Category: News from Other Beer Writers

Suggested websites to visit to further your beer education.

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NAGBW – Packaging & Sustainability

Due to an unknown snafu, I could not watch the live stream of the discussion where the NAGBW tackled inflation and packaging and sustainability. But I did watch a couple days later. The speaker was Bourcard Nesin a beverage industry analyst and it was made clear what should be done, which is quite different from what might be done.

Here are my takeaways from the discussion…

  • most sustainability claims are bullshit
  • U.S. is exceptional in are low recycling rates
  • part of the problem is that there is no centralized recycling system in place
  • returnable and re-used glass would be the best option
  • Oregon is leading that charge
  • un-returnable glass is the worst option compared to aluminum and plastic because of cost to create, cost to re-make and weight of shipping
  • a “universal bottle” be it plastic or glass would create economies of scale.
  • no returnable bottles infrastructure
  • you will probably hear the word “lightweighting” in the future
  • lots of promises by business to endorse “extended producer responsibility” but when it arrives business does not do it
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Get Belgian

At the beginning of the month this was posted….

First and foremost, great idea. Whenever I dip my toe back into Belgian beers, I am quickly reminded how great they are. Heck, even Unibroue Canadian brewed Belgian-styled beers are great.

My second thought and one that I mulled over here and there in between the initial post and now is maybe there should be months for under appreciated styles and your IPAs and Stouts can have their one day since they don’t really need any stumping for.

There could be an English Milds and bitters month. A lambic and gueuze month. Just to name to that I would like to see. But there could be a Canadian beer month or Japanese beer month.

Let’s start with Belgium first. Each weekend, buy one or two for yourself and treat someone else in your beer orbit to one as well.

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IPA Codified

IPA’s have evolved and wibble wobbled all over the map of aroma, flavor and popularity.  Now is a good time to check back in and remind ourselves of the lanes for the IPA styles.

Just in time Matthew Curtis from Pellicle Magazine has given a sturdy look at IPA as of 2022.

(on a side note, if you can, please donate to them so they can continue their excellent writing)

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Scavenger

Traverse City Whiskey Company has come up with an imaginative use of barrels that breweries could use as a template for barrels that they are finished with…

…through the summer, “the company is encouraging locals and visitors alike to participate in a citywide scavenger hunt to locate the various barrels. Participants who find a barrel can scan the QR Code to learn more about the program. There are different prizes for finding specific numbers of barrels. After scanning the QR code, participants will take a selfie in front of the barrel and then post it to their personal Facebook or Instagram and tag TCWC. At the end of the barrel program, TCWC will auction off a select number of barrels to the public during an event at The Stillhouse to be announced. Proceeds will benefit a local charity or charities.”

L.A. has had some success with angel statues painted by different artists and my City of Glendale has had artists painting utility boxes for years. I could see beer labels embiggened onto a barrel or artwork inspired by the labels at least.

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CoLab

San Diego Beer News wrote about an interesting project for Beer Paper LA about the recently opened CoLab.

Three breweries, a winery and a Baby’s Badass Burgers under on roof on the Hop Highway of Vista.

I have long advocated for something similar in L.A. Personally, Hollywood seems the right area since it is pretty devoid of breweries in comparison to downtown. I like the idea of three breweries as well with different aims. One new, one barrel aging and one a second taproom.

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The Good Ship Brewdog

The BBC podcast arm, aka Sounds has a new multi-part podcast out about the Punk culture at BrewDog that isn’t all its supposed to be, to say the very least.

Click HERE to give it a listen. I have finished all six episodes and you will not look at BrewDog or James Watt the same again.

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Record Keeping

The fabulous L.A. Beer writer Tomm Carroll has fastidiously tracked down historical records of the brewing scene in Los Angeles but a present day issue needs to be looked at, what about the history made yesterday, today and tomorrow.

It may be worth compiling a history now what with some breweries closing and with it the recipes, the shirts, tap handles and other merch along with the stories of how hard it was to open, the first successful beer, that first time canning beer and so on.

With L.A. Beer Week in full swing, I propose that this time each year, those brewery stories get recorded like the NPR booths that roam around the country recording the stories of ordinary Americans does. Each day a different brewery hosts and talks about their history. It is probably not feasible to collect physical stuff and store it, let alone display it but audio can be stored and used for future Tomm’s to use to write about 2022.

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Milky

A mug full of beer foam? I admit my pouring skills are a bit crap but apparently the internet thinks my poor pours are cool.  It’s called a Mlíko pour.  It can only really be poured from a Czech Side Pull beer faucet which are not at most beer bars.  According to City Beer Store, an expert tome, “A “milk” pour is like drinking a velvety cloud of sweet foam. The faucet creates a creamy, highly drinkable beer froth which is best enjoyed quickly before it settles.”

So check out a bit of history HERE about this dispense method. Then Google image Mlíko to see the photos.

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Hey Neighbor!

You will need to as old-timers say, surf the web over to Rhode Island PBS and their website to watch a documentary about Narragansett Brewery, named Hi Neighbor.  Surf, because it probably ain’t on a regular streaming service pre-occupied with either Hawkins or Tatooine at the moment.

But beer fans, like myself should learn about this brewery to better understand today’s craft beer world.

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All About Beer is Back

Beer media took a hit when All About Beer magazine faded out a few years back and though it may not return in print, the brand and more importantly, the past articles (maybe future ones too) will be available to read.

You can get all the details HERE.