Great video on beer and wood
The Dogfish Head Brewery, folks who admit to brewing off-center ales for off-center people, have not only produced an interesting beer aged in wood, Palo Santo, but they have also produced an entertaining video telling how the beer was born.
The short version of the story is that John Gasparine, who runs JG Architectural Supply, a Linthicum business that specializes in green building materials and a craft beer fan, pitched the idea of brewing with the exotic wood to Dogfish. Sam Calagione, the brewery's big fish, liked the notion and consulted with Gasparine, who secured the wood in an eco-friendly way, from forests in Paraguay. Now the brewery is making Palo Santo, a unfiltered big brown ale, that is aged in tanks made with Palo Santo wood.
The wood is so dense it does not float in water and so strong it has been used to fashion the propeller shafts of ships, Gasparine told me. It is also used by the natives of Paraguay and Argentina to fashion kitchen tools, including the vessels for mate, a South American tea. Gasparine said he was intrigued when the locals told him that the wood imparts flavor to the mate.
The beer is sold in four-packs, for about $15. It shows up from time to time in liquor stores. I found it at Wells Discount Liquors on York Road. The distributor for this area is F.P. Winner.
I had one the other night. It is a very big beer, dark, with a creamy head. It packs a wallop at 12 percent alcohol by volume. It has so much body and wood flavor, it is almost chewy.
It is a sipper, say, in 2-3 ounce portions, not a gulper. An after-dinner beer.
Anybody else had a Palo Santo?
Anybody else seen the video?
Comments
The Palo Santo pours like syrup and, though they call it a brown ale, is almost black in color. It's quite something. A very unique flavor. I couldn't really get used to it, and about halfway through the bottle I was ready for something a little less intense. But I soldiered on, because I wasn't going to let that beer sit out.
It's interesting, but I'll probably drink my three remaining bottles and be done with it.
Posted by: Grant | May 23, 2008 2:14 PM
They sent me a DVD of the video, pretty cool. I'll probably sample it this weekend or next week, really excited to try it.
Posted by: Brian | May 23, 2008 3:06 PM
"The wood is so dense it does not sink in water..."
If the wood were so dense, shouldn't it sink as opposed to less dense woods that float? Not that I am Archimedes or anything....
Speaking of Archimedes has anyone else had that Greek beer they sell at the St. Nicholas festival in Greektown?
Posted by: bryaninTimonium | May 23, 2008 3:58 PM
Was an interesting beer, I had it in Chicago when it came out there in April. As was stated in earlier comments, it is a big brown ale. I think the real beauty of the Palo Santo is it's ability to age. Buy a four pack now and wait until the end of the summer to drink it with some burgers-it will be awesome, better yet, save it until next years grilling season and see how it has changed!
Also, looks like Dogfish will be paying back some serious loot for quite awhile just on the wood they used, that stuff was definitely not cheap!
Posted by: Pat | May 28, 2008 1:12 PM
Hey Bryan, I haven't been to the Greek fest, but I'm guessing that you're referring to Mythos...it's probably the most popular beer in Greece.
Posted by: Greg S | May 30, 2008 3:08 PM