A planet full of beer blogs

The brewers at BrewDog have made a list of their six favorite (our should that be favourite?) hops. You can see why co-founder James Watt has said, “We like to think of what we do as U.S.-inspired Scottish craft brewing.”

1. Chinook
2. Amarillo
3. Nelson Sauvin
4. Bramling Cross
5. Simcoe
6. First Gold

Three hops grown in the U.S. Northwest (Chinook, Amarillo and Simcoe), two in the U.K. (Bramling Cross and First Gold) and one from New Zealand. Nelson Sauvin, released only in 2000, seems to be a hop du jour.

Its character has been likened to Sauvignon Blanc, the grape and wine variety, and New Zealand Hops Limited emphasizes its cutting edge attributes.

From the brewer’s notes: “The fruitiness may be a little overpowering for the un-initiated, however those with a penchant for bold hop character will find several applications for this true brewer’s hop.”

And from the suggested applications: “Very much at home in the new-world styles such as American Pale Ale and Super Premiums. This hop is considered by some as extreme and certainly makes it presence felt in specialty craft and seasonal beers gaining an international reputation.”

 

Pints for Prostates, a campaign that uses the universal language of beer to reach men with a critical health message, is expanding its efforts in 2010. The grassroots effort is scheduling events across the country and is working on programs that will communicate the importance of regular prostate health screenings and early detection in successfully treating prostate cancer.

“Pints for Prostates is being adopted by the beer community. It’s great to see brewers, retailers, publications and festivals joining the campaign,” said Rick Lyke, a 49-year-old Charlotte, N.C., marketing executive and drinks journalist who had successful prostate cancer surgery in April 2008. “Every week nearly 4,000 men in the U.S. hear the words ‘you have prostate cancer.’ The key for these guys is detecting the disease in its early stages when treatment is nearly 100 percent successful. Pints for Prostates mission is to encourage guys to get an annual physical and have a PSA blood test.”

Since being launched in late 2008, Pints for Prostates has reached approximately 80 million people through a combination of donated advertising, news articles, appearances at beer festivals, and coverage on websites and blogs. In 2009, program was featured at the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit in Dublin, Ireland, and profiled on CNN’s Vital Signs program hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Pints for Prostates has registered as a 501(c)3 charity and the funds it raises support programs that assist men with prostate cancer and to fund research aimed at improving care and finding a cure for the disease. Since its inception, Pints for Prostates has raised more than $50,000 to assist the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a 501(c)3 charity founded in 1990 that works to support, educate and advocate for men with prostate cancer and their families.

So far in 2010, Pints for Prostates has confirmed participation in the following events:

March 1-30: The Ale House, 3744 Vestal Parkway East in Vestal, N.Y., is hosting a month long awareness campaign.
March 13, 2-6 p.m.: The grapevine Beertopia Festival, 1012 Market St. in Fort Mill, S.C., will donate $1 from every ticket sold and Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.
March 20, 3-6 p.m.: The Liberty, 1812 South Blvd., Charlotte, N.C., will host the Beasts of the East Big Beer Tasting as part of Charlotte Craft Beer Week. The Liberty will donate $5 from every ticket sold and Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.
April 10, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p..m.: Mr. Dunderbak’s Biergarten, 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, Fla., will donate a portion of the day’s sales and Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.
April 17, 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.: Fish Tale Brew Pub, 515 Jefferson St. SE, Olympia, Wash., will donate a portion of the day’s sales and Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.
April 24, Noon-4 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m.: World Beer Festival, Moore Square, Raleigh, N.C. Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.
June 12, Noon-4 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m.: World Beer Festival, Brown’s Island, Richmond, Va. Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.
June 16, 6-9 p.m.: Pike Brewing, 1415 1st Ave., Seattle, Wash., will donate a portion of the day’s sales and Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.
Sept. 17, 1-4 p.m.: Denver Rare Beer Tasting II, Denver, Colo.
Oct 2nd: World Beer Festival, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham, N.C. Pints for Prostates will have a booth at the event.

Additional events are being booked and information will be listed shortly at www.pintsforprostates.org.

About Pints for Prostates
Pints for Prostates, a campaign that uses the universal language of beer to encourage men to take charge of their health, was founded by prostate cancer survivor Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men of the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. Pints for Prostates supports the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a 501(c)3 charity that works to support, educate and advocate for men with prostate cancer and their families. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (@pints4prostates).

Tuesday’s ad is for Stag Beer, whose original name was “Kaiser Beer” until 1907. In an effort to avoid growing anti-German sentiment, Star Brewing held a contest to pick a new name. A winner was chosen today in 1907, and the beer was renamed “Stag Beer.” It proved a very popular name. The ad below [...]

Fort George Brewery over in Astoria, Oregon, is busy this month: not only are they celebrating their third birthday coming up on March 14th, they’re also holding a contest to suggest their next new beer. From their blog:

We here at Fort George take being a Public House very seriously. It has been because of our great customers that we have been able to grow and better our business and for that, we would like to give back. Fort George Brewery would like your ideas for a new beer that could be made in our brewery. If you would like to see a new style of beer, would like us to try something new with our beers, or have a recipe of your own that you would like to see pouring at Fort George, submit an entry and it could end up being brewed!

All beer entries must be able to be made with our American Ale Yeast or our Belgian yeast. The beer selected will be based on quality, creativity, availability of ingredients, and by how delicious it sounds. You may submit as many entries as you like but only one beer will be chosen.

Click through to the blog to get the details on how to submit your beer idea. You have until April 10th to get your entry in.

Finally a night
To drink beer and grill it up
Without shivering

Written by Captain Hops.

Thing of the day: Weber Summit S-420 NG Gas Grill – Stainless Steel

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Wow. A Pub Minister for Britain! Great! Has he got a Ministry staffed with people who do work? No... but he has a ministerial task force, drawing on five Whitehall departments. Is he actually given the time and resources to make change? Well, there is that thing coming up... that election. The Daily Mail notes:

A new government will be in place in less than 12 weeks, Labour or not, and Chancellor Darling is expected to unveil the last Budget of this parliament on March 23. This isn't time enough for Healey to win a campaign to Save the British pub.

If this was such a great idea, why didn't the UK government introduce it in the previous 675 or so weeks since they gained power? Right now they trail in the polls by 5% to 7% but, to be fair, that is half of what they were behind by at Christmas. And is he the man for the job? While 5 or 6 pubs are closing a day 130 families lose their homes a day in the UK. Healey, who is also Minister of Housing, has described repossession as 'the best option' for struggling homeowners according to The Daily Mail.

Sure, it's just politics heading into a tough election but that is the point - it's just politics heading into a tough election.

How cool is this. The UK government has just created a new Ministry — similar to our cabinet positions — The Ministry for Pubs. Wentworth MP John Healey was named the firs Minister, and he had the following to say about his appointment. “Pubs are often at the heart of community life. And they are important [...]

Bear Republic Brewing in California has been making Rebellion ale using a different single hop with each batch. So far at least 8 hop varieties have been used.

“Some we come back to that we like, while others we don’t want to revisit,” says Paul Kruger, head brewer at Bear Republic Brewing. “It gives us a chance to take a peek at what the flavor of hops is all about. It’s sort of a controlled experiment. The beers have been remarkably different.”

“We’re not striving for the same exact flavor year to year, we just want to make the best possible beer,” Kruger says. “We will adjust the amount of hops in each batch of Rebellion to achieve our target of 55 IBUs.”

Bear Republic Rebellion is a 6.4 percent alcohol by volume ale. The beer we tasted was hopped with Warrior. The brew is a golden orange color and had a nice spicy nose. The flavor was well rounded, with nice citrus notes.

The roundup for Session #37 has been posted (hmm, seems a little sparse; I don’t see mine or several others I remember reading listed there yet…) and the topic for The Session #38 for April has been announced:

With Kate the Great Day a recent memory and the day of the Dark Lord fast approaching, I started thinking about what beer or beers that I would get up at 4:00 in the morning, drive across state lines, stand in a long unmoving line in the cold and rain for the chance to taste with a crowd the size of Woodstock.

So here is my question to you (with a couple addendums).

What beer have you tasted recently (say, the last six months or so) that is worthy of their own day in the media sun?

And to add a little extra to it, how does “great” expectations affect your beer drinking enjoyment?

AND If you have attended one of these release parties, stories and anecdotes of your experience will be welcomed too.

The host for April is Beer Search Party. The usual rules apply: publish your Session blog post on Friday, April 2nd, and shoot an email or leave a comment on the host blog. And be sure to read all the others posts that day, too—putting the “group” in “group blogging” you know.

Monday’s ad is for Schlitz Malt Liquor. I don’t ever remember the can looking so, well, stylish so I have to guess this is from the 60s? The pull-top is another clue, of course, as Schlitz introduced what they called the “pop-top” in 1963. Plus the stylized art looks rather bachelor pad circa mid-60s, too. [...]

In a scene straight out of a deranged adult version of Willy Wonka, the beer waterfall on the belated birthday card below arrived in my mailbox today. The card was primarily the work of my friends Ray and Cornelia, both Beer Drinkers of the Year in separate years. But they took it along with them to [...]

Ah, bullet points. When you haven't got enough for a post there's always enough for bullet points. They are the putting green to a round of 18. The hot dog to the BBQ. But enough of my lazy blogger admissions and let's see what is going on out there:

• Craft beer in the US had another good year in 2009 according to the trade association, Brewers Association. Apparently, craft brewers sold 9,115,635 barrels of good beer. The Brewer's Association works with an annual production of less than 2 million barrels. So does this mean when the next brewer goes over the 2 million barrel mark that we will get a press release stating that there has been a 20% drop in craft beer sales? Sam Adam's PA plant has about that much capacity alone. So, that'll happen soon, right?
• Speaking of the state both south and west of New York, I hear that there's been some hoosegow raids down in Pennsylvania.Brewer's may be getting a chill. Lew's smoking mad. Jack's losing it. Andy makes a valid point, however. I wonder what would happen in Ontario of un-permitted beers were being sold? Likely a license suspension. Yet it does seem like a silly law.
• Ticker alert: Guam now has locally-branded beer. Everyone else: as you were.
• I don't understand the panic at the Beer Wars blog. Unless it's a dead cat bounce. Even a dead cat will bounce if you drop it from far enough. It's a stock market phrase. But I don't think this is really a dead cat bounce at all as this is the point: "The choice is yours. You can keep complaining about what’s wrong with the film (don’t get me started on Avatar) or you can embrace it (flaws and all) and help spread the word about craft beer to a whole new audience." Actually, no - I don't have to make that choice. I can ignore the work, however well intentioned, as an ineffective advocate for the cause. But is it?
• Perhaps Pennsylvania needs true leaders of vision like the UK's Gareth Epps, candidate Liberal Democratic Party for Reading East. He declared "I am proud to be speaking up for community pubs, local brewers and consumers." Hmmm... is that actually possible? Can one stand up for corner stores, the local bakers and bread eaters? Maybe you can. I would also like to point out that he works for a major infrastructure project, specialising in community consultation and I have no idea what that means.

That's a fair bit going on for a quiet late winter night. It's not all quiet. Ron's off somewhere at a festival where he is drinking stouts and lambics. Sounds alright by me.

The Brewers Association released the 2009 numbers for craft beer today, and I’m happy to report it’s good news again. While mainstream beer recently reported their largest negative sales period since the 1950s, craft beer in 2009 was up 7.2% by volume and 10.3% by dollars over the previous year. According to the press release, [...]

Weyerbacher Brewing was founded in 1995 by Dan and Sue Weirback. They got the idea for the project after visiting Vermont's Long Trail Brewing in 1993.

If you are looking for a simple basic beer, you should skip Weyerbacher. These guys brew big beers. High gravity beers are part of their standard offerings. Full flavor is a good description of just about everything that passes through the Weyerbacher brewhouse.

Weyerbacher Fireside Ale is a dark mahogany ale that was originally part of Weyerbacher’s Brewers Select Series. The brew was called "Charlie" back then. The Pennsylvania brewer uses 10 percent smoked malt as part of the grain bill, giving this ale a subtle smoky base. The 7.5 percent alcohol by volume brew has a nice solid malty sweetness.

The Brewers Association today announced that craft beers sales grew 7.2% in 2009 as the same time that overall beer sales tumbled. The dollar value of craft beer grew even more dramatically, 10.3%. Overall, craft brewers sold 613,992 additional barrels in 2009, an increase equal to about 8.5 million cases.

Overall, U.S. beer sales were down approximately 5 million barrels (31 gallons each) in 2009.

“Beer lovers continue to find great value and enjoyment in fuller flavored craft beers,” Brewers Association director Paul Gatza said for a press release. “Americans have an increasing appreciation of craft beers, and the growing number of brewers behind them. They’re eager to try the latest seasonal release and to sample a variety of beers from different breweries.”

Craft brewers, as defined by the BA, accounted for 4.3% of volume and 6.9% of retail dollars for the total U.S. beer category. The BA estimates actual dollar sales figure from craft brewers in 2009 was $7 billion, up from $6.3 billion in 2008.

The total number of U.S. craft brewers grew from 1,485 to 1,542 in 2009, and they produced 9,115,635 barrels, up from 8,501,713 barrels in 2008. Overall U.S. beer sales fell from approximately 210.4 million barrels to 205.8 million barrels.

SOUTHERN TIER OAK-AGED UNEARTHLY is truly all about the oakiness. You smell it, you taste the wood, and it lingers on the top of your mouth for a few heartbeats past the swallow. A very crisp beer, OAK-AGED UNEARTHLY brings forward the piney hops, and layers in a sweet undercurrent and a thin-to-medium body. If the sweetness is coming from the 11% alcohol, I can’t tell, but it would stand to reason. Again, it’s more oaky than it is hoppy, and really “renders” like a finely aged beer. Didn’t think you could do it this well with an IPA. I don’t know what else to say, folks. When you’re on a winning streak this hot the way SOUTHERN TIER are, why would you even listen to a piker like myself? Another flat-out superb beer from one of our nation’s best. 9/10.

If this doesn’t make you shudder, you’ve got eisbock running through your veins. It appears the Volstead Act is alive and well in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to an account of Pennsylvania’s Beer Storm Troopers entitled Troopers Raid Popular Bars for Unlicensed Beers, by Don Russell, with Bob Warner, earlier today in the Philadelphia [...]

Sean Inman has posted the theme for The Session #38. With Dark Lord Day 2010 right around the corner you should be able to figure out what he is aiming for.

What beer have you tasted recently (say, the last six months or so) that is worthy of their own day in the media sun?

And to add a little extra to it, how do “great” expectations affect your beer drinking enjoyment?

AND If you have attended one of these release parties, stories and anecdotes of your experience will be welcomed too.

“Was the beer worth it?” and “Was the experience worth it?” might be two different questions.

This beer reminds me
Of the ones that I used to
Seduce your mother

Written by Sparky.

Thing of the day: Beer Mug Checkers Set w/ Frosted Glass Board

Sponsor: NetFlint.com Start your own beer blog! Best Value in Domain Names and Website Hosting

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Today’s work of art was originally painted around 1790, when the English pub was a very different animal. It was created by Henry Singleton, a British artist who lived from 1766-1839. This painting, The Ale-House Door, is an oil on canvas painting roughly 10 x 12 inches, and the original can be found at the [...]

Don’t know where I am
But I’ve got a strange feeling
I’ve been here before.

Written by Captain Hops.

Thing of the day: One Day Beer Drinker Cuckoo Clock

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Leipzig was once the second largest city in communist East Germany. For the beer lover, Leipzig has earned its place on the beer map for a style that nearly disappeared called Gose. Gose originated in the town of Goslar, but Leipzig was the city that became synonymous with the style.

Gose is a top-fermented wheat beer, that sometimes has oats, coriander and salt added. These beers are closer to Belgian wit than a typical German wheat brew, with a bit of a sour side. Bayrischer Bahnoff Brau is located in the old central train station in the city and is one of the breweries bringing the style back.

Bayrischer Bahnhof Leipziger Gose pours a lovely unfiltered bright gold with a long lasting creamy white head. This 4.5 percent alcohol by volume German beer has a slight fruit aroma that opens to a wonderful sharp flavor combination. Hints of dark skin fruit and some spices. Finishes with a solid dry note.

I am delighted that samples from Deschutes get through the solid mile high maple soaked wall that is the US-Canadian border but disconcerted nonetheless. Should I be drinking a beer that says "best before 17 October 2010" or should I not? In this weekend's spirit of not being so anal about these things let's open it and see what we find.

At 11% it is hard to argue that this is not infanticide. The beer could easily have laid in the stash for a decade. It pours an inky mahogany with a mocha rim and foam. On the nose, dark chocolate as well as some mineral notes of coal on top. Rich and supple in the mouth, it is a light dark chocolate liqueur yet with a grainy texture that speaks to its making. Had I waited, it might have been so much more complex but at this young point in its career it has a freshness that is quite compelling. Still, over time acids would arise in a year or so which would cut the chalkiness of the finish and complement the acids from the hops. The sweet of the malt lingering there would likely break down into a more interesting collection of flavours than the present hint of icing sugar. Yet it is compelling and I am grateful for the efforts that got it to me.

Huge BAer love.

My chips disappear
In a swirl of cigar smoke.
At least there’s still beer.

Written by Captain Hops.

Thing of the day: Trademark Poker Full Size Texas Hold’em 83 x 44-Inch Poker Table (Blue Felt)

Sponsor: How to buy a used car.

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Bell's Brewery started its life as Kalamazoo Brewing Company. Larry Bell released his first brew in 1985 working in a rented space in a former plumbing supply store. The brewery is now a giant among craft brewers in the Midwest.

Bell's Porter has a nice roasted nose and pours a brown black liquid with a firm tan head. The beer is not heavy, but has plenty of flavor. The roasted flavor turns sweet with a nice caramelized malty note. A hint of coffee. The hops just come up at the end to dry things out just a touch. A porter worth asking for at your favorite beer bar.

The eitgth Guinness poster by John Gilroy is of a Knight in shining armor trying to figure out how to drink through his helmet. The tagline is “Opening Time is Guinness Time,” but it looks more like Knight Time to me. Share and Enjoy:

Wow, this is one of those seriously WTF stories (thanks to Lisa Morrison for tweeting it). The Idaho Statesman has a disturbing little story entitled UPS, FedEx Side With Wine in Beer Battle by their beer columnist, Patrick Orr. To work yourself up into the proper lather, I recommend reading the whole column first. But essentially, [...]

Because I write for a living, I take it seriously and am always trying to be a better writer. For that reason, I subscribe to several twitter feeds that offer suggestions and advice for writers. One recently linked to an interesting list, the 100 Best First Lines of Novels. Number one, of course, is “Call [...]

Friday’s ad is for Whitbread beer, since that’s who I was writing about for this month’s Session post today. This one is from 1930 and fittingly features a boat on the water. “Ashore or Afloat WHITBREAD’S PALE ALE is the best Summer beverage.” The art has the same idealized look as the series that U.S. [...]

Three years ago this month The Session celebrated its inaugural Friday with the topic of Stouts. This month, The Session’s third birthday, we have an entirely apropos topic: When to drink the good stuff, hosted by The Ferm.

Finding a drinking occasion that lives up to the reputation of the bottle and the story of its acquisition is not a dreadful struggle to have, but it is a struggle nonetheless. When my good friends are over and we have had a few other beverages, will we still be able to enjoy my cave aged Hennepin that I bought after my tour of the brewery and have cellared for ten years? Will I miss it like I miss that four year old Golden Monkey?

In March, The Ferm has the honor of hosting The Session, a monthly assemblage of beer bloggers to opine on a shared topic. The March 2010 topic is “The Display Shelf: When to Drink the Good Stuff.” The topic is open ended and the rules of The Session are close to nil. You can use your post to be persuasive or therapeutic. You may choose to tell a story of a great bottle you once opened or boast of your own beer collection.

As I write this post up, I’m enjoying a 2007 vintage bottle of The Abyss—partly in appreciation of this month’s topic, partly to celebrate The Session’s anniversary (enjoying an Imperial Stout in a nice symmetry with that first month of stouts), partly “just because.”

All of which leads into the best answer I can give of “when to drink the good stuff”: I don’t know—it’s entirely up to you.

What? Too anticlimactic? Well, there’s no way around it—beer can be such a subjective topic and everyone has their own tastes and preferences. The only one who can tell you when to drink that prized beer is you.

But if you can hold on to that beer for ten or more years? My hat’s off to you.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’m going to enjoy the last of this ‘07 Abyss…

Our 37th Session is hosted by The Ferm and Sir Ron’s theme is The Display Shelf: When to Drink the Good Stuff, a dilemma many of us face. We’ve all accumulated “numerous bottles of beers that [were] subsequently cellared and designated as ‘to be opened on a special occasion.’ [The] dilemma, however, is matching an [...]

This is my contribution to the Session #37: “The Display Shelf: When to Drink the Good Stuff” or, if you prefer, “Raid the Cellar.” Visit The Ferm for links to more posts.

Is there a perfect beer for every particular special moment? Is there a time in every beer’s life when it tastes better than it ever otherwise will?

SirRon’s open-ended assignment for The Session spells certain trouble for me. I’m perfectly willing to spend all sorts of time contemplating questions that do not have answers.

Anyway, the topic this month seems particularly timely because we’ve recently been treated to a flock of stories about cellaring beer. Don Russell made it subject of his column last week, there was a story this week in The Washington Post food section, and a rather long feature in the Los Angeles Times (worth clicking through to for the photo alone).

Could this be dangerous? Although these stories emphasize the importance of picking the right kind of beers to lay down and having a proper cellar it’s easy to envision a reader skimming the story, grabbing who-knows-what beer, sticking it in the back of a closet and forgetting about it until it’s time for the next garage sale.

Last Christmas friends of ours brought out a large corked bottle of Budweiser that somebody had given them (thank goodness) at an estate sale. It was bottled in 2001 for the brewery’s 125th anniversary. We have no idea how it was stored, but that didn’t really matter. We opened it, sipped, talked about wet cardboard and dumped the contents. We could only dream about what that beer might have tasted like fresh.

I must confess I’m a serial cellarer. When we moved to New Mexico and left our Illinois basement behind the idea was “no more laying down beer.” Didn’t take. Bought a chest freezer, hooked it up to a temperature controller and we were good to go.

But only a small portion of beer spends much time in that pseudo cellar. We buy beer, we drink it. Beer shows up at our door, we drink it. It seems it would be rude to do so otherwise. Oh, that beer you sent last week, we’ll open it in 2014 and let you know how it is doing.

So a few things I learned in February:

The bottle of Deschutes Jubel 2010 suggested it would be best consumed after Jan. 11, 2011. And now we’ll be buying a couple bottles to find out. I had a taste of Jubel 2000 (the last time the big brother of the season Jubel was bottled) in 2006 and that turned out to be too long to wait. This edition already hints of an old ale, with muted hops that will further fade with time (much as the classic Thomas Hardy’s Ale). Husky malt character, perhaps augmented by tannins from time in pinot noir barrels, leaves it a bit coarse on the tongue. Just feels like it is going to age well, and I suspect it will hold up more than six years this time.

Because Stone Brewing sent a bottle of 2010 Old Guardian Barley Wine I hauled out a 2006 Old Guardian (a $6.99 price tag still on the bottle) to share with friends before we went out to dinner (where some non-driving members of our group enjoyed Santa Fe Brewing’s Chicken Killer Barley Wine on draft). Two very different beers; not surprisingly the hops are much more apparent in younger beer, earthy and spicy. Some of that’s going to be gone a few years down the road, and while a luscious beer (like the 2006 edition) may emerge for some now is the time to drink this beer. Of course I headed to the store to make sure I’ve got a couple bottles of 2010 so I can make that comparison on a few years.

The Lost Abbey’s Angel’s Share Grand Cru takes Angel’s Share to a new level. Given what went into the blend that shouldn’t be a surprise. However, words can’t prepare you for the remarkable rush of flavors. If you don’t like spectacular or intense (such beers don’t work for everybody) stay away. Like many Lost Abbey beers there are layers of flavor. After you reset your palate, subtle textures emerge. Some of the beer in this blend is already four years old, so I’m calling it pre-cellared. If it gets much better I don’t know if Russell can find a piece of cheese to stand up to it, or if he’ll survive the experience.

Less can be more in a vertical tasting. Three vintages of Firestone Walker anniversary beers seems like a good number. Granted, we tried seven different Thomas Hardy’s a couple of years ago but those were smaller servings. One Sunday afternoon four us got together for the Firestone beers — one brought Firestone XI (2007), one Firestone XII (2008), one Firestone XIII (2009) and one a lovely selection of cheeses. That worked out to a little over 5 ounces of each beer apiece, a proper amount of leisurely sipping.

The beers were really good, but you knew that. I liked XII better than a year ago, and we might have talked about that over the course of about two hours. I’m not sure. Not until I was driving home did I consider that three of us tasted Firestone 10 together, Firestone XI the next year, Firestone XII the next and now XI-XII-XIII.

We’re not some crusty war veterans who need an excuse to get together, but this is a nice little tradition that I expect will continue. So to SirRon’s question about “finding a drinking occasion that lives up to the reputation of the bottle,” I’d suggest sharing beer with friends should be occasion enough.

 

 

Stash. It's one of the best words in the entire beery lexicon. I like it so much a picture of mine serves as the background of my Twitter page. No, not page... presence. It really is a Twitter presence. And, you know, it is a thing of comfort and joy, the stash. I wrote a post about my stash in 2005 and am wondering how long before that I was using the word. Back then it was about 40 bottles. Now it's about 200. I don't like to go beyond that as stuff just gets too old. I cull the stash by giving away beer. I cull it by drinking. And I preemptively cull it by living in Canada where no one really can get the good beer into the stash either by sales or samples. Yet, they are in there. A few excellent rare bottles. Buffered by a few almost excellent rare bottles. Buffered by more good but not quite excellent, hardly rare bottles. They are in there. At the back. Under boxes. Hidden. I can hear them.

But enough about me. What's this edition of The Session about?

The Ferm has the honor of hosting The Session, a monthly assemblage of beer bloggers to opine on a shared topic. The March 2010 topic is “The Display Shelf: When to Drink the Good Stuff.” The topic is open ended and the rules of The Session are close to nil. You can use your post to be persuasive or therapeutic. You may choose to tell a story of a great bottle you once opened or boast of your own beer collection.

Oh. dear. See, it's all fine to talk about the stash but to actually go in there and get into the rare stuff... well... I don't know. I'll get back to you later tonight.

Later: A 2006 Doggie Claw will help me think about this. One of the last bottles from the unfortunate shipment of late 2006. This bottle is rare because it is hard to get on the east coast of North America and also because it was through so much with me. And because it has mellowed. The slightest pffft on opening

, the lightest carbonation, a syrup body, the most delightful barley wine I have ever had. Yum.

But does that answer the question. Let me think about that a bit.

Later still: a bottle of Gale and Co Conquest Ale bought at least five years ago for, according to the label, $3.99. A cork pop and, hmm, the waft is entirely lambic. Gorgeous. Like 50% Thomas Hardy Ale plus an equal amount of that cruelest beer. Or maybe one third to two thirds. Amazing. You figure out the proportions. Best have another wee think about what's going on here.

The Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy has been making beer since 1595. The monks at this a monastery make a small range of great brews. Money from the brewing operation supports the monastery and the works of the monks.

Trappistes Rochefort 8 is a 9.2 percent alcohol by volume ale that has a nice candy sugar nose with hints of spices. The ruby color is slightly cloudy, while the off-white head is medium density and long lasting. The body of the beer is lighter than it appears, but there is plenty of flavor. Dark fruits, brown sugar and slightly yeasty finish. A real classic.

Coffee oatmeal stout
A good drink for my breakfast
Wonderful morning

Written by Glyn and Mary.

Thing of the day: The Big Book of Breakfast: Serious Comfort Food for Any Time of the Day

Related haiku:

• Up All Night Haiku
• Floating
• No Foam
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• Breakfast

Draft is also how I encountered NAPA SMITH AMBER a few weeks ago as well, this time at the SF Ferry Plaza Building’s burger restaurant Taylor’s Refresher (which has its roots in the Napa Valley, and which sells this beer in their St. Helena location as well – I know ‘cause I saw it there). This is a really classic and slightly left-of-center amber ale. No, it’s not an imperial. It’s a tingling, somewhat bitter red ale, quite sweet as times and full of robust, mouth-filling malts that add a lot of character. It tasted absolutely like I want one of these to taste, “very 1990s”. Back in the 90s, the amber beer was my go-to style; I didn’t know about Belgian beer yet. Every microbrewery (that’s what we called them, kids!) has one, along with a wheat beer, a pale ale and a pilsner. This harkens back to that time, and adds that curveball hoppiness and bitterness that’s more a hallmark of the past decade. Nice. 7.5/10.

Anyway, I’ve definitely got a beef with LA TRAPPE/KONINGSHOEVEN after my second sub-par beer from them. I mean, really folks – this stuff’s just weak. LA TRAPPE BLONDE is thin, bland and almost like a lager, and it has this cloying perfumed smell that also shows up in the taste. Some yeastiness is present, way way back in the distance, placed there as an afterthought. It might quench one’s thirst, yet there are a lot of ways to do that, starting with water, which is the superior drink in my book. It’s so far removed from the masterworks of the other Trappist brewers – ROCHEFORT, ORVAL, WESTMALLE, WESTVLETEREN etc. – that it’s truly in a remedial class by itself. 4.5/10.

Traditional beer? The only solid access I've had to information about traditional beer drinking patterns in southern Africa is what I read a couple of years ago in Xhosa Beer Drinking Rituals by Patrick McAllister. Botswana is apparently taking steps to bring traditional beer under the nation's general liquor law regulation. Trade and Industry Minister, Ms Dorcus Makgato-Malesu is reported to have said that issues of traditional beer are sensitive and need extensive consultation. Other politicians have chimed in:

Gaborone South MP Kagiso Molatlhegi, whose constituency includes Bontleng and Old Naledi welcomed the idea saying shebeens need to be regulated as a matter of urgency, adding that there is too much noise pollution in his area because such businesses are not uncontrolled. Adding his voice to the debate Gaborone West South MP, Botsalo Ntuane criticised government's stance on alcohol saying it was antisocial...

It's important stuff. Such important stuff that there appear to be rumours that traditional beer saves one from serious illnesses. Maybe such misconceptions are among the reasons for the government anti-alcohol campaign in Botswana.

I seem to see sorghum beer is called chibuku when sold commercially. One manufactureer describes it this way: "Chibuku has a sorghum malt dominant flavour. There is a biting taste due to the continuous fermentation. It has a thick texture and has thick foam." Jay posted way more about aspects of neighbouring Zimbabwe's beer culture which should also help the curious amongst you but could it be we are all just needing our own thick and biting chibuku?

So, why are there no craft brewers holding chibuku bashes? Could we chilly North Americans handle it? Martyn wants his South African beer basket and maybe so should we all.

Shanty Irish Ale
Warbird Brewing Company
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Seeing as I haven't posted very much in the past month I though I'd get a jump on St. Patrick's Day by trying something which is distinctly packaged as an Irish Red Ale. For all the percolating this one did after being opened it sure went flat rather quickly. Some bizarre-o aroma wafted out of the bottle as soon as the cap removed and made me think that this one had maybe turned bad. Whatever it did it made a strange congregation of flavors. Very cinnamony with a bready and malty essence and not much else. There is a hint of sweetness as well but it tastes like sweet generic candies that come in wrapped pieces in bags and are the shape and size of Werthers but are an off berry fruit flavor. Something akin to cheap hooker lipstick but flavorful enough to keep you coming back for more. BA says that it's been discontinued so I'm glad that I got my pour's worth before the tap went dry even though the tap's bled dry, dusted and busted with me anyway.

-Wörtwurst

My wandering mind
Already left for the pub.
I hope to catch up.

Written by Captain Hops.

Thing of the day: 2 Liter Machine Pressed Glass Beer Boot – 67 oz. – Das Boot

Sponsor: How to buy a new car.

Related haiku:

• Restless
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• I’m Sure He Doesn’t Mean It
• but on the bright side
• I Like Baseball

Alpine Beer Company's Nelson is a Golden Rye IPA that's brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. This is a unique hop that isn't very prominent in American micro brews. An added twist comes from the addition of rye in the malt bill. It comes in at 7% ABV. I cracked a fresh bottle and this is what I thought:



Bomber pours into my glass a deep orange/yellow with a two finger creamy, bubbling white head and superb clarity. Aromas start with a distinct tropical, pungent, fruity hop explosion. Grapefruit melds in with a nice spicy rye character. There is somewhat of a vinous, white wine character lurking within as well. Quite the lovely aroma.

First sip brings a plethora of fruity, resinous, pungent hops upfront with bold mango and grapefruit flavors. Spicy rye mixes in beautifully. Flows down with a good kick of bitterness that's well placed. Lingering fruity hops on the palate. Delicious!



Mouthfeel is crisp and smooth with perfect carbonation. This one is exceedingly easy to drink and just amazingly enjoyable. A top notch IPA and I love the addition of rye and the Nelson Sauvin hops. Seek it out if you have the ability!

Overall this earns a rating of Amazing.


One of the tastiest IPA's I've sampled!

Again, feel free to swing on over to www.alpinebrewing.com and check out their full line of great brews!

Thomas Creek Brewery is located in Greenville, S.C. Brewmaster Tom Davis turns out a group of six year-round brews, including amber ale, IPA, pilsner, porter, red ale and the dopplebock, and a n umber of seasonals.

Davis, who spent 20 years as a bartender, created Deep Water Dopplebock in 1984 as a homebrewer and worked on perfecting the recipe before finally brewing the dark lager commercially in 1999. However, it was not until the summer of 2007 when South Carolina legalized higher gravity beers – popping the cap on the 6.25% abv limits that had been in place – that Thomas Creek Brewery in Greenville could adjust the recipe and brew a true Dopplebock. It is one of the brews I contributed to 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die, a new book being released this month.

Thomas Creek Deep Water Dopplebock Lager pours with a creamy tan head that laces the glass. Traditional dopplebock mahogany color that glows around the edges. A sweet malt aroma leads to a rich roasty flavor in this 7 percent alcohol by volume brew, with hints of cocoa and a substantial malty background.

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) will deliver the keynote speech at the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Chicago. The conference itself runs April 8-10, with judging for the World Beer Cup bi-annual competition in the days before. More than 1,600 of the world’s leading brewers, brewery owners and brewing supply professionals are expected to attend.

Congressman DeFazio, himself a homebrewer, co-founded and co-chairs the House Small Brewers Caucus in Washington, D.C. Bringing together more than 60 U.S. Representatives, the Caucus strives to educate Congress about the unique issues and challenges faced by America’s small brewery businesses.

“Congressman DeFazio is a true advocate for small brewers, and we’re extremely fortunate to have him join us in Chicago,” Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association, said for a press release. “He has a real passion for the breweries, the brewers and the beer, and he truly understands the unique issues of our industry. Introducing him to the 1,600-plus brewers attending CBC will be a real pleasure.”

“American small brewers are true craftsmen, producing some of the finest beers in the world. As a home brewer myself, I have a deep appreciation for the quality of their work,” Defazio said for the release. “But, perhaps more important than their fine beers, is their place in local communities. These small business men and women create jobs and economic activity, and are an integral part of local community culture. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to this growing group of innovative business leaders.”

More about the Craft Brewers Conference here.

More about the World Beer Cup here.

Thursday’s ad is for Ruppert Beer, because today is the birthday of Jacob Ruppert, Sr., father of his more famous son Junior or Jake, who founded the famous New York brewery in 1867. Ruppert’s most famous brand was Knickerbocker, a Dutch name that eventually became a term for New Yorker (and where the basketball “Knicks” [...]

While the good news is the building may be able to be saved, the bad news is that the iconic Rainier Brewery building in Seattle, Washington is teeming with toxic PCBs from the paint. Here’s the story below, from KING 5 television. Share and Enjoy:

Today is Tonya Cornett’s 40th birthday. Tonya is the brewmaster of Bend Brewing in Oregon, Bend’s 2nd largest brewery. I’ve only met Tonya a couple of times, but she’s a great brewer and, of course, being born 1 day and ten years after me makes her a terriic human being, too. Join me in wishing Tonya a very happy birthday.

Tonya and Bend Brewing won World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster for Small Brewpub last year.

Tonya at GABF.

Tonya (center), winning a silver medal at GABF for her Outback X in Category: 72 Old Ale or Strong Ale in 2007.

With Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey at Falling Rock in Denver.
(Special thanks to Sage from the Lost Abbey for photos 2 and 4.)

 

If you enjoyed this post or the Bulletin generally, please consider buying me a pint

I’m sure the movie is the first thing you think when you see the title of this post, but in fact it’s the name of the latest limited-release beer from Double Mountain Brewery. In fact they’re holding release parties tomorrow and Friday, and thanks to the Bend Beer Blog I know that Friday’s release party is being held here in Bend, at Brother Jon’s Pub.

(I’d completely overlooked this, since I saw the “Moon & Sixpence Pub” in Portland as the first location and assumed it was all Portland.)

I had to read this line about the beer from the Double Mountain blog and smirk, though:

EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is a concept beer that answers the question, “what happens when you make a big Northwest-style IPA with all-English malt and hops?”

Um, you have a traditional English IPA?

Yes, completely snarky because it’s a silly concept question. But to be fair, it’s Double Mountain, so I’m sure the beer will be very good.

The release party at Brother Jon’s is from 5 to 9pm Friday, the 5th.

Received an email from Narragansett announcing some parties for their 120th Anniversary. No plans on being in Rhode Island any time soon, so the news really did not apply to me. However, the email had this little interesting nugget of information “Fact #434: During Prohibition, Narragansett had a special license to brew porter for medicinal purposes! You could still buy ‘Gansett with a prescription from your doctor.” I’m still trying to find their porter on shelves (Lew and Alan had given it good marks, so I decided to try to hunt it down) but now that I know it is good enough for medicinal purposes, I am doubling my efforts!

Good article in the Los Angeles Times today by Evan George on the hobby of the beer stash. The hero of the story is Mr. Arrieta:

To grab a beer, Israel Arrieta doesn't just stroll to the fridge; he has to walk out his back door to the side of the house, where he pries a chicken-wire screen off a basement window and scrambles, crab position, down a wooden ladder. Several minutes later, he emerges cradling half a dozen cool, dusty bottles of beer. Arrieta, 27, keeps his beer in the closest thing to a cave: the crawl space under his parents' North Pasadena house.

We also read about a 55-year-old who writes for the film industry, a retired medic, a Raytheon engineer from Glendale but it's Arrieta, the guy who keeps his beer in a dirt crawl space behind chicken wire, who makes the story. He sums up the hobby as "not drinking everything just because you have it" and I suppose that is why I do it, too, as well as simply because I have to hunt out my beer an buy in mass purchases living, as I do behind the great mapled curtain of national denial.

One of the other stash nerds also pointed out that "If you just age all the bottles for 10 years and drink them in a month, that doesn't make sense." I don't know if I necessarily agree with that as I am quite comfortable with the idea that a beer like a wine can be on point or past it. I want it when its best because who really needs to be exposed to a beer that is "cloyingly salty, more like Kikkoman than a Boston lager"? Gak.

If you’re a fan of great English literature and its relationship to the traditional pub, you may enjoy this program from BBC 4. It was first broadcast March 1 and will be available to listen to on the BBC’s archive until this Saturday, March 6. Here’s the description of it from the website: From Falstaff at [...]

Homemade beer in keg
Sitting out by a river
Enjoying Sunday

Written by Glyn and Mary

References: The author hails from Tennessee where they recently had a couple of warmer days.

Thing of the day: Two Tap Picnic Hombrew Kegerator Fully Assembled

Related haiku:

• A Patient Pour
• And They Lived Happily Ever After
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The American Brewers Guild has created a scholarship to honor the memory of brewing pioneer Greg Noonan, who died last October of cancer.

The Greg Noonan New England Brewer’s Scholarship will be awarded for the Intensive Brewing Science and Engineering class beginning June 7. The scholarship is open to residents of New England, including the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Applicants must meet the guild’s for admission into the program.

Noonan opened Vermont’s first brewpub in 1988 and two others after that but his influence was far wider. His 1986 book “Brewing Lager Beer: The Most Comprehensive Book for Home- and Microbreweries”
became a guidebook for those opening small breweries in the 1980s and ’90s. He Later wrote “Scotch Ale” in 1990 and “Seven Barrel Brewery Brewers’ Handbook: A Pragmatic Guide to Home Brewing” in 1996.

Here’s the information about how to apply.

Today is my 51st birthday, and I’ve been overwhelmed by an embarrassment of riches from well-wishers sending me notes via e-mail, Twitter and Facebook. Thanks to one and all. Since it’s usually me posting embarrassing photos of my friends and colleagues, last year I posted a bunch encompassing my first 50 years on a page [...]

Since today’s my birthday, Wednesday’s ad is from my hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania, where the locak beer growing up was Reading Premium Beer. And let me clear up one thing right away — it’s pronounced “red-ing,” not “reed-ing.” We’re the first railroad in Monopoly. The Reading Brewery closed in 1976, but Schmidt’s continued to contract [...]

Sour ales get flavor from Lactobacillus, Brettanomyces or Pediococcus yeast. Normally, these are bad things in a brewhouse, but not when a skilled brewer wants to make a sour ale.

Brouwerij Verhaeghe in Vichte, Belgium, was established in West Flanders in 1875. The family run brewery makes several great beers, including a Felmish red ale, Duchesse De Bourgogne.

Duchesse De Bourgogne is 6 percent alcohol by volume reddish-brown ale is a blend of 8- and 18-month-old ales. You can taste the wood character in this brew that has a touch of bakers chocolate, but the overall impression is a vinegar leaning tartness that grows on you after the first few sips.