A beer for a men's magazine
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Alexander Blazer |
They defined this as including articles which can be critical or inspiring ("bitter-sweet" if you will), not overly weighty, approachable and social, but which leave you with a strong taste long after you finish.
Sounds like a beer.
Ori Sagy and his brewing team at Alexander put their heads together and came up with Alexander Blazer, a beer which they call a golden strong ale. I found it thoroughly enjoyable (with a nice hot lunch). It's a cloudy beer with a thin head, but the sweetness of the malt and the bitterness of the hops are in perfect balance, so that neither really dominates. I guess you can call this "bitter-sweet," though I've never heard this term used for a beer before. The 8% alcohol by volume makes itself felt after the second swallow or so, as you enjoy the long, dry finish. Another flavor I detected in there was, surprisingly, sour. Now, this is definitely not a "sour beer" -- if there are any available in Israel, they're probably lambics from Belgium. But I know what I tasted, and I liked it.
Alexander Blazer is sold in stores that carry other Alexander beers, so I recommend you try a bottle the next time you're looking for something new and different.
Think what could happen if this trend continues and other periodicals decide to sponsor new brews. Maybe Ha'aretz will partner for a new IPA -- an Israel-Palestine Amalgamation. Or Yediot Achronot will sponsor Bibi's Wicked Ale, a dark doppelbock dumkopf with no redeeming qualities.
A desert hotel brews a beer
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Negev Beresheet |
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Beresheet Hotel Mitzpe Ramon |
The result was Negev Beresheet, with 4.7% alcohol. Since I haven't been to the hotel, I haven't tasted the beer, but it sounds like a good summertime drink. Even if Negev Brewery cannot sell it in regular stores, maybe they'll be able to serve it at beer festivals where they participate. The hotel will benefit from the publicity and the name recognition that's generated.
Hey Juniper Boy
While we're on the subject of new beers, I should mention, well, a semi-new beer from Dancing Camel in Tel Aviv -- Hey Ju-Boy.
Yeah, you heard that right. If this was a beer from a non-Jewish brewer, it certainly wouldn't pass quietly. But brewmaster David Cohen has no problem with this provocative name. The "Ju" refers to juniper berries, he told me, which are used in brewing this beer. Juniper berries are best known for making gin, which they give its unique taste. In Finland, they make a beer called sahti which is flavored with rye and juniper.
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Fresh juniper berries |
By the end of February, they were sold out. Alas, I had this horrible cold and cough just then, so I missed tasting the Ju-Boy. I'm going to have to wait until the next batch, whenever. But by then, I hope we'll have other new Israeli beers to add to our national repertoire -- and I don't care if it takes some strange partners to make them.
Doug, you're making me thirsty, thirsty for beer.
ReplyDeleteSounds like interesting stuff. Negev Brewery's impressed me in the past, particularly their Chariton Abbey Ale. Alexander Black's up there in my top 10 Israeli beers list, too. It's hard to get excited over yet another Golden Ale, what with all the other more crafty styles out there and the fact that practically every brewery has its own Golden Ale. But these I'd have to give the benefit of the doubt, given where they're coming from. Thanks for the heads-up.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they will give you a weekend at the Mitzpe Ramon hotel.
ReplyDeleteOne more comment...
ReplyDeleteDoug, I absolutely, positively, love this blog!