Beer tastings at Seattle Farmer's Markets?

The Seattle Times reports that beer and wine samples may be available at farmer's markets in the Seattle area, if state Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle) is successful in getting Senate Bill 5029 through.


If approved, the bill would create a tightly controlled pilot project where the liquor control board selects 10 farmer's markets to host one microbrewery or winery per market per day. The project would begin in July 2011.


In these increasingly nasty political times, perhaps a delicious, high quality craft beer is enough for some to cross the aisle. 


Politics in the great Northwest does have a history of beer and good will leading to positive compromise. 

Bolivia's El Inca Dark Beer

Name: El Inca

Served at: Restaurant in downtown La Paz

Brewer: Cerveceria Boliviana Nacional

Type: (Style / mode of delivery) Schwarzbier

ABV: 3%

Label (5): 3

Look-Cs (color, clarity, carbonation, cap, and constancy) (20): 9

Snout (15): 9

Texture (20): 10 

Flavor (30): 8

X-Factor (10): 8

Total: 47

If this beer were a protest, it would have gone awry

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Nastay.

The shifty eyed reaction of the waiter when I ordered it should have been more heartily noted. Overly sweet aroma to match a syrupy sweet taste. No complexity. Not worth drinking, or reviewing extensively. 

Cusqueña Negra

Name: Cusqueña Negra

Served at: various spots around Peru, notably some hot springs outside Aguas Calientes after a day long hike

Brewer: Cusqueña

Type: (Style / mode of delivery) Schwarzbier

ABV: 5%

Label (5): 3

Look-Cs (color, clarity, carbonation, cap, and constancy) (20): 15

Snout (15): 10

Texture (20): 13

Flavor (30): 17

X-Factor (10): 7

Total: 65

If this beer were a dog, it would be a Peruvian hairless.

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"They've struck at our most sacred inheritance. This is an affront to our ancestors."

 - Archaeologist Federico Kaufmann Doig

Around 1400 AD, the strongest empire of the Americas began to build Machu Picchu. The construction was eventually abandoned, during the Spanish conquest. However, the Spaniards failed to discover the site, and it was saved from the pillaging suffered by other Incan properties. It is currently the most well known Incan site in the world.

In the heart of Machu Picchu lies Inithuatana -- the "hitching post for the sun" -- which was believed to hold the sun in place. These sundials were destroyed in every other Incan site, but Intihuatana remained completely intact-- until recently.

The missing piece

In 2000, Cusqueña beer was filming a commercial when a  crane they snuck into the premises smashed into the granite of the sundial, leaving a long gash. "Machu Picchu is the heart of our archaeological heritage and the Intihuatana is the heart of Machu Picchu" Peruvian archaeologist Federico Kaufmann Doig explained. 

When they aren't busy dropping things on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Cusqueña works on turning out some pretty decent beers.

Cusqueña Negra is a very sweet, malty beer which pours nice and dark with dirty foamy head. The nose is toasty and sweet with some caramel notes. The syrupy beer has tastes of chocolate and dark cherry, but the sweetness is dominant. Much like Peru's hairless dog, people tend to love this beer right away, or despise it. It was a nice option to have, but I ended up drinking far more pisco sours than Cusqueña Negras.

Santa Espuma Yana "Negra" Porter

Name: Yana Porter ("Negra")

Served at: Santa Espuma 

Brewer: Santa Espuma

Type: (Style / mode of delivery) English style porter, draft

ABV: 4.5%

Label (5): label not available, 2 based on branding of bar

Look-Cs (color, clarity, carbonation, cap, and constancy) (20): 12

Snout (15): 11

Texture (20): 17

Flavor (30): 20

X-Factor (10): 6

Total: 68

If this beer were a saint, it would be Saint Arnold of Metz -- known for ending a plague when he dunked his crucifix in a brew kettle, called it "blessed" and persuaded the masses to drink only from that kettle.

Ya gotta have faith

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"Don't drink the water, drink beer."

-Saint Arnold of Metz (580 - 640 AD)

"But would you really want a Guinness on the beach?" is the common refrain I hear when discussing my love for dark beer and disdain for the cheap mass-produced lagers typical of South America. I am usually midway through my fantasy of sipping a Bell's Expedition Stout while watching the sun glide into the Pacific, so I mumble in agreement, adding that when served very cold and michelada* these beers are indeed a refreshing substitute for water.

No hot surfers here

In order to avoid further interrupting my daydream, I fail to point out what is conspicuously missing from their line of argument-- South America is not one big beach. There are many sizeable cities and towns where much of the year can be quite chilly and rainy. My two week return to Quito was a reminder of this simple fact. 

My gracious hostess suggested Santa Espuma as a step up from the Turtle's Head, so on a drizzly night we hopped a short cab ride to the neighborhood of La Floresta to imbibe. Positioning ourselves strategically between a vista of dusky downtown Quito and the illuminated kegs showcased behind paned glass, we listened to our charmless server unenthusiastically list the three beer options: a negra (porter), rubia (wheat) and roja (amber).

While the foam on my negra lasted, it was not quite as heavenly as the name implies. However, the thick mouthfeel of the beer was the most divine phenomenon in the entire restaurant. 

The chocolately stout served as a much needed antidote to the rain and to too many days ended with lukewarm Pilsener. The beer was dark and dense, flashing a mahogany hue through the candlelight. The nose was milk chocolately sweet with some roast. The taste was a bit less sweet than the nose, and while the mocha like flavors hit hard in the beginning, they did not linger or evolve as much as I would have liked. 

Perhaps it was the surly service, or the nearly empty dining room, but the ambiance of the place was a bit lacking. While the beautiful views, fireplace, and visible brewing system offered a solid aesthetic base, the bar exuded a sense of confusion or lost direction. To be fair, Santa Espuma would not be the last place where I felt  the texture of an otherwise lovely room in Quito dominated by a sense of bewilderment. 

*Michelada has different meanings based on region. The most basic take, and that which I've seen most often served in the Andean region of South America simply means beer with lime juice and salt. Tabasco, clamato juice, and Worcestershire are all popular additions as well. 

Cerveza Negra (according to Quito)

Name: Cerveza Negra

Served at: Turtle's Head Pub, Quito, Ecuador

Brewer: House brew

Type: (Style / mode of delivery) English Stout; draft served in pint glass

ABV: 5%

Label (5): n/a -- not marketed in bottles -- 3 (based on aesthetics of menu and bar)

Look-Cs (color, clarity, carbonation, cap, and constancy) (20): 14

Snout (15): 12

Texture (20): 12

Flavor (30): 17

X-Factor (10): 8

Total: 66

If this beer were a turtle, it would be Lonesome George-- a little too aloof for everyone's good.

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My ongoing quest for new dark beers in South America has forced me to swallow just as much pride as bad lager, and push anything resembling Tom Friedman-esque thoughts deep into the Jersey Shore of my brain, also known as my misguided subconscious ("I am drinking an English-style brew in a Scottish-style bar in Quito served to me by a young Russian, sitting on a stool made in China while listening to a hopelessly sincere Sri Lankan sing avant-garde electro-pop, and eavesdropping on an Australian's opinions on Uganda. Ouch, the stool just broke due to my uniquely American obesity and weighty observations on globalization. Yay NAFTA!").

I had heard from a friend that deep in Gringolandia (La Mariscal) near the Marriott hotel, there was a "British" (Scottish) bar (now Ecuadorean-owned) by the name of "The Turtle's Head" which had fine craft beers, futbol on the TVs, a fireplace to warm up from Quito's rains, and a solid expat crowd to relax with. I figured this would be the ideal spot to watch the Tea Party stick some old wrinkly sticky ideas in the drooling mouths of the sleeping American public during the November 2010 midterm elections. While the election turned out pretty much as I expected, the existence of a cerveza negra or stout, on the menu was a welcome surprise. 

Cerveza Negra at the Turtle's Head

The snout on this stout may have been its biggest wonder-- it was delightfully roasty with notes resembling popcorn. The carbonation was lacking a smidge, and the cap quickly dissipated into a ring clinging to the edges of the glass. The beer had staying power though, like a 9-minute long James Brown song, and continued to please and enlighten throughout the heartbreak that was the midterms. 

It was a dark amber, and was easily translucent through a bit of candlelight, or held next to the fireplace. The texture was average, and there was not much to be gleamed from the beer warming up. It was definitely a stout: bitter and dry. There was nothing wildly different or new about this stout compared to others I've tried in South America. It seemed very basic. Technically sound but stylistically lacking. It fit the profile well, but did not seem to be trying to do much more than fulfill my craving for a dark beer. 

Finding a craft dark beer in Quito was certainly unexpected, but much like one of Lonesome George's suitors, I was left wanting a bit more.

Alta Negra Stout

Name: Alta Negra Stout

Served at: Unknown bar, Popayán, Colombia

Brewer: Ciudad Blanca ("White City")

Type: (Style / mode of delivery) Oatmeal Stout; bottle poured into pint glass

ABV: 4%

Label (5): 3

Look-Cs (color, clarity, carbonation, cap, and constancy) (20): 14

Snout (15): 12

Texture (20): 14

Flavor (30): 21

X-Factor (10): 9

Total: 73

If this stout were a close call, then it would be an escape from the rain. 

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Black and white/dark and light seemed to be the running theme in Popáyan

After spending 14 hours on a bus veering around Colombian coffee country's gorgeous and precarious curves, I was in absolute awe when I spotted an empty bottle of "Alta Negra Stout" near the front desk of the hostel I would be calling home for the next two short days. I soon learned that Popayán, the first city of gastronomy according to UNESCO, boasted their own craft brewery.  I was too tired to hide my delight, but soon discovered that the stopover had run dry, and was directed to a liquor store around the corner. I set out despite the night rain, and traipsed from one pale street to the next searching for a liquor or corner store which stocked the brew. I finally gave up for the evening, comforting myself with the knowledge that an oatmeal stout is a perfectly appropriate breakfast drink.

Empanada de pipián

The following day provided ample magic and beauty to distract me from my beer quest, as I stumbled upon a parade in the main plaza and filled my afternoon with hikes to choice lookouts and the empanadas de pipián required to fuel them. While waiting out a late afternoon rainstorm, I chatted up a young Austrian lady and convinced her to join me in my quest to locate Alta brewery. 

Alta Negra Stout

The brewery was closed, but we managed to duck into a dark but friendly bar, where they happened to have Alta Negra by the bottle. My drinking companion was just as impressed by the stout as I was, noting its creamy texture. The beer had a floral almost stinging snout with hints of cinnamon and dark chocolate. The carbonation was near-perfect, and the cap maintained a thin ring of white foam throughout drinking. As the beer warmed slowly, its roasty coffee and vanilla flavors more fully expressed themselves leaving a fruitier lingering taste than most stouts. It was the creamiest, smoothest beer I have had in South America. 

The gastronomic capital of Colombia impressed on many levels, but the dark beer of the White City was the most magnificent highlight. 

Cerveza Negra (Cartagena's take)

Name: Cerveza Negra

Served at: La Casa de la Cerveza, Cartagena, Colombia

Brewer: Said to be a house brew

Type: (Style / mode of delivery) Stout/porter; draft served in tall glass

ABV: Unknown; est. 5.0%

Label (5): n/a -- not be marketed in bottles -- 2 (based on aesthetics of menu and bar)

Look-Cs (color, clarity, carbonation, cap, and constancy) (20): 14

Snout (15): 9

Texture (20): 12

Flavor (30): 18

X-Factor (10): 9

Total: 64

If this beer were a seabird it would be a frigate -- a dark silhouette gliding at sunset, with an enticing call.

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Cerveza Negra at Casa de La Cerveza

I sampled this beer several times over the course of a month spent in Cartagena's Old City. The bar, La Casa de la Cerveza, located in the neighborhood known as Getsemani, features panoramic views of Cartagena's burgeoning skyline, through defunct gun emplacements, where heavy cannon had once defended the Spanish colony from seaborne incursions. La Casa de la Cerveza is, ostensibly, an upscale, outdoor dance club and lounge, but also features a surprising array of solid beers, and its Cerveza Negra surprised me with the basic, upstanding qualities of a straightforward drinkable stout or porter.

Whether the beer took time to pour (as with a Guinness) or whether the service was routinely slow (a possibility) the beer nevertheless arrived most times with a full, black body sitting beneath two or three fingers of creamy foam. The Cerveza Negra seemed chalky plain at first whiff, a good sign, and then the first full sip, in which some of the foam bubbled off on my top lip, rewarded me with the plain, respectable character of a well brewed, low alcohol stout: mild roast, friendly character, and subtle bitterness. And yet, there was something extra. The waitress told us that the beer was brewed with Kahlua, the coffee-flavored liqueur, and whether that was true, or not, there was the presence of another ingredient that fit with the general palette of a stout -- elements such as coffee, chocolate, pumpernickel, and so forth.

Even though the beer featured a bit less effervescence than, say, Club Colombia, one of the more popular mainstays of the lager-dominated Colombian beer market, the Cerveza Negra did not wilt, even in the muggy, oppressive heat of Cartagena's rainy season. As night fell, the lightning would begin to flash inland  or along the coast and as my (favorite drinking) companion and I would reach for our slender, perspiring glasses, and be rewarded, even after some time had passed from the moment of the beer's delivery, with a soulful gulp. It may be that the beer's mysterious ingredient, in the late stages of swilling, would turn a bit sour, but that was a minor complaint, and had to be considered in the context of the town's climate.

Cartagena, a major tourist destination, oftentimes seemed (much like most Colombian beers) a little "Colombia-lite" for my tastes. It was the devastating heat, explorations outside the Old City, and the dark and fascinating history which provided me with a deep respect and admiration for the place. Investing in this beer, like I invested in the city, was well worth the effort.

 

Old City at sunset

At first taste, the beer did not offer too many layers or textures, and many ample pours could, therefore, be consumed in a night of stifling heat. The heat and rapidly changing temperature of the beer highlighted some new textures that would have otherwise been unrecognizable. As the DJ sampled American pop mashed up with the crooning and thumping unique to the Southern Hemisphere, the lightning drew closer, and with the first drops patting the low, wooden tables, the handful of guests began to head for the tent, or for the shelter of a quieter bar or restaurant in the overpriced Old Town or appropriately energetic San Diego neighborhood. The streets would flood, but even in the grungiest parts of town, there was a charming power to the rain. Hence, the high X-Factor -- a couple of Colombian dark beers sloshing around in our bellies -- in a town that has for many years been a gateway to the secrets and dramas of the Southland interior. 

A fine discovery in a country that doesn't feature many dark beers.