Sweet Sassy Mo-lassy

Hey chilluns. Time again to feed from the high trough of beery knowledge.

So its been months since I've posted. what of it. gonna get on recipes soon too.

but for now, a couple of recaps.

Cisco Brewers of Nantucket. A local brewery that often gets overlooked in the shadows of Boston Beer Company and the other big boys out West. BBCBC was lucky enough to get a good taste of their linup some time back to see what they have to offer. Now, at first glance, their roster looks pretty stock for a small American brewery: Pale Ale, IPA, Porter, Summer Weizen-type, stout. very stock indeed. but as they say, its all in how you make them.

First off, they go English style. As in, "ENGLISH MOTHERFUCKER, DO YOU SPEAK IT!?"
As in a subtle hand in hop use. As in balance in their beers. As in Marris Otter pale and English Fuggles, Northdown, Target hops imported from England exclusively for their stuff. This is very interesting.

First off, flagship. Whale's Tail Pale Ale - Seen all over, but here's the kick, English Pale. Instead of american hops pissing all over your tongue, you're greeted by the kiss of biscuity malt as if to say, "O, 'ello there! C'mon in, freshen yer drink gov'nor?" Instead of a thin lacking body, its full and rich without being sweet. the hops come in to compliment the malts ("good show, Winston my dear chap...good show"). earthy and lightly floral. I really felt ashamed that I've passed this rather unassumingly labeled bottle of beer over so many times while reaching for something more"extreme."

Next up - Indy Pale Ale - English IPA. See above for malt description. Gorgeous earthy deep hopping on a delicate but substancial malt base. Seriously one fo the best IPA's I've had in a very long time. its so uiquitous now in the US to go hop bombing that so many fall into mediocrity by mixing pale malt + metric assload of cascade/ centennial and assuming its gonna be great. I need more of this beer. it conjures images of a small pub on a rainy day, talking wistfully about the decline of The 'ol Empire.

Skankaty Light - They brought a light lager to the tasting. the audacity! the ignominy! the word "skank" in the very name of it! Excellent beer. A "light" lager with a strong body, very even flavor that wraps up clean as ever. no adjunct bite, no skunky tinge, very low sulfur. I was immensely pleased with this and could drink it for days. Again, subtlety in all things with this leads to a great beer.

Moor Porter - ok, time to get robusto up in this piece. thick and dark (not black, hear that amateurs, NOT BLACK) reeking of the rare deals like dark brown malt, chocolate malt, biscuit malt, dark crystal malt. full and rich, roastiness is in there, definitely not astringent or cutting. rather pleasing, getting more rewarding as it warms. no hop cut thankfully. another big full of win beer

Grey Lady - Belgian Blonde type - this is the only one where they missed the mark. overly fruity/ apricot, without enough belgian yeast profile. thinninsh body, just wasnt feeling it. Which again proves the point, so very very few do the belgians justice in America. #Ommegang and friends.

Now, with a lineup like that you might think they'd be content to rest on their laurels and now rising reputation. NAY CITIZEN. there's more. something frightfully more lurking about. that place where homebrewers fear and all bust the boldest turn aside.

Wood-aged, lactobacillus, wild yeast, brett, french oak and fruit reeking experimental beers - Behold, the Woods Series:

http://sites.google.com/site/ciscobeers/beer/the-woods

read this. one description, example - Flemish Braggot Smoke Spice Oak: Lambic critters, French oak barrels. Pinot Noir grapes. Mulling spices. 1000 lbs raw local honey. Cherrywood smoked malt.Unreal.

and thats just one of em. they had a single bottle of the Cherry Woods on. brutally sour, bright sour cherry, pleasant oaking, gushing and refreshing as all hell. so nice to see the flemmish sours making a dent in the world. So much more to come from these guys.

So all in all, big things from a small local brewery. Support a mofo and nab some next time you're oot and aboot.

C