Dave Van de Walle

Jul 05 2014

Omission Pale Ale

In our quest to find beer that tastes like beer and happens to be “gluten free,” we are now batting .667.

The latest? Omission Pale Ale, from the folks at Widmer. It’s the second of three that passes – and it passes with flying colors.

Quick refresher: Acupuncture doc suggests I cut back on the dairy and cut OUT gluten. I love me some gluten. This is gonna be bad, right?

Well, in addition to all the other things I can drink, there’s always wine (which has been on equal footing with beer in my book, and with my stomach, for a long time). Yes, it’s possible to be a beer snob and a wine aficionado. Or at least that’s what I tell people.

Anyway, here goes nothing: or, something, actually…the review!

Omission Pale Ale Review

Taste

Why I prefer pale ales to IPAs in about one word: malt.

Or at least what tastes like malty caramelly sweetness. Not too sweet, but it’s gotta be there.

With most IPAs, there’s almost too much bitterness for me – but that’s okay every once in awhile. Just not now, while I’m still recovering from the gluten-free diagnosis.

This Omission Pale Ale has the malty richness up front. Mildly sweet. There’s some hop to it, but it’s not crazy. But really clean on the finish. Definitely nice work.

Profile

The website – which you can visit here – says it’s a “hop forward American pale ale.” But again, and I can’t emphasize this enough, it is NOT OVERLY HOPPY. 33 IBUs. 5.8% ABV. Four different malts may do something to offset the impact of the Cascade hops.

It is – like the Prairie Path we reviewed yesterday – crafted to remove gluten. So they can’t guarantee that it has removed all the gluten, but it’s close enough that they share the test results.

Value

Probably $9.99 – I don’t think I picked up my receipt, because I paid cash and was in a hurry and also got a 12-pack of Leninenkugel’s Summer Shandy to go with and got out of there for $26 with tax and most of the other craft beers are around $9.99 at this store and sorry about the run-on sentence.

Metasip Grade: A-

I think this is on par with the Prairie Path from yesterday. It’s beer – not just gluten-free beer, this actually tastes like beer. Worth a try.

Jul 04 2014

Prairie Path Golden Ale

Second of two gluten-free reviews. I mean, the beer is gluten-free, not the review. But the review is gluten-free, too.

After trying a beer that made me want to run for the hills (after running for the mouthwash), I needed something that actually tasted like beer. So I found it, in this winner from Two Brothers: Prairie Path Golden Ale.

This review, then, really isn’t gluten-free: I’m not going to focus on the fact that this is brewed to remove as much of the gluten as they can. Nor am I going to tell you that people who have celiac and/or are gluten-free have told me that this is their beer of choice. No, I’m just going to review this beer for what it is. BEER.

To the review!

Prairie Path Golden Ale

Taste

“Complex malt character,” according to the Two Brothers website. Yup, I like a malty mouthfeel with my ale. The hops (Saaz and Golding) give you a little bit of bitterness on the finish. It’s a sweetheart of a beer, people. Really works – easy drinking for all.

Profile

5.1% ABV. 25 IBUs. I’m starting to think that 25 might be right in MY IBU wheelhouse.

Value

In Chicago, $8.99 for a six-pack is about right. But, yeah, if you have to pay more, pay more.

Metasip Grade: A-

A couple more things about this beer: Two Brothers actually posts the gluten testing results on their website. Beer Advocate, a site we enjoy, gives this only an 80. Ratebeer, whose numbers I (sorry) don’t understand, gives it a 37.

I don’t think the low ratings are worthwhile – but you’re free to tell me I’m wrong. Do so in the comments below.

AND, note that we’ve taken a look at other Two Brothers’ stuff. Take a look at one such review here: Two Brothers.

Jul 04 2014

New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale

First of two reviews on beer consumed by a newly crowned, gluten-free beer snob.

I feel that I’m going to need to address two subjects in this review of the New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale. Subject 1: Why am I becoming a “gluten-free beer snob?” Subject 2: Why is a beer that I call “awful” getting a low, but passing, grade?

Subject 1 is pretty simple, really. A couple trips to the Minute Clinic, then the doctor, then the acupuncturist…lo and behold, I may have gluten intolerance. So, doctors’ orders, down with all gluten.

This may impact my work here on the Metasip site.

Most of my favorite beers have some of the gluten. Darnit! Gonna have to do quite a bit of trial-and-error. (You can recommend cider if you’d like – not sure it’s really my thing yet. For some, though, cider can be really hip.

Subject 2: Grading on a curve, or not. Our theory at HQ is this: if it’s in a store, it has passed some series of tests. Some distributor finds it worthy enough to get it into a store near us, and, therefore, it HAS to be passable. I’m not going to give something an “F,” nor will I plan to go into the “D” range very often. “C-,” for now, is going to be the lowest grade. Bringing us to the review…

New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale Review

Taste

If “sorghum” and “brown rice” are your thing, I’m going to recommend you stay away from beer and go find a vegan restaurant that will fry up a little of both with some garlic and shallots. Neither belong in beer.

Aftertaste like a bad shopping mall Chinese restaurant buffet.

Profile

I think it said 5% ABV. Frankly, I don’t want to pull the bottle out of recycling to find out.

Value

I once read a column from the legendary movie reviewer Gene Siskel who said something along the lines of “if the movie is bad, walk out. Your time is more valuable.” So the price – $7.99 – is irrelevant; three sips, followed by mouthwash, and I had to move on to something else.

Metasip Grade: C-

We’ll find “Beer” not “Beer…that isn’t bad for gluten-free.” This doesn’t even qualify as the latter.

Jul 02 2014

Espiral Vinho Rosé

Sometimes, in the sober light of day, you change your mind. Other times, you stick to your first impression.

In the case of the Espiral Vinho Rosé, which I said on Facebook was worthy of an “A” rating, there’s no way I’m changing my mind. This, my friends, is a darn good wine value – and, while in a different class and category (IMHO) than the Sofia reviewed here last week, actually earns more points. Extra credit, if you will.

The fact that it’s from Portugal adds to the allure – there’s got to be more to Portugal than Port and Vinho Verde, eh?

I found this at Trader Joe’s. I paid $5.99. I will buy more.

[Editor’s Note: If you don’t have Trader Joe’s near you, maybe try Aldi – well, not for THIS wine, but for other great values.]

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To the review!

Espiral Vinho Rosé Review

Taste

I don’t want to be one of THOSE wine bloggers, the ones who say “like summer in a glass!”

And, to be fair, this is closer to a bubbly to me – there’s a hint of effervescence.

Floral nose, a little bit of fruit but not at all sweet – like a dry champagne, y’all – and there’s a hint of peach. Clean finish. Food agnostic – I had barbecued chickent with it but could very well have had it solo. Because it’s like summer in a glass!

(I couldn’t resist.)

Espiral has done some really solid work – and this wine has been around awhile, it appears; check out this blog from 2012: The Winegetter. And they also do the Vinho Verde thing – which has to happen because, well, Portugal.

Profile

10% ABV. From Vina Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Learn more about that place right here.

Value

Where this wine EARNS its grade.

I don’t mean to get off on a rant here – but didja know there’s a site called Beergraphs and they have a metric called “Beers Above Replacement?” Or something like that.

The general concept – replicating that of baseball’s Wins Above Replacement – if you removed the beer and replaced it with something average, how much better (or worse) than average is this one?

Where they lose me is whether there’s actual Moneyball-esque value for what you’re paying for the replacement – like if movie ratings were based on dollars you should pay, not whether the movie is 4-stars.

So, this wine is better – MUCH better – than an average Rosé. And I paid $5.99, which makes it a tremendous value.

Metasip Grade: A

Not a minus. This is a solid, well-earned, well-deserved A.

Jun 25 2014

Sofia 2013 Rosé

Ready for a wine to become your go-to for summer drinkin’? Why yes, Sofia strikes again with her 2013 Rosé.

Sofia 2013 Rose — Francis’ Daughter, which you of course knew.

If you don’t know about Sofia, the person, a quick primer on the maker of the Sofia 2013 Rosé. Sofia is Sofia Coppola. Visiting the Wikipedia page tells me that she’s no longer married to Spike Jonze, which is a piece of pop culture that eluded me. This nugget must have been obscured by the Kardashians.

Digressions aside, the Coppola family – scion Francis also holds his own in the film industry – knows its wine, too, as Dad bought the former Chateau Souverain estate in Geyserville and started making wine.

When we write the sidebar piece about visiting Napa Valley, it will include this tip: visit just one of the big boys, such as Coppola, just to hear from the big boys, get the tour, understand the process, all that stuff. Then spend the rest of your time at places recommended by locals, friends, etc.

Sofia has been at it for awhile, and even got a 90-point rating from Wine Enthusiast for the 2011 vintage. How will the 2013 stack up, at least according to this reporter? Let’s get to the review.

Sofia 2013 Rosé Review

Taste

FACT: Americans don’t drink as much rosé as French. By insanely wide margins, as referenced in these charts from the French. Probably because of the following if/then logic issue that, I’ll admit, crosses my mind all the time:

IF White Zinfandel is pink AND White Zinfandel is swill, THEN all pink wine is swill.

In fact, it wasn’t til some other wine lovers hooked us up with some really really good rosé that my own thinking started to change.

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This, per the website, is a Rosé of Syrah, Pinot Noir and Grenache. (Ya know, reading that website makes me think that I should be capitalizing the word “Rosé.” Because it’s a variety of grape. Also, that stands out and I can then show off that I figured out how to do the accent aigu in Francais. (Now, about that cedille.)

This is not sweet. I don’t do sweet wine. I want something with a great nose – this has it – and some earthiness to it – this has that, too, probably the Pinot. Can’t taste like chalk (which I get from a lot of Chardonnays, personally; a surefire sign that I’m not spending enough on my Chardonnays).

Quintessential “summer drinkin’ wine.” An absolute delight – enjoyed some at the block party this past weekend and, well, it didn’t disappoint. Plus, stands up to lighter stuff you’re eating – which, in my case, was a salad. Not a steak wine at all, but that’s okay, because block parties aren’t about steak.

Profile

Syrah. Pinot. Grenache. Not sure how much of each. ABV of 12.8%

Value

$12.99 at Costco. SCORE! Website says you can pay $14 or so with a membership. My last time visiting Coppola’s Estate (the winery, not Frank’s house; don’t call him “Frank,” either) the person in the tasting room told me: “Don’t buy our wines here. You can get them cheaper anywhere else.” Smart marketing, though, to mark their own stuff up so it’s got some caché from buying it there. Or not.

EDITOR’S NOTE: On my most recent trip to Costco, this was $9.99, not $12.99. May not have been $12.99 at all – though we’ve had friends in other states tell us $12.99 was their price.

Metasip Grade: A-

Why doesn’t this get an A if it’s an “absolute delight?”

My thinking is this: at $12.99, without a lot to compare it with, I’m not sure it qualifies on all the scales for an A. It’s a great value – if you buy it at Costco. And it drinks more expensively. BUT, it’s not the right mix of Taste, Profile, and Value to justify an A.