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| Highland Brewing Co. Auld Asheville Vintage Ale |
Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum
Si þin nama gehalgod
to becume þin rice
gewurþe ðin willa
on eorðan swa swa on heofonum.
urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg
and forgyf us ure gyltas
swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum
and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge
ac alys us of yfele soþlice
Si þin nama gehalgod
to becume þin rice
gewurþe ðin willa
on eorðan swa swa on heofonum.
urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg
and forgyf us ure gyltas
swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum
and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge
ac alys us of yfele soþlice
Yes, I know you now are thinking the Jax Brew Bitch
has finally had one too many pints – or that maybe I didn't notice one of my
cats step across my keyboard right before I uploaded this blog post.
But what appears above is not the ramblings of an inebriated
mind or the cat-astrophic result of migrating felines, it is actually some of
the beginning verses of the Lord's Prayer – in Old English, or rather, Olde
English.
Amazing how little this early language resembles our modern
English!
I had this in mind as companion and I galloped our motorized
steed over to Kickbacks Gastropub (910 King Street – 904.388.9551) to
try some of the Highland Brewing Company's Auld Asheville Vintage Ale –
an Old English-style ale - just tapped prior to our visit at 2:00 pm on Monday
(June 25). It was my understanding Kirsten Oldham Kelley of Highland
Brewing Company would be present to answer any questions during this
spotlight on this very unique brew – one bearing little resemblance to other
modern ales.
This ale is special because Highland brewed this for their
15th Anniversary in 2009 and released it as a seasonal in December
of that year. So, the Kickbacks Gastropub offering of this ale has been aging
since 2009. Egads! … there was no way this wifman was going to miss out
on nectar such as this!
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| Kickbacks Ale Angel, Jill |
Entering Kickbacks, we encountered one of my Ale Angels,
Jill serving as bartender for the day – a change from her long tenure there in
working the night shift – a swap she certainly seems to enjoy!
Once we selected our seats at the bar, owner Steve Flores
appeared and graciously greeted us. Steve always makes us feel so welcome and
his dedication to his staff and customers establishes him as an effective role model for the young, lean and hungry
entrepreneurs “biting at the bit” to get started one day. Confirming we were
there for the Highland Brewing Auld Asheville, Steve texted Kirsten and learned
she would be there at Kickbacks a little later that afternoon. Darn the luck! …
we'd have to stick around!
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| Now this is how to do a Monday! |
We ordered two of the Auld Asheville Vintage Ales, served in 6 oz. pours for $3.95 each – this ale is delicious! …. at 9.5% ABV, it can
sneak up on you, so it's best to order two so that you can keep an eye on one
while you drink the other. I was excited to note we had obtained the first two
glasses of that tapping! … WooHoo! … the early Jax Brew Bitch captured the
Brew! ...
Brendan, who we met in early Jax Brew Bitch days, is now
with Champion Brands Team Hopheads and had entered Kickbacks in search of the
Auld Asheville brew, as well. It was great seeing him and we discussed his
association with Champion Brands and recent (CASK) activities.
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| Kashmir IPA & Auld Asheville Vintage Ale on tap at Kickbacks Gastropub |
Kirsten arrived with an entourage and after finding tables,
came over to say hello to all of us and spoke of her duties within her current
area of responsibility which includes the states of Florida, Alabama and
Georgia! … Kirsten is an amazing woman holding a significant spot in the
southeastern U.S. beer industry. She is obviously very effective and talented
to have such a massive area to cover. While I was speaking with her,
Springfield Brew Crew Marc Wisdom arrived with the business cards for his new
additional nom-de-plume, the Jax Beer Guy.
It was fun having a Monday-afternoon beer event of sorts and
we all enjoyed talking about our appreciation for the Highland Brewing Company
beers currently available at Kickbacks. Kirsten excused herself after awhile to
return to her group.
On Highland’s website back in that 2009 Anniversary year,
they described the Auld Asheville:
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| Highland Brewing Co. Auld Asheville Vintage Ale |
“Auld Asheville Vintage Ale” - the name pays homage to
the Scots Irish heritage of Highland’s mountain home. It is a style made famous
by British brewers with their holiday offerings of old ales.
Auld Asheville Vintage Ale is a high gravity ale in the style of “Old Ales” or ‘English Strong” ales which are traditionally released just prior to the holidays. Contributing to the beer’s complexity is the use of three different yeast strains, two of which were imported from England. Because of the hopping levels, alcohol content, and the completeness of its attenuation with time in the tanks, it was noted “the product should cellar incredibly well and increase in complexity for at least the next year.”
Its taste is described as “having a bold profile from fine British Malts, woodsy and estery aromas from traditional British Ale yeast, and bittering from Styrian Bobek hops. The addition of Sterling hops provides a hint of spiciness in the nose.”
Auld Asheville Vintage Ale is a high gravity ale in the style of “Old Ales” or ‘English Strong” ales which are traditionally released just prior to the holidays. Contributing to the beer’s complexity is the use of three different yeast strains, two of which were imported from England. Because of the hopping levels, alcohol content, and the completeness of its attenuation with time in the tanks, it was noted “the product should cellar incredibly well and increase in complexity for at least the next year.”
Its taste is described as “having a bold profile from fine British Malts, woodsy and estery aromas from traditional British Ale yeast, and bittering from Styrian Bobek hops. The addition of Sterling hops provides a hint of spiciness in the nose.”
Dedicated to providing meaningful reviews, I decided to have
another one – just to be sure I had a full appreciation for this ale, of course
…
Then, I considered the other Highland Brewing Company's
brews on tap – the Kashmir IPA and Razor Wit Belgian Wheat described on
Highland's website:
Highland Brewing Company Kashmir IPA
A full-bodied India Pale Ale. This beer is golden in
color with a moderate malty character with full hop flavor true to the classic
ale that has traveled on sailing ships from England to India. Bold and brazen.
This is Highland’s version of the classic British beer
which was designed to survive the long journeys from England to India on
sailing ships. The higher alcohol content and much higher hop level provided
the longevity necessary for the casks to arrive in India in a most drinkable
condition. It is very often serious beer drinkers’ favorite style. Being “Just
a wee bit different” we chose Kashmir, a controversial section of the Indian
subcontinent in the north and matched it with a Madras inspired plaid from the
south. Note: 6% ABV & 60 IBUs
Highland Brewing Company Razor Wit Belgian Wheat
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| Highland Brewing Co. Razor Wit Belgian Wheat |
This Belgian-style Wit, or “white” ale, is an unfiltered
wheat beer brewed with traditional ingredients and a Highland twist. Wits are
conventionally brewed with noble hops, pale malt, unmalted wheat, orange peel,
and coriander. We have made this beer our own by adding other unique spices to
create complex aromatics, a refreshing taste, and a crisp finish. Light in
color with a smooth body, Razor Wit is perfect for hot summer days and sultry
summer nights. Note: 4.5% ABV & 25 IBU
Since I had recently had the Kashmir IPA, we ordered a Razor
Wit to share. This was quite a contrast to the Auld Asheville but very
flavorful – nice and spicy!
Only because I wanted to establish an ironclad perception of
the Auld Asheville, companion and I shared one more. See how unselfishly I
go the extra mile?
Kirsten re-appeared and cordially invited us, Brendan and
Marc over to sit with them.
The fellowship was so enjoyable and I appreciated how
Kirsten had invited us over and made the introductions. Her group had invaded
and taken over two large tables under and near the draft beer list board - and that area got quite busy with
substantial amounts of food and beer making its way into “Kirsten's Corner”.
The aroma of the food made me hungry, so I suggested to
companion we share the Jake 'N Bake pasta dinner described on Kickbacks
Gastropub's menu:
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| Kickbacks Jake 'N Bake |
“Penne, chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, broccoli, cajun
alfredo sauce and cheddar jack cheese, in a casserole-like amalgam”
Huge and delicious, served with your choice of a House or
Caesar salad, this meal is a great value at $13.79. Plenty enough for me and
companion to split and still have some to take home for later!
Marc said goodbye to the group and we stayed a little longer,
enjoying discussions with Kirsten and her friends. All too soon, we had to
start making our way home since it was a “school night” …
I bid ábéodan to Kirsten and were wonderful family and friends,
looking forward to hopefully seeing them soon again in the future.
Jill as bartender and Mike as table server did a terrific
job – sincere thanks to them for their consistent spectacular customer service!
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| The beautiful Kirsten ldham Kelley and JBB |
My heartfelt appreciation to Kirsten Oldham Kelley of
Highland Brewing Company and Steve Flores and the rest of his crew at Kickbacks
Gastropub for a very enjoyable Monday-afternoon Jax Brew Bitch experience!
To those who may be reading, thank you again for doing so –
and until I see you on future Prowls - “God þē mid sīe” ...
To view more photos from Kickbacks Gastropub and Highland Brewing Company, visit the link below:
Highland Brewing Company
Kickbacks Gastropub
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