Nøgne Ø at Spuyten Duyvil

When:  Saturday, 5 April, 12pm onwards
Where:  Spuyten Duyvil, 359 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn

Also making their way to the Craft Brewers Conference next week are Tore and Tom from Norway's Nøgne Ø brewery. Let's hope for a sunny spring day when they drop by Spuyten Duyvil on Saturday afternoon so we can do some outdoor drinking. The taps start flowing at noon and Tore and Tom will get there around 2pm. Just to play it safe we've got some big beers in case it ends up cold and snowy and some lighter ones to hopefully usher in the warmer weather.

The list:

• Citrus Hystrix - IPA with kaffir lime and tangerine
• Premiant - imperial pils brewed with the new Premiant hop
• Porter - with flavors of coffee and dried fruit
• Imperial Stout - just the way the Tsar would have liked it - a dark, rich ale with generous sweetness and roasted malt bitterness
• Two Captains - double IPA with fruity and resiny hops
• India Saison - brewed with Australian hops, giving the beer tropical fruit notes.

and in bottles:

• Horizon Tokyo Black - 16% imperial stout
• Tindved - sour ale with sea buckthorn

Scandinavian Beers at Breukelen Bier Merchants

Some people might be tired of the snow but we're not because it gives us the perfect excuse to drink hearty beers from Scandinavia, a place that knows a bit about cold and dark and snow.

Join us on Saturday, 8 February, at Breukelen Bier Merchants from 1pm-midnight for the following beers:

Denmark

• Mikkeller Beer Hop Breakfast - black IPA brewed with coffee 
• To Øl Sleep Over - imperial IPA brewed with espresso and fermented with wild yeast
• To Øl Mine is Bigger than Yours - barleywine

Norway

• Lervig Konrad's Stout - Russian imperial oatmeal stout
• Nøgne Ø Winter Ale - 8.5% dark winter warmer

Breuekelen Bier Merchants is located at 182 Grand Street, Williamsburg.

Tonight, Wednesday, at Double Windsor, it's another installment of the Soirée Francophone with DJ Jim "Bocque Monsieur" Barnes.

Enjoy French and Quebecois tunes while sipping on the following:

Santé! Mathieu from Pays Flamand & Jim

• Pays Flamand/Nøgne Ø Protøtype - a Franco-Nordic collaborative porter brewed with juniper berries that Nøgne Ø brewer Kjetil brought with him from Norway
• Castelain Ch'ti Blonde - classic malty bière de garde
• Page 24 Réserve Hildegarde Blonde - modern, hoppier interpretation of a bière de garde
• Le Trou du Diable La Buteuse - Belgian-style triple from Canada, perfect for these Canadian-like temperature

Double Windsor is located at 210 Prospect Park West in Brooklyn.

Brewery Launch & Meet the Brewer - Pays Flamand

Please join us in welcoming French brewery Brasserie du Pays Flamand to New York this Thursday at Brouwerij Lane. We'll have 2 of their beers on tap plus brewer Mathieu Lesenne will be there to talk about the brewery, the beers, and the seemingly oxymoronic name of the brewery which means "Flemish Land" in French. In addition, DJ Jim "Bocky" Barnes will be spinning the tunes for this Soirée Francophone.

When:  Thursday, 24 October, 5pm onwards

Where:  Brouwerij Lane, 78 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn

What:  pay-as-you-go

Les bières:

• Pays Flamand Anosteké - a hoppy blonde bière de garde brewed with local hops. The name is a phonetic spelling of a phrase in the local dialect meaning "see you next time".
• Pays Flamand/Nøgne Ø Protøtype - Norwegian brewer Kjetil Jukiun of Nøgne Ø swung through the north of France recently and brewed a few collaboration beers. This one is a porter brewed with juniper berries that Kjetil brought with him from Norway.
• Page 24/Nøgne Ø Rhub'IPA- another collaboration, this time with French neighbors Brasserie St. Germain who are fellow hop lovers. An IPA brewed with local rhubarb. Hoppy and tart.
• Trou du Diable Dubaï Pillée - not French but French-Canadian. A double IPA from Shawinigan, Quebec.

For over 10 years, the Blind Tiger has been celebrating Christmas in July with some carefully selected kegs that they've laid down since the past winter. And this Wednesday, July 24, is when they'll be cracking them open. Starting at 3pm, come on by the Tiger for some hearty winter ales. The temperatures have cooled slightly so one can almost (almost!) think of drinking something other than a crsip pilsner or refreshing saison.

Among others, they'll have Nøgne Ø Winter Ale, Dieu du Ciel! Solstice d'Hiver, and Mikkeller From Via To.

Here's what Dave Brodrick of the Blind Tiger has to say about Christmas in July:

"At some point in the last month and a half, just about every Tigerite has felt, and looked, like a well basted holiday turkey, which is why we need Christmas in July more than ever this year. And in the nick of time, here it comes, pulling into Bleecker Street just like that ice cold Silver Bullet train of yore, but different. Let's face it, there's something coolly refreshing about cracking open a bunch of Christmas kegs in the middle of a New York City summer. And maybe it's dumb luck, but the weatherman is calling for cooler temperatures.

We've collected some of our winter favorites, including Sierra Celebration, and Avery Old Jubilation '11, along with 14 others, all originally designed to warm you when it's cold (and numb you when it's hot). Then again, this event wasn't founded on the idea of bringing you some Christmas cheer in the middle of summer. We started it back in '97 because, to us, most winter beers seem a bit young when they first come out, and benefit from an extra six months of aging. Plus we had a large cured ham we didn't know what to do with.

But now that our summers are becoming more furnace-like, it seems like we need some of that winter cheer to help us survive until fall. So next Weds, on July the 24th, at 3pm, please join us as we celebrate the Yule Tide and fire up that Christmas spirit. Which means you've only got three days of holiday shopping left..."

The Harmony of Beer & Cheese Class at Murray's Cheese

When:  Wednesday, 3 October, 6:30-8 pm
Where:  the classroom at Murray's Cheese, 254 Bleecker Street
What:  $75 for 6 beers paired with 6 cheeses
These classes are always fun, informative, and delicious. I'll be discussing 6 of our beers, the history of the breweries, and the beer brewing process while the Murray's instructor will discuss the cheeses and the cheesemaking process.

These are the beers that will be poured:

• Freigeist Ottekolong
• Oppigårds Well-Hopped Lager
• De Ranke XX Bitter
• St. Somewhere Saison Athene
• Jolly Pumpkin Sobrehumano Palena 'ole
• Nøgne Ø Sunturnbrew

Class size is limited and you can purchase tickets on the Murray's website:  www.murrayscheese.com

Collaboration Beers

Brewing your own beer is no longer enough. Now, everyone wants to brew with friends and get in on the collaboration game.  Tonight, Tuesday, Spuyten Duyvil will be hosting the first of a 2-part series featuring collaborations. Since they say it so well, let them tell you what it's all about:  "Collaboration Beers. You know, when two big shot brewers get together and one picks the malt and the other picks the hops and then they get some lowly assistant to brew it for them while they go out back and smoke some weed and talk about yeast."

They'll have several Mikkeller collaborations on draft and in bottle, including ones with Stillwater and Three Floyds, plus bottles of Nøgne Ø/Bridge Road Brewers (Australia) India Style Saison and De la Senne/Allagash Very Speciale Belge.

When:  Tuesday, 25 September, 6pm onwards
Where:  Spuyten Duyvil, 359 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn
What:  pay-as-you-go for 6 drafts and 12 bottles

Meet the Brewer from Nøgne Ø

At the beginning of March, we participated in a clone brew experiment at Brooklyn's brew-on-premise and homebrew shop Bitter & Esters.  For this installment of their "Brew Like the Pros" series, we brewed 2 clone brews by Norway's Nøgne Ø:  their Porter and Sunturnbrew (smoked barleywine). Now the beers are ready and head brewer and founder Kjetil Jikiun is coming to town to pass judgement. Given that their slogan is "the uncompromising brewery", we're a bit nervous to see what he thinks but regardless, it was a fun experiment and the outcome will show how difficult it is to recreate a beer using the exact same ingredients.

Like many of our newer breweries, Kjetil started out as a homebrewer, having been inspired by the many flavors and styles of beer that he discovered on his travels to the US and Western Europe as a commercial airline pilot. The name Nøgne Ø is taken from a line in a Henrik Ibsen poem and means "the barren island", a reference to the rocky islands off of the shore of Grimstad, the town where the brewery is located and where Ibsen lived when he wrote the poem. The protagonist of the poem tries to run the English blockade of Norway during the Napoleonic wars, an effort thought to be against all odds.  Nøgne Ø felt that introducing the first IPA and other styles to Norway was also against all odds but they persevered and the Norwegian beer scene is all the richer for their efforts.

On Friday and Saturday, come out and try some of these uncompromising beers. 

When:  Friday, 27 April, 5 pm tapping of the beers and 7 pm dinner
Where:  Jimmy's No. 43, 43 E. 7th Street
What:  $45 for a family-style dinner and 8 beers or pay-as-you-go at the bar. Tickets for the dinner are very limited; purchase them at Brown Paper Tickets.  

Jimmy's No. 43 will be hosting a private dinner in their back room featuring 4 Nøgne Ø drafts and 4 bottles plus samples of the clone Porter.  Brewer Kjetil will be there to talk about the brewery, the beers, the Norwegian brewing scene as well as discussing his Porter (a 7% roasty, chocolatey porter brewed with American hops) vs. our Porter.  He'll probably also regal you with stories about his forays into sake brewing.  Dinner, 8 beers, and the brewmaster himself in attendance for $45?  Act fast if you want to attend!

If you are unable to attend the dinner or just want to drop by for a beer, the drafts will be tapped at 5 pm.  With the purchase of a Nøgne Ø beer, you'll also be able to sample the clone Porter. 

On draft:

• Pale Ale
• Saison
• Porter
• Imperial Stout

In bottles:

• Two Captains Double IPA
• Tiger Tripel
• India Saison
• Sunturnbrew 

When:  Saturday, 28 April, 2-6 pm
Where:  Swift, 34 E. 4th Street
What:  pay-as-you-go

On Saturday afternoon, join Kjetil at Swift for draft event featuring samples of the clone Porter and Sunturnbrew.

The Sunturnbrew is an 11% smoked barleywine named after the Norwegian legend that says that the sun turns on its axis every winter solstice.  After a few of these beers, you might be ready to agree.  Our clone version, Solar Flare, came in a bit smaller due to some problems with the brewing process but early reports say that it's might tasty

The beers:

• Wit - first and only keg in NYC! 
• India Saison - first time in NYC 
• Tiger Tripel
• Porter
• Porter clone
• Sunturnbrew
• Solar Flare - Sunturnbrew clone

Brew Like a Pro with Nøgne Ø

We're participating in a very exciting event this weekend which will be both educational and fun:  Bitters & Esters in Brooklyn will be hosting 2 homebrewing classes on Saturday during which we'll brew a clone of Nøgne Ø's Porter. 

Can't fit this in your kitchen, can you?

When:  Saturday 10 March, 2 sessions:  10 am - 2:30 pm and 3pm - 7pm
Where:  Bitter and Esters, 700 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn
What:  $65 per class (fee includes a free sample of the beer at the release party in April)
Classes are limited to 15 people per session; purchase your tickets here:
Session 1:  http://www.citybrewshop.com/?p=1387
Session 2:  http://www.citybrewshop.com/?p=1417


If you're not familiar with Bitters & Esters, it is a new brew-on-premise/homebrew shop in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. For those of us with cramped NYC apartments and tiny stoves, this is a godsend. Owners John and Douglas say that not only are they the first and only BOP in the City but also in New York State! What took you so long?? 

Once a month, they hold a class that not only teaches the fundamentals of homebrewing but which brews a clone of a commercially released beer. The previous 4 classes have featured domestic breweries so we're honored that Norway's Nøgne Ø has been chosen as the first international brewery to be cloned. It makes perfect sense:  brewmaster Kjetil Jikiun started out as a homebrewer and the brewery is still a big supporter of homebrewing in Norway. This Saturday's class will replicate Nøgne Ø's Porter, a 7% roasty, chocolatey porter brewed with American hops.   

We will brew this porter following the recipe generously provided by the brewery and once the beer is ready, there will be release parties at the end of April where the clone will be poured side-by-side with the commerical brew. Your class fee includes a ticket for a free sample of the clone brew at any of the release parties. Brewer Kjetil will be in attendance at the release although he will not be attending the brew session on Saturday. Tim Stendhal of Union Beer and myself will be leading you through class. Whether you are a novice or experienced homebrewer, this is a fantastic way to learn about the brewing process on a nifty 30 gallon electric HERMS system. AND, most importantly, they do the cleaning up. No more spraying the entire kitchen with a hose, trying to clean out the mash tun! The release of the clone can be a real eye-opener as to how difficult it is to clone a beer due to the many factors involved, even if you follow the recipe exactly.

Holiday Beers at Blind Tiger

When:  Wednesday, 7 December, 3 pm onwards
Where:  Blind Tiger Ale House, 281 Bleecker Street
What:  pay-as-you-go

If St. Nicholas didn't leave any gifts in your shoes today, or if he left you coal, dry your tears over a festive holiday beer tomorrow. There will be plenty of Shelton Brothers' drafts to choose from.

doesn't everyone have a Bavarian weissebier ornament?

To the list! 

• Mahr's Christmas Bock  
• De Ranke Père Noël  
• Nøgne Ø Winter Ale   
• Mikkeller Santa's Little Helper
• Mikkeller Ris a la M'ale
• Mikkeller From Via To
• Mikkeller Red/White Christmas  
• Dieu du Ciel! Solstice d'Hiver  

Scandinavian Beers at Rattle n Hum Tuesday

When:  Tuesday, 29 November, 4 pm onwards until the kegs kick
Where: Rattle n Hum, 14 East 33rd Street
What:  pay-as-you-go

The people of the Scandinavian countries know a little bit about keeping warm during the cold, dark months of winter so even though the current weather feels more like September you should still drop by for some of these tasty beers.  They span a range of styles and the list provides a great overview of the new crop of breweries and their creativeness.


The beers: 

• Beer Here Nordic Rye   
• Haandbryggeriet Odin's Tipple    
• Kissmeyer Pale Ale    
• Kissmeyer Honey Porter
• Kissmeyer PilNZer
• Kissmeyer Stockholm Syndrome DIPA 
• Kissmeyer/Witter Saison de Fleur 
• Mikkeller Monk's Brew  
• Mikkeller Cream Ale
• Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast
• Mikkeller I Beat yoU
• Mikkeller Jackie Brown
• Mikkeller Koppi IPA 
• Nøgne Ø Tiger Tripel 
• Nøgne Ø #100
• Xbeeriment Black Force One   

Nøgne Ø and Oysters Thursday Night

On most Thursday nights, Jimmy's No. 43 features a brewery to accompany oysters shucked by master shucker, Eddie Oysters. (If you've seen Eddie at work at one of the many beer events around town you know how amazing he is!)

This Thursday, 25 August, Norway's Nøgne Ø brewery will be featured. Drop on by any time to have a beer or 2. The oysters are usually available from 5-8 pm (or until they sell out) and the kitchen is open for dinner from 5:30 pm - onwards.

Jimmy's No. 43 is located at 43 E. 7th Street.

Brewer and commercial pilot Kjetil Jikiun began his brewing career as a homebrewer, having been inspired by the flavorful beers he encountered on flights abroad. Successfully recreating these beers that were not available in Norway, he was encouraged to start brewing professionally and Nøgne Ø - the Uncompromising Brewery - was founded to make beers of strong personality, individuality, and quality. The name is Norwegian for "naked island" and was a term used by poet Henrik Ibsen to describe the stark, barren, rocky islands off of Norway's coast. Brewed with rich Maris Otter malt and often with bold American hops (Kjetil is fond of the 4 C's:  Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Columbus), unfiltered and unpasteurized, Nøgne Ø beers are anything but stark.

The line up:
- Tiger Tripel (in bottles) - complex and balanced Belgian-style Tripel, 9% abv
- Porter (on draft) - dark malts provide notes of coffee, chocolate, and dried fruit, 7% abv
- IPA (on draft) - an American-style IPA with a big malt and hop presence, 7.5% abv
- Saison (on draft) - refreshing beer made for hot summer days and brewed with malt and wheat - the perfect accompaniment to oysters, according to Kjetil!