Peaking Our Interest in Organic Beers
Mmmm, beer!! . . . A familiar refrain from one of Izzit’s favorite cartoon characters, Homer Simpson. But we all know that if Homer listened to his daughter Lisa and to our own Izzit, he would drop the Duff’s brand and responsibly drink beer the way it was originally intended. That way, of course, would be organic.
With Izzit and the team scheduled to hit the slopes in celebration of President’s Day vacation week — otherwise known here as Febtoberfest! — we thought it would be a good time to review some of Izzit’s favorite organic brews.
Peak Organic Brewing
Hey, as we are heading to the mountains why not start with Peak Organic Brewery? Based in Portland, Maine – not far from one of Izzit’s favorite East Coast ski slopes at Sunday River – Peak Organic was started in the 1990s as a home brewery. The founders were continually tinkering with their base recipes and the response to the brews they produced led them to bigger things. They chose the name Peak because they usually enjoyed a new brew after the Peak experience of something as natural as a spectacular day. They are committed to sourcing from local organic farmers whenever possible because they know that using ingredients from artisanal growers insures a tastier beer.
Izzit’s favorites are the Espresso Stout, which is extremely full-bodied and has a bit of a bite from coffee, and the Maple Oat Ale, which is a robust, balanced ale with a touch of sweetness supplied by the maple. Other selections include: Pale Ale, Nut Brown Ale, Amber Ale, Espresso Amber Ale, India Pale Ale, Pomegranate Wheat Ale with Acai (will that make me smarter?) and King Crimson Imperial Red.
Wolaver’s Organic Ales
Wolaver’s Organic Ales achieved the distinction of having their beers be the first ones in the United States to be certified organic. Based in Middlebury, Vermont near a bunch of great ski summits like Sugarbush and Killington, their mission is to produce great tasting beers that support local, sustainable agriculture. They firmly believe that the beers and ales they produce should be natural and have minimal impact on the world we live in.
The Izzit gang’s favorites include a great and hoppy India Pale Ale and a delicious, creamy Oatmeal Stout (although we need to tell Izzit that the oatmeal in the beer may not reduce his cholesterol!). They also do some cool, hand-crafted seasonal brews such as a Wildflower Wheat, a Pumpkin Ale and the Alta Gracia Coffee Porter.
Bison Brewing
Though they say they’re asked, “Hey, Bison guy, wait . . . I just want a good beer, not save the earth,” the Bison folks prove you can do both. It’s no bull. Bison brews a large variety of fantastic organic beers. The only bad news is that they’re not available everywhere yet — 15 states and growing.
Bison Organic Beer was recently highlighted as one of the top sustainable U.S. breweries in USA Today. Based on the four-leaf system established by Greenopia, an online guide to green products, Bison was awarded three leaves, topped only by the larger New Belgium Brewery, which scored four leaves.
Owners Daniel Del Grande and George Allen brew beers we look for and like – balanced, drinkable beers with an interesting twist. According to Bison, “Our mission is to make the beer so good, you will tell a friend and buy another six-pack.” Consider the cooler packed!
Great products from Bison include Chocolate Stout (which, according to the San Francisco Bay Guardian, is “like Barry White’s voice in a bottle”), India Pale Ale, Honey Basil Ale, Gingerbread Ale, Imperial Brown Ale and Barleywine Ale.
Philadelphia Brewing Co.
If you’re into munching while you enjoy your premium hand-crafted beer, chances are you’ve seen the Philadelphia Brewing commercials on the Cooking Channel lately. Built in 1885 by the Weisbrod & Hess Oriental Brewing Company in Philadelphia, the site was purchased by Philadelphia Brewing Company in 2001, and completely refurbished to once again brew premium, local beer.
What Izzit loves about the PBC is their dedication to “local, community and sustainability.” And they back that up by growing their own hops at the brewery and by generously supporting and partnering with Greensgrow Farms, a local experimental farm program designed to put “fresh food in hands and mouths.” The result of that partnership is a special brew called “Harvest from the Hood,” a wet, hopped ale. According to the press release, “Both companies are dedicated to local sustainability so collaborating on this project made sense. Not only is Philadelphia Brewing Co. using the freshest ingredients possible, they are also only traveling five blocks to get them!”
PBC crafts five beers year-round, along with a number of seasonal and specialty beers. The standards include a German-style Pilsner, a Philadelphia Ale, an IPA, a Belgian-style Wheat and a Red. Specialty beers include a Scottish Ale (Izzit can only sip this one given the 8 percent alcohol content!), the Shackamaximum, the spicy warm Winter Wunder, Harvest from the Hood, Joe Coffee Porter and the Fleur de LeHigh, brewed with ginger root, lemon grass, rose hips, rhubarb and cardamom.
Besides local ingredients, PBC also focuses on local distribution, so if you’re located near Philly, Pittsburgh or New Jersey, you’re in luck. The rest of us . . . well, somehow we’ll get our hands on something from Philadelphia Brewing Company, ASAP! Their mantra is, “From Our Hood to Your Face!” We’re certain your face will be smiling.
Full Sail Brewery
When Izzit thinks about great beer, he never forgets his friends near the Columbia River (Mmmm, salmon!) and majestic Mount Hood. Full Sail Brewery IS Oregon! With almost too many awards to mention, along with a laundry list of community involvement, organic and best practices in sustainability, it’s no wonder the folks over at GOOD rated Full Sail as the best beer in Oregon.
Core brews include an Amber Ale, a Pale Ale and an IPA, while seasonals include a Wassail Winter Ale and their LTD series. And just when you think that should suffice, they take things up a notch and let their brewmasters go crazy with nine Brewmaster Reserve concoctions. One of Izzit’s favorites for 2011 is the Black Gold Bourbon Imperial Stout — aged for a full year in Bourbon casks from Kentucky. Beer AND Bourbon?! Forget the hat and gloves . . . we’ll stay warm with this gem!
Home Brews
If, like my fellow Bostonian Sam Adams, you are both a brewer and an eco-patriot, you know that making your own beers can be fulfilling for your palate and your creative streak. You also know that finding organic materials to craft your ales can be difficult.
The web site HomeBrewing.com is a great place to find everything you need to become a brewmeister on your own.
There’s also the Seven Bridges Brewing Cooperative which contends that organic grains have a faster fermenting process and a greater mashing efficiency. They also claim that organic grains and malts will make for a clearer finished product.
So there you have Izzit’s first crack at bringing you some insight into his favorite organic brews. Enjoy the slopes and some well earned natural refreshment!
Kent Shanklin and Brian Devine contributed to this post.
Image credits: Peak Organic, Atlanta Beermaster, Wolavers, Bison Brewing, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Full Sail, Seven Bridges Brewing Cooperative.
