We talk a lot about the history of different beer styles, and how these styles are interpreted by different breweries.  Most people in brewing, particularly in craft brewing, have gotten into their line of work not because they want to adhere strictly to style guidelines, and ensure that they follow the rules associated with a particular beer style.  They have gotten into brewing because it is fun, and they enjoy it.

To-day’s two beers are the results of some serious fun work undertaken by two very successful breweries.  We are tasting Deliria from deHuyghe Brewery in Ghent, Belgium (brewers of Delirium Tremens) and Widmer Brothers Reserve Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout. 

Serious Fun –

When talking to brewers that work in large breweries about the taste that you find in beer, one can find that the conversation can become almost depressing.  The focus of a brewer in a large brewery is to maintain consistency in their beer.  To do this, they are constantly on the look out for potential problems in the consistency of the flavour of their beer to ensure that they are doing all that is necessary to prevent these problems from happening.  Conversations about the taste of beer often centre around flavours that would be considered flavour flaws – for example, is there an element of diacetyl in the beer (butter or butterscotch flavour); is dimethyl sulphide (DMS – corn flavour) coming through in the beer; is the beer oxidised (paper or cardboard flavour); is the beer smelling skunky (this one smells exactly as it sounds, and results from light converting hop flavours to make the beer ‘lightstruck’).  With such focus on problems and trying to prevent them, one often wonders whether big brewery brewers can find passion for their jobs.

In contrast, craft breweries are constantly focused on how to get the flavours that they want to get into beers.  They experiment with different ingredients, different processes, different aging periods and so on to ensure that their vision for a beer is realised in the glass.  Sure, they have to be concerned about whether flavour flaws are emerging in their beers, because this will detract from their ability to achieve the vision that they have for their beer.  However, the subtle difference between small brewers and large breweries is that small brewery brewers spend their time focusing on creating beers that are things of beauty, while large brewery brewers spend their time trying to ensure that they don’t inadvertently create a thing of horror.  Of course, sometimes small brewers create beers that aren’t as they hoped they would have been.  In these instances, the small brewer has to drink the beer themselves, or throw it down the drain.  The good beers generally make up for this, though.

To-day’s two beers are examples of two breweries having some fun and creating new beers.  As well as reviewing tasting notes on the beers, we’ll look at the background behind their creation.

Creating Deliria –

The story behind the creation of Delirium Tremens is one of brewing legend.  Jean deLaet came home after a night on the town and declared to his family that he was going to make millions by brewing an 8.5% a.b.v. beer with pink elephants dancing on a psychedelic blue label, and by calling the beer ‘Delirium Tremens’.  His family thought that the best thing to do would be to get him into bed, and hope that he would have forgotten the idea in the morning (praying fervently that the session of beer that had fuelled the idea would interfere massively with the memory centres of his brain overnight).  To their dismay, at breakfast the following morning, he remembered everything, and wanted to put the idea into action.  Twenty five years later, and Delirium Tremens is one of the massive success stories in Belgian brewing, with the brewery just having completed investment of tens of millions to expand their production output to keep up with demand.  This while all the time extolling the philosophy that people should ‘Drink less and drink better!’

Deliria was the turn of Jean deLaet’s wife to lead a team of women at the brewery to achieve their new creation.  At Ladies Day at brewery Huyghe on Saturday 23 March 2013, 10 women rolled up their sleeves to participate in the brewing process: Catherine De Laet, Barbara van Steendam, LutGeers, Caroline Verleyen, Michèle Dubrulle-Delforge, Linda De Geest, KatrienBruyland  and two ladies who came all the way from Italy : Giuseppinad'Addio and Francesca de Francesco. With the arrival of another 120 women In the afternoon, the brewery became exclusive female territory. Together they all visited the brewery and afterwards enjoyed a tasting session with Huyghe beers, and focused on their goal of creating their new beer.  The only involvement that men have had in the process is to taste and enjoy the beer after it was created (after, of course, the women got their chance to taste it first!).

As you will see from the tasting notes below, Deliria does not pull any punches when it comes to character, flavour and beer strength.  Nor is it intended as a ‘beer for women’.  DeHuyghe Brewery has had great fun creating a myriad of beers over the years, including various fruit beers, abbey beers, classic Belgian beer styles, gluten free beers and entirely new interpretations of existing beer styles and even new styles altogether.  Deliria is their chance to take another creative direction to brew a new beer in an industry that is sometimes criticised for being male dominated.  Having tasted the beer, I salute their commitment to creativity!!

Deliria has been brewed as an initial 150hl (15,000 litre) batch of beer.  It remains to be seen whether this beer will be a one-off, or an ongoing beer, but judging by the speed at which this initial batch is being drunk across the world, one suspects that further batches might be on the way!

Deliria –

Beer Style                           -  Strong Blond Ale

Alcohol by Volume          -  8.5% a.b.v.

Brewed by                          -  (the women of) deHuyghe Brewery

Brewed in                           -  Ghent, Belgium

Deliria is packaged in a 750ml bottle with a distinctively pink label portraying the signature pink elephant associated with the original Delirium Tremens.  True to style, the beer is straw golden in colour, and pours with a full two to three fingers of white head.

Flavours of fruit (apple and grape) come through on the palate on a base of malt flavour, candi sugar, and rich organics from the Belgian yeast.  Floral aromas combine with these flavours to give suggestions of Chardonnay.  Spice and hop character develop in the beer in the middle and finish. 

A superbly delicious beer that is at once refreshing and full of character.  Hats off to the ladies at deHuyghe, and may there be many more Ladies Days at the brewery in the future!!!

Creating Widmer Brothers Reserve Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout –

Rob and Kurt Widmer, in the middle of dual mid-life crises, decided to quit their jobs and dedicate their lives to their first passion – brewing great beers.  Establishing Widmer Brothers brewery in Portland, Oregon – the epicentre of the craft brewing movement on the West Coast of the U.S. – they started bringing styles of beers that they loved to the flavour starved beer drinkers of America from the mid 1980’s. 

To this day, Widmer Brothers continues to innovate.  As well as the main brewery, Widmer have a pilot plant at the brewery that has a capacity to brew batches of beer of 10 U.S. Barrels (just over 1,000 litres per batch).  The pilot brewery is called the ‘Rose Quarter Brewery’ as it is located quite close to the Rose Garden, home base for the NBA team the Portland Trailblazers.  Every year, Widmer Brothers brew in the region of 1,500 U.S. Barrels of beer on this plant – on average three batches per week – and no two batches are identical.  That’s 150 new beers created a year.  Of course, not all of these beers make it through to market – only the best are selected to be sold as a Widmer beer.  And out of these beers, the ‘Brothers Reserve’ beers are beers that are particularly special.

People into their beers will know the story of Imperial Russian Stout – a beer brewed to be presented at the court of Catherine the Great in Russia.  Needing to survive the journey across the cold expanses of Siberia, this beer had to be brewed at above average strength to ensure that the casks did not freeze on the journey.  The style Imperial Russian Stout grew out of this, and has been interpreted by many brewers since across the world.

For a Brothers Reserve beer, a new twist was needed on this beer – so why not introduce fruit into the recipe.  Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout has all of the fullness of flavour associated with Imperial Russian Stout, with the added character from raspberries that both comes through in the flavour, and combines in the flavour to come through as other dark fruit flavours.  A truly delicious beer!

Widmer Brothers Reserve Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout –

Beer Style                           -  Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout

Alcohol by Volume          -  9.3% a.b.v.

Brewed by                          -  Widmer Brothers Brewing

Brewed in                           -  Portland, Oregon

This is an extremely rich and complex beer.  The addition of raspberries during the fermentation process gives an almost purple hue to the already rich dark black colour of this beer.  Pouring with a full dark cream / brown head, the aromas in this beer give the promise of the beer that is to follow.  Roast notes combine with chocolate and dark red fruits on the aroma.

The flavour of this beer is incredible!  If one were to try to brew a beer to contend with the best Shiraz in the world, this beer would not only rise to the challenge, it could very possibly win the contest!  Flavours that one might associate with shiraz – dark cherries, tobacco, chocolate – all combine with the best of what one would expect from an Imperial Russian Stout – roast, charcoal, complemented by bitterness from Willamette and Cascade hops combined with Widmer’s signature Alchemy blend of hops.  The balance in this beer is simply unbelievable – waves of flavour come through on the palate, each one developing and contributing to the overall flavour of the beer.

While this beer is most definitely a beer for a special occasion, the superb taste of this beer makes one realise that every day should be special!!

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