Beer in the news – Page 40 – Beer Search Party

June 5, 2014September 5, 2018

From the I-5

When I was a kid, my family would make treks north from Portland. And I soon would learn that when we got to Tumwater near Olympia that you could dogleg right around the Sound to go to Seattle or head left towards Hood Canal and eventually Port Angeles and Victoria BC. And there was a physical marker that would herald that turn.

The large Olympia Brewery complex.

And now there is hope that the long shuttered brewery to become vital again. It would be great to drive by and smell hops and see craft beer activity from the I-5 freeway.

June 4, 2014September 5, 2018

Earthy in OC

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Exciting news from The Bruery. They are changing up the infrastructure of their beer brands with the new Bruery Terreux (“Earthy Bruery”), a “brand that will focus solely on farmhouse-style ales fermented with wild yeasts as well as oak-aged sour ales. The Bruery’s original brand will rededicate its focus specifically on experimentation with non-wild ales, modern twists on classic styles and aging beer in bourbon and other spirit barrels.”

All brewing operations will remain as is with the exception of the Terreux wort will be then “transported to their own facility a few miles down the road. All fermentation, barrel aging and packaging will take place at this second facility.”

And the two brands will eventually have two separate tasting rooms by 2015 (if all goes to plan).

According to the new website, the “current brands from The Bruery that are brewed with wild yeasts or bacteria such as Saison Rue, Oude Tart, or Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, will be transitioned to Bruery Terreux. The recipes will remain the same, but will be overseen by wild beer specialists and will be bottled under the new branding.”

I am still processing this change and what it means from a marketing and customer standpoint. But at first glance it seems a change more for streamlining brewing operations. I do see that down the road, some loyal customers may be confused that one person who likes Hottenroth and another that likes Burly Gourd may have to drink at separate locations. Unless beers from each arm are made available at each location. That is all speculative though since this is 2014 and things will probably evolve from here.

More news on this change as it becomes available.

May 20, 2014September 5, 2018

Acres of Hops

The IPA binge and growth in breweries is rippling through the ingredient sector. Water is a major concern here in California and hops have gone through some peaks and valleys in recent times as well. Maybe the slow and steady growth of hop acreage will ameliorate that problem.

You can read the full piece HERE but my take-aways are….

1. ” Hop acreage in Idaho increased by 39 percent last year ”

2. “the average U.S. price for hops rose from $3.18 a pound in 2012 to $3.59 in 2013. ”

Bear this in mind when you order up an IPA that you think is too expensive. It may just be a passing of costs down the chain.

Hop acreage in Idaho increased by 39 percent last year – See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/Idaho/20140419/idaho-hop-acres-increase-again#sthash.8VaHc7iG.dpuf

May 18, 2014September 5, 2018

Hop on the Bar Car

Maybe, I have watched too much Mad Men but the thought of a “bar car” on a train line doesn’t seem so far fetched (or even wrong) to me.

And yet this piece in the NY Times made it seem like it was something best left in the “Good Old Days”. I thought that people taking public transit or taxis was preferred. But if the article is to be believed then people were getting blitzed on the train and then driving home once they reached their destination. The mixed message that I get is that it is OK to have bars in train stations and everywhere else but a train car is too much.

photo from the New York Times article linked to above.

I am a big advocate for enjoying your drinks in moderation, be it wine, cocktails or craft beer. Primarily because I have a Slow Food type of motto. That you shouldn’t wolf down food or drink. You just don’t enjoy it as much that way. And if people did that, then we could have beer and wine and spirits on planes, trains (but not automobiles).

I would think that a great tourism idea would be to have the public transport take visitors to various culinary spots around town with local beer and wine on the train as a way to show off Los Angeles without having to fight our so much fun traffic.

Don’t ban something when it can be turned into something creative and fun.

May 16, 2014September 5, 2018

Canned for Parks

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Anchor Brewing Company is putting it’s 4.9% California Lager into cans and “through two unique partnerships, a portion of proceeds from Anchor California Lager sales will support the National Parks Conservation Association.”

According to the press release heralding the new packaging, we her in Californiahave 280 state parks and 26 of America’s 401 national parks in which to get in touch with nature.

Beginning this month, Anchor California Lager “will also be available in 6-pack cans both nationally and year-round..”

I didn’t like that the Bock beer was stopped but between the lager and new saison and this initiative. I think the new owners at Anchor are doing things right.

April 21, 2014September 5, 2018

It there a cleat in there too?

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I love the World Cup. Yes it is as corrupt (if not more) than the Olympics (which I hate) but the game is on the pitch. No heartwarming stories. No cutting away to curling or synchronized swimming. You get world class soccer. And no Bob Costas and his pink eye.

And now there is a beer for the occasion (if you are fond of AB) Brahma Selecao Especial which uses barley grown on the pitch of the Granja Comar training centre. Home of the Brazilian National team!

Normally, the barley would get beat to shit by soccer cleats and bouncing balls but the grounds were being renovated and while that was going on the ground was put to an extra use not normally associated with the Beautiful Game.

I am sure that it won’t taste good so I am glad it probably won’t show up in the states. I am sure that I can find some beer to drink while watching the US team play in the Group of Death.

(Special thanks to Erika Taylor for pointing this out to me)

April 19, 2014September 5, 2018

Distilling Hops

The Distilling side of Anchor has put out some cool spirits in the past. I myself have bought their Junipero Gin on occasion.

Now they are playing to the hop boom with Hophead Vodka…

Obviously, you would have to be more choosy in cocktail recipes seeing as how hop bitterness might not work in some vodka cocktails but I would try this straight. Maybe they will do single hop versions down the road.

March 13, 2014September 5, 2018

Coming to Cali from Texas

There is going to be a new addition to the beer shelves in California. Adelbert’s Brewery, a Belgian-style brewery based in Austin Texas, is expanding here.

California will be getting the new beer The Traveler, as well as Black Rhino, Philosophizer, Flyin’ Monks, Dancin’ Monks, Tripel B, Scratchin’ Hippo and Naked Nun.

They join Jester King who have been in California in limited amounts for a few years now.

February 19, 2014September 5, 2018

XXX for Widmer

Raise a glass and say, “Prost!” to Widmer Brothers. They are now 30!

And like any brewery worth it’s salt, it will be creating a series of beers all through 2014. “Headlining the brewery’s 30th Anniversary celebration is the 30 Beers for 30 Years Series. Beginning in April, the month Widmer Brothers was founded in 1984, the brewery will brew and release 30 small batch beers, each brewed to commemorate a specific year and beer in the brewery’s 30-year history. The 30 beers will be brewed at the brewery’s 10-barrel pilot brewery at the Rose Quarter in Portland and distributed locally, both on draught and in 22-ounce bottles.”

Plus # 1 – “Widmer Brothers is tapping some of Portland’s best creative talent for the 30 Beers for 30 Years label designs. Thirty different local artists and designers will design label art for the beers in this series based on their interpretations of the beer, making for a unique look at the past 30 years of Widmer Brothers Brewing.”

Plus # 2 Widmer Brothers will be brewing six limited release collaboration beers with six of Oregon’s most innovative breweries to help celebrate the brewery’s 30 years of brewing in Oregon. With Boneyard Beer, Breakside Brewery, 10 Barrel Brewing, Gigantic Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing, and Deschutes Brewery.

January 28, 2014September 5, 2018

Help the Home Brewers

I usually don’t just do the “full” cut and paste but this is an issue that needs to be addressed and addressed quickly. So please read the following from the website and see how you can help. Alcohol laws simply need to be simpler and less vague and balance out rights of home brewers while making sure that others don’t abuse it.

Urgent – California Homebrewers Association needs your help!!!

On October 1, 2013, Governor Brown signed into law a Committee Bill that is being interpreted by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to prohibit homebrew festivals like ours.The bill was originally written to allow the donation of home brewed beer and wine to be used for fundraising purposes by worthy non-profit organizations, but excludes groups that “promote home production of beer or wine, or whose membership is composed primarily of home brewers or home winemakers”.

California Assembly Bill 1425

The bill was introduced by the California Assembly Committee on Governmental Organizations, whose intent was to make the sharing of home brewed wine and beer easier, not harder. However, at some point in the process, wording was added that excludes the CHA from conducting our festival for So Cal homebrewers.

Two major issues face us—

1) An amendment to the bill is needed to allow our festival, which is an annual event, and to allow AHA to have their annual convention again in California. We have already started our outreach and will work to have the bill amended.

2) Our 2014 annual event is in jeopardy. We are researching language that was placed in the bill, since we believe that it was not meant to stop well-run events for homebrewers, but was meant to stop event promoters from hiding under non-profit groups in order to make money. We will keep our members informed through local clubs representatives.

What can you do?

1) Read the bill for yourself. It is available on this website.

2) Write your local California Assemblymember and State Senator asking for the bill to be amended and for our 2014 event to be allowed to move forward as planned. Sample letters will be available through your local homebrew clubs. Sample letters are available through your local homebrew club. You can find contact information for the clubs in your area on this website.

3) Donate to the CHA legal fund. Seeing a new bill through the legislative process is a costly endeavor and we need all the help we can get. Please click on the Donate icon below to contribute financially to our cause.

4) DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! We need you to act now!