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Beer Fox Tip of the Week:

If you would like some Beer Fun, consider having a Tasting Party.  Keep an open mind and a desire to assess flavors and aromas without the influence of others.

All beers should be sampled using the same type of glass.  For judging purposes, a large, clear wineglass would be ideal.  This will allow you to observe color, head and clarity, while having unimpaired access to the aroma.

Only judge five or six beers, starting with the lightest in intensity to the strongest.  Bitterness needs to be tasted in the back of the throat, so you will need to swallow the beer rather than following the typical wine-tasting style of spitting.

Keep a score sheet.  Use a simplified system - judge for appearance (head, color, clarity), aroma (pleasant, complex, identifiable smells, appetizing), palate (the feel of the beer inside your mouth, identifiable flavors, complex), finish (latent flavors, speed of dissipation), fidelity to style (true to expectation of style - e.g. wheat beer, pilsner, porter)

Between beers, clear the palate with non-carbonated bottled water and pita bread or unsalted crackers, avoiding any strong flavors that may influence the palate.  Especially, avoid greasy foods.  These flatten beer, so save them for afterwards.

Beer Fox Laugh of the Week:

A circus owner walked into a bar to see everyone crowded about a table watching a little show.  On the table was an upside down pot and a duck tap dancing on it.  The circus owner was so impressed that he offered to buy the duck from its owner.  After some wheeling and dealing, they settled for $10,000 for the duck and the pot.

Three days later the circus owner runs back to the bar in anger, "Your duck is a ripoff!  I put him on the pot before a whole audience, and he didn't dance a single step!"

"So?" asked the ducks former owner.  "Did you remember to light the candle under the pot?"

Beer News:

THE GREAT ALASKA BEER AND BARLEY WINE FESTIVAL is this weekend 5-10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, and 3-10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Egan Center in Anchorage, Alaska.  Tickets: $28, includes a sample glass, 30 beer samples and a program that lists all the breweries and beers. Only those 21 years and older can enter the festival.

MORE THAN 50 BREWERIES will serve over 175 beers with an emphasis on barley wines, Belgian ales and other specialties.

Craft Brew of the Week Award:

Midas Touch Golden Elixer - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Delaware, USA

Style - Ancient Ale

This Ancient Ale sparkles like golden sunlight.  The presence of raisins, honey and saffron excite the palate in this light bodied, ancient ale.

Cheers!

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Carolyn Smagalski, Beer and Brewing Editor
http://Beer.bellaonline.com