Thanksgiving Day

Today Americans everywhere gather around the table with their family and closest friends, eat a copious meal with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, beans, jello, sweet potatoes, corn, pumpkin pie... They celebrate Thanksgiving Day, started with the Pilgrim Fathers in 1623 in thanksgiving for the bounty of their harvest, for surviving the first years of settling these new shores. Beer was involved in the choice of the location, landing at Plymouth Rock was not planned! (If you haven't read this blog before, this might be new to you, but beer really is the foundation of civilization!) The Mayflower, the ship that brought the Pilgrim Fathers to American shores, was running low on beer, so the crew kicked out their passengers when they realized this, so they could sail back to the nearest port before they ran out of their beer supply!

The official day was instituted by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, but as early as 1789 this day was celebrated. There are many earlier dates for Thanksgiving parties, but those were local or state wide celebrations. I really like the proclamation written by George Washington, as it eloquently states the reasons for this day's festivities:

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation. 

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. 

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

 George Washington

It is a most American celebration, one I fell in love with the first time I was allowed to partake when I first arrived here. Sometimes people -even Americans themselves- say that Americans have no culture, being a relatively young nation, made up of this mix of other peoples and cultures. When I hear that, I always disagree, and point to Thanksgiving, observed in a very similar way by Americans everywhere, from Alaska to Florida, and from Hawaii to Maine. Granted, the ingredients are not unique to the United States, but how they are put together is. A meal that anywhere would be considered a grand feast! It ties together a sense of history, a common life, a gratitude for what we've been given and the blessings in our lives, with a celebration of the Giver of those blessings and of the first settlers of this country, shared with the Native People already living here. A very layered and rich day it is, then, one that citizens of this country can rightly claim as their own, with a sense of pride.

Whether or not you are an American citizen, let's all stop for a moment to give thanks for our life and all we have. Then, raise a glass of beer to it! Cheers all, and happy Thanksgiving!

November 11, 2011 Armistice Day and Veterans Day

November 11th is a solemn day, celebrating the armistice ending World War 1 in Europe, and in the US it is a day remembering and honoring its veterans.
A while ago I wrote a post mentioning my great-grandmother and briefly touched some of her exploits during WW II. (See post here) This a good day to give a more full account of this extraordinary woman. But to make this post come full circle with this commemorative day, first a word about my great-grandfather, Edmond De Ridder. As a young man, not even 20, he was conscripted in the Belgian army in 1914 at the outbreak of the first World War. His experience as a soldier met a quick end, and he spent the next years in a German POW camp, an experience he never really talked about. My mother only recalls him talking about having to eat nettle soup. The young girl she was when she heard this story, she was shocked at the cruelty of having to eat nettle soup, imagining the experience of drinking a soup stinging her grandfather on the inside.

It did spare him the horrors of trench warfare. After the war he returned home again, and married Maria Maes. At the birth of their son, he had to go to the town hall to declare that at the office of civil registry. But he 'celebrated' too much on the way there, and forgot the name that he and my great-granny had settled upon. So Carolus De Ridder was officially registered instead of Albert De Ridder. One can only imagine the talkdown my great-grandfather had to endure when he had to tell my great-granny what happened... Solution was simple: no one knew him by that name, and he was called Albert by everyone. Fast forward to 1942. Belgium suffered under the German occupation, with a military 'Kommandantur' installed in the Town Hall. Young men were forced to do labor in Germany, and both Albert and his brother Leon were called up. Neither went, with Leon hiding for a few months by nearby farmers, and Albert just stayed home. The Germans kept demanding my great-grandparents to send in their two sons. At one time, an officer and some soldiers came to their house, questioning the neighbors, in an attempt to find Carolus De Ridder and send him to Germany. The neighbors looked puzzled when asked where Carolus was, and could not have betrayed him if  they wanted to. 'Carolus who?'
 Meanwhile, he was sitting right there at his home, under the noses of the Germans!

To get the heath of her other son, my great-granny went to the Kommandantur to speak with the officer in charge, after she had heard that the Allies had bombed Wilhelmshaven, where her son was supposed to have been sent to. The conversation when something like this:
German Officer: 'Come in, Mrs De Ridder. Where is your son, Leon? We've sent repeated notices to report for labor!'
Great-Granny: 'Excuse me?!' (angrily, with rising voice) 'I have put my son on the train, and from that point he is YOUR responsibility!!'
German Officer: 'Eh...'
Great-Granny: 'So, where is my son?! I gave him to you, and you have to give him back to me!'
            Followed by a series of strong language we better censor.
Great Granny, thinking: 'They wont imprison a woman now, would they?'
German Officer: 'Well, eh, perhaps we can pay you the pay we give each laborer?'

In that tumultuous time right after the Germans left and before the Allied troops entered the town, resistance groups started to round up 'collaborators and traitors', beating them, shaving their heads, burning their homes, in an outburst of rage after 4 years of German oppression. Great-grannies neighbors had a daughter who had studied, and was fluent in German as well. So the Germans forced her to work for them in the town's administration, which in turn gave her access to a lot of privileges, such as extra food rations. Hearing a lot of yelling and crying on the street, my great-grannie came out as well, only to see a gang of 'resistance fighters' dragging out the daughter of the neighbors, guns at the ready, and beating her.
immediately she started to yell at those guys, in utter rage. 'You there, and you! How dare you!', she shouted at them, ignoring the circle of armed men around her 'Last week I saw you here with your hands held up, asking for bread and food and butter! She's always been helping all of you, and this is how you repay her?! Does your mother know you're here playing hero?'. They left, tails between their legs, and left this poor girl alone again.

Polish and Canadian troops liberated Sint-Niklaas

Definitely not a woman to mess with! She lived to be 89, and until her last days, she would enjoy her trappist beer. Which, looking back, was probably the source of her courage and strength. She never served officially, but I think that today is a great day to remember her, together with all the others who served to protect their country and loved ones. Cheers!

The Stirling Hotel

The Stirling Hotel at 227 Main Avenue in Stirling, NJ 07980

My favorite watering hole is by far the Stirling Hotel. Located at Main Avenue in Stirling, New Jersey (just a stone throw away from the train station), it is an old historic building. Founded in 1903, it was from the beginning a well known eatery in the Long Hill Township. The current owners, Tom and Dori Baldassare, purchased the building in 1983, with a dream to revitalize the place and establish a casual, family style tavern. Together, they are a great team, very unassuming and humble. They see themselves not as the 'owners' of the Hotel, but rather as caretakers or custodians. Tom puts it like this: "We want to keep this building the same as it is now for the next owner, the next generation. Buying this place was the best thing that ever happened, it is a passion to work here. I get to wear many hats, so every day brings something new."

As I was talking with him, he was busy with gas heaters and broom sticks, trying to remove accumulating snow as quick as possible from the outside tent area to prevent it from collapsing. And always with a smile. Food has always been important, bringing old and proven family recipes to the place from the beginning, and they still can be found in the kitchen whipping up the next special of the day. Tom calls it 'peasant dishes', and explains that in these hard economic times it is becoming 'nouveau' again. For him, it is what he grew up with, and something he and Dori love to pass on.

Dan manning the taps during a Founders Brewery event

Beer became a really important part in 1997, when they hired Dan Schneider. Fresh out of college, he brought a passion for craft beer with him, which started with that Sierra Nevada his older brother brought him years before. When he started, the Stirling Hotel offered a selection of bottled beers. In 2000-2001 they installed draft lines, and started with a small selection of imported European beers and American craft beers. From that early start, Dan oversaw the evolution of the Hotel into a real Craft Beer bar, at a time that Craft beer in New Jersey was virtually unknown. Currently, the choice of beers on tap is geared to represent various beer styles: there will always be an IPA on tap, a pilsner, amber,... Apart from that, he now oversees a selection of kegs they age in their cellar, kept for a special offering now and then. I can speak from experience that coming in only 2 hours after they start such a keg can be too late.

Dan has seen craft beer really take off in the last 3 to 4 years. "Craft beer is only going to get better," he says, "as local movements, more accessible and with  more styles." Now the Stirling Hotel does its part, with a great knowledgeable staff, bringing people from Long Hill Township and beyond a great place to hang out. Simple, unassuming, it will give you the kind of food that hits the spot, and beers that are hand picked to give you a taste of great brews from all over. A mix of the familiar, with the thrill of exploration laced in between. If you're around, a place you should not skip.

October snow surprise

We've had quite a weekend and week, so far!
This past Saturday, October 29th, an early snowstorm battered the Northeastern corner of the United States. It broke all kinds of records, most of them about early snowfall maximums. It was, for example, the first such storm since the civil war. Here where we live, we had about 6-8 inches of heavy, sticky snow. Since it came so early, the trees still had most of their leaves. That proved to be a bad combination: branches and even whole trees broke off and toppled down under the heavy accumulated weight of the snow. This knocked out power lines everywhere, resulting in over 3 million people without power in the Northeast.
Power companies have hundreds of repair crews out, around the clock, but given the massive extent of the damage, our area will be out until Thursday, perhaps even Friday.
I was out at the Stirling Hotel, talking with the owners in preparation of an article here about how they made the Stirling Hotel into one of the best craft beer bars in Central New Jersey. Coming home, I found we had lost power. Today I am at a local coffee place to send this update, so look out for an article about this great bar soon!
Losing power means for a lot of people losing heating, and for those with well water, loss of water as well. The only bright point is that it gets so cold inside the house, that the beer from the powerless fridge stays nice and cool to drink. Always look at the bright side of life, someone has famously said... Any reason to celebrate is a good one, having no reason probably the best of them all. Loosing so much of our comfort only shows how blessed we are and how much we have and so easily take for granted. Now that is a lesson I happily toast on, with a Dogfish Head Punkin Ale at a nice frosty room temperature. Cheers all!

A picture's worth a thousand words:

The trees in our back yard could not bear the weight, even as I tried to save
the furthest tree by throwing snowballs at  its branches in an effort to
 relieve some weight.

Never knew trees could be that flexible...

I heard that the state of New Jersey has ordered 10,000 new electricity poles..

This happened all over the area. Still wondering what made that pole in
 the previous picture  snap?

Blocked streets everywhere, and live wires all over. Ignoring that, the snow
 does give a nice early Christmas feel, doesn't it? Feel like a nice stout
or dubbel Trapist beer... 

Pumpkin season: a family recipe

It is that time of the year again. The weather is getting chillier, cloudy days are more numerous, the leaves start to slowly turn. Mostly reds this early, but soon in that great palette of browns, yellows, reds, greyish, purple,... But the most unmistakable sign that fall is here, is the number of pumpkin beers appear on the shelves of our preferred liquor stores or bars.

One of the things that most surprised me when I made the voyage across the Atlantic to settle here, was Thanksgiving. Let no one ever dare to even think that Americans have no culture. I will point to the lavish Thanksgiving meal, with all it's delights as celebrated virtually all over the 50 states in similar fashion, right before I stuff their bellies. Standing out was the pumpkin pie. Served slightly chilled, with a nice layer of frothy whipped cream, is a taste of heaven. I must confess I repeatedly over-indulged on this treat.

Pumpkin beers is another new thing, one I am still warming up to. Some are just horrific experiments with a taste of vegetables that I prefer in a more solid form, on my plate, with a beer to accompany them without any such off-flavor like smell and taste. Others are actually quite enjoyable, Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head as an example. I have a Southern Tier Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale in the fridge, waiting to be sampled. (What pumpkin or fall beers are your favorites? Leave me a comment and let me know what to try next!)


In this great Pumpkin Onslaught I cannot forget to mention that great pumpkin launching festival and competition, called Punkin' Chunkin'. Trebuchets, air cannons, catapults, torsion catapults, centrifugal, and human powered launching platforms are constructed by fans from all over the country, who gather early November to test 1 thing: who can chuck that pumpkin the furthest? Crazy, but awesome! If you want to combine beer, pumpkins, that Roman or Medieval or engineering side of you that rarely has a chance to shine, this is definitely the event for you.

But let's add a traditional flavor from the old world, with a family recipe for a great pumpkin soup! Rich, thick, creamy, it is a perfect meal to nourish you and heat you up when coming in, that autumn chill in your bones. And yes, pumpkin beer pairs well.

So here goes:
For 3-4 people:
*a 12-15 lbs pumpkin
*8-10 strips of bacon
* 6oz. of heavy cream
*1 roll of Pillsbury Crescent Seamless Dough Sheet
*1 medium sized yellow onion
*(1/2 lbs of ground beef, optional)
*salt, pepper, powdered nutmeg and allspice, dried basil flakes

-Cut the pumpkin in 4 parts, remove the seeds and inner soft parts
-Cut the parts in thinner strips, which you then peel (potato peeler is a great tool)
-Cut the strips in cubes, about 1inch square.
-Place the pumpkin cubes in a large cooking pot, and add just a shallow bottom of water
-Cook on the stove for 30 minutes on medium-high, closed with a lid.
-Add pepper, salt, some nutmeg, allspice and basil
-Brown yellow onions and add them as well.
-After half hour (or when the cubes are soft) puree the cubes and onion. (I use an electrical hand mixer) so you get a thick, homogeneous liquid.

Pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, Punkin Ale. Life is good!

When the cubes are on the stove, take 8-10 strips of bacon, cut them in small pieces, and bake them crisp in a pan, and keep them apart (only add them after mixing, one can also add very small pre-cooked balls of ground beef). Take a tube of Pillsbury Crescent Seamless Dough Sheet, place on an oven sheet, cut with a long knife or pizza cutter in cubes, half an inch for each side, sprinkle salt, pepper and dried basil flakes on top, and place in the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Now add the bacon to the soup, bring to taste with some more salt/spices per your own taste, and serve at your table. Pour some heavy cream in the soup on your plate, garnish with the baked dough squares, and some parsley or something to add some green. Voila! Enjoy!

Beer styles: relic of the past, or cherished tradition?

Since the boom in homebrewing and breweries started in the early 1980's, a lot of new styles have emerged, and  the freedom the (home)brewers have enjoyed in creating their beers have made a good number of people question the need for styles altogether. Before we tackle that question though, we need to look at some of the facts (and some of my own more subjective opinions, for what they're worth).

Great chart from the pop chart lab.

The American craft beer revolution definitely has impacted the world of beer. But there have been other places as well where movements, similar to the American craft beer movement, have come up more or less independent. In Belgium, for instance, a number of very small breweries started to challenge the 'traditional' beers, and added new tastes. Similar moves happened in other countries as well. It is helpful to note that the American craft movement really broke through only in the last 3 or so years. After a slump between 2000 and 2006, the number of breweries started to bounce back again, and Craft Beer somehow became part of the mainstream. Every self-respecting restaurant or bar, for instance, has at least some craft beers on their lists (I know, a lot of room for improvement, notably on the vision behind the beers, and teaching the bars and restaurants that there is so much more to craft beer than to treat it just as the hot novel thing). People are now much more aware that craft beer exists, and that is huge. The exchange with other breweries around the world has really come up in these last few years as well. You see Belgian breweries making American styles, or beers mainly intended for the American market (IPA's, Belgian IPA's, sours, saisons,...) and those new flavor profiles and vision is trickling down to the beers they make for their local drinkers as well. Some of my friends in Belgium tell me that they really like the more bitter beers (meaning the IPA's), brewed with hop varieties hereto unknown to them (Simcoe, Cascade,...).


With this explosion of growth and the continued new discoveries of so many beer drinking people, it isn't but normal that the old styles are shaking in their foundations, being challenged, replaced, added onto, etc. Some people think that is the new norm, in a very post-modern worldview that does not really like 'strict rules'. But I would contend they are mistaken, and that this is only a phase of finding a new equilibrium. One that in a later period of time can be challenged of course, but a new equilibrium nonetheless.


People mistake freedom as 'absence of rules', where that absence would only be the worst kind of nihilism. True freedom is having rules in place, but with the ability to choose whether or not to follow them. Beer styles work the same way. A brewer is under no circumstances obliged to follow any set of style guidelines, does not need to understand the tradition and heritage from any given beer style or substyle he or she wants to brew. But it offers a much deeper understanding of their craft, that more often than not will allow them to make better beers.


To me, beer styles are like different cuisines. Each has their own traditions, styles, history, a different understanding of the ingredients and flavors and how to put them together. If you want to name your beer a 'Belgian Triple', you can follow that tradition and understanding closely, or give it a twist by applying them more loosely. But there is a point where your beer will cease to be a Belgian triple or a triple altogether, which is something you as brewer need to understand and acknowledge (by no longer calling it a Belgian Triple, to begin with). An overly assertive hopped triple is not a Belgian Triple, regardless of the yeast you used. It will be a pale ale, leaning closer to IPA. A triple derives most of its flavor and character from the yeast and the way the malt was treated, not from hops. Understand that, and you can make awesome triples, even playing with the new hop styles as you now know how these hops can add to the beer, in a supportive role, not leading. Similarly, adding too many jalapeños to a shepperd pie, will make it much less a British dish and more of a Mexican or fusion type dish. You can do it, it might taste delicious, but it isn't British anymore.


The FAQ section of the BJCP website has the following paragraph:

The groupings in the Style Guidelines are somewhat arbitrary, and often did not represent a unanimous decision of those on the Style Committee who worked on the document. There are two conflicting schools of thought represented in the guidelines. The first says that Style Guidelines should describe beer in the way you would think about it historically, or the way you would teach it in a study class. Similar to a Michael Jackson book, subcategories of beers should always belong to a logical style family from which they are derived. The other school of thought says that subcategory descriptions are the vital notion, and that style categories are simply logical groupings of similar beers for purposes of judging. This group believes that beers from many style families can be combined into judging categories so as to reduce the sensory differences a judge will encounter in judging a single flight from that category.

As you might have guessed by now, I am firmly in the first school of thought. Beer styles are not solely there to help judge a beer in competition, but to tell the drinker what to expect. The style designation will give a lot of information about where it comes from, it's history and tradition. It is a way to respect all the brewers before us, who put their heart and soul in their brews, making them unique, to the point of becoming a style. Honor them in their achievement, and find new ways of brewing to create your own style (you'll find that very hard, and will gain new respect for the brewers of old). Above all, do not hijack an existing style to hide your own limited grasp of the rich diversity of beer.

So, drink your beer tonight, with a toast to the old brewmaster, and enjoy the brilliance of how they managed to create a style, with all those elements and ingredients so well put together to offer you that well balanced and rich brew you're sipping.


* The first image is a chart from the Pop Chart Lab. Check out their site to purchase a print from this great beer style chart!

Politics made easy: the beer example.

As I was browsing through some articles in Belgian newspapers, reading up on the political situation there (after more than 450 days of negotiations, Belgium still has no government!), I came across a very interesting and clarifying post by a certain Mark Pollentier.

First some background information. Belgium is a parliamentary monarchy, meaning that we have a king, who officially is head of the country, but basically has only ceremonial powers. Elections between a multitude of parties put in place a parliament and a senate, with the Prime Minister coming from the party with most of the votes. The northern part of the country is Dutch speaking (Vlaanderen, or Flanders), and the southern part is French speaking (called la Wallonie). There is a very small part in the east that is German speaking, annexed after the first world war as compensation. Brussels, the capital, is officially bilingual Dutch-French, but lies entirely in Flanders. (Please bear with me, there is a point to this that involves beer!)

There has been a lot of animosity between the Flemish majority and the politically more powerful French speaking part, since the beginning of the country in 1830 (a rebellion against the Dutch king Willem I, instigated by French agents and with French money and aid). From this moment on, the French speaking part and the upper and middle class in Flanders, who also were French speaking, would regard Flemish as an inferior language, reflected in one policy after another. Examples are numerous: Flemish (a regiolect of Dutch) was initially not recognized as an official language of the country, it took about 70 years before the Equality Act of 1898 ruled that the written text of laws and royal decrees in Dutch would have the same legal value as those in French, and only in 1932 was Flemish officially the language for education in Flanders. This developed the territorial principle: the official language is determined by the location. This means that in Flanders, Flemish is the primary language, in Wallonia French, and Brussels, the capital, would get a bilingual status.

In modern history, Belgium has been divided in 7 parts: 3 regions, based on territory (Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels-capital), 3 communities based on language (the Flemish, French and German speaking communities), and a federal level governing above these regions and communities. In Flanders, the region and community were combined to ensure a more streamlined and efficient system.  (See the Wikipedia page here for an overview and more background)

Now, back to the beginning of the story. Today, Belgium still has no government, since the elections of June 13, 2010. One of the main, if not the most important stumbling block in the negotiations between the Flemish and French speaking parties, is the electoral jurisdiction Brussel-Halle-Vilvoorde. As it overlaps the bilingual Capital and several Flemish counties, it creates a lot of conflicts. The French parties are trying to expand their influence in the Flemish ‘randgemeenten’ (peripheral municipalities) around Brussels, to create a large Brussels Capitol Region under their control. These municipalities have large French speaking communities, who received special privileges, called ‘facilities’, meaning they can receive official documents and services in French, even though they are living in Flanders. These ‘facilities’ were meant to be phased out, but they have only been strengthened.

The Flemish demand to end this bundling of Brussels with a part Flemish electoral region was enforced by a Supreme Court ruling, with a deadline of 2003, which has still not happened (meaning that all electoral results are de jure invalid because violating the constitution). The French speaking parties demand compensation for the split of this electoral jurisdiction, the Flemish oppose that and insist that there should be no compensation to execute the constitution.

So, there you have it, a very quick overview, still incredibly complicated. This text I mentioned earlier does a much better job. Which clearly must be because it uses beer as the vehicle to explain this situation. Here goes:

Brussel-Halle-Vilvoorde (BHV) explained with beer:
Every evening your new neighbor comes by to drink a nice cool pint of beer: he happens to have no fridge yet.

So you gladly allow him the beer out of your fridge (facilities).

But days become weeks, weeks become months and months become years, and your neighbor now feels so at home at your place that he decides what and when can be drunk (the contrarian mayors of the facility-municipalities who refuse to speak Flemish).

When you bring that up to him, he reacts furiously and seeks the support of his family who lives down the street (the French speaking people in Brussels).

They support the behavior of your neighbor, and demand you open up your house for the whole family (continued ‘frenchification’),

whereby your fridge becomes property of the family (attaching the facility-municipalities to Brussels),

but where you still have to keep the fridge filled daily (financial transfers from Flanders to Wallonia and Brussels).

When finally the peace justice declares that you are right and that the neighbor has to go drink his beer with his family (ruling of the Supreme Court),

the neighbor and his family demand that you buy them a fridge (compensation for the French speaking), and that you come fill it again daily (continued financial transfers).

That is what BHV is all about!

Why be complicated, if some beer can help explain it so much better?

Cheers, and