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I love quirky ideas that grow big, and one of these is the dog friendly Lucky Labrador.
They have taken it a step further by having a IPA made with a bunch of different hop varietals and calling it MUTT. Brilliant in my book. They grow hops at a couple (maybe more now) of their locations and get more from friends of the brewery and it becomes this communal hop pickin’ party that ends up in a brilliant IPA a few months after.
Cigar City. Widely desired by 49 states which normally can’t get any of their products. They have gone and intrigued me mightily with a new version of their popular Jai Alai IPA but aged in white oak.
Here is some news for fans of special Full Sail beers. If you are one of those who base your judgement of the Hood River brewery on their regular line-up, this might be a beer that re-connects you with a historic NW brewer…
from the press release…“Full Sail Brewing will release a new beer in their Brewer’s Share line up that is sure to entice the snow gods to bless the season with plenty of powdery snow. Brewed by Full Sail Brewer Adam Bulson, “Adam’s Malty Bomb” is pray for powder porter that’s sure to make our mountain snowy white all season long.
Porters are Adam’s favorite beer after a day on the snow, and he thought releasing his own version preseason would be a good omen for a great winter. Adam’s Malty Bomb is a robust porter with a big body and lots of dark, caramel/toffee flavor, yet it won’t weigh you down like heavy snow. It’s hopped with just enough hops to balance out the malts, and finishes smooth with no sharp edges. Bomb’s away! (ABV 5.3% IBU 41)”
Greg Beron and Kevin Koenig part of the driving force of the famed Culver City Home Brew Club are creating a new outpost in Eagle Rock. Going eastside is great for me. Now I can have a local home brew shop!
More news and website info and if I am lucky an interview will follow.
Consider this a heads-up.
New Belgium and Allagash have collaborated on one beer with what appears to be wildly different main ingredients.
Check out this cool video that they put together…
Everytime I hear about the Great American Beer Festival gold, silver and bronze winners, I think of all the categories that there are now. 79 plus the pro-am winner. That is a wonderful testament to the resurgence of craft beer in this country. I don’t care that 90+ percent of the country drink the industrial water lager because there is a bounty of great beer everywhere you go. And just like people now require better coffee and people refuse to eat individually sliced “American” cheese, soon craft beer will be the default.
So, check out the GABF website to see what beers you should be tracking down. And to get more number crunching check out the excellent Brookston Beer Bulletin.
….and a big congrats to my local, Eagle Rock Brewery for winning the Pro-Am competition with their wonderful Red Velvet.
Beer for a cause. I love the community work done by our brewers. If it isn’t donating for a festival to raise money it is creating whole new beers with proceeds to go to help.
Here is another one from the UK!
WW Freedom was “produced to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act on 25th March, 1807. Traditionally floor-malted Maris Otter pale ale malt, crystal malt and Kentish hops combine with Fairtrade Demerara sugar to produce a deep golden ale. It is characterised by its mellow bitterness and long hoppy finish.
A contribution from the sale of each bottle is made to Stop the Traffik. Stop The Traffik is a global coalition of organizations, communities & individuals raising awareness of people trafficking & promoting practical action through a global declaration, media, events, celebrities & projects around the world through 2006 & 2007.” www.stopthetraffik.org.uk
When you say craft beer, the American southeast is not the first place thought of but you can find some fun beery events everywhere in the US.
Example 1
~Magicians, Caricature Drawings, Obstacle Courses, Jumpers & Farm Animals!
~Hog Haus Tent
~Barrel Races
~Concession Booths & Craft Vendors
~Local Live Music
~Home Brew Competition
Open to ANY STYLE
~Brat Eating Contest & Pumpkin Painting Contest
Yesterday, I told you about the LA Craft Beer Crawl. Well here is the 411 on another charitably beer event happening in Santa Monica…
from the press release:
BAM Fest 2010
“18th Street Arts Center, in association with popular Santa Monica restaurant, Library Alehouse, is bringing the first Craft Beer Festival to the Westside of L.A. B.A.M. Fest, which stands for Beer, Art and Music Festival, is a celebration of locally produced art, music and the finest craft beers around. With 20-plus breweries, 4 bands, 3 galleries, open artist studios, gourmet organic food provided by the Green Truck, and sweet treats from the Big Swirl Truck, B.A.M. Fest 2010 is poised to draw a crowd and become Santa Monica’s next ‘hoppiest’ annual event.
A $35 donation ($30 pre-sale until Sept. 1, 2010) provides you 5 hours of live music, exploration of artist studios and galleries with art for purchase, and unlimited tasting of great beers in the Santa Monica sunshine. All proceeds from the event directly support 18th Street Arts Center’s programs and artists.”
Webiste: http://18thstreet.org/events/bam-fest
One week from today, you can partake of beer (curated by the Beer Chicks) and food (curated by famed food writer Jonathan Gold)
Beer wise, Deschutes, Unibroue and Eagle Rock are on board with apparently more to come. And even the premier food show here in LA has talked about it on today’s show, so check out Good Food for more information.
Go HERE to check out the crawl info and purchase tickets