This post is a part of the 2015 New Beer Every Day Beer Diary Challenge, #ottbeerdiary. Over the course of 2015, I will be trying a new beer every day. Please read the background in the link above, and enjoy reading about the most recently tasted beers below. If you’d like to join the challenge as well, let me know in the comments below, and be sure to check out Grown-up Travel Guide and his #grownupbeerdiary, where Andy Higgs came up with the diary format in use below. You can catch up on all of our posts as part of the challenge under the tag ottbeerdiary.
Day 126: May 6, 2015
Diary entry:
The last day of our three day fam trip of the La Selva (The Forest) region of Costa Brava.
Breakfast was provided at Vilar Rural Sant Hilari, and then we were off to Santa Coloma de Farners for our introduction to Ratafia.
Ratafia is an herbal liqueur with a walnut base. Each producer has their own recipe for Ratafia, with their own combination of herbs and methods of production. Every year, there is a competition where people can enter their recipe and the winning Ratafia each year is then produced and bottled by one of the larger Ratafia brewing companies.
Our first order of business was a short walk through the park and into the hills surrounding Santa Colima de Farners with Evarist March, a local botanist that we learned was also the botanist used by El Celler de Can Roca for selecting the wild herbs they use in many of their dishes. How cool is that, especially just a week after eating there!
After our tour to check out the herbal ingredients of Ratafia in the wild, we then moved into town where we sampled Ratafia and Ratafia-based products at three local venues: Tuyarro, Pastisseria Trias, and Hotel Pintxo.
After the long lunch (and Ratafia tasting at Hotel Pinxo), a nap on the short bus ride to Caldes de Malavella, where we embarked on a short walking tour of the natural spring fountains in town, culminating in a visit to Vichy Catalan. Or should I say the spa at Vichy Catalan, where we had a full thermal experience in their natural spring spa.
And after that, the fam trip was over, and we returned to Lloret de Mar to pick up our car and drive up to Platja d’Aro where we are staying the next two nights at Hotel Planamar.
The Beer:
Name: Doble IPA
Style: Double IPA
Producer: Cervezas Arriaca
Alcohol content: 7.1%
Bottle size: 0.33l
Purchased from: Cervezas Arriaca’s booth at Birrasana 2015 in Blanes, Spain
During the day today, we were only drinking Ratafia and spring water. When we did eventually make it to the hotel, we were exhausted, and had trouble finding anywhere open still for dinner. I thought everyone in Spain ate late! I dipped into the stash for this beer, the Doble IPA from Cervezas Arriaca of Guadalajara, Spain.
I liked the bitterness of this beer, with quite a but of citrus coming through. A good Double IPA.
Commercial Decription:
Top-fermented beer with a strong hop character. Its complexity, remarkable body and creaminess created a special beer to be enjoyed with all five senses.
Temp rec. Consumption: from 6-8º.
Glass: American Painting, “shaker”.
TASTING NOTES:
Appearance: In glass has a strong throwing orange to reddish, with a crown of creamy foam and good retention.
Aroma: On the nose citrus aromas, especially grapefruit and tangerine, herbaceous, floral and fruity overtones. All these shades give way to the sweet scent of caramelized malts.
Taste: The palate is medium bitterness that dissipates quickly giving way to citrus, the pine and the candy and cookie own grain used. Balanced toward malt without astringent bitter end.
Pairing: Red meats, roasts, game, stews strong, strong cheeses, pates …
