Post #130651 by Gigantalope on Sun, Dec 12, 2004 6:57 PM

hey martiki, when you say the American Micros, overly hopped, it's kinda the Pacific Northwest trademark.

I had a Anchor Happy Christmas Ale today, and I agree, it was almost undrinkable in it's wierd tastes. (better as it warmed) I belive what they use is a spruce extract, which like Juniper was used way way back. (Funny about that stuff, for a long while it was hard to get after Chernoble as it mostly came from the far far north and was feared to be contaminated...better now)

Funny that so many Christmas beers are Ales here. (Samelclaus being the obvius exception)

There's a top notch Lagers from Weltenberger (Koster) and Aass which are frigging wonderful but quite diffiult to find.

There's a Smoked Porter from Alaska which I'm iching to try too.

The Belgian Candy Sugar is regular sugar, (Sucrose) boiled into water then crystalized on a string. It wouldn't seem to be much different, but it really changes the properties in fermentation. (Sugar typically gives a nasty cider like taste)

There is a Belgian style Brewery in New York who I'm sure uses it...gives a rum-rasin quality in the aftertase...quite nice.