St. Benjamin Brewing

I had the pleasure of enjoying some of St. Benjamin's beers recently and if you are in Philadelphia with some time to kill I think you would find a visit to their Brewery to be a worthwhile use of your time :-).  Time and space prevents me from singing the praises of all their fine brews so let me just pick out 2 favorites to get you started,

Foul Weather Jack is a A Classic English Mild Ale named for a British Admiral. Every time this 18th century sailor went to sea he went in a doomed ship that sank due to beastly weather. The Foul Weather Jack is a dry, roasty, session beer with an easy drinking 4.5% alcohol.  Foul Weather Jack's mostly clear russet brown body is topped by a frothy head of light tan. The head retention is quite good, and the lacing spreads across the glass like torn sheets. The nose is limited in comparison to the flavor but both offer a range of caramel and nuttiness within the malt. It's subtly fruity with a suggestion of raisin. The limited bitterness perfectly balances the malt leading to a drying finish with hints of residual malt and fruit. Served via hand pump, the moderate carbonation level and medium light body leave it remarkably smooth across the palate. It's a unique and interesting beer with richness and depth despite its "English" nature, proving that not everything needs to be loaded with hops and strength to make it great. I can say that it clearly ranks well amongst the best of the style. Not to be missed ... It is equally satisfying on a hot summer day, or a cold rainy night at sea.  

Transcontinental is a California Common at 5.6%, a style not often seen attempted by East Coast Brewers.   Brewed in the style of the “steam” beers born in 19th-century California and still popular there today (think Anchor Steam). This copper colored ale has a full malt flavor with rye and spices which sets it apart from more true interpretations of the style but which lended itself more to my palate.  An interesting blend of ale malts and lager yeast. Malty flavors, subtle fruit esters, low bitterness, and a fresh finish.

Contrast this with what my dear friends at Baxter Brewing up in Lewiston ME attempted with Tarnation, their 5.3% interpretation of a California Common in which they came out more of a Red Lager.  Crisp and easy drinking for a Lager, Tarnation has a nice hop bite and a mellow sweetness on the finish, Fermented with an authentic San Francisco lager yeast, Tarnation is a crisp, clean beer that is eminently satisfying but somehow not quite what you'd expect from a Steam Beer.

Let me know anyone else's Steam Beers and what your thoughts are on the style itself.