Behold the mighty power of Facebook! Thanks to 10,000 fans, Duvel is bringing back the retired Triple Hop.
My question is..Are all 10,000 now required to purchase at least one?
Last Call
Growth?
The Wall Street Journal interviewed Jim Koch of Sam Adams recently and this one question and answer really struck a chord.
WSJ: Could craft beer ever represent the biggest segment of the industry?
Mr. Koch: No. I hope not. Because that would mean we dumbed the beer down for volume, and I don’t ever want to see that. I used to say I make beer for 5% of beer drinkers. The reality has always been that 95% of beer drinkers don’t like my beer. Now, that number has probably gone down to 90%. Because most people drink beer for refreshment, and that’s fine. And that’s the domain of the big brewers and they’re great at that.
This is something that I have thought about occasionally. The less good beer other people drink the more there is for me. But if demand isn’t there then the beer isn’t. So I need craft beer to grow. But how much. If we are 5% of the overall market, is that enough? Is 10% too much?
I, unlike others, do not hate big companies just because they are big. Stone is large now as is Sierra Nevada and Boston Brewing. The beer can still be flavorful or not depending on how it is made.
What I think the industry needs are enough large micros that are on solid footing, financially, who can mentor younger start-ups but also distribute to and educate the non craft consumer.
I don’t think there is a magic number but we should keep pushing. The enlightened few shouldn’t hoard the good stuff.
Hot Knives – Greatest Sips
Have you ever wondered what cheese and what song go with Russian River Pliny the Elder?
Then you had better get this wicked cool book….
It really has a DIY vibe to it. From the manilla folder recycled cover to the photos on the inside. But looking past that, you get some awesome ideas for beer and cheese pairings. You can see their blog and buy the book HERE
Jolly Pumpkin on NPR
4 1/2 minutes to learn a little bit about the beer of Dexter, Michigan!
Thanks to Beer Searcher Rich for pointing this out.
more beer bloggin’ action
If you want more coverage of Bay Area beer events and to get reviews and other fun stuff then head over to ….A Better Beer Blog.
It is the work of Peter Estaniel, a homebrewer and BJCP judge. He seems to have a great joy for beer.
Mabuhay! (check out his website to find out what this means)
World Beer Cup 2010
Looks like my adopted state of California ran away with 45 medals in Chicago and my home state of Oregon was 2nd with 13. With the Trailblazers beating the Lakers yesterday, I think we are even.
For a great statistical (yes, numbers and math) round-up, check out the great Brookston Beer Bulletin HERE.
1001 Beers
First A Beer a Day, now 1001 Beers to try.
Why should you get another gargantuan coffee table book on beer?
A) We need to encourage more talk about craft beer
B) This is aimed at those on the fence who need a nudge into the world of craft beer.
Here is what one of the contributors and the editor had to say on a recent thread on the always enlightening Hop Press blog.
Mario Rubio
“I think people are missing why someone issues a book like this. It’s not for the people like us who use RateBeer and such (although many of us are interested in it). This book is for our friends, the ones on the outside looking in. They are the people who will flip through and say “I’ve seen that on tap” or “I can buy that at the grocery store” and start ticking off the beers in the book.”
Adam Tierney Jones
“this is for those who might be slightly intimidated by beer, who are ripe for moving on from Bud, enjoy Sierra Nevada occasionally but wonder what on earth is or who is Dogfish Head”
The last collaboration
The Beer Wench
To get a different vantage point on the world of beer sometimes you need the opinion of a Buckeye fan..wait..you need the opinion of The Beer Wench.
All I had to do was read her, “about” page to know that she takes this seriously but also with a grain of salt. Beer drinking should be serious fun. Not to put words in her mouth, here is what she says about her and her informative blog…
“I aspire to be the “female version” of Michael Jackson — a beer evangelist harnessing an affinity for writing to spread the good word of beer all over the world.
I have called myself many names before, such as “beer brat”, “beer geek” and “hophead,” but no title seems more appropriate than “The Beer Wench.” To me, “The Beer Wench” is unpretentious and playful, which is exactly the main mantra of this blog.”
(Plus she does a great job of profiling other beer bloggers.)
So get reading already.