East Meets West

Happy 2006, I hope your holidays were safe and the new year finds you in good health. Whatever your New Years resolutions may be, please leave a little room to treat yourself to some quality beers during the coming year. Speaking of quality brews, as promised, I was able to find some unwitting volunteers to sample the Anheuser Busch Brewmaster's Private Reserve with me. Whew, what a delightful treat it was indeed. It is a smooth and well balanced, all malt brew, that is a crystal clear pale straw color with a tightly knit white head that lasts for a short time. There is a healthy bit of carbonation that ensures a persitent ring of head that accents the beers appearance and adds to the mouthfeel of this slightly sweet to balanced tasting brew. There is little noticeable alcohol taste or aroma despite this beers advertized 8% strength. If you can still find it, I urge you to grab a bottle to share with your friends. Let's hope this is among the first of many good things to come from A-B.

Last week we were invited to our friends home for a post New Year's cocktail. I was treated to some superb wines and the inspiration for this column, a can of Baltika No. 9. This beer is brewed by Pivazod Baltika, St. Petersburg, the Russian Federation. A Euro Strong Lager by nomenclature this 8% brew is a slightly sweet medium bodied brew that packs a punch and blows the doors of the Northa American "Malt Liquor" competition. While not a style I prefer it is part of a "numbered" product line that starts with #0, a Non-alcoholic brew and ends with #9, being the Aleksandyr Nevsky of the line if you will ... In between there are variuos light and dark euro lagers. #4 is a quite good dark lager, #6 is a Baltic Porter and #8 is a Hefe Weizen. At $1.79 a pint bottle these are some affordable indulgences and may pair well with Borscht, Sausage, Cabbage and Pierogi's.

Moving Westward to Poland there are also some fine brews available. Elbrewery in Elbag brews Hevelius Classic (6.8%) and Kaper(9.10%)both rews crisp and tasty, and would pair nicely with the afforementioned ethnic fair. Rycerskie from Browar Namyslow is another tasty and strong euro lager crafted to ward off the chill winds blowing out of the East (not to mention warmly satisfy some thirsty Westerners needing to spend some cash).

But no discussion of the East would be complete without at least a mention of some of the rich, malty, Baltic Porters. Sinebychoff from Finland and Okocim from Poland and Zywiec from Lithuania are three readily available, moderately priced, Eastern Baltic Porters. (Should I put a plug in here for Monmouth County's own Heavyweight Brewing's "Perkuno's Hammer?" as fine a Baltic Porter as any I have tasted).

At the turning of the year the East Meets West, here in Atlantic Highlands on the Raritan Bay.

Na Zdrowie! Za vashe zdorovye!