Complex quaffs

Cheers, April, 2009

The complexity and depth of flavor possible in beet often is overshadowed by the well-established nuances of wine and spirits. Proving that beet can be complex and take on a range of flavors, our beer expert recommends brews that exhibit everything from a distant but pleasurable barnyard mustiness to a finish that resembles Cava.

Palo Santo is an ultra-hard South American wood, and Palo Santo Marron is a new, 12 percent alcohol ale from Delaware's Dogfish Head Craft Brewery that is aged in vast, 10,000-gallon tanks manufactured from the wood. The beer that emerges from the tanks has the kind of aroma you could spend hours smelling, full of aromatic vanilla, spice and chocolaty fruit, and a rich, malty body with flavors of chocolate, stewed fruit, nougat and vanilla spice. It is enjoyable both as a dessert beer and as a nightcap. (Dogfish Head Craft Brewery)

The good news out of Boulevard Brewing is that plans are in place to expand distribution of its limited-edition Smokestack Series, which features beers such as its appetizingly dry, modestly funky Saison-Brett, which has a distant barnyard mustiness but in a good way. For the time being, however, Smokestack beers such as the sweetish Long Strange Tripel and imposing Bourbon Barrel Quad are available primarily in the South and Midwest. (Boulevard Brewing Company)

It's been quite some time since we last saw a new, nationally available beer from Sierra Nevada, so Torpedo comes as a most pleasant surprise. Described as an "extra IPA"--bigger than a standard IPA, but not quite in the league of the so-called "double IPAs"--it has a citrusy, orangey aroma and a faintly sweet but seriously hoppy flavor with spicy pine and citrus zest notes that end in a lengthy, dry, bitter finish. (Sierra Nevada Brewing Company)

With the East Coast arrival of Duvel Green, a lower-alcohol draft version of the famous Belgian golden ale, it's worth taking a second look at the classic. Poured with a thick, white collar of foam, the original Duvel is a strong but dry and remarkably appetizing beer with light, peppery spice, a quenching, pearish character and an almost Cava-like finish. For a beer of its strength, this is one remarkably refreshing ale. (Duvel USA)

"Hoppiness," which is to say bitterness, is a very personal decision when it comes to choosing an ale. Some relish the aggressive, citrus peel attack of copious amounts of American hops while others revel more in the balance of sweet malt and bitter, sometimes spicy hops. Stone IPA can bring joy to both camps, sporting a honey-tinged fruitiness that serves as an able backdrop to a big, mildly alcoholic and unabashedly hoppy body. (Stone Brewing Company)

Stout as practiced by the Irish is a bit of an austere beer, with a dry character and ample roasti ness. But add a portion of oats to the mix, as they do when crafting Quebec's St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, and instead of austerity you get seduction in the form of a soft, almost silken malt character that has a light sweetness to temper the roast. You also get a brew that's completely at home beside everything from stews to the Sunday roast. (Eurobrew Specialty Beer Importers)

While big and brawny brews like Trappist ales and ultra-small-batch specialties tend to garner all the attention when Belgian beer is discussed, it's wise to remember that it also produces several highly enjoyable session beers, lower-alcohol brews suitable for drinking during a "session" at the bar. Such is the pride of Antwerp, De Koninck. Softly malty and beautifully rounded, this brown ale has a light fruitiness up front and gentle bitterness on the finish. It also cuts quite the picture when served in its own distinctive, branded glass, a shallow chalice known as a bolleke. (Belukus Marketing)

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A veteran beer writer and brewing industry observer, Stephen Beaumont is the author of five books on beer and a leader in beer education for service industry professionals. He travels extensively hosting beer tastings and beer dinners, and serves as beer consultant to a diverse range of hospitality companies.