Beer... Pietra Amber & Saison Dupont

I love wine. There is just something about the inconsistencies from vintage to vintage that really intrigues me. The whole idea that sun exposure, weather patterns, soil contents and rain indexes can all make or break a specific vintage and leave alot to the anticipation of the first taste of the vintage.

While I have a great passion for wine (and if you are a regular reader of this blog so do you) it's become clear that its more basic cousin, Beer, is growing more popular with the wine community. Let's face it; beer is usually cheaper than wine, is as all natural and organic as wine and with the increasing popularity of craft and imported beer is has become as accessible to the consumer who just can't make up their mind on styles.

As craft beer lists and food and beer pairings have begun popping up in many fine dining establishments across the country I've decided to begin reviewing some craft beers that I haven't tried before.

The first beer that caught my eye while scanning the beer shelves at Wegmans was the Vielle Provision Saison Dupont by Brasserie Dupont. This light summer ale has been brewed in Tourpes Belgium uninterrupted since 1844 and within the last 20 years has begun making artisan cheeses and bread. Initially the beer brewed in this family owned farmhouse brewery was intended for consumption throughout the winter months by the field workers. Brasserie Dupont uniquely and subtly (on the cork) vintage dates their bottle conditioned ales. Saison Dupont retailing at around $12 for a 750mL bottle would cellar nicely for a moderate amount of time. Tons of yeasty sediment, or "mud" as I like to refer to it, is evident in the bottle so it's important to pour slowly as not to disturb the precious starter yeast on the bottom of the bottle. This beer had a great head especially when poured into an appropriate Belgian goblet. Saison Dupont was light amber in color and exhibited a floral nose reminiscent of a Belgian white ale with a light citrus and hoppy undertone. While light and semi-crisp in upfront it finishes nicely with a long creamy and lightly spiced chai essence. I would pair this great summery ale with a turkey and brei pannini and blue Idaho potato chips.

This next beer I tried is a bit of a gem. I picked this 750mL bottle up in a small store in Austintown, Ohio not too long ago for about $8. What caught my eye about it wasn't the label or the price. Simply put this is a Chestnut beer from Corsica, France. For those of you who are geographically challenged, Corsica is an island south of France and West of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is most famously known as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. More interestingly in 1584 one of the governors of the island ordered all farmers and landowners to plant four trees yearly of which included a Chestnut tree. These creative islanders use their surplus chestnuts to flavor their beer. While Corsica also has a relatively large wine production (for the size of the island) their beer is very interesting indeed. Pietra is not your everyday amber ale. This amber is unfiltered with tons of sediment and what I like to refer to as "floaters" throughout the body of the beer. Amber in color, the nose on this great beer offers mocha, chocolate and nutmeg. Pietra is light, smooth and refreshing with nutty tones (I'd imagine with the Chestnuts and all) but not as overwhelming as a nut brown. The finish offers a lightly hopped yet mellow veneer. Truly a unique beer. A slow pour is definitely recommended to keep the sediment to a minimum. Pair this beer with a grilled lamb kebob and long grain rice. While this is available in the U.S. I have yet to find a store that carries it in New York.

Thanks again for reading my ongoing online tasting notes. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to post them or if there is something you feel I should be reviewing I'd appreciate the direction. Until next time remember to keep an open mind and an open eye.