Brooklyn Brewery Brown Ale

[doubleblank]

Bob.....Celis was made right here in my "backyard", Austin, TX. Celis White was an excellent wheat beer and worked perfectly for our hot Texas summers. Their other beers, particularly the Grand Cru, were also pretty good. I toured the brewery in the late '90's and was impressed with their brewing process and use of high quality ingredients. When Miller shut them down, I went out and bought several cases of their beer but it's long gone. I haven't bought a Miller product since then. Fortunately there is a regional brewer located here in Houston, Saint Arnolds, which has picked up the quality torch and makes some good stuff.

I hadn't thought about Celis for a long time till you mentioned it here.

Randy

[Bob]

Randy,

I've also had the Grand Cru, and from what I remember of it, it too was a very good beer. The White is the one that stands out in my memory, and was an absolute favorite during summers here on LI. When Miller shut 'em down, I also bought as many cases of the White as I could find. Unfortunately, they too are long gone.

I just checked my bottle collection and I also have Celis' Pale Ale, Pale Bock & Rasberry. I don't recall too much about the Ale or Bock, but I remember that the Rasberry was a damn good beer too.

At my local distributor, I recently saw a beer that had Pierre Celis' name on it. I think it was a Belgian style ale. Maybe there will be some things to look forward to from Celis once again. One can only hope!

As far as Miller goes... ...

Bob

[doubleblank]

Looks like the Celis lineup is back in production. Apparently, the Michigan Brewing Co bought the brands and with the assistance of the Celis family is back making the entire lineup. They won the 2003 gold at the Great American Beer Festival competition with their Celis White....no suprize there. I'm going to ask my retailer to find some for me. They have two websites.

www.celis.com and www.michiganbrewing.com

Can't wait to find some.

Randy

[Paradox]

Damn, you guys are making me thirsty! Thanks for the links; I will definitely be checking out the Celis White and Celis Raspberry. Hell, I'll try all of them in a 'variety pack' just so long as the place where Bob lives manages to get all 6 styles in! Add these onto the list Bob Tell that guy at your distributor he needs to open a place here on SI!

[bourbonmed]

Q: Is there a noticeable diff between the Michigan Celis White and the Belgian Hoegaarden Pale? I had the latter in my recent vacation and it was the best tasting wheat beer I've ever had. A beer fan on the net calls it his favorite tasting beer..."like an angel peeing on my tongue" he wrote.

Let that sink in before rushing to find Hoegaarden.

Bob, was it you who said the man who started Celis (in Texas) is the same guy that crafted the original Hoegaarden in Belgium?

Cheers,

Omar

[Bob]

Omar,

Pierre Celis was indeed the brewer for Hoegaarden before he headed off to Texas to create his namesake beer. And I know I told one of my SB friends, that IMHO the Hoegaarden White is not nearly as good as the Celis White.

Randy's info that it will be available again is such great news!

I will have to look into that for sure!

Bob

[doubleblank]

Bob....I have the Celis White in my fridge as I type this. I tried one and it is very good. Michigan Brewing says that Mr. Celis brought over his brewing engineer to assist in their startup. A few years ago, I heard a Michigan company had bought their old equipment and this just ties it all together. If you can't get this at home, I'll bring some to the festival in September. Next time I'm out, I'll buy the Grand Cru and the Rasberry. This is indeed good news that the Celis beers are back into production.

Randy

[Bob]

Randy,

I am SO jealous. And I am so hopeful and glad that Celis is back. I'll need to look at the links you posted earlier a bit more carefully tomorrow. I'm hoping that it'll be available in the NY area. I'll also have to talk to my local distributor.

Bob

[bourbonmed]

Thanks Bob.

Check comments after this review. Makes ya wanna go out and get some Hoe Gaarden!!

http://www.bottledbeer.co.uk/index.html?beerid=167

Omar

[gr8erdane]

Well, heedless of your warning, I went in search of Celis beer and found only Hoegaarden. I sit here with this curious ale, wondering at the way it tastes different with each sip. At 9 bucks a six, not any chance of being my everyday, but I'm having a heck of a time swatting that small bladdered angel away. The owner of the store where I picked it up was suggesting I try Baltica (sp?) a Russian Wheat Brew. They had a wheat, a dark and a pale. Anyone had it that can share their thoughts?

[Gillman]

Hoegaarden is very good, the classic Belgian wheat beer. I find the Belgian style of wheat beer is preferable to the South German style which can have a fairly strong clove or banana-like flavour (these are the "weizen" beers whether filtered or not - with "hefe" or not). The Belgian wheat beers tend more to a milky-like palate and are famously spiced with coriander to give an orange-like taste. I find it interesting that Pierre Celis who made Hoegaarden famous in Belgium before selling the brand to Interbrew started out as a milkman. He distributed and perhaps made milk in the small town where he helped out occasionally at a nearby small brewery that was making the disappearing style of Belgian white beer. When local men complained they couldn't find it anymore he revived the style. The old wheat beers were not, generally, very strong, some were intended as refreshers during field work, for example. Hoegaarden is made now at about 5% abv. which seems just right. (Celis, now in his late 70's, emigrated to America and set up a number of deals to make a similar brew and this is the Celis beer mentioned on the board recently. The ones I tried were very good but somehow the original, albeit made by a very large company, seems the most complex of the lot. As Dane said, every sip reveals different flavours). Baltika is a good quality beer, the blonde one we get here always had a dry snap to it and now I see why since it seems wheat is used in the mash. Apart from specialties such as Hoegaarden or Belgian Trappist or the best examples of other foreign beers, I find it best generally to sample local interpretations of foreign styles. New Belgium Brewing (Colorado) and New Glarus (Minnesota) for example make great beers in a number of Belgian wheat and related styles. But whether imported or not, freshness is the key to a good palate in beer. I am relentless when it comes to interpreting production or expiration dates on bottles and cans. The furthest ahead the expiration date, the better (almost always) will be the beer. We here in Toronto are getting Pilsener Urquel in cans (always better in my view than in the green bottles, which always seem light-affected to a degree) that are dated to about one year hence or more, clearly they are just off the ship after a fast ride and taste as they would at home (I am not speaking of the draft, of course). Ditto with a local micro (or any local) beer: some of them don't turn over that quickly and drunk too old they won't taste right.

Gary

[Paradox]

This beer poured your typical yellowish pilsner color, perhaps a bit darker than your 'average', and was very clear. I liked the taste of this pilsner. I got an initial malty flavor in the mouth with a nice slight bitter finish. I didn't get it after the first few sips, but initially it seemed totaste a bit 'tinny'. All of the other brews I got by Brooklyn Brewery from one particular distributor were fresh, thouh these pilsners were nearly 8 months old! I wonder if that played a bit in the 'tinny' role... Guess I'll have to throw in some 'fresher' pilsners in my next purchase! What I really hope to do this summer is make it to their brewery!

[Paradox]

Yet another brew we had this weekend... Bob was nice enough to break out some bottles, rather old ones at that, from his bunker to share. Brooklyn Brewery makes a barleywine style ale only 3-4 months out of the year and even then it is in very limited quantities. Well, he brought one from 2000 that says right on the label "Specially brewed for the Millenium". I had a barleywine brew once before from Anchor Steam and loved it. Theirs comes in 7oz bottles though; BB's come in full 12 oz bottles.

For being as strong as it is (generally between 11 and 12% alcohol) it drinks very easily. This was one complex beer with alot of flavors going on in it. Not bitter at all, kind of sweet actually. I know its not readily distributed all over, but this is one to try if you ever see it.

[Paradox]

This brew actually used to be called Pennant Pale Ale '55, but ow it is just called Brooklyn Ale. There still is a small '55 on the front of the label though. here's a pic of the old label--->

I liked this Pale Ale quite a bit. Great malty aroma and mouthfeel with just the right amount of bitterness lingering around on the finish. Another great beer from Brooklyn Brewery, but their Brown Ale is still my favotite (next to their Monster Ale!).

[Paradox]

Really cannot say much here except yet another great beer from Brooklyn Brewery. Bob told me early on, in his opinion, that Garret Oliver was an excellent brewmaster and I am agreeing with him more with each beer I have from them. This beer was simple yet complex, very malty and had just the right amount of hops for me. Very well rounded with a nice head and color. I'll be sure to bring some Brooklyn Brews to the festival this year for those who are into beer as well as bourbon and want to try these not readily available brews...

[ratcheer]

Nice picture. Now I am thirsty.

Tim

[kgiammarco]

I can definitely attest to the Brooklyner Weisse beer... In the past I frequented a bar that had this on tap... Definitely a favorite...

-Chris

[Paradox]

Man, Garret Oliver keeps amazing me with some of these woderful brews! After not caring much at all for the last Chocolate stout I had, I was worried that this one would have that same tsate profile to it but am I impressed. Beautiful black in color with a moderate tan colored head this beer pours nice and thick n' rich looking. Upon first sip you get a great thick and creamy mouthfeel followed by a mildly sweet chocolate/mocha/coffee taste. It goes down ever so smoooooth with just a perfect balance of everything. Its a shame yet good that this beer is only available once a year from them because it makes you anticipate its release even more! I think BB's chocolate stout is a great example of this style.

[doubleblank]

Hey Bob and Mark.......I'm trying the East India Pale Ale you sent me and it's good. As you commented, it's not as hoppy/bitter as most (I like bitter IPA's), and it's very smooth. Barely fits the category, but perfect for those that find most IPA's too bitter. Val really likes it. Next on the list will be the Brooklyn Ale.....tomorrow. Thanks for sending me the great assortment of your local brews.

Randy

[Gillman]

Randy, I acquired one too courtesy Mark, and I agree it is good. Not a "big" American or English-accented IPA but very drinkable. Good chaser for, say, the Buzz or Jim Beam White Label. Of Mark's beers in this flight (i.e., all Brooklyn Brewery) I thought the Brown Ale was the best. It is in the northern English style, that is, about 5% abv and well-malted and hopped - not sweet as brown ale used to be (at any rate) in London and environs. The Brooklyn weissebier also is very good, expertly made, better I think than the Celis white ale.

Gary

[Bob]

Randy,

Glad you like the IPA. It isn't a hop monster like many that are out there, which I also enjoy, but it is a good brew. Keep us posted as you progress thru the assortment!

Bob

[Bob]

Gary,

I agree that the Bklyn Weissebier is very good, but better than Celis White? Since I was the lucky recipient of some Celis White, courtesy of Randy, I'll have to taste them together. I've considered the Celis to be the best White that I've ever had. BTW, if you ever have the good fortune of seeing Blanche de Brooklyn on tap at your favorite pub, give it a try. I believe that I posted about this beer earlier. It's only available in kegs. This is a FINE Belgian style White beer. Not to be overly technical, but the Brooklyner Weiss is a Bavarian style Wheat beer (as stated in Brooklyn's website. So, the comparison really is between 2 different styles (Celis White and the Brooklyner Weisse), but your preference is quite a compliment nonetheless.

I'm going to try to save a bottle of the Celis White, in hopes of comparing it next summer to the Blanche de Brooklyn.

Bob

[LeNell]

I brought a Brooklyn Chocolate Stout to Bettye Jo. Figured you can't go wrong with the word chocolate when giving gifts to a woman, right? If you are ever around Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, stop in the Brazenhead bar. They keep several Brooklyn beers and have a very nice beer selection overall...even hand-pulled.

[boone]

I brought a Brooklyn Chocolate Stout to Bettye Jo.

You are right Can't go wrong with Chocolate Actually, I have them tucked away in the fringe probably until tomorrow night when I usually kick back a pop a few during the chat here at SB.com

Tonya gave me a "basket" full of goodies. There "were" some chocolates in there let me tell ya...they were awsome! My entire family really enjoyed those...

Thank you so much!

I have been busy writing Thank You notes to the guest that brought me such fine gifts. Alot of folks I don't have a address so I am in the process of getting all of my pictures together, along with my "Thank You's" in order

Here is a picture that I took of you and Ben at the Gazebo.

Bettye Jo

[Gillman]

You are right, Bob, that the two styles of wheat beer are different (Bavarian vs. the Belgian white style of wheat beer) but still as a general class (wheat beer) I feel it is fair to compare them and the Brooklyn beer has the edge by its greater complexity. The Celis beer tends to be a bit monochrome to my taste, it is good but doesn't quite attain to the Hoegaarden original which Pierre Celis originally brewed in Belgium. In other words the Hoegaarden and Brooklyn weisse stand in closer relation (I would say) than Mr. Celis' latter-day, new-world creations. Now, I will grant you the Blanche de Brooklyn draft beer is very good too, I have had it in New York. It would offer a fairer comparison to the Celis beer, as would (say) Unibroue's white beer (the Blanche de Chambly), by virtue of being strictly in the Belgian white style but again it trumps the Celis in my view. I recall it had an orange coriander-type complexity the Celis lacks. Pierre Celis is a legend in the beer business and any beer with his name on it will be very good but Garrett Oliver is tough competition!

Gary