The CU Brew Blog World Cup of Beer

While watching the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup match-up between Brazil and Australia this morning, I felt inspired to come up with a tournament that could potentially decide which country should hoist the Golden Growler for World’s Best Beer.

It took a matter of seconds to decide that this challenge would not only be the most enjoyable endeavor this brew hound could think of, but also the most impossible endeavor any single person could undertake. So it was decided that mirroring this year’s World Cup field would be the best way to go about completing this task.

This process started by checking in with the good people at RateBeer.com to find the top beer from each individual country in the field of 16. The annual Best of Beer list provided by RateBeer.com may not be the end all be all of top brews from around the world, but it does provide this tournament with a little objectivity.

So without further ado, I present the field for the 2011 CU Brew Blog World Cup of Beer:

Group A

Germany-Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock

• Celebrator has a creamy head of tight bubbles contrasting beautifully with its profound dark robe. It is full-bodied and velvety from half a year's aging. Although it is strong, it is not overpowering. There is a wonderful and complex balance between the various malts, the alcohol and the subtle hops. A complex fruitiness of roasted malt and whole hop flowers make Celebrator great as a party drink with friends and family.

Nigeria-Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (Nigeria)

• The basis is an unfermented but hopped Guinness wort extract shipped from Dublin, which is added to local ingredients and brewed locally

Canada-Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel

• Péché Mortel (French for "Mortal Sin") is an intensely black and dense beer with very pronounced roasted flavors. Fair trade coffee is infused during the brewing process, intensifying the bitterness of the beer and giving it a powerful coffee taste.

France-Rochefort Trappistes 10

• The top product from the Rochefort Trappist brewery. Dark color, full and very impressive taste. Strong plum, raisin, and black currant palate, with ascending notes of vinousness and other complexities.

Werewolf Euro Dark Lager

One of the many things the Brew Guy is not afraid to admit is that he is a fan of HBO's True Blood. With Season 4 in full swing, I decided to use the season opener as an opportunity to enjoy a new brew.

On to Friar Tuck's I went in search of a beer that was a bit festive and in line with the nights premiere. On the verge of settling for Rogue's Dead Guy Ale, I stumbled upon a Lithuanian beer by the name of Werewolf

The bottle alone was enough to entice the beer adventurer in me, my lack of experience with Eastern European beer sealed the deal.

This Euro Dark Lager poured a very deep shade of brown but didn't contain the standard opaqueness I have grown accustomed to when drinking heavy European beers such as a Guinness or a Warsteiner. What awaited my taste buds was equally as surprising.

Initially I was expecting a very thick and oaky beer, what I ended up tasting was a wave of Java, then caramel, then nut, and then finally a distinct peachy hint. I was shocked by the multitude of flavor in every drink but thoroughly enjoyed it's complexity.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of Werewolf was its ability to hold it's carbonation throughout the entire drink. While most beers begin to flatten the longer they are opened, Werewolf stayed refreshingly crisp without completely losing its head. Whenever I took a drink, the beer seemed to re-aerate leaving white froth around the edge of your glass. Every sip tasted like a brand new bottle had just been opened.

The Werewolf wasn't completely without it's bite however, and yes, pun intended. At 8.2% ABV, this Euro Dark Lager made a quick attack of my senses. Simply one liter into this delicious brew I was already feeling slightly fuzzy. I can say with certainty that any kind of extensive drinking of the Werewolf would cause a quick buzz.

All in all, I would say that HBO's top wolf Alcide would be proud this beer represents his kind.

Werewolf Euro Dark Lager comes in at 7.5 mugs out of 10.

Magic Hat #9

There are a handful of beers in existence today that this blogger enjoys time and time again. Magic Hat #9 is one of those. This "Not Quite Pale Ale" crashes over your palate with a swell of taste leaving you wanting more.

Upon first sip, your taste buds are overwhelmed by a rich and full wave of hops. After the initial rush, the hops give way to a delicious wave of bitterness that will leave any real beer connoisseur reeling with delight. And unlike most pale ale's, it finishes clean. #9 will not leave you with an unwanted after taste, it will leave you asking for another.

The Magic Hat staple also makes an amazing bed mate with any type of meal. I've had it with pub grub, Italian, multitudes of chicken, and various other spicy delights and have yet to find a meal that doesn't go well with a frosty #9.

Where #9 best succeeds is it's ability to be that beer you'll want in your fridge for any occasion. Refreshing in the summer and warming in the winter, Magic Hat created a true masterpiece when it crafted #9.

Magic Hat #9 weighs in at 9.5 mugs out of 10.

Blatz Beer

Beer has been a long time companion of jubilation. Be it for a big promotion or a major life change, once you reach a certain point it's no surprise to see a party or a celebration combined with a nice frosty mug of beer. Considering my status as a beer connoisseur, it stands to reason that my recent engagement had plenty of toasting to go around.

As part of a small town bar crawl in Central Wisconsin celebrating our big occasion, I quickly realized that if you wanted a beer other than Miller Light, Miller High Life, or Budweiser you had only one choice, Blatz Beer.

Hailing from Milwaukee, the Blatz brewery was originally a small brew house that made a mere 150 barrels annually. That is until Valentine Blatz, creator of this namesake brew, married the recent widow and new owner of the City Brewery. The two operations were combined shortly thereafter and Blatz's once small brew house became the third largest beer producer in Milwaukee.

And in case you haven't picked up on the trend, I also recently found out that my best man's parents even tipped back a cold Blatz in celebration of their engagement as well. But is love a key ingredient in making a delicious beer?

This German brew carries a nice full taste that becomes more enjoyable as your experience continues. Bottle after bottle convinced me that Blatz could easily overtake Coors Light as my life long partner of banquet beers.

Unfortunately, my new found love turned out to be a one night stand.

The night before, Blatz was a deliciously smooth beer that could be guzzled like water. The morning after it was a headache the likes of which I hadn't experienced since the time my best man and I decided it would be a good idea to down an entire bottle of Jaeger in one night (college, smh).

I had wanted to chalk this negative experience up to a lack of sleep but realized no more than two months earlier I had partied all Friday night only to be up and celebrating St. Chirish Day in Chicago at 7am the following morning.

Blatz will always hold a fond place in my heart and I won't shy away from any future rendezvous with the Milwaukee original either. I will however only have one or two bottles as a means of nostalgia and then quickly return to a beer that will be a little more forgiving the next morning.

Blatz Beer, 5.5 mugs out of 10.

Point Brewery Special Lager

Our next stop on the Wisconsin tour de beer takes us to our smallest brewer, the Point Brewery in Steven’s Point. For anyone who has frequented Point Brewery, you should recognize today’s brew as a staple amongst Northern Wisconsin breweries.

Point Beer’s Special Lager has received its fair share of awards and accolades. Honors that include a gold medal from the Great American Beer Festival in 2003, Silver Medals from the GABF in 1995 and the World Beer Championships in 2010, and Bronze Medals from the GABF in 1996 and the WBC in 2010. Although I’m not about to question the judgments of these esteemed beer drinking committees, I am willing to say I do not agree with their decisions.

When I think of an award winning beer I envision a brew that has something distinct that you will remember or are able to identify with. Fans of Blue Moon will cite the taste of orange while fans of Guinness will rave about the bittersweet balance that gives you the experience of a sweet and creamy beverage with bite.

After drinking a Point Beer Special Lager, the only thing I am able to take away from my experience is a fond memory of my college years and my very frequent marathons with watered down mass produced beer. Special Lager is very easy to drink and goes down smoothly; however, I am unable to shake the lack of bite that Point Beer doesn’t deliver.

That being said, I won’t condemn Special Lager because it was not a bad experience, but I also won’t be purchasing the Point Beer staple unless I’m hosting a BBQ for over 20 people or need a beverage for a good old frat house case race.

Special Lager comes in at a respectable 6.5 out of 10 mugs.

The New Glarus Brewery Variety Pack

Inspired by my most recent brush with Spotted Cow, I decided to expand my New Glarus Brewery repertoire. Unable to choose just one of the available six brews at the local market, I decided purchasing the variety pack was the most prudent option.

Moon Man

Typically I tend not to be a fan of pale ales, New Glarus however, has again knocked one out of the park with its “No Coast” Pale Ale, Moon Man. Easily the most enjoyable of the variety pack, Moon Man offers an unassuming bold taste that won’t be the focal point of a meal.

This New Glarus pale ale is a great beer to be matched with any meal that is big on taste. Although I’ve only paired it with a classic Wisconsin cookout feast of brats, burgers, and multiple kinds of cheeses, I can only dream about how well Moon Man and a delicious plate of stir fry would taste.

8 mugs out of 10

Fat Squirrel

Extremely bold on flavor, this nut brown ale doesn’t quite live up to the standard set by Spotted Cow or Moon Man. Where those previous two beers have excelled, Fat Squirrel attempts to be too ambitious. Brewed with six different varieties of malts, this heavy on flavor beer ends up tasting overly oakey.

Fat Squirrel isn’t completely without its merits but my general consensus is that this brew just has way too much going on for its own good. Although this beer would be great as a change of pace brew, unless you are truly a nut fanatic, Fat Squirrel doesn’t have the ability to become anything more than a novelty beer.

6 mugs out of 10

Stone Soup

Have you ever had one of those cold days where you just roll out of bed and feel the need for a swig of something to warm up you up? If you can ignore the alcoholic overtone in that previous statement, Stone Soup, the self-prescribed “Sophisticated Abbey Style Ale,” is sure to send a jolt of warmth through your bones on even the coldest of days.

Thick and robust, your stomach will be filled with a strong blend of spices that can only be truly appreciated when this beer is enjoyed by itself. Recommended primarily during the late fall and throughout the winter, Stone Soup is a perfect beer to solve the winter chills.

7 mugs out of 10

New Glarus Brewery Spotted Cow

There are few times in a man’s life when he’ll remember every detail of the moment he’s experiencing. His wedding, the birth of his children, the first time he tasted the sweet nectar of life known throughout the world as beer.

While Spotted Cow does not qualify as one of these life defining moments, the New Glarus brewery staple is a beer that truly should be remembered for any occasion. Be it for a BBQ, a deep fried dinner, or just a way to pass a random night, this Wisconsin native is a perfect choice for your summer beer rotation.

As far as blonde ale’s go, the Cow offers all the essentials; it carries a crisp clean taste that goes down smooth without even the faintest hint of a bitter after taste. But its most endearing quality, it is a beer crafted to get you drunk.

Spotted Cow delivers on the very promise that Miller-Coors fails to achieve with every can of Miller Light. New Glarus has found a way to brew a beer that actually deserves the label Great Taste, Less Filling.

If there is an issue with Spotted Cow, it lies in the fact that it is drank so easily you’ll rarely find yourself with anything left in your case the next morning. The good news, unlike it’s equally delicious but much heavier counter parts, you’ll wake up feeling clear headed enough to drive to the store and pick up another case.

Mark Spotted Cow down for 9 mugs out of 10!

Welcome to the Brew Blog

Welcome to the C-U Brew Blog, Champaign-Urbana's home for all things brew!

The Brew Blog is a one man operation driven by a passion for enjoying delicious beer. Be it domestic, imported, craft, cask, you name it; the Brew Blog is willing to try it and give you an honest opinion.

These are not meant to be expert reviews, merely one man's impression. Your opinions are welcomed as well. If you disagree with the review or would like to share your own experience with a particular beer, feel free to join the discussion.

I will also attempt to do my best to bring my fellow Chambana beer lovers an unbiased review of the drinking culture in our beloved cities.

So what do you say fellow hop heads, shall we begin our journey and attempt to try every brew known to man?