Bosphorus Brewing Co… and a bath with Mustafa (Istanbul, Turkey)

Part I: The Beer

Rarely is a bar just a bar and a pint just a pint. No place is this more evident than at Bosphorus Brewing Company (BBC) in Istanbul, Turkey. Yes, this is supposed to be Brew Through “USA”, but hey, I’m in Istanbul and just visited the only brewpub within hundreds, if not thousands, of miles.

If you think the blue laws in your Bible-belt town are restrictive, you haven’t been to BBC. A British pub by design to cater to Turkish ex-pats, they soon will be closing their taps on that most British of beer exports, real ale. Due to a new restrictive law which requires bars to serve beer through kegs, this will negate the ability to naturally carbonate their beer and serve from a cask. Additional restrictions are likely forthcoming as Turkey’s current prime minister was recently quoted as saying, “I want them to know that I want these (restrictions) for the sake of their health … Whoever drinks alcohol is an alcoholic.” Quite an ironic statement from a country whose most revered figure and founder of their republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, died from cirrhosis of the liver brought on by years of heavy drinking, and whom it is still illegal to criticize.

I was the lone patron on what is typically a busy Saturday afternoon. The area near BBC, Taksim, is currently at the epicenter of what has become the biggest political and social issue in Turkey at the moment, free speech. Due to massive protests, public transit was closed off in the area so that demonstrators would be deterred from congregating. They were not however, as tens of thousands crowded the streets and public areas for several days, despite being pummeled with water cannons and tear gas so heavy that I was able to smell it from miles away. With a google map in tow though, I was able to direct a cab to the general area, and with some luck (and recognition of their logo) able to find the new brewpub.

Not only is it a difficult road to navigate to produce their beer legally, it’s also a logistical nightmare. Due to the lack of drinkable water all of the water used in BBC’s beers goes through reverse osmosis. One in particular, the Yagangee, goes through additional burtonization with the addition of minerals so that nice mouthfeel of traditional English beers shines through.

BBC’s Karbon Stout combines the three traits most characteristic of a stout: chocolate, coffee and creaminess, to make it my favorite of the lot. All three traits are so evident I was surprised that no adjuncts were used in the process of this brew.

The portfolio is rounded out with several traditional and well-made English bitters and a nod to the American IPA with a their “Istanbul Pale Ale” made with fruity Cascade and Amarillo hops (but with a little help from some English Maris Otter malt).

The Haliç Gold is a great example of brewing to your crowd without caring about the critics. This beer, a Belgian blond, has enough diacetyl to make even the most conservative of BJCP sanctioned judges sneer. It is made this way on purpose, as head brewer and owner Philip Hall says the locals love it due to the added sweetness. Some people talk about not compromising to meet the larger demand, but in this case it’s about not compromising your market to suck up to the beer snobs, which is quite refreshing in an industry obsessed with “brewing to style”.

Originally, I had some misgivings about spending time going to a 21st century brewpub versus a 500 year old mosque or palace, but I don’t think I would’ve gained nearly as much perspective about what the country of Turkey is currently going through, especially on that particular day. So kudos to the Phil Halls of the world who, despite the nearly impossible obstacles before them, are literally risking life, limb and money to bring their passion to all parts of the world, and hopefully make a change for the better not only on the palate of beer drinkers, but as a force for social change.

Part II: The Rubdown

Two pints and a tasting of all six taps gave me the courage to go looking for another of this great country’s well known institutions, a Turkish Hamam, or more commonly known as, a Turkish bath.

The closest one to my hostel ended up being Çemberlitas Hamami, a Hamam built in 1584 by the sultan Nurbanu.

Upon entering the structure, which is located below street level as Istanbul is such an old city and has been built literally on top of itself numerous times, you are given a key to a personal room to change into the tiniest of tiny towels and then directed to the steam room.

The steam room isn’t like your typical hot and humid wooden closet at the local Holiday Inn, but rather a vast stone structure with a circular slab of marble in the middle. I have to say, I personally hate being hot and am no friend of sweat, but the totality of moisture that you shed is so relaxing that it seems almost natural. 

Once you have a good sheen going, you lie down on the slab and wait for a tap on the foot indicating it’s your turn for a bath. On this occasion I was greeted by a bear of a mustachioed man (in an equally teeny towel) by the name of Mustafa. A scrubbing ensues in which one is given the choice of “hard” or “soft”. Feeling emboldened and not wanting to disappoint the Turkish version of Ron Swanson, I of course opted for hard. Once the pain of what felt like sand paper being rubbed across every part of my body began to subside, Mustafa pointed to a soggy sawdust-like substance that had formed on my arm and stated simply, “skin…  good.”

From here your senses continue to take a pounding and you begin to question why are you being subjected to this forced penance. Before you try to convince yourself of your own righteousness a bucket of water from a guilded brass bowl is heaved in your direction, and you await that cool, refreshing sensation, only to experience hydro-flagellation in the form of nearly boiling water that washes away your final transgressions. It’s no wonder most Hamams were built near mosques.

Mustafa’s actions are forceful and deliberate, as he finishes with a soapy lather and massage (well, more of a tugging, cracking and twisting) and again, only a handful of words: “done.. now oil.” You are directed to a smaller, cooler room and oiled head to toe and given a proper massaging for about twenty minutes that eases all the tension and abuse that one has just experienced in the previous hour. 

Following what I thought was a nice thorough shower I am stopped by my friend Mustafa who rubs his index finger across my skin like that of a school-house nun with white gloves on a chalk board, and proceeds to wash me again not unlike a punished child who is being shown the proper way to conduct a task. The slap on my back indicating he is finished is again accompanied by only a handful of words, this time, “good.. clean… now tip.” 

I gladly hand him five Turkish Lira and leave the Hamam a happier, more relaxed, if not bruised and battered, man. 

Turkey is an oasis and an enigma in a region fraught with religious strife and constant political upheaval. What appears to be a free and democratized country on the inside, one soon finds out, is merely a shell of what could be a shining example of secular freedom within an area known for severe oppression. It is an oasis, in that it is by far the most westernized of Muslim countries in the Middle East, but an enigma in that what freedoms they purport to have, are heavily curtailed, especially in the form of free speech. Turkey still remains the number one country on the planet for jailed journalists (even ahead of notorious China and Iran). As I recently saw though, the people have grown accustomed to the freedoms they once enjoyed, and as those begin to slowly be stripped away, the people have responded.

Update, July 16, 2013 – Due to restrictions by the government in Turkey regarding advertising beer-related articles on websites, Bosphorus Brewing Co. has launched a blog at http://beer-ist.com/. Additional info can also be found on their facebook page, at https://www.facebook.com/bosphorusbrewingcompany. 

Update, July 22, 2013 – Recipe for ‘Narbeer‘ (a pomegranate ale) now available under Brewer’s Corner section of blog

Franklin’s Brewery (Hyattsville, MD)

Consistently eclectic is how I can best describe Franklin’s Restaurant & Brewery (oh… and General Store). At my visit, there were no less than eleven taps, all pouring Franklin’s own brew. There is literally something for everyone, from their lighter Blonde Bombshell and Dubbel Vision, to A Modest ProposALE (an Irish-style stout) and even a sour offering, the Purgatoire.

I started out with Tripel Bliss, a light golden brew, made with yeast from a Trappist monastery in Belgium. Although it checks in at 9% abv this ale is quite drinkable. The typical spices and fruity esters of a tripel are evident, but not overwhelming. It went well with the ham, avocado, asparagus and alfalfa sandwich I had, another eclectically adventurous, yet simple menu item.

The Mama Said Hop You Out double IPA will satisfy the most greedy of hop heads, but will likely been enjoyed by the lupulin-challenged as well. It starts with a big, grassy nose, but drinks without much bitterness and is quite smooth. The smoothness comes from low carbonation and a balanced body that lends well to the big, herbal hop flavor. 

Rubber Chicken Red is a complex ale, with flavors ranging from mild roast and toastiness, to a hint of caramel and sweet, burnt sugar and nuts. Like the other beers on top, it too is smooth and drinkable. Although not quite a session ale at 5% abv, it is Franklin’s lowest alcohol offering outside of their blonde ale, and a couple pints are sure to disappear fairly easily.

Lastly, I tried Purgatoire, an American sour ale with lots of body. The sourness is very evident, and the beer itself has a thick, syrupy quality to it. A bit darker than an amber, flavors such as molasses and a hint of chocolate envelop the palate. It has some similarities to a port wine, and would lend itself well to some barrel aging to balance out the heavier flavors and allow for more of the tartness to take center stage. 

Franklin’s lends itself well to being a neighborly bar, as I saw first hand on this Monday afternoon as four locals who were on a first-name basis emerged at the bar at what was seemingly a regular affair. The beers themselves cater to a wide audience, but not at the expense of sacrificing flavor. This is clearly evident as not one “American Lite Ale” is available on their beer menu. Each beer, although representing their classic styles in flavor and characteristics, could be enjoyed by both newcomers to craft beer as well as the most style-obsessed beer geek and seeker of radical brews. 

These characteristics are carried over into Franklin’s adjoining General Store that has everything from robot-shaped tea infusers to no less than about fifty different hot sauces. A plentiful selection of craft beers in both cold six-packs and large format bombers is located in the back of the store, sure to reek havoc on the wallet of beer connoisseurs (this one included). 

Sly Fox Brewing Company (Phoenixville, PA)

A few weeks ago I was having a rough week at work and ended up taking a three day trip up to Philly since I’d never been, and had heard all about their great beer culture. You always start out on a great high when you begin a trip (especially when it revolves around trying new beers), but mine started out a bit differently than usual. 

 I was about an hour and a half into my drive, psyched up, and just outside of my first destination, Sly Fox Brewing Company, when I heard over the radio that a bomb had just gone off at the Boston Marathon. I knew several people running that weekend, and one very close friend, so I flipped through every channel until I found the latest news. My friend should have finished a few hours before, so I immediately called her to see how she was… she did not answer, and hearing her voice over voice mail only made my panic that much greater.

 About that same time I arrived at Sly Fox’s Brewhouse & Eatery in Phoenixville, PA (they also have a production brewery and tasting room in Pottstown, PA). Luckily, when I sat at the bar the TVs were on several news channels, however images of large smoke clouds and people on stretchers kept being flashed on the screens. There were a couple other folks at the bar for a late lunch, and although we had never met, we all immediately began conversing about the race and potential terrorist attack. Thankfully, I received an email pretty soon thereafter from my friend, saying she was OK.

 About this time I also got my sampler of multiple pale ales, a bitter, a saison, and their 2008 GABF gold medal winning smoked Rauch Bier. Now, I don’t want to dismiss the horrific actions that I had recently found out about, but I also don’t want to have anyone associate an awful moment in our country’s history with a new brewery they have never heard of. So, why have I mentioned them together? Because despite my reservations about this post, I did experience both together, and they will inexplicably be tied together in my mind for the rest of my life. 

 For me though, outside of being around friends and family after something traumatic, just being around other people sharing a common passion is very comforting. Enjoying something you love also helps take your mind off the worries of the day, and Sly Fox has some extremely enjoyable craft beers that did just that. They make some really excellent standard styles and then take them to the next level. No beer is more under appreciated in my opinion than a bitter. Sly Fox’s Chester County Bitter was one of my favorites on this visit. Despite its sessionability, there is lots of nice malty flavor balanced with subtle hoppiness. Not only does it adhere to the standards of a great bitter, they also only serve it the proper way a true bitter should be: cask conditioned. The cask conditioning gives the Chester County Bitter the smoothness it deserves and is a brew you could enjoy all day.

 In addition to some perfectly executed standard styles, the Sly Fox team offers some inventive brews, my favorite being their Hop Project series. On this particular day they had three single-hopped IPA hybrids that all utilized experimental hops that still don’t even have names associated with them, just numbers (01210, 03129, and 06300). The flavors in these brews ranged from your standard earthy and woody flavors, to coconut and mint. I immediately googled their availability to homebrewers the minute I got home two days later.

 I hate to associate such an awesome brewery with a terrible event, but the warmness of the locals I met while there, along with the comforting and delicious beers could not have been a better accompaniment to a troubled soul. And honestly, that’s part of why we have hobbies we’re so passionate about, to escape the ordinary, as well as the things we’d rather not think about.

Spring House Brewing Company (Lancaster, PA)

Spring House Brewing Company was another stop on my recent Eastern PA brew trip. Much like Prism Brewing in North Wales, Spring House definitely delivers for those looking to try some inventive beers. Their brewhouse is located in Conestoga, PA, but a full bar and restaurant is down the road in Lancaster (also very close to Intercourse, PA, where, as I observed, that is the probably the last thing on the geriatrics who I saw roaming the area’s minds). 

They have a pretty ridiculous sampler where you can taste every beer on tap, and if I’m not mistaken, I believe I had ten 4oz pours, with an additional “guest beer” thrown in for good measure. Definitely the go-to brew is the Big Gruesome, a chocolate peanut butter stout. Although this, along with other similarly off-the-wall beers, definitely drew my attention to this brewery during my research, I was a bit hesitant and thought that perhaps this was merely a gimmick to draw in non-beer drinkers…   I couldn’t have been more wrong. Although very noticeable, the peanut butter flavor is not overpowering, but rather it adds not only an additional flavor to this hearty (8.5% abv) stout, but provides some smoothness to an already creamy beer. It’s definitely filling, but the rich texture makes it go down easy and could be pretty dangerous after a couple pints.

Spring House also serves up a similar Lil’ Gruesome (8.3% abv, so not that little), that’s a peanut butter stout fermented with raspberries. It’s definitely sweeter, but is balanced nicely with rich chocolate flavors and some roastiness.

Despite having other equally bizarre brews (a mango IPA; oyster stout; and pineapple IPA), brewer Matt Keasey has plenty of standards to round out his portfolio. The Asylum triple IPA will satisfy the most lupulin obsessed of hop heads, and the Goofy Foot summer wheat is great as a thirst quencher and those interested in sweeter, but non-cloying brew.

The food menu is equally creative and delicious. I had crab mac and cheese bites with tomato bacon jam, and am officially stealing the idea for my next house party. I don’t want to start a trend of giving opinions on prices and whether items are reasonable or not as I want to focus on the beer and brewers, but being a resident of habitually overpriced DC I was very impressed with the quality of food and drink I got for well under $20. This is definitely a place that thrives on its local community base, and it’s not surprising the locals keep coming back for more.

Prism Brewing Co. (North Wales, PA)

Prism Brewing Company is located in North Wales, PA, about 45 minutes north of Philadelphia. I came across this funky brewery/brewpub a few weeks back while on a brew tour of Eastern, PA through the use of the always handy ‘Good Beer Maps’ provided by the good folks at Brewing News. What initially caught my attention was their unique variety of beers, but what made me fill a growler was the charasmatic staff and amazing flavor combinations the brewers not only pulled off, but enhanced their beers with. 

The first beer I tried was their Love is evoL, a brown ale loaded with 100lbs of strawberries and 10lbs of jalapenos. I’ve seen and tasted chili beers in the past, but mostly in darker brews like stouts and porters, so it was nice to try one where the heat is definitely up front and not afraid to hide. The strawberries add a hint of sweetness to balance the whole thing out.

The growler I left with was filled with Shady Blond, a wheat beer hopped with Summit and Cascade, and fermented with juiced blood oranges. Most recipes call for orange rinds to get that citrus flavor, but I’m glad the guys at Prism didn’t heed that advice, as the fresh citrus notes make this an extremely refreshing beer, without being overly sweet. This is definitely a great substitution for that orange wedge garnished Blue Moon offered as “craft beer” at your local sports bar.

I wish I’d had more time to stick around and try out their other concoctions like their ParTea Pale Ale (made with whole leaf China black tea leaves) or “Big Black Wheat” ChemoSabe (with hints of wasabi, and whose partial profits go to help families fighting cancer). Shout out also to my bartender who shared half of her Philly Cheesesteak egg roll (yes, it was goddman delicious) with me…  well, I say “shared”, but after asking me if I’ve ever had one and replying no, she pretty much force fed it down my throat claiming it was “fucking amazing”. From the locals and staff I spoke to, they share the same exuberant and irreverant passion about their beer as they do for strange takes on Philly’s most iconic food export. If you’re in the area (or can find their beers, from what I can gather are mainly distributed in Eastern PA and New Jersey) definitely drop in for a pint with the local crowd.