To My Dearest Beer: a public love letter

Oberon Release Update

2009-03-27T19:34:00.002-05:00

In addition to the Stub and Herb's release, here are a few more from MNBeer:

Bell’s Oberon release parties… Monday, March 30 8-11pm, Bryant Lake Bowl. Best fake tan will some prizes. Tuesday, March 31st, Bulldog Lowertown in St. Paul 7-10 pm.

Not sure if these are "official" release parties, with reps in attendance, swag, etc., but should be fun times anyhow.

Oberon Release MSP

2009-03-26T00:40:00.002-05:00

According a post on beeradvocate the Oberon release will be April 1 at Stub and Herb's.

Unfortunately, it's the same night as Lost, so I'll try to make it out, but it won't be as raucous of an evening as the last two years.

Magic Hat #9 Release

2009-03-06T17:59:00.001-06:00

From MNBeer:

Head on over to The Happy Gnome on Thursday, March 12th at 5pm. Magic Hat Brewing Company will be releasing #9 to the MN market. Enjoy!

I am so there.

Reviews: A Smattering

2009-03-04T23:39:00.002-06:00

I had three new beers tonight, and here are the reviews...in a sentence...each:

Leinenkugel's Classic Amber: Basically a Leine's version of Samuel Adam's Boston Lager, but better, because it's cheaper and Leinenkugel's.
Boulevard Single-wide IPA: A moderate IPA that does nothing to rival Sierra Nevada's selection, but is nonetheless a welcome choice on the shelf (mostly for its price-point).
Samuel Adams Blackberry Wit: Too much blackberry, too much sugar, not enough balance; probably more tasty in the Summer than the Purgatory of weather that is March.

Update: Bell's Batch 9000 Info

2009-03-03T22:39:00.003-06:00

If you were curious what form Bell's Batch 9000 would take, look no further than the above picture. Yes, you read that right: "Malt beverage brewed with molasses and brewer's licorice." I have no idea what that means in terms of end-product, and now I'm just more curious. Way to go picture; you did nothing to quell my anticipation.

If you want a back story of Bell's commemorative beers and speculation about the release date, I'd recommend taking a jaunt over to beernews.org for a nice write-up.

Leinenkugel's Going National with Classic Amber

2009-02-26T22:19:00.005-06:00

Leinenkugel's has always been a great stand-by, a brewery that creates a lot of different styles that are all tasty and affordable. But Leinenkugel's has always been a very Midwest brewery, with only a few styles finding themselves throughout the nation (e.g., when I was in Boston last year, the only Leinenkugel's I saw on tap was, not the standard Honey Weiss or Original, but the Sunset Wheat). Well, much to the delight of my brother, as well as other Leine-lovers across the nation, the brewery is taking steps to change this:

But the beer that got its start quenching the thirst of 19th-century lumberjacks will shed whatever's left of its regional image Monday with the national launch of a new brew, Classic Amber. The beer, a potential flagship for the Chippewa Falls, Wis, brewery, is meant to compete with the nation's bestselling craft beer, Samuel Adams.

With the Classic Amber, this is the third new beer Leine's has launched within the last three months. While I didn't enjoy the Fireside Nut Brown, I thought the 1888 Bock was a refreshing, accurate take on the style, and I'm excited to try their newest, the Classic Amber. Here is the description from the brewery:

Leinenkugel's Classic Amber Lager
Our signature all-malt lager is a celebration of genuine ingredients, time-honored brewing traditions and authentic craft beer flavor. With its brilliant amber color, premium blend of Pale, Caramel and Munich malts, and subtle, yet complex citric hoppiness, you simply can't go wrong with a Classic.

Check out the full description here, and look for it in stores early March.

Via The Star Tribune

For the Nerds: WoW Beer Steins

2009-02-26T22:11:00.004-06:00

For all the nerds out their who like to get their beer on whilst dabbling in a little WoW, you can now drink your beer in WoW beer steins! I know! It's absolutely ridiculous!

Via Kotaku

Bell's Batch 9000 Info

2009-02-25T23:06:00.003-06:00

According to a string of posts on Beeradvocate, we're getting close to Bell's newest every-1000-batches special release, the Bell's Batch 9000. According to a post by Larry Bell:

The saying goes,"give the customer what they want."
Remember 7000? Well that was kind of weak, so we are trumping up that recipe to make something bold. You want something for the cellar? You got it.

The 7000 was a 12% Imperial Stout, so hardly a beer that you'd call weak, and hardly a beer that you'd think about making bold unless you were going to do something crazy. Here's hoping.

Beer Haul: Cellar's Lexington/Larpenteur

2009-02-25T22:52:00.004-06:00

Made my way over to the Cellar's at Lexington/Larpenteur to hit up the 50% off sale (they are closing the store soon). Slim pickings, but I managed to pick up the following:

De Regenboog, 't Smisje BBBourgandier
De Regenboog, 't Smisje Kerst
Saint Somewhere, Saison Athene
Fantome, Brise-BonBons

All for the low-low price of under $20. I'm enjoying the BBBourgandier right now, and we'll see how long the others last.

The store is closing soon, so if you're going to check it out, check it out soon. They still had plenty of De Regenboog left (including Regenboog's Guido, Catherine the Great, as well as the two mentioned above), a stockpile of Moylan's, and a few other finds.

Spiraling Downward toward Icehouse

2009-02-23T23:03:00.003-06:00

I'm really amused by evenings like this. This is the list of beers I had on Saturday night, in order:

Surly Three
Surly Furious
PBR
PBR
PBR
Icehouse

Yes, I finished with Icehouse...and I feel good about it.

Buddhist Beer Bottle Temple

2009-02-19T19:37:00.004-06:00

In Cambodia, a group of Buddhist monks collected 1.5 million beer bottles and built a temple with "...a main temple, guest bathrooms, prayer rooms, a tower, a crematorium, and more. They even created vast mosaics of Buddha out of the collected beer caps."

Neat!

Read More:
Article 1
Article 2

Top 5: Barleywines

2009-02-19T19:16:00.005-06:00

In light of Bigfoot finally hitting the scene here, I present to you my All-time Top 5 Barleywines:

Sierra Nevada, Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale
Great Divide, Old Ruffian Barley Wine
Victory, Old Horizontal
Full Sail, Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale 08
Left Hand, Widdershins

Sierra Nevada's Potential Yeast Fuel

2009-02-18T23:30:00.005-06:00

I stumbled upon an interesting article about how Sierra Nevada is trying to use old yeast to create high-grade ethanol fuel. And this isn't Sierra Nevada simply jumping on a bandwagon of any sorts; apparently, "...it has an extensive recycling program, in which less than one percent of its waste goes back into the landfill, and it has one of the largest privately owned solar installations in the country." Impressive.

No note of exactly how the process will work or the expected outcome but still a short, informative read.

Via The Orion (Chico State's student run newspaper)

Update on New Great Divide Beers

2009-02-18T23:18:00.003-06:00

Great Divide's two newest ventures--Claymore Scotch Ale and Espresso Oak Aged Yeti--are out as of February 13. I personally haven't seen them in stores in the MSP area, but as we get nearly everything else they brew, I'm hoping that they'll pop up soon.

Also, go check out their new website they launched to coincide with the fancy new labels, or if you want to read up on the newest beers.

Don's Steamin' Wife Lager

2009-02-17T23:01:00.004-06:00

Brother-of-a-friend Don Osborn got a nice bump on MNBeer for his photo of his Steamin' Wife Lager. Not much but a picture and a mention, but I just enjoy how connected and small-world-ish the beer scene is here in MSP.

Also: Steamin' Wife Lager. Funny name; nice photo.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo & Bigfoot

2009-02-17T22:18:00.004-06:00

Finally. It took much longer than it should have, but both Sierra Nevada's Torpedo Extra IPA and Bigfoot Barleywine have hit the Twin Cities market. I picked up a six-pack of each at Thomas Liquors.

The Torpedo is nice enough. At a modest price and 7.2% alcohol, it's an economical, tasty choice. It won't replace my IPA standards (Two Hearted, HopDevil, Titan, and more-so lately, Crooked Tree), but it's always nice to have more options year-round.

The Bigfoot is as I remember and all that I love in a barleywine: big malt, big hops, and big alcohol. I am disappointed that it hit so late in the season; but, it's snowing outside right now and that gives me justification enough to plow through a few more six-packs before it's gone until next year.

Update: despite the lack of care for the brewing process or the nomenclature, I stumbled upon this review that does a nice job of describing the flavor of the Torpedo Extra IPA.

Review: Bud Light & Clamato Chelada

2009-02-17T22:16:00.003-06:00

Tastes like shit.

~For Kyle

Redhook Tripel in April

2009-02-05T21:09:00.002-06:00

Redhook will be releasing a new beer in April: a tripel. A tripel from Redhook? Hooray!

Here's the info off of the beeradvocate forums:

Belgian Tripel is deep golden hued with subtle hints of vanilla, clove and cinnamon. Fruity, spicy and warming with a complex but soft malt character.

Belgian Tripel Overview:
IBU: 22
Alcohol by Volume: 8.0%
Original Gravity: 19.3 plato
Shelf Life - 180 days

Availability
For a limited time only, Belgian Tripel will be available in 22oz bottles and 1/6 barrel draught, nationwide

STR Date: April 20, 2009
Probable retail price- $7.99 per 22oz bottle

Hombrew Review #1: Witbier Kit

2009-01-30T20:13:00.003-06:00

I couldn't wait anymore. Nearly two weeks of our first beer bottle conditioning on top of my refrigerator, I cooled down two so I could give it a try.

Appearance: Pours deep orange, cloudy, with a nice half-finger of creamy white foam that dissipates quickly. I have to say, if nothing else, it looks beautiful.

Aroma: Orange, orange, orange. Orange and candy sugar. It's almost absurd how much it smells like candy.

Taste: More of the aroma. Not sure what happened to the coriander...but I hardly care. It's like drinking a piece of orange hard candy. And I like it.

Overall: It certainly doesn't taste exactly like other wits I've had, and it's not something I'd want to drink all the time, but I think for a first effort, we've created something fairly delicious. It's easy to drink, enjoyable to drink, and, really, it's just so much damn fun to drink something you've created. Nice work us.

The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous Returning to Milwaukeehat

2009-01-29T22:15:00.005-06:00

Schlitz, it seems, is doing all it can to return to it's once golden state as The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous. This past summer, Pabst (who owns Schlitz), relaunched the brand with the original 1960's formula. And now, under contract with MillerCoors, have returned the brewing and bottling back to Milwaukee. Ah nostalgia. I mean, for those who have been alive long enough to have nostalgia about this.

Read more

New from Great Divide

2009-01-23T00:00:00.003-06:00

Hells yeah! With that label, I feel like I need no words. If you want words, go read all about it it here.

Reminder: Festival of Hops

2009-01-22T22:59:00.003-06:00

Head on over to the Muddy Pig! Starting tonight (Thursday) and going through Sunday, they will be putting on the first annual Festival of Hops.

We will have 40+ hopped up beers (pale ales and up) on tap throughout the weekend and we hope to rotate through 55 or more different beers in four days.

I'll be there briefly tomorrow and again on Saturday night. Huzzah!

Pro-inconsistency: Drinking Knot Stock

2009-01-15T21:31:00.004-06:00

Consistency in brewing has to be the most difficult thing to achieve. Working with active ingredients that are affected by the slightest environmental change creates a task that seems nearly impossible. Brewers have to worry about storage temperature, storage conditions, water temperature, water quality, the consistency of the boil, when you add the ingredients, the condition of the ingredients, and on and on and on. I am amazed that brewers can continually put out beers from different batches and different brewing facilities that taste identical. This is truly a remarkable feat.

I'm drinking a Furthermore Knot Stock right now, the strange and delicious APA brewed with black pepper. The first time I drank the beer, the black pepper hung around in the background, slowly growing into a slight tinge of hot spice that lingered after the beer was gone. Never quite crescendoing into a overwhelming surge of harshness, but making itself noticeable. I love it. I love the idea of a growing beer, a changing beer, a flavor that builds upon itself to create a full dynamic experience.

Age of the beer aside, I typically know what to expect when drinking a beer that I've had before. But not so with the newest batch of Knot Stock that I cracked tonight. Full-on barrage of cracked black pepper pushing the spice and heat through the beer at first sip. And, right now, tonight, with the temperatures plummeting toward -25F, this is what I want. I want the pepper to kick in screaming, keep screaming, and never back down.

I could chalk this up to brewing inconsistencies. I could allege that Furthermore can't keep their conditions straight. I could, but this is part of what makes beer so wonderful. It is a living, active thing: constantly changing, moving, shifting. This is why I can buy the same beer over and over and still have the chance at being surprised. There's a time for something familiar, something standard; but, more often I think, there's a time for a beer to get in your face and challenge the way you perceive it and the people who make it.

Beer News Roundup via Beernews.org

2009-01-14T20:34:00.002-06:00

I just got around to reviewing the beernews.org posts from the last few days. I found so much great news that I thought I'd provide a beer news roundup for those who don't peruse the beer websites as often as I do:

Tyranena's next Brewers Gone Wild will be a cherry porter called Paradise by the Dashboard Lights (7.5 to 8%). It'll be out late January or early February.
Southern Tier is releasing a "Black IPA," called Iniquity Imperial Black Ale. No release date. 9%.
In March or April, Southern Tier is releasing an Oak Aged Unearthly IPA
Left Hand has released their 2009 seasonal beer schedule.
Sierra Nevada is tweaking their labels.

If you check out nothing else, go take a look at the Southern Tier Black IPA label...as with all of their labels, it's the best.

Surly Three + Mild News

2009-01-13T21:33:00.003-06:00

Straight from Surly's Brewer's Blog:

Ok! now that 16Grit is gone what's next?

Surly Mild will be released Jan 19th,look for it at your local.Expect a light bodied,low alcohol brown ale with flavors of lightly sweetened biscuits,tobacco and a dry finish.
26IBU
4%abv

Surly Three is our anniversary beer.Try it first at Winterfest!(Feb 6).Look for it DRAFT only the week of Feb 9.Brewed with 50%Honey and 50%German Dark Munich malt,fermented with a Belgian yeast strain and aged on toasted White Ash.
Lots of honey aroma intertwined with rich caramel-cracker flavors,the Ash adds a cinnamon,nutmeg and vanilla aroma and a dry finish.Smells like bourbon to me.
16IBU
10%abv

Thought Mild was great last year; thinking it'll be great this year. Also...the Three...so excited. I've loved both the One and the Two and have been waiting for the Three quite anxiously. I'm sure this won't disappoint. I mean, really...honey, dark Munich malt, white ash, 10%...sounds nothing if not fun.

Magic Hat Coming to MN!

2009-01-13T21:21:00.002-06:00

I'm back! Holidays, busy, blah blah blah sorry for no posts blah blah...here's the good news:

According to a post on Beeradvocate (that seems quite reliable), Magic Hat Brewing Company will begin distribution in MN in February. Why, you ask, should you care? Because it's awesome, that's why.

I had the chance to try both the #9 and Circus Boy when we were in Boston last May, and I thoroughly enjoyed the beers and couldn't wait until we could get some love here in Minnesota. Also, it's the only brewery I know of where you can buy both a 12-pack of branded condoms as well as a baby bib. Mixed signals, to be sure, but they still make great beer.

The Death of Sparks

2008-12-18T19:24:00.006-06:00

It is with great sadness that I inform you that MillerCoors is being forced to reformulate their caffeinated alcoholic beverage, Sparks, effectively making it pointless. This about sums up why:

The beer giant had come under fire from the states as well as several consumer-advocacy groups, for allegedly marketing its top-selling Sparks brand so that it appealed to underage consumers. Critics also complained that the drinks raised potential health risks by masking feelings of drunkenness.

I can maybe understand people being upset about the marketing. Maybe. But, I highly doubt that's what this is about. And it's statements like this one (made by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal) that infuriate me:

Sparks is an insidious and insane drink that deservedly now is down the drain -- like all stimulant-spiked alcoholic drinks should be. . . . Beverages like Sparks are a witch's brew of alcohol and caffeine, energizing drunks and encouraging dangerous, even deadly behavior. Common sense says a drink impairing judgment while conferring excess energy is a very bad idea. Studies show that these drinks lead to binge drinking, car crashes, sexual assaults and other risky behavior. They impair reactions and reasoning, but instill the illusion of alertness and energy.

What next? Banning Red Bull and vodkas? Banning coffee beer? Banning me from slamming some espresso before going out to the bar?

As ridiculous as that comment is, I love the absurd new marketing stipulations:

Remove from Sparks marketing any references to mixing the drinks with caffeinated or stimulant-laced beverages, as well as plus and minus signs, batteries, on/off switches, elevators, lightning bolts and snowboards, and the words "powered” and "ignited."

Yes, because I know that when I was under 21, anytime I was near an elevator, even heard someone whisper the word elevator, I could think of doing nothing but slamming back gallons of alcohol while raping anything and everything that so much as crept into my eyesight.

Article 1
Article 2

The Four Firkins Update 12.12.08

2008-12-13T14:56:00.007-06:00

Received an e-newsletter update from The Four Firkins yesterday with news about a few new arrivals. In lieu of reprinting the entire thing, I'll just highlight the two I'm interested in (with links added):

Two Bothers - Hop Juice.
Double IPA - 9.9% and 100 IBU

Those Brothers from Chicago have brewed up a monster of a beer sure to sate even the most insatiable hop-heads amongst you.

Southern Tier Choklat

At Southern Tier, we're not surprised that hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya depict chocolate being poured for rulers and gods. Moving through centuries, the circular journey of cacao has been realized in our brewing house, encompassing the complexity of the darkest, bitter-sweet candy together with the original frothy cold beverage of the ancient Maya to bring to you our Blackwater Series Choklat Stout. 11% Abv

In my opinion, Southern Tier is amazing at flavor matching and somehow still making it palatable. The Crème Brûlée Stout tastes like crème brûlée, the Pumpking tastes like pumpkin pie, and I've heard fantastic things about their coffee beer, (Jah-va Stout). So, I feel like if I'm going to enjoy a chocolate beer, it's probably going to be this one.

The other beers that the email highlighted were the Boulevard Smokestack Series #6 (Bourbon Barrel Aged Quad with Cherries) and the Struise Pannepot.

The Groveland Tap Grab Bag Experience

2008-12-13T09:38:00.005-06:00

I finally did it; I went to an event I posted about. I know! And I have to say, it was quite successful. Not only were the beers $2, they were ridiculous. Here's the rundown that our group of five was served:

Steamworks Steam Engine Lager (12oz can)
Cold Spring Olde Johnnie Ale (16oz can)
Lake Superior Mesabi Red (12oz bottle)
Wittekerke (11.2oz bottle)
Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss (1oz bottle)
Bud Light Lime (12oz bottle)
Miller High Life (40oz bottle!)

Did you read that last one? A 40. Of Miller High Life. Hi-larious.

Taste-wise, the list ranged from so-so to kind of not so great. I really wish that had thrown in a few fancy-pants bottles to be had throughout the evening...but I can't complain that I paid $2 for any of those. And, it was fun not knowing what was coming our way.

Next Groveland Tap event to attend: root beer/oatmeal stout floats on the 23rd.

Muddy Pig Presents Festival of the Hops + Maredsous

2008-12-10T16:09:00.013-06:00

Big ol' update from The Muddy Pig via MNBeer:

Beer Lovers,

We have a few events planned at The Muddy Pig:

Abbey of Maredsous Event. Wednesday, December 17 @ 5:00. We will have all three of their ales on tap; the Blonde 6, Dubbel 8 and Triple 10. Buy a Maredsous and keep the glass (limit one glass per customer).

Flat Earth Event. Monday, December 29 @ 5:00. We will be tapping up kegs of Flat Earth’s Black Helicopter coffee stout and their Winter Warlock English barley wine. Jeff Williamson, Mr. Flat Earth himself, will be here to answer all your questions about St. Paul’s newest brewery.

The 1st Annual Festival of Hops. Thursday, January 22 through Sunday, January 25. Our Belgian Beer Festival in September was so successful we decided to organize another beer event, this one devoted to hop forward beers. We will have 40+ hopped up beers (pale ales and up) on tap throughout the weekend and we hope to rotate through 55 or more different beers in four days.

Yes, this really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Mark

I love Maredsous. I mean, I really love Maredsous. The dubbel? My all-time favorite dubbel. And their tripel? Different, dark, and delicious. Seems unlikely that I'll be able to swing over there at the start time, but I'll see what I can do later in the evening. And they can run out of the glassware. Seriously...I have way too much glassware as it is.

Festival of the Hops also sounds great. If it's half as good as the Belgian Beer Festival they threw earlier this year, it will be amazing. I plan on being there for at least one of the days.

I love the Pig. So much love...

Groveland Tap Presents the 12 Nights of Christmas

2008-12-10T16:09:00.007-06:00

Great news about The Groveland Tap from MNBeer:

I just got a note from Craig over at Groveland Tap. He wanted me to share that they’ll be redoing their bar today and will be adding 13 more taps! Thirteen! He also mentioned that Miller Lite will be removed around Jan. 1 for something better.

Also, on Friday the 12th they will be start The 12 Nights of Christmas:

Dec 12: Grab Bag night - till we run out! $2 bottles. They choose, you drink.
Dec 13: Delerium Night. Tis the season to see pink elephants. $6 Taps
Dec 14: St. Pauli Girl Christmas $5 Bomber bottles
Dec 15: Schell’s 150th Anniversary taps $3
Dec 16: Christmas from Across the Border, Wisconsin that is, Rush River $3 taps
Dec 17: Summit Flight Night $6
Dec 18: Meet me in Kansas, Boulevard night $3 taps.
Dec 19: Drop Top Night $3 taps
Dec 20: Double wide night $10 6-pack PBR tall boys
Dec 21: Get your Christmas Goose. Goose Island Matilda $5.
Dec 22: It’s Firkin Christmas! Casks from Summit, Surly, Rush River, Flat Earth and Schell’s
Dec 23: Christmas Parade? Have a float Root Beer or Oatmeal Stout you choose. $4

So many good things from this post. The first, of course, being the 13 new taps, upping their total taps to 27. They already have a fantastic selection of Summit, Surly, and other local favorites. It'll be interesting to see which beers they choose to fill in the rest.

And, wow, these events are fun. Anyone interested in heading over there for a burger and some oatmeal stout floats on the 23rd? Or, really, any of these things.

Mulled Beer at The Blue Nile

2008-12-09T18:25:00.004-06:00

Straight from Al of The Blue Nile on the BeerAdvocate forums:

Yup.
Gonna Do it.
Have a keg of Lake Superior's Old Man Winter Warmer I've been saving for a year.
Gonna tap on Saturday the 20th of December, the day before the Winter Solstice...first day of winter, officially...and I'm gonna Wassail it. Gonna mull it, gonna spice it. At least cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, and possibly some fruit.
This will be available on tap as well, but I'm just gonna take some back to the stove, toss on the goodies, and mull it up.
These will be available in hot drink glasses, for a reasonable price.

One of my bartenders cussed me out for messing up a great beer, but you will have a choice that day, messd-up or non-messed up. But, I guarantee a good mess!

cheers,
al

P.S. It'll start right at 4pm, when we open, so hopefully Town Hall pint club members and Sterb's BA gathering goers an make it after or before.

I, personally, have never had a mulled beer, nor have I had Old Man Winter Warmer...but, I have had mulled wine, and it was tasty. Seems fun regardless.

Homebrew Experiment Part I: First Thoughts

2008-12-06T17:00:00.002-06:00

All seemed to go well in my first homebrew experience. What amazed me is how simple the brewing process is (at least when you're using an extract kit). A lot of boiling and waiting and taking in the delicious smell of the wort. Seriously, that aroma is fantastic. Of course, drinking beer whilst making beer does make it that much more fun. Also, the fact that none of us got carbon monoxide poisoning as we were boiling the wort on the porch helps as well. We'll see the results in six weeks.

Hopefully, we'll get around to doing another batch in a month or two so we can keep this system going. And the more we do, the more risks we can start taking with flavors, which just translates into more fun to me.

Homebrew Experiment Part I

2008-12-05T23:58:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow marks the first day in which I embark on my first homebrew beer. A group of us will be getting together to brew from a witbier extract kit. While wits are not always my favorite style, it's a pleasant style...one that's drinkable and refreshing throughout all the seasons. I feel that if we achieve a nice balance between the wheat, yeast, orange, and coriander, we'll have a solid beer produced. Regardless, an afternoon of brewing, drinking beer, and eating food seems like a fantastic way to spend a Saturday.

In six weeks, I'll let you know how it turns out. Next on tap, perhaps getting ahead of ourselves, we're thinking a boysenberry kolsch. In theory, awesome.

Celebrating the Freedom to Buy Alcohol (Just Not on Sundays)

2008-12-05T00:20:00.000-06:00

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition. Hooray! Check out this website for lots of info, history, etc. Now if only I could buy beer on Sundays...

Year of PBR & $1,893 Competition...Go!

2008-12-03T22:49:00.008-06:00

In the spirit of writing about more competitions, here's one from Pabst Blue Ribbon:

In 2008, we were overwhelmed by the entries that we received for the art contest. Each day that we got a new artistic entry we felt as our ancestors did in 1893 when Pabst won the Blue Ribbon. To bring that feeling back, we are conducting another contest in 2009.

This time, we are asking talented Pabst drinkers to try their hand in four categories: Painting, Sculpting, Photography and Poetry. Official rules are available here. So, get your creative juices flowing and enter the Pabst Art Contest for your chance at $1,893 and a year of beer*

I searched everywhere on the site to figure out what a "year of beer" means. If I had to calculate...I'd say I could finish off about six tall boys a night with ease, multiplied by 365 days...so 2,190 tall boys or 35,040 ounces of PBR. Something makes me think that this is not the case.

This is how the judging is going down:

All entries will be judged on creativity (50%), originality (25%), and ability to capture the essence of the brand (25%).

Oh, and that picture above: taken by k(i)d at Zombie Pub Crawl IV this last October. I somehow doubt that this would fit into their "essence of brand" category.

Surly Jacket & Darkness Competition...Go!

2008-12-03T22:43:00.004-06:00

From Surly's site:

So, lets get to it. Announcing the second annual win a bottle of Darkness and Surly jacket competition! Upload your favorite Surly photo to the Flickr site. The brewing crew will pick their favorite photo after the new year.

Photo above? The winning picture of last year. So, yes, that's what you have to compete with...cute dogs. Good effing luck.

Space Beer! The Future is Now!! (Almost)

2008-12-02T22:45:00.007-06:00

From BBC News:

Japanese beer brewed from barley which was grown on the international space station orbiting the Earth, has finally been tasted.

The Space Beer will not go on sale, but should help scientists decide which crops astronauts could take with them on prolonged space flights on future missions exploring places like Mars.

Cosmonaut Dr Boris Morukov who spent 11 days in space says potatoes may one day be grown, but not to make space vodka.

Like the IPA, born out of the long journey from England to India, one can only hope that our long trips to Mars will one day produce a new fantastic style of beer: space beer.

Check out a video here. (Silly BBC won't let me embed the video; however, their volume level does go to 11. So, I actually doubt that blogger could handle it anyway.)

Here's a longer, better article about the actual process, in which we finally learn that the barley was grown in space and then brewed by Sapporo on Earth. This is less exciting for two reasons:

It's a lot less futuristic than we had previously thought, and
Sapporo is not that good.

And the quote that really bothers me is this, "There's really no beer like it because it uses 100 percent barley." Really? Not because it was brewed with barley grown in space!?

Winterfest News

2008-12-02T18:04:00.002-06:00

The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild is putting on their 8th anniversary Winterfest on Friday, February 6, 2009 at the Minnesota History Center. Here's the info:

Date: Friday, February 6, 2009
Time: 7-10pm
Where: Minnesota History Center / 345 W. Kellog Blvd. - St. Paul, MN
Ticket Price: $45 - purchase tickets online via www.uptowntix.com or by calling (651) 209-6799

Tickets go on sale Monday, December 15th promptly at 12pm (noon). We only have one price level and we are only selling 700 tickets (limit of 6 per purchaser). This has been a sell out event for the last couple of years so purchase early! Thank you for your support and please plan ahead for transportation.
Breweries: Current members of the MN Craft Brewers Guild - TBA -
More information on what the brewers are bringing will be displayed closer to the festival

Catering: Bon Appetit at the MN History Center
Live Music: The Jaztronauts

Sexy? Lager

2008-12-02T00:04:00.006-06:00

This is the weirdest thing.

I was perusing the Brouwerij Huyghe website after updating the "Current Favorites" section to include Delirium Noel when I stumbled upon this horrific wonder. It's called Rubbel Sexy Lager. There's no explanation for its existence on the website.

According to the BeerAdvocate reviews (all four of them), it's horrible...and apparently its only redeeming factor is that the "sexy" ladies' bikinis are scratch off. So strange. So, so strange. Especially coming from a brewery that produces the amazing Delirium line (Tremens, Nocturnum, Noel).

If you want more not-so-sexy-very-eighties pictures, go here, click "Product," and scroll to the bottom of the page. Yes, it's a crappy website.

Full Sail LTD 01 Coming Soon

2008-12-01T23:26:00.006-06:00

Amidst a flurry of updates in Full Sail's newsletter (such as Wassail and Old Boardhead Barleywine 08 hitting the markets among other things), comes this piece about LTD 01:

LTD 01 Coming Soon.
Good news beer lovers, our easy-drinking albeit way tasty LTD Recipe 01 is rocking the fermentation tank as this very moment. We predict LTD 01 will be hitting the shelves in early January, maybe sooner.

Back for its third year, LTD 01 is part of our seasonal line that emphasizes and builds on our brand mantra - both the world class quality of our beers (LTD – Limited Edition) and our celebration of independence (LTD – Live the Dream). We dedicate LTD to everyone who's living the dream, whatever that dream might be. Our dream was to start our own brewery, run it our own way, and do it in an unreal place where all summer the wind pumps and all winter the snow dumps. If you're living your own dream, then cheers to you!

Since its initial release, LTD 01 has racked up two gold medals from the World Beer Championships and received an “A” rating from Beer Advocate Magazine. But, we’ll let you be the judge. If you haven't already tried it, it's a wonderfully balanced medium-bodied, copper colored lager with subtle hop accents and a caramel aroma that goes down smooth - perfect for the winter season.

You can pick up a sixer at your favorite beer store or get it on tap at your local pub until spring when we will follow up with LTD Recipe Number 02. Rumor has it the brewmaster is working on LTD 03 for this summer. Stay tuned.

Can't wait! Also, LTD 03, eh? 01 has been my favorite of the two thus far, so we'll see if this newcomer can tip the scale for me.

Go here for the most current newsletter if you want to read it in full.

Bell's + De Proef

2008-11-30T19:53:00.004-06:00

Straight from beernews.org:

(Kalamazoo, MI) - Bells Brewery was named as the co-brewer for next year’s Signature Series collaboration with De Proef in Belgium. Bells’ John Mallet will travel over to Europe to work with De Proef’s Dirk Naudts this coming March. Past collaborators include Tomme Arthur from Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey and Jason Perkins from Allagash. Both beers were Belgian styles and it would be assumed that is the way the series will continue to trend. That said, Bells’ vast collection of beers only includes a relative handful of Belgian styles to date; it will be interesting to see what brew comes out of this joint effort.

I tend to love everything that Bell's makes, and what I've had from De Proef has been quite tasty, so this is a rather exciting collaboration. We'll see how far it will be distributed. Here in MN we get both Bell's and De Proef, so odds are good thus far.

Go here for the full press release.

New Yorker on DFH, etc.

2008-11-30T18:57:00.003-06:00

If, for some reason, at some point, you wish there was a rather long, well-written article about extreme brewing with a rather overt focus on Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewing, I would send you here. It's 10 Internet pages (or about 10,000) words long, but well worth it. Here's the opening to get you on your way:

Elephants, like many of us, enjoy a good malted beverage when they can get it. At least twice in the past ten years, herds in India have stumbled upon barrels of rice beer, drained them with their trunks, and gone on drunken rampages. (The first time, they trampled four villagers; the second time they uprooted a pylon and electrocuted themselves.) Howler monkeys, too, have a taste for things fermented. In Panama, they’ve been seen consuming overripe palm fruit at the rate of ten stiff drinks in twenty minutes. Even flies have a nose for alcohol. They home in on its scent to lay their eggs in ripening fruit, insuring their larvae a pleasant buzz. Fruit-fly brains, much like ours, are wired for inebriation.

It meanders through different subject matters, starting with the origination of Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron, then shifts to Calagione's general penchant for extreme brewing, then on to the state of beer in America, and so on. Go read it!

Thanks to Josh/Matt for the link.

The First Thanksgiving: The Gift of Beer

2008-11-25T14:31:00.004-06:00

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

2008-11-25T00:21:00.005-06:00

For the first time in 28 years, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is going to be releasing a new full-time beer: Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA.

Apparently, initially, there was some confusion as to what this beer was or would be, but beernews.org went to the source and got this from Bill Manley, Sierra Nevada Communications Coordinator:

Yes, Sierra Nevada will be releasing Torpedo Extra IPA as a new addition to our year-round staple of beers. The tentative release date is January 15. This is the first change in our year-round lineup since we started back in 1980. The beer will be available in 6-packs, with the same distribution as all of our other year-round and seasonal beers.

There's a lot more information over at beernews.org, if you're curious what The Hop Torpedo is or what the confusion has been surrounding this beer.

Here are the details from Sierra Nevada:

Torpedo is in a grey area, somewhere between an IPA and a Double IPA…We are calling it Extra IPA…

7.4% ABV - IBU’s in the high 70’s to 80’s
Bittering hops: with Magnum
Finishing hops: Magnum, Crystal, Chinook.
Torpedo: Magnum, Chinook, Citra

I'm excited for this. I do love the IPAs, and Sierra Nevada is always pulling off fantastic hoppy beers (Pale Ale, IPA, Celebration, Harvest Series, ESB, etc.)...I'm sure this one will fit in rather well.

Full Sail's 2009 Brewmasters Reserve List

2008-11-24T23:51:00.004-06:00

Full Sail Brewing Company has released their 2009 schedule of special Brewmaster Reserve beers. Full Sail, I've found, is always consistent and constantly surprising me. It's hard to go wrong with their core beers (IPA, Pale Ale, Amber, and Session), I went a bit overboard with how many six packs of both the LTD 01 and LTD 02 I went through, and the few Brewmaster Reserves that I've had (Prodigal Sun and Old Boardhead Barleywine 07) have been fantastic. So, it's with some excitement that I reprint at least the basic details of their new lineup. Open up this pdf for full details.

Slipknot Imperial IPA (January to mid-March)
Full Sail Imperial Porter (March to April)
Kellhauler Scottish Ale (mid-March to June)
Grandsun of Spot IPA (June to September)
Vesuvius Belgian Style Golden Ale (mid-August to November)
Lupulin Fresh Hop Ale (mid-September to November)
Wreck the Halls (November to mid-January)
Black Gold Bourbon Imperial Stout (February until it's gone)
Old Boardhead Barleywine (08 released October 2008, 09 in October 2009)

I've yet to see the 2008 Barleywine anywhere around here, although I have snatched up two bottles of the 07 so far this year, and right now I've got a bottle of their 21 Anniversary Doppelbock waiting in the fridge for me. We'll see how long it lasts in there.

Don't Put Forks in your Beer and Other Useful Tips

2008-11-24T22:31:00.005-06:00

Somehow, I came across this video. It comes from environmental news and commentary website, Grist.org. I embed to it for two reasons:

1) It gives you helpful information for the removal of fruit from your bottle of beer.
2) It's so, so ridiculously cheesy and weird that I find it funny.

If you liked this, you'll be happy to know there's more where this came from.

Really, though, stop putting fruit in your beer. Seriously. Stop it.

Ode to a Beer

2008-11-24T21:46:00.002-06:00

Found this via Surly's website:

Furious Review

Surly Furious:
The best beer I have ever
had out of a can.

It comes from Beer Haiku Daily, a website that publishes...well...little snippets about beer in the form of haiku. Here are a few others that I enjoyed:

Liquid Love

With undue swagger
He proclaimed undying love
Then fell off the stool

Seasons

Autumn approaches.
Time for bocks, brown ales, dunkels,
and Oktoberfests.

I guess if I had to have a go with it, it would be something like:

Oh this barleywine,
So delicious and warming
When all else is cold.

Mike Rowe + Hops

2008-11-23T20:28:00.005-06:00

Once, I had a dream that Mike Rowe saved me and a group of people from being trapped in some strange shielded colosseum in a jungle after the end of the world.

We can't all be fortunate enough to have fantastic dreams like that; so, for the rest of you, there's Dirty Jobs. And on this Tuesday, November 25, a new Dirty Jobs is airing in which we will see Mike Rowe pick some hops in Yakima, Washington at Hopunion. The fun begins on the Discovery Channel at 8pm (central), and again at midnight for people like me who will be watching Fringe at 8pm.

So, if you ever wondered what it would be like to watch someone harvest hops while doling out witty banter, this would be the time to tune in.

For some local stories from when he was in Yakima this past September, see these two links:

Yakima Herald
KIMA CBS 29

Jim Gaffigan Pale Ale?

2008-11-23T13:16:00.005-06:00

Little late coming to this, but apparently Stevens Point Brewery from Stevens Point, WI is teaming up with Jim Gaffigan to promote the Point Jim Gaffigan Pale Ale.

I don't think I've actually tried anything from Point, but I have heard Gaffigan, and he's hilarious. Whether or not that hilarity somehow translates into a delicious beer, it's anyone's guess.

I can't seem to find information on this anywhere but on beernews.org, so who knows how accurate this is...still seems worth it just for the picture.

(via beernews.org)

New Beer from Jolly Pumpkin, Nøgne-Ø, and Stone

2008-11-22T17:11:00.008-06:00

Oh how I wish I would be able to get my hands on this one. Three fantastic breweries collaborating to make a special holiday ale brewed with chestnuts, juniper berry, white sage, and caraway seed.

On Monday, November 24, bottles of this limited edition beer will be distributed to AZ, MA, CA, OH, WA, OR, CO, VA, MI and NY. If you look closely, you'll see that none of those states is MN or WI.

More information can be found on The Stone Blog or on the brewers' sites:

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Nøgne-Ø
Stone Brewing Co.

I'm back with Surly news

2008-11-22T13:46:00.004-06:00

From Beernews.org:

Surly Brewing got label approval this week for Coffee Bender, a spin-off of its popular brown ale that introduces a coffee kick. This looks like it could be a winter seasonal though an email has been sent to Founder/Owner, Omar Ansari, for more info. While the year-round brands are available in some parts of Illinois, the other seasonal, Bitter Brewer, appears to only be available in Minnesota at the moment (when canned).

Leinie's Big Eddy Imperial IPA

2007-05-30T23:25:00.000-05:00

Reading about Leinenkugel's newest beer, Big Eddy Imperial IPA, gives me mixed feelings. First, I'm excited, because Lenie has yet to tap into the "hoppy" beers, preferring to make drinkable, session-type beers. This seems to mark a new venture for them, and it's fantastic to see such a long-standing brewery take a chance with something so different. It's called a "high-octane ale" and this description doesn't disappoint:

"Big Eddy Imperial IPA is one hundred percent malt based with special hops added at every stage of brewing. Each batch is treated to a highly refined filtering process, resulting in a brilliant beer with a breathtaking tawny red, coppery glow. Its assured bitterness is punctuated by an 8.9 percent alcohol content, while the clean lingering finish manages to not overpower. It's expensive to brew, but it's worth it."

If that isn't good enough for you, here's the one provided by Roman's Pub's website (one of the locations carrying it): "Bright golden orange color, big citrus hop nose, immediate hop bitter upfront that leads to a nice malt balance and finishes long and dry, made with Warrior, Cascade, Simcoe and Amarillo hops backed by Munich Caramel and Pale Ale malts."

A Leinie brew at 8.9% abv and bitter? This sounds awesome. Almost all of Leinie's other beers top out at 4.9%, with the Oktoberfest at 5.1% and the Big Butt at 5.8%. Unfortunately, they don't list the IBUs to compare the bitterness to.

The only reason why I'm not thrilled about this right now is because it's "being test-marketed on tap only in some select bars in the Milwaukee area." Hopefully people embrace this new beer and it soon finds itself in my direction and my stomach.

For information on where to drink it, go here

Leinenkugel's 140th Celebration

2007-05-30T23:10:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, June 16 from 9am to 4pm, Leinenkugel's will be celebrating their 140th year anniversary. There are plenty of events scheduled throughout the day: brewery tours, scavenger hunts, music, dance contests, cooking contests, brats, giveaways, etc.

Being from Wisconsin, I'm a fairly loyal Leine fan. I love the Red, Sunset Wheat, Oktoberfest, and I've got a few of their newest, the Summer Shandy, in my fridge. It has potential to be a great time, but I don't think I'm going to make it. Apparently, they've been doing an annual celebration since 2003; so, there's always next year.

Go here for more information

CynicAle Availability Update

2007-05-30T12:17:00.000-05:00

Fresh from the forums at BeerAdvocate, SurlyMan (Omar) says:

"CynicAle Cans now available at: Zipps, Cellars Roseville & Eagan, Surdyks, Robbinsdale Muni, Dennis Brothers, Sharrets, Big Top - St. Paul, 1st Grand, Thomas Liquors, Lowry Hill, Hennepin Lake, Liquor Barrel - Golden Vallely, South Lyndale Liquors, Richfield Muni, France 44, Blue Max. More to come tomorrow."

So, by the time you read this, pretty much anywhere that sells Surly.

The team here at TMDB drove out to Papa's Pizza and Pasta last week and tried some of the newest ale. Fantastic stuff. More detailed impressions will be forthcoming once I manage to buy a 4-pack.

Rogue Virtual Tour

2007-05-28T16:02:00.001-05:00

Seeing as Rogue Brewery is in Oregon and I'm in Minnesota, I highly doubt that I'll get out there to go on a tour any time soon. Fortunately, someone at Rogue had the good sense to shoot a couple of videos and post them on YouTube. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of Rogue, but it's always interesting to see how beer is made, and it's nice to see people who enjoy making beer as much as I enjoy drinking it.

Click here for more Rogue videos

Happy Memorial Day

2007-05-28T09:45:00.001-05:00

Beer Business: Czech Republic

2007-05-28T08:09:00.000-05:00

Czech Business Weekly has an interesting interview with Jan Šuráň, one of the owners of a microbrewery, Privo Praha, located in Prague. I don't know the brewery, obviously, but I find the subject of microbreweries in the Czech Republic very fascinating. For a long time, the Czech Republic has been seen as the "Beer Nation," boasting the largest beer consumption per capita in the world. Having this reputation, I was surprised to find out how narrow the Czech beer market really is:

The Czech Republic is very conservative in innovations and in the market. Of the beer produced here, 95 percent is light lager. We’re lucky that the Czech lager is appreciated in the world. As for Czech lager, we bring innovations to the world but we practically don’t accept anything [new]. Some Czechs know [Irish dark beer] Guinness, and Kelt and Velvet were popular in the beginning when Staropramen began producing them, but their popularity dropped and now they have a stable position. People try a new beer but then quickly go back to a favorite brand. Maybe it will be different with the new generation if we teach them how to experiment.

95% light lager? I had always thought the Czech beer selection at the liquor store was a little lacking in variety, but I had no idea it was 95% light lager. It's good to know that someone is taking a chance with this market, however. As Privo Praha has a set of eight constantly produced beers, "light, dark, wheat, banana, wild-cherry, coffee, nettle and Šamp." Šamp, apparently, is a "beer sparkling wine." Sounds fascinating, but will it catch on? Šuráň predicts that in the next 10 years, the microbreweries will outnumber the commercial breweries 60 to 48.

I imagine that people starting up microbreweries, especially in a place so inundated with large, apparently lager-centric, commercial breweries, imagine themselves to be artists, rebels in a stale market. Or something like that. For those entering the microbrewery market, he gives them this advice:

Early microbrewery entrepreneurs focused on how to produce beer, but they should have focused on how to generate a return on their investment. They must have a clear strategy of how to sell their beer. It’s important to make quality beer, but if there are 10 pubs selling [mass-produced] Pilsner-type beer near them, they have to come up with something original. A quality restaurant with quality food and a good marketing plan are crucial. They should also be in contact with travel agencies to secure customers.

Proving, once again, that it's not always about what's in the drink, but how you promote it. And, yes, hook up with travel agencies so that if I ever go over to the Czech Republic, I know where to get a great, unique beer.

Also worth reading is his take on American beer and American microbreweries:

The United States is becoming a beer nation, with 90 percent of the population drinking whatever beer, usually ice-cold, from a can. But with the huge consolidation of the market that began there 30 years ago, people started to brew their own beer at home. They knew from their European descendants that beer should taste different than [popular U.S. brands] Bud Light, Coors or Miller, which are all the same yellow water with only a bit of alcohol.

The market accepted microbreweries as something unique and with the escalating number of microbreweries they now account for some 8 percent of the market share. It even reached an extreme stage where some beers have such a distinctive taste they’re almost undrinkable, as is the case with some superstrong beers.

I think Avery's Samael applies to that last sentence.

Brewer Banks on Experimentation

Curly Tale Ale

2007-05-28T07:35:00.000-05:00

I don't like baseball much, but when I heard of Flat Earth's newest offering, the 15th anniversary special ale for the Saint Paul Saints, I was willing to shell out the $4 for a game, grab a hot dog or two, a beer or five, and watch the game. For $4, they give you a nice-sized half-liter of this coppery, amber colored beer. It's hard to judge the appearance in a plastic cup, but I thought it looked quite delicious, and the server did a decent job of pouring, leaving a finger of white, foamy head.

Typical for the style of English Bitter, the Curly Tale settles on a mild 3.2% abv. And, also a staple of the style, what it lacks in alcohol, it makes up for in taste. Coppery and malty up front, with a smooth, clean mild to medium bitterness in the back. Tastes fantastic and quite drinkable.

Now, since the Saints games are the only place to get this, I can only really recommend this drink if you love beer as much as I do, or, I guess, enjoy baseball more than I do. It won't reinvent how you taste beer, or change your life, but you won't find a better beer at the stadium.

Someone needs to hook up Flat Earth Brewery with a bottling gig, fast. While I felt the Element 115 was drinkable, it lacked any lasting flavor worth coming back for. But between the Pale Ale and this newest offering, Jeff Williamson has managed to make beers that I want to drink over and over. Worthy of a six-pack, I think.

Surly CynicAle Available

2007-05-22T23:43:00.000-05:00

Fresh from the Surly, cans of their new CynicAle are available exclusively at Papa's Pizza and Pasta. Eventually, the beer will make it out to liquor stores, and will officially launch in bars next Tuesday at Grumpy's. And, it says on the site, "Rumor is that some cask Bitter Brewer might be there too!" If you haven't had the chance to try the one-time release Bitter Brewer, and you like great beer, you best find it before it's all gone. A delicious, drinkable bitter.

The CynicAle will be available from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is described thusly: "Brewed with Belgian malted barley, this copper hued ale is brewed in the Belgian Saison style. A unique Belgian yeast strain creates the spicy flavor and imported hops lend the apricot/peach aroma." It also reports a modest IBU of 38 and an abv of 6.6%.

As saison is easily my favorite style, I can't wait to see how Surly interprets it.

The Science of Head

2007-05-22T23:13:00.000-05:00

While not remarkable for the non-geek, two mathematicians (David J. Srolovitz and Robert D. MacPherson) have discovered the equation for how the bubbles in beer change over time. Of course, they weren't spending all their time and money on a solution to understanding beer foam, as this equation applies to metals as well.

Engineers and mathematicians will have a much easier time finding practical applications of this new knowledge when used in conjunction with metal rather than a delicious beverage. As Srolovitz says, "At the end of the day, I don't think it's going to revolutionize beer making. This is mathematics." And while I think that he underestimates the math that goes into beer making (brewers do make specific glassware that effect how the foam forms when their beers are poured), brewers know how their beer is going to react without the need for a formula to describe what is actually happening. They don't need the formula; but at least it's at their disposal. Apparently, "a boundary between two grains or bubbles moves at a velocity proportional to the boundary's curvature."

Unfortunately, math of this sort tends to exist in a vacuum, as this formula doesn't completely solve the beer foam conundrum "because it does not account for effects like gravity, which pulls liquid down the beer bubble walls until the walls are too thin and bubbles pop."

This problem has been solved in the second dimension for a while, but what makes this new discovery so fascinating is that it not only solves it for the third dimension, but for every other dimension after it. As quantum computers take off and our understanding of the multitudinous dimensions of our reality grows stronger, we can only pine for the first mathematically designed beer that relies on our experience of all 10 dimensions or however many there might be. I don't know how that couldn't be fantastic.

In Bubbles and Metal, the Art of Shape-Shifting

The Many Uses of Beer

2007-05-21T18:42:00.000-05:00

In Tipp City, Ohio, a convenience store clerk was assaulted with a bottle of beer after the assailant had been told it was too late to purchase alcohol. Apparently, the man in question left the store for a while, came back with a bottle of beer and beat the clerk with it.

I don't understand. He doesn't have beer. He can't buy beer. And yet, when he gets a hold of a bottle of beer, he decides, not to drink it, but to travel back to the store and waste it by hitting someone in the head. But I think a most important question, one which the article doesn't address, is what beer was it? If I had to choose, I would guess a forty of Colt 45. It just seems so appropriate.

Police: Speedway Clerk Assaulted with Beer Bottle

Dennis Brothers Liquors

2007-05-20T13:53:00.001-05:00

Having read so much about Dennis Brothers Liquors on the forums of Beer Advocate, I figured it was high time I checked it out for myself. Located in the farmland of Cottage Grove, it's an unlikely place for a liquor store with such a fantastic selection. As soon as I walked in, I was overwhelmed with the voluminous quantity of great, hard-to-find beers. They stock everything from Belgians, locals, and I'm pretty sure the entire line-up of Rogue. As I made my way down the shelves, I came upon a 6-pack of Jolly Pumpkin's Bam Biere and a 750ml of the Bier de Mars. Being a fan of the Oro de Calabaza and La Roja, I'd been trying to find the others for quite some time. This was the first place that I've come across that has them.

The beer is only half of what makes Dennis Brothers so great. My ulterior motive for visiting was to see if they had any glassware for sale. Upon inquiry, I was greeted by John Dennis, one of the owners. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and made intelligent, non-snobby suggestions. For glassware, whereas other places will sell you glasses for $5 or $6, he gives you the bewery's glass if you purchase one of their beers. That, in itself, is a wonderful thing for someone trying to start their collection of glassware. Having told him that I didn't want to spend too much money, he offered me a glass free of charge. And now I have a beautiful Rodenbach glass.

The service just kept on coming as he took my beer from me so I could browse hands free. After ringing me up, he gave me a card and let me know that if I ever wanted him to reserve something to just give him a call. Then, to top it off, he carried my purchases to my car. Even if it's a bit of a drive and I can find a lot of what they have at more local stores, the service is worth the trip alone.

Map it!

Summit Scandia and ESB

2007-05-20T13:03:00.001-05:00

I'm not always a huge fan of Summit. I feel like they make decent casual beers, but nothing to write home about. But that wasn't true for 2006's limited release beers: Scandia Ale and Extra Special Bitter.

The Scandia Ale was a fantastic example of a unique but drinkable beer, with a winning combination of coriander and orange. It reminded me of a less-intense, more-findable, cheaper version of Traquair's Jacobite Ale.

The ESB was a great late night refresher during the hot summer. I like my beers hoppy, but when the heat settles in, I like them refreshing as well. Sitting at 50 IBUs, you'll get a nice kick of hops, but not an overwhelming one.

Apparently, others really liked these beers as well, because Summit has announced that both the Scandia and the ESB have been promoted to it's official line-up. They've begun selling them in bottles and should be available on tap at various locations.