Beer News Archives – A Night With The Hops

A Varied Collection

Sep 022010

The credit for the beer news this week goes to a handful of people. I had stories passed to me by The Wife, Seattle Jeff, MomJovi, and Erin my Midwestern Beer Correspondent. Since they did the hard part, all I really had to do was sit back and read through it all. It turned out to be a pretty varied collection of articles.

Much to get to . . .

Knowing that I cannot sing even a little bit or play anything, I am glad to find out that there is help out there for me to play a little tune while kicking back with a beer.
As a general piece of advice I would recommend that if you are charged with keeping track of something worth upwards of a million dollars, maybe you should take the night off from hitting the bar. Sure a beer or two is acceptable, but do yourself a favor by not starting a tab.
I had to pass along that advice before linking to this story telling you that drinking could help you live longer. That may trump my recommendation, but doing what is necessary to track of the valuables is still a good idea.
I like the idea of having a guide like this to assist my decision making and directions when travelling to other states. My hunch is that it would not take as long to put together a version of this for Florida.
In the spirit of at least somewhat cancelling out the possibility of drinking beer lengthening your lifespan, I present you with a deep fried version. Who knew that a liquid could be fried like that?
You all know that I am a sucker for lists and this one hits on a perfect combination (for me) of beer and travel. I will have the push pins in the map moments after I complete writing this post.
I defy you to not watch a video of an animal drinking (and enjoying) a few beers. There is also a bonus of a bad joke at the end.
To close the week, an article that highlights some reverse engineering of sorts via Dogfish Head’s musically inspired Bitches Brew. There is a pretty good chance that I won’t get to try this one, so I like to read reactions from the folks who do get to.

DFH Bitches Brew (via http://www.npr.org/)

Cheers!

Way Past Due

Beer News, Miscellaneous No Responses »

Sep 012010

Since it has been out for quite a while now this post is probably way past due here, but I have my hands full enough reviewing/evaluating beers and feel that I should leave the movie stuff to the Richard Roeper’s of the world. Beer Wars will be the one exception, at least for now. I thought Redlight Brent made a good point the other day when he said (basically) that everyone should watch it once; especially those who are not in the beer business and who have at least a casual interest in beer. Since I agree with that, I thought perhaps I could convince a few extra people to watch it.

You can go to the Beer Wars website or do whatever other research you want to learn more about the person who made the movie and how it came to be since I am only going to try to hit on a few points from the content of the film. So let’s not call it a review, but more of me giving you a reason or two why you should see it if you have not done so already.

Here we go . . .

beerwars poster small Way Past Due

First, I do have to say that I found it at least mildly funny (if not confusing) that it took someone that worked with Mike’s Hard Lemonade to make a movie like this, but I guess it makes some sense as they all go on many of the same trucks in the end. Combine that with the fact that she says very early on that she is allergic to alcohol and does not drink any of the stuff this movie is about and you really have to look at the movie as more of one about our capitalistic system and the business of alcohol as much as, if not more so, than the world of craft beer specifically.

Short of getting to see more of the politics behind the beer business, I was aware of most of the stuff in this movie going in. To be truthful I actually fell asleep half way through the first time trying to watch it (what a great pitch, huh), but I cannot be blamed for the lack of explosions in Beer Wars. For those of you who just pick up your same beer at the grocery store time after time without really thinking about it, you do owe it to yourself to see Beer Wars if for no other reason than because everyone owes it to themselves to know where everything they consume comes from and how it gets to them.

In the end it still comes down to drinking what you like (and nothing should change that), but after watching this and learning how distribution works for the smaller guys and how scary the politics behind the beer industry is, you will at least start seeing the store beer displays quite differently.

As with really any documentary style film there is an agenda going in and is likely edited together accordingly, so you do have to keep that in mind as you watch this one. I mean if I was able to pick the light beers in a blind test when I never drink them otherwise, I have to think that there is a pretty good chance at least a few people passed that little test for her. However as with most documentaries, this one is definitely based on many truths and you can easily do the research on whatever facts you may be suspicious of.

Is it really all about innovation or should it be about excellence? Why not both? You can watch and decide for yourself where you fall on the conflict in the beer world of advertising and hype versus quality and character.

If you do see it or have seen it already, let me know what your thoughts are!

Bummed Out

Beer News No Responses »

Aug 262010

This may not be a sad day for most people, but I am bummed out after finding out last night that Allagash will be pulling out of Florida for lack of demand. I am not sure how soon or if it has technically happened already, but my sources are pretty reliable. As a result I will be requiring bottles of Allagash goodness from all of my northeastern friends and relatives when they visit before I will provide them with sleeping quarters. An Allagash shirt will be worn this evening in an effort to help me grieve.

For this week . . .

If only to balance out my beer universe I will lead with a few new releases from Cigar City Brewing. If I can’t have my Allagash anymore at least I will be able to have a little José Martí, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, and Sea Bass to help me cope.
I will likely have to request a few cans of Genesee beers when my family comes to visit as well. That is not because I have not had them before, but because I really want to see what the new 24 ounce cans look like. Thanks to Mr. S. Jim for a heads up on that new arrival!
Thanks to The Wife and Cousin Erin for sending me this list of beers as they well know I am a sucker for such rundowns. Now I need to get working on trying the ones I have yet to get to on that one.
I really had to pass along this one not because they are yet another craft brewer that has turned to canning their beer, but because he says that they use a hand-operated filler and seamer that limits them to sealing one can at a time. That is crazy!
To close this week is a little about one of the pioneers of craft beer and the collaboration brew that was recently created with someone who he inspired along the way. Not a really long read, but definitely a good one.

Ken Grossman and Jack McAuliffe (via http://www.washingtonpost.com/)

Cheers!

A Fair Amount

Beer News No Responses »

Aug 192010

It seems that it was a bit of a slow week for me in the way of finding really interesting beer news. There was a fair amount out there (see below), but not enough to make deciding what to share very tough. I may be over generalizing a bit, but the hot summer months do tend to be a little slower in craft beer sales as people look for more thirst quenchers than hop bombs. People in that case does not include myself, but based on my discussions with industry friends in town I do think it is pretty accurate. Not to worry though, you will be seeing fall seasonals on the shelves in a few weeks and more news will come along with them.

Enough rambling . . .

Being partly owned by A-B InBev already may soon turn into being completely controlled by the beer industry giant for the Craft Brewers Alliance. It is far from a done deal, but it is not exactly a stretch either.
I am not even close to needing another beer book on my shelf as I already have a handful of half-read ones that will last me another year, but I do like to keep up on what is coming out. Since I read his work in BeerAdvocate Magazine I plan to at least flip through his book the next time I find myself in a book store.
This story just missed the deadline for the beer news last week and I rarely will pass up passing along a story involving Genesee so it had to be in this week. With this new acquisition/combination in the craft beer world maybe I will see some more Genesee products down here alongside the Magic Hat?
Usually I pass along medical studies that indicate some sort of benefit from drinking beer, but the news can’t all be good I guess.
After starting to grow some of their own barley and hops some time ago, Sierra Nevada will soon line the shelves with the first beer that they have achieved organic certification for via the USDA.

Estate HomegrownAle Organic face A Fair Amount

Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale (via http://beernews.org/)

Cheers!

A Few Bits

Beer News, Breweries No Responses »

Aug 122010

Though there are a few bits of actual news in the bunch today, the list consists mostly of beer related articles that I found to be interesting as I was reading this week. There is plenty read through so I will let you get on to it.

And away we go . . .

Getting the story with the weakest tie to the craft beer world out of the way first, I have to give a shout out to my new favorite (though former) flight attendant. It is at least somewhat fascinating that he grabbed a few beers on the way out and I am wondering what they were. Surely we can narrow it down to a few options.
Each week I find multiple stories based on the debate over the exact definition of craft beer. I think this one is a very good read on just that topic. Though I have not put nearly as much thought into as many others seem to (from what I read), I do tend to lean on the flavor and quality side of the argument.
Creating lists is a tough thing to tackle, even when the list is actually compiled by the votes of the people. That is what the Alström brothers are dealing with as they tweak their top beer lists. As subjective as the enjoyment of beer is, I do not see why people take the time to get upset about the shuffling. Just relax and enjoy your favorite beer!
Already knowing why I have not tried to brew a pilsner at home, it is nice to read that my reasons are much the same as many of the craft brewers out there. I am mostly speaking of the cost and the light profile revealing flaws parts.
After looking at this list I realize that truly extreme brewing ingredients have yet to even enter my mind. It is nice to know that the possibilities are really endless. I would not at all mind pairing a hotdog with the mustard seed beer and I really would like to see what the salt water beer tastes like.
To close the day is another list and probably the most unique of the bunch. The basis of the list is actually the unique part and certainly offers different perspective. I enjoyed finding out a bit more info about the bigger meaning behind those beer names.

Ninkasi Tricerahops (via http://www.wired.com/)

Cheers!

After Taking Time Off

Beer News, Breweries No Responses »

Aug 052010

After taking last Thursday off from passing along beer news to celebrate the anniversary of this site, it is time to get back at it. I might even throw in a few more stories than usual as The Wife and Seattle Jeff (my Pacific Northwest Beer Correspondent) gave me a bunch along the way and I feel a little bad for not providing a venue to showcase that information last week.

Here we go . . .

Staring off easy I will give a few links that are not as much news as they are interesting uses for beer cans. This first group seems pretty reasonable for an individual to drink enough beer to create while I am hoping that this guy did not have to drink all of the Bud necessary for his sculpture.
I suppose plans for brewery expansion change when people catch on to how great your beer is and fortunately this Colorado brewery is being responsible about the whole process while adding capacity very fast. Even bars in Colorado are adjusting to keep up with the growing desire for craft beer.
Apparently we now know what the new television craze is going to be after all of those damn cake and cupcake shows fade away. After the announcement of Sam Calagione’s show in June, it seems that other networks are jumping in with beer shows as well. I am just sorry I missed my shot at being one of the hosts.
Surely this acquisition will only further the already heated discussion of what this means as far as the true definition of craft beer. I know they all have to do what they have to do, but I hope that the merger bug does not infect the entire craft beer community going forward.
Knowing that Dogfish Head used this method to create one of their brews, it is interesting to see playing with hot rocks catch on a bit.
As one of my favorite beer styles that is not actually a recognized style, the Black IPA is certainly gaining momentum everywhere. More and more breweries are coming out with examples and the article gives some very good options of brews to try if you haven’t yet tried one.
Lastly is a shout out to a great brewery here in (nearby) Tampa. I just hope they don’t get too popular right away as it is already difficult to get your hands on their brews sometimes. Fortunately there is always going straight to the source as an option for me.

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West End Tavern in Boulder (via http://www.dailycamera.com)

Cheers!

Only One Story

Beer News, Miscellaneous 9 Responses »

Jul 292010

Though today is typically the spot for a rundown of the beer news for the week, I think there is one story out there that deserves an entire post focused on it. Now what might that exclusive story for the beer news this week be? Oh yes . . .

Today marks the one year anniversary of me starting this site!

I actually had to go back and do a little research because the date stamp on the very first post is a few days off what I remember it being (there were some issues early on). After posting something on this site every day for the entire year, today marks the first day of the second year. Since I enjoy it and am still having fun, I hope to continue my consecutive days posting streak throughout this year as well.

This will make sense after you read on.

In looking back over the last year I noticed a few things that I might not have guessed would happen going in:

Home brewing became a bit of an obsession. After failing miserably with my first batch, I was able to successfully brew 12 different beers. That is not as many as I might have liked to brew, but still something I am quite pleased with.
113 beer reviews were posted on this site over the course of the year. That is an impressive number to me, though I could have done more as I have 41 (yes I counted) still sitting in my binder ready to post. Those numbers also don’t account for the ones consumed for a side project and those I never bothered formally evaluating at all.
Though I might have neglected to write about a few of them, I have been to a fair number of breweries, participated (on both sides of the table) in beer festivals, and have done quite a bit of travelling as well over the last year.
I walked away from my cubicle life to pursue other interests and possibilities. That just might be the most shocking of all to me.

So you might ask how one celebrates a blogiversary (or you might ask if that is an actual word). Well, The Wife made a trio of desserts for enjoyment this evening (and beyond) using my home brewed beer as an ingredient in each. How awesome is that?! You can check out the recipes here, then drool over . . .

A beer cake with bourbon-soaked raisins that is now my breakfast for the near future.

She even got me a candle.

A stout ice cream that is incredibly tasty.

Perhaps to serve with/on the cake?

The sweet and salty goodness of pale ale pretzel caramels.

Very addicting

If you don’t hear from me for a while, it will be because I am in sugar and butter shock.

In the excitement of finishing up the first year, I have come up worth a few things I would like to do for the next year on this site. I reserve the right to add to this list, but I would be very happy if I just got to all of these. This list is site specific as I will surely continue with the festival and brewery visits anyway and would, of course, enjoy having some steady employment again sometime soon .

Here we go and in no particular order . . .

As hinted at a few days ago I would like to start doing my beer evaluations closer to the BJCP guidelines. I already use their beer score sheet to keep my notes on and use their style guidelines as reference, so it is time to start grading by points and leave the letter grading behind. Letter grades were a fine way to start for me, but using their grading system will allow more specific evaluation and will certainly help me prepare to take the BJCP exam someday. I might even revisit some of the beers that I have already evaluated using the new method.
It would be pretty neat to write something that will be published elsewhere. I will start with guest posting on another site or sites and go from there. Getting others to guest post on my site is another effort that I would like to make.
Evolve from mini/partial mash to all grain brewing. Surely The Wife is excited to hear this one as it would take my brewing operation (almost entirely) out of the kitchen. I have an excellent reference in my friend Mike and I think it is a very realistic brewing goal. Of course I would like very much to have a kegging and draft set up to limit my future bottling efforts as well. That will likely be first, but I want to do both. It would also be great to get one of my friends hooked on brewing, at least so I have an extra set of hands for my all grain efforts!
Do many, many more videos (reviews and otherwise) for the site. I have the equipment to do so and if I keep practicing I might actually become competent at editing what I shoot. I can start by posting some of the video footage that I have already.
Focus on beer and food pairing if only because the relationship is interesting to me. That topic will be on my mind all year and it would be nice to host some sort of beer pairing themed type event (desserts, cheeses, etc.) at our house before the next anniversary comes.

Five is probably a good number to stop at for now, though I also have ambitions to do more giveaways this year and to better utilize/organize/evolve my site among other things. I did say that I would likely add to the list in the future and it probably will not take me long to do so.

Bourbon soaked raisins leaves raisin infused bourbon.

In closing, I would like to thank The Wife for her support and an infinite list of other things, my various content contributors across the country, the people who have been keeping up with me since the beginning, and those who have just started to follow along. You are all entitled to have a good beer tonight (as if you needed my go ahead) in celebration.

Cheers to a great last year and to an even better year to come!

The Assembly of News

Beer News, Breweries No Responses »

Jul 222010

Where last week the assembly of the beer news was nearly perfect, I actually had to do some work this time. The Wife and my official Midwestern Beer Correspondent Erin gave their contributions this week, but Seattle Jeff did not make the deadline. The good thing for him is that I don’t exactly have anyone else lined up to be my Pacific Northwest Beer Correspondent, so he is still at the top of the list of candidates.

For this week . . .

Fortunately Ken Kan Kook picked up the slack this week and passed along something quite interesting to me. Since we did not make it to Naked City Brewery & Taphouse (it was on the large list of to dos) on our recent trip to Seattle, I have to ask Jeff to go sample for me and report back.
Here we go again. First there was a leak and then there was official word. Now I do drink a fair amount of higher gravity brews, but if I want something with that much punch I will go buy a nice bottle of something for a hell of a lot less money. I also like to keep my taxidermy and my beer separate.
Now we are talking! Unlike the beer summit about a year ago, President Obama went with some hometown Goose Island as part of the exchange after The World Cup draw between the United States and England.
This was one of those headlines that I could not resist. Via this article you can read back if you choose to or even go off to this interview. I must admit that I would be curious to taste this new creation if only because the original PBR is my bowling beer of choice.
How could I not post a story about how beer lovers (like myself) are a good example of how to turn around a struggling economy? I will continue to do my part!
This Dogfish Head creation (or recreation) has been around for quite a few years now, but this article does a nice job of explaining how it came to be.

Beer from this? (viahttp://www.npr.org/)

Gan bei!

Assembling the News

Beer News No Responses »

Jul 152010

The method of assembling the weekly beer news is one step away from being perfect. This week I had both the benefit of having skipped last week (leaving me with more to choose from) and also not having to actually search for the news. The Wife, Seattle Jeff, and my official Midwestern Beer Correspondent Erin gave me everything that I would need for a good mix of news. Perfection would be if I could only get one of them to actually write the post for me. I cannot be greedy though.

For this week . . .

In an effort to bring you all of the hard hitting beer news and research, I can finally share the reasoning behind man’s love of beer. Seems like rock solid facts to me!
I am probably the wrong person to react to a new beer ad campaign (see example here), but this one is interesting since it strays completely from the often used “everyman” type approach to beer advertising.
If you combine the fact that spent grain is already being used to feed livestock (among many other things) with this new application in the UK, there is no reason not to up the production of beer significantly.
Now I know for sure not to question what The Wife’s impressions of a beer are. I do know that I struggle with aromas more than anything when reviewing a beer, so after reading this I should just have her do all of my reviews. Actually the only surprise in this article to me is that there is a mild fruit flavor in Coors Light. Of course I haven’t exactly evaluated it, so perhaps I need to give it a try sometime (though not high on my list of things to do).
There is a unique kind of happy hour in Boulder. This is really another example of how beer can bring people together to interact and share their ideas and talents. Apparently good craft beer can help people learn as well!

20100712 13cdlcu4w 400 Assembling the News

Hanging out at Avery (via http://www.dailycamera.com/)

Cheers!

Some Assistance

Beer News No Responses »

Jul 012010

Again this week I received some assistance in compiling my beer news stories for the week. It seems that Seattle Jeff (formerly Colorado Jeff) is now going to make a push to be my Northwestern correspondent and The Wife continues to pass along good stories that I might miss otherwise.

And for this week we have . . .

This story goes first if only so that I can find it faster when looking back to find out when to set my DVR to catch this new show on the Discovery Channel. Take a channel I already watch too much of, the production team behind one of my favorite shows, and combine them with a great ambassador for craft beer and I will not be missing an episode.
Does anyone know what the beer drinking situation is in Russia? I have no idea what they have available right now, but they will soon have another American invader (speaking of all the fast food chains that we have infected other countries with).
I know that many people look at the calorie content when drinking beer, but I also think that most craft beer drinkers are not included in that group. This article does a nice job of making counterpoints (like the “would you rather have four of these or one of these” argument that I often use) and has a great quote to end the piece.
Starbucks is moving ahead with the idea of a coffee shop by morning turned craft beer and wine bar by night that I had dreamed of opening one day myself. Sure it never made it past a concept in my head, but I still wish that I had beaten them to it.
There are far worse places to attend a beer festival than in Colorado. They have even started a themed one that I hope soon spreads to other places in the country (preferably closer to me).
Since last week I mentioned drinking beer before their victory in a match, it is only fair to show them drinking a few after a loss in a match this week. Surely some die hard England fans will not like to see it, but I can’t blame a guy for wanting a pint (or two, or . . .) after that kind of disappointment.

article 1290711 0A432C17000005DC 888 634x531 Some Assistance

Consolation in a glass (via http://www.dailymail.co.uk/)

Cheers!

Slightly Too Much

Beer News No Responses »

Jun 242010

Again this week I have rambled slightly too much in introducing each of the stories. At least one of the articles is a bit long as well, so this is another good time to cut the intro short to give you extra time to read it all.

So for this week we have . . .

This first one is a good follow up to the mention of lawmakers helping out craft brewers last week. There is also a nice, relatively short video with some commentary from some famous faces in the world of craft beer. Actually, if you watch that first you will already have heard many of the quotes that appear in the text of the article.
It is no secret (at least among those who ask) that I love me some beers from Great Divide Brewing Co, so it was easy for me to choose to share this story of their recent/current expansion. It is a happy day when you find out that more of your favorite beer will be available.
Surely I have to be biased a bit toward the brewery in this case (even not having sampled any of their brews), but I have enjoyed wines from the winery included in this trademark battle as well. Legal jargon tends to make my head spin, but I think this article explains the situation pretty well. I just don’t understand the ultimate decision.
There is a nice craft brewery for sale if you meet the parameters that the current owners have laid out. For the record, if in the future there are brewery owners out there whose kids don’t have an interest in taking over when they are ready to step aside, give me a call!
From what I read (and don’t hear) about the recent Boston Beer Week, it was a fantastic collection of events. I say don’t hear because we have not heard from The Brother-in-law and The Father-in-law since they attended the American Craft Beer Fest on Saturday!
Though not an official scientific study, I would say that we all know that the coach will allow a little beer to be consumed before their next match coming up on Sunday. All of our running friends always say to eat and drink the same as you normally would before any race so your system does not throw you a curve. Now we know that the drink can also include beer.

Go finish your beer first! (via http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

Cheers!

From The Bottom Up

Beer News No Responses »

Jun 172010

Since I write the news posts from the bottom up, it gives me a chance to see how much I have rambled when introducing each story before I pile on with an incredibly long introduction to the post. As you can see I did a good amount of rambling, so I will take it easy on you with a short intro.

And for this week we have . . .

Has anyone ever heard of the Dutch brewer Bavaria NV? I did not know they existed until the other day at the World Cup where about 30 young, blonde women completed a little publicity stunt by wearing some bright orange mini-dresses. Something like that does not make me run out to try and find their beer, but I think they got out of it exactly what they wanted.
This is about a week old now, but it missed the deadline for last week’s beer news rundown. After first hearing this I was pretty sure maybe he had a few too many when suggesting it and even now I don’t know why he didn’t look into it a bit more before making the suggestion. Sure there is “underlying science underpinning” the idea, if by that you are speaking of someone else’s idea.
Sometimes there are special release beers that you have to be in the right frame of mind to fully enjoy their overall goodness. Rogue may have come up with the perfect example of that for a special event coming up this weekend.
Who doesn’t enjoy a good top ten list, especially when it involves craft beer? I actually could not resist this one because I realized that I have yet to try anything on it! That and one of the beers on it ties in well with the last story shared today.
There have been plenty of mentions of Sam Adams crossing the threshold of production where they could no longer be referred to as “craft beer.” It appears that there are lawmakers out there attempting to adjust the rules to prevent that for them and for others like them in the future. I realize what the definition is, but it does not affect how I view the quality of beers a brewery produces. To me it is as ridiculous as calling a band you love “a sell-out” because they become popular and sell a few more records. Quality is quality.
Perhaps I find artisanal brewers fascinating because I would love to be one myself someday, but I think most all of them have a story that everyone can appreciate at some level.

0616 pretty things 630x420 From The Bottom Up

Enjoying some Pretty Things (via http://www.wbur.org/)

Chukbae!

A Brief Moment

Beer News 2 Responses »

Jun 102010

There was a brief moment where I thought I would have to officially include the beer drinking Phillies kid in the list of news for the week. Then after a few stories were thrown in by The Wife, I had a good enough group to just use the video of the kid as just a special little extra to open with.

Now for this week . . .

We all have our local beers that bring back fond memories and we still enjoy them even if they are not as popular as they used to be. This is a nice story about one of those brews making a bit of a comeback in New England. Be sure to also check out the rundown of some famous regional favorites (link to the side) to see if you agree with those on the list.
Short of spending some serious time in Delaware and at the brewery, I will never catch up enough to have tried all of Dogfish’s beers, so why not add another one to that list? Sure I could have gone to other sites to share this story, but the inclusion of a short video of Sam rapping in this one broke the tie.
Though I have had a few Chinese beers along the way I never really think of the country as a big deal in the world of beer. Then again, with that many people living there it would not take much for it to be the biggest consumer and Carlsberg is well aware of that.
My palate has not exactly come around to really appreciate sour beers just yet, but then again I have not given it a lot of exposure to the stuff. I am aware enough to know that I have given myself a good start by sampling some brews from this small Michigan brewery.
This story would have been of interest to me if it was only one about this guy’s handmade bar and brewing setup. However that was really just a short portion of this article about an extremely long trip to recreate a beer recipe from the mid-1800’s while making a documentary along the way.

0609 p52 chris bowen beer 398 A Brief Moment

You had me at handmade bar. (via http://www.forbes.com/)

Cheers!

Summer Drinking

Beer News No Responses »

Jun 032010

After drinking a lineup of summer brews last night (recap coming soon) it feels right to lead off with a few articles about summer seasonals and summer drinking rather than to go with yet another story about the never ending battle to claim the strongest beer in the world. Throw in some stories passed along by The Wife and Erin (my Midwestern Beer Correspondent) and we have a good bunch of reading for the day.

For this week . . .

Though I think proclaiming that “Beer is an outdoor beverage. If people are outside, they’re usually drinking beer.” is a much too general explanation, the discussion of beer sales for the upcoming season is pretty interesting. Something to keep track of as the months go by.
On the other hand I mostly agree with Norman Miller when he refers to many summer seasonal offerings as being “boring, uninspired, unoriginal American wheat ales.” With that, I think he offers a really good list of brews to stock your fridge with for the warmer months.
When there is an opportunity to appeal to my sentimental side in regards to beer, I cannot pass it up. So be sure to check out the new packaging for Genny Light!
Mr. Schuhmacher appears for a second time today as this article more specifically discusses the slumping sales of most of the larger/better known names in beer. Most surprising to me was finding out that there is a Red Stripe Light. Really?!
Seeing a mention of this a while back, I wondered what it would have been like if this type of facility was on campus when I was in college. With the backing of the chancellor it seems like there is a good shot of a brewery being on the LSU campus in the relative near future.
If any of you are looking for some interior decorating ideas, be sure to visit this place on your next trip to the Twin Cities area. I am pretty sure I will not get approval for that scheme in my house!

Better than wallpaper! (via http://www.startribune.com/)

Skaal!

Good Reading and Watching

Beer News No Responses »

May 272010

My ramblings will be short today because there is a lot of good reading and watching to get to with the news for this week. It is funny how after talking about certain topics recently I found news stories making the picture a bit clearer. That is all.

Moving on to the good stuff . . .

So I guess my chances of buying Pabst are gone (at least for now anyway). That is very disappointing since I was only $249.99 million away from pulling off the deal. Check out who will be responsible for our continued supplies of PBR and Schlitz going forward.
It is always necessary to keep an eye out for new beers from new breweries in Massachusetts so I will know what to have on my list of brews to sample when we visit my in-laws. On top of the interesting packaging, the fact that Element Brewing Company also does a Black Ale is sure to land it on my short list for those trips.
Good canned craft beer has been a topic of discussion for me pretty often lately, so it was nice to find a decent list of breweries that are on the canned craft beer train. It was also nice to find out that I was correct when saying that Colorado is home to far and away the most breweries canning beer right now.
Another interesting point of discussion has been how much longer Sam Adams (Boston Beer Company) will be considered one of the little guys. With the growth of craft beer in the United States and when looking at the established definitions of where the lines of craft beer production are drawn it becomes an interesting debate going forward.
After briefly meeting Larry Bell some months back, articles about Bell’s Brewery catch my eye more often than they did previously. This video interview is a bit long (20 minutes or so), but I think it is interesting to hear how he got started (maybe there is still hope for me) and what the future plans are for the brewery.

4496446195 4c59d82816 Good Reading and Watching

The line is getting longer and longer. (via http://beernews.org)

Prost!

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