getting worse here in Massachusetts. It's been a real winter and not one of the pussy ass Cape Cod winters I've gotten used to in the past 15 years or so.
Okay so let's think happy thoughts. Rauchbier in a stone krug, nice view overlooking a medeival city, tasty bratwurst, and happy people enjoying a lazy summer afternoon.
Spezial Keller in Bamberg: http://www.spezial-keller.de/
Arguably the nicest bier keller in Bamberg and anywhere for that matter. Beer from the Spezial brewery on tap (my favorite brauerei of Bamberg). A mild Rauchbier or Ungespundet Lager. Both incredibly smooth the way only a Franconian lager can be. It has a great view from just above the city. A canopy of nicely kept trees lays over the shady beer garden. As close to heaven as one can get on any given Summer afternoon.
Just a few pictures from the last couple of years:
Looking towards the main building and Ausschank. You can either self serve by going up to the windows or take a table with waiter service. I recommend the self serve option.
Although it was a nice, warm day there was a bit of of thunderstorm rolling in from the west as you can see in this picture overlooking the city.
Just a couple of pictures of the beer garden.
Lastly my 18 year old daughter and her friend Kirsten enjoying their freedom to drink beer legally in Germany. I am officially the best dad ever for taking my daughter to places like Spezial Keller and Annafest.
Okay so let's think happy thoughts. Rauchbier in a stone krug, nice view overlooking a medeival city, tasty bratwurst, and happy people enjoying a lazy summer afternoon.
Spezial Keller in Bamberg: http://www.spezial-keller.de/
Arguably the nicest bier keller in Bamberg and anywhere for that matter. Beer from the Spezial brewery on tap (my favorite brauerei of Bamberg). A mild Rauchbier or Ungespundet Lager. Both incredibly smooth the way only a Franconian lager can be. It has a great view from just above the city. A canopy of nicely kept trees lays over the shady beer garden. As close to heaven as one can get on any given Summer afternoon.
Just a few pictures from the last couple of years:
Looking towards the main building and Ausschank. You can either self serve by going up to the windows or take a table with waiter service. I recommend the self serve option.
Just a couple of pictures of the beer garden.
Lastly my 18 year old daughter and her friend Kirsten enjoying their freedom to drink beer legally in Germany. I am officially the best dad ever for taking my daughter to places like Spezial Keller and Annafest.
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