Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/701904
THE MESSAGE 16 / the tasting panel / july 2016 Two New Friends Make One Incredible Beer O n June 23rd, if you had walked through the newly opened doors of The Phoenix in Los Angeles, you'd have found a couple of the best brewmasters in the world talking about their first and unprecedented collaboration, Deux Amis. Brewmaster and co-founder of The Lost Abbey Brewing Company Tomme Arthur gave us the breakdown: "Total Beverage Solutions—the importer for Brasserie Dupont— asked if I would be interested in collaborating on a project with this gentleman here [slaps Olivier Dedeycker, fourth- generation brewmaster of the Dupont Brewery, playfully on the back]. I was flabbergasted that I got to be the first American to do this. Saison Dupont is the defining beer of the saison style, and to be invited to work with the classic recipe with some new hops is really cool." Dedeycker added, "We used the same techniques we've always used, our yeast, etc., but Tomme chose the hops. During brewing, the first day when I smelled the different American grapefruit-like hops [Amarillo and Simcoe], I knew we were doing something really special." The tasting, consisting of a flight of three beers—original Saison Dupont, Deux Amis and Lost Abbey Carnevale Ale—was a great way to sniff out the variations in the three different saisons. French for "two friends," Deux Amis is a slightly more feminine saison, just a bit more tropical than the traditional saison style. However, Arthur feels it's about more than just the complex and refreshing saison. —Jessie Birschbach One Incredible Beer Dupont Brewmaster Olivier Dedeycker and The Lost Abbey Brewmaster and co-founder Tomme Authur. Introducing Champagne Palmer & Co. With 415 hectares of vineyards, over 200 hectares of Grands and Premiers Crus primarily in Montagne de Reims, Champagne Palmer & Co. takes the art of blending to a new height by employing a solera reserve to comple- ment the quality fruit, modern technology and expertise of a team of five winemakers. Champagne Palmer & Co. presents itself to the U.S. market with an offering of four wines: Brut Réserve, Blanc des Blancs, Rosé Réserve and Amazone de Palmer. In 1948, seven winegrower families partnered to make the most of their vineyard sites, launch- ing Palmer & Co. The Brut Réserve is serious wine for entry level, with 30–35 percent reserve wines added to the 2010 base. With five years on the lees, the Blanc des Blancs offers great value for the elevated complexity, while a solera of Pinot Noir from Les Riceys in the Aube added as the still wine for the Rosé Réserve makes the wine unique. Amazone de Palmer encapsulates the precision and dedication of Champagne Palmer & Co. Produced only every five to six years, this expression exhibits oxidation and yet freshness; the finish is long with richness, balanced by still persistent acidity. The pinnacle of Champagne Palmer & Co. paves the way for assured success in the U.S. —Allyson Gorsuch Champagne Palmer & Co. is imported by Gonzalez Byass USA. Palmer & Co. Crus art ment winemakers. with Rosé families ing