December 14th, 2015
Day 14: Other Half Doug by Astrid Cook
@otherhalfnyc @BKLYNbeerbitch
To celebrate the Holiday Season, we have teamed up with beer bloggers and craft beer enthusiasts around the country to host the fifth annual beer advent calendar. This is the season of sharing and we intend to share our love of beer with you.
During the 31 days of December, we will be sharing our favorite regional/winter seasonals/holiday beers with the help from our fellow beer enthusiasts. We hope that you tune in every day, to hear our stories and share our holiday cheer.
Other Half Doug
Blogger: Astrid Cook
Website: brooklynbeerbitch.com
Twitter / Instagram / Facebook : T: @@BKLYNbeerbitch IS: @BKLYNbeerbitch F: BrooklynBeerBeyotch
Beer: Doug Cascadian Dark AleGowanus, Brooklyn, NY
Website: http://www.otherhalfbrewing.com/
Twitter: @otherhalfnyc
Commercial Description: GA 7.2% abv Cascadian Dark Ale that pays homage to our brewmaster, Sam Richardson’s home state of Oregon
Beer Details:
-Style: American-style Black Ale
-ABV: 7.2%
-IBU: 80
Why I selected the Other Half Doug:
Other Half Brewing, located in the emerging mecca of beer making that is the Gowanus section of Brooklyn, is approaching Alchemist-levels of hype after a mere two years in the business (their first beer, an IPA called Nuggy Num Num, was lauched in November 2013; their brewery opened a few months later in 2014; and they began selling from their canning line just this year). Profiled as a “brewery to watch” in Draft Magazine and oft-named for having the best beers and being the best brewery in the city and state, Other Half is quickly growing to meet the demand that has prompted everything from paying people to stand in line for new beer releases to illegal reselling of their coveted brews. The buddy ownership team of Samuel Richardson and Matt Monahan believe in quality during the expansion: They recently added to their brewing team by snatching American Homebrew Association 2016 Best in Show winner Peter Salmond, who had previously been brewing at Brooklyn Brewery, as their new head brewer.
Doug Cascadian Dark Ale is a rich, robust beer that is not a hop bomb, making for a delightful holiday option instead of overly spiced Pumpkin/Christmas beers or the heavy bourbon stouts and barleywines that tend to proliferate the market as fall turns into winter. The beer is dry-hopped with Centennial, Simcoe and Columbus hops, giving it an amazing nose that belies a really well-balanced beer. It’s drinkable but the somewhat higher ABV still packs a punch. Originally the brewery was planning to sell Doug in 16-ounce cans, but a shortage in availability forced them to package the beer in 12-ounce four-packs. The beer – for sale at the brewery and in few select outlets along the Hudson Valley – is also available in growlers.
What would you pair this beer with?
Like any darker high-hopped beer, Doug goes nicely with pungent cheeses and fattier foods. Great with steak. Because it’s not super bitter, I also think it would pair nicely to dessert (chocolate mousse or a pecan pie, maybe).
What Astrid says you shouldn’t miss in NYC:
My favorite local beer event of the entire year takes place during NYC Beer Week: NYC Brewer’s Choice offers an amazing line-up of 40+ beers poured by the brewers themselves alongside a decent number of food stations (raw bar, cheese and charcuterie, pork tacos). It’s like “Savor-lite” at less than half the price (early bird tickets are on sale now for only $60). It never sells out, which is somewhat shocking to me. I think it appeals more to “beer geeks” than the general public, but it really is an awesome event, especially if you like talking about beer with other beer lovers and brewers. NYC Beer Week runs from February 19-28, 2016; NYC Brewer’s Choice will take place on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.
About Brooklyn Beer Bitch
Astrid is a beer writer from Brookyn, NY, who writes for several blogs including her own. Her work has appeared both online and in print at All About Beer Magazine, West Coaster (San Diego) and Complex.com. She is a member of the North American Guild of Beer Writers where she has judged their annual beer writing contest for the past two years. Her book, DIY Beer Brewing: Creating Your First Homebrew, was published earlier this year.
About Other Half:
Other Half Brewing Company was founded in 2014 by Samuel Richardson and Matt Monahan. We brew craft beers for draft consumption, bottles, and cans in limited release. We believe local breweries play an important role in their communities which is why, despite the challenges of running a brewery in NYC, we couldn’t choose anywhere but Brooklyn as our home. The brewery is located on the edge of Carroll Gardens, only two blocks from the subway. Our tap room is open to the public and we also offer tours of our brewery (by appointment).