BEER FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER

JASON AND TODD ALSTRÖM

The Southern Tier Brewing Company out of Lakewood, NY, makes great beer—as cofounder Phineas DeMink will tell you. DeMink grew up in Michigan, where he cut his teeth on brews from Bell’s in Kalamazoo, and eventually landed a job at Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company. In the fall of 2002, he and fellow Goose Island brewer Matt Robbins started Southern Tier; soon after, they moved to New York. Their Lakewood brewery also houses a pub where patrons can enjoy pints following a tour of the facilities. (Road trip!) Today, their products can be found throughout the northeastern US, including, as of late 2005, Massachusetts.What makes Southern Tier beer great? One word: balance—something more brewers could stand to master. Far too many try to pack everything they can into their beers. Restraint increases drinkability, which in turn creates loyal consumers.We had a chance to hang out with DeMink over some pints of Southern Tier IPA last week at Cambridge Common [1667 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 617.547.1228], where he explained that he and Robbins take as much time as they need to develop well-balanced beers. They’re worth the wait. IPAThis truly American twist on the classic India Pale Ale, triple-hopped with loads of complexity, is quite the session beer. We’d be happy to stick with it all night. 6.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). BeerAdvocate Score: 89 (Recommended)Phin and Matt’s Extraordinary AleAn exemplar of the American Pale Ale, this features distinct notes of grapefruit and a malty, caramel sweetness. 5.6 percent ABV. BeerAdvocate Score: 85 (Recommended)TripelThis hoppy take on the traditional Belgian beer balances fruity, candied sweetness with yeastiness and light phenols. Tripel fans might find that it errs on the side of subtlety, but it’s still unique. A deceptive 9.0 percent ABV. BeerAdvocate Score: 83 (Worth a Try)JAHVA Imperial Coffee StoutDeMink pits this one, brewed with Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee, up against Three Floyd’s Dark Lord Imperial Stout (which we currently list as the No. 3 beer in the world) and AleSmith’s Speedway Stout (currently No. 12). JAHVA is quite aggressive, with intense notes of roasted coffee, chocolate and anise softened by a sugary sweetness. BeerAdvocate Score: 88 (Recommended)Hop SunDeMink assured us that this “hybrid wheat beer” will be hitting the market soon. Southern Tier doesn’t bother with spring seasonal releases, preferring to skip right to summer—which this beer is perfect for, thanks to its crisp wheat character, slightly sharp citric hop and barley sweetness. BeerAdvocate Score: 86 (Recommended)Unearthly Imperial IPADeMink describes Unearthly as “153 IBUs [International Bittering Units], extremely hoppy, but well-balanced.” Oh yeah, this is one helluva big India Pale Ale, with an immense hop character that’s both piney and citrusy. Yet the hops are artfully controlled by a sweet and grainy malt flavor. Together they conceal the 11.0 percent ABV. No official BeerAdvocate Score at this time, but this is clearly a superior IPA. We’re also impressed by Southern Tier’s 22-ounce bombers. Not only are the labels beautifully silk-screened, but they take consumer information to a new level, listing facts about the brewing process and fully disclosing their ingredients to curious beer geeks. Unfortunately, due to prohibitive costs, expiration dates are not stamped on the bottles individually but only on the cases themselves (with the exception of the JAHVA Stout).Southern Tier 6-packs and bombers will be increasingly available at Boston-area liquor stores; meanwhile, you can find them on tap and by the bottle at bars like Cambridge Common, Sunset Grill & Tap and RedBones.For more information, visit www.southerntierbrewing.com


For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com