NYC Bar Show

Gary has appeared on many television programs discussing craft beers and has appeared on BBC radio offering an American perspective on the beverage. In the Delaware Valley, he offers regular beer tips on WMGM NBC40.

One of the highlights of his career was a three-year stint on the Sirius Satellite Radio network, talking about the latest happenings in the beer world.

He continues to be a fixture at regional beer events by hosting dinners and tasting seminars. He recently qualified as a Certified Beer Server, a part of the Cicerone Certification Program, recognizing his knowledge of beer styles, culture, the brewing process and ingredients.

Below is a summary of where you find Gary:

* The Epic History of Everyday Things on the History Channel.

* 10! on NBC 10 in Philadelphia

* Still Crazy After All These Beers on several Internet providers.

* Table for One, on WOND AM 1400, WONZ AM 1580, WVLT 92.1 FM and Drexel University radio at 91.7 FM.

* Hitzel A La Carte, on NBC 40, weekends.

* Ed Hitzel's Restaurant Newsletter, published monthly, distributed in southern NJ, eastern PA, northern DE.

* Ed Hitzel's Restaurant Magazine, published quarterly, distributed in southern NJ, eastern PA, northern DE.

BEER BIAS

  by Gary Monterosso

If there is one generality I hear regarding beer styles, it is the belief that dark beers are bitter and heavy, unworthy of sipping on a warm sunny day. I need to reiterate that not all beers bring these flavor profiles. Some, in fact, are surprisingly sweet, mild and malty.  

A good part of the bias regarding dark brews originates from the belief that all taste like Guinness. These are the people who once tried Guinness, didn't like it and stopped there. There actually are several types of Stout styles with a range of flavors. Guinness is a Dry Irish Stout, meaning it has more hop bittering characteristics than other types of Stouts and carries a toasted, coffee flavor. A sweeter style Stout is a Milk Stout, made with lactose (not contributing to fermentation) and adding a creamy sweetness. It was traditionally given to mothers because it was thought to be nutritious. Check out Lancaster Milk Stout as one of the region's best. Also, Oatmeal Stout, obviously made with oats as a part of the grain contribution, has a mild flavor because oats have high protein content.

The stronger, higher-in-alcohol Imperial Stout certainly boasts a kick, but is milder in hops than the dry Irish Stout. Then there are the Stouts featuring the addition of chocolate. Rogue, Young's and Boston Beer immediately come to mind. Now tell me you don't like dark beer!

Next, there are Porters. Stouts and Porters essentially were the same beer back in 18^th century London. Their name combined and the beer was called Stout Porters. They developed their own characteristics and tiered sub-styles over time. Porters tend to be smokier and stronger than Stouts, not necessarily hoppier or bitterer. Most Porters are aged longer than other ales, giving them a higher concentration of roasted malt flavors. Over the last few years, we've seen many of them aged in oak or bourbon barrels, giving them a unique flavor. Smoked Porters have increased in popularity recently as well and pair nicely with appetizers. For a dark beer, Porters have a strong flavor, so if you are hesitant of dark beers, start with something a little more friendly such as a Brown Ale and work your way into Porters from there.

A surprisingly mild dark beer is the Brown Ale, characterized by a low hop flavor and relatively low alcohol content. Because there is a variance of Brown Ale styles, consider starting with an English-style Brown Ale as these tend to be a bit milder than their North American counterparts. Brown Ales are the perfect gateway to Porters and Stouts. American Brown Ales are usually drier and slightly hoppier than the English versions due to American hop varieties. I'd check out Newcastle Brown Ale as a representative British example and Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale as its American cousin.