Category: Beer in the news

Great articles that you should read.

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back to the beer bookshelf

I am still working through my Beer a Day book from Jeff Evans and now another book shows up to chronicle breweries and offer practical advice. How am I supposed to stay caught up?

“Great American Craft Beer takes readers on a passionate and informative journey through the most palate pleasing ales and lagers produced in America today. Built on the inalienable truth that there is a beer out there for everyone, the book directs readers to focus on the flavors they already enjoy tasting, such as sweet fruits, roasted coffee, or bitter hops. More than 80 styles and 340 beer profiles are accompanied by full-color photographs and illustrations of the beers and beer labels. This unconventional approach allows drinkers of all experience levels to step right up to the bar and order their next pint with confidence.

If you like the taste of . . .
fresh oranges
tangy lemons
ripe raspberries
creamy pumpkin
toasted caramel
rich espresso
bananas
dark chocolate
smoked meats
Try . . .
Address Unknown IPA by Willimantic Brewing
312 Urban Wheat Ale by Goose Island Brewing
Raspberry Tart by New Glarus Brewing
Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Anchor Bock by Anchor Brewing
Speedway Stout by Alesmith Brewing
Hefeweizen by Live Oak Brewing
Black Chocolate Stout by Brooklyn Brewery
Smokestack Heritage Porter by East End Brewing
Both a personal guide and companion to the exciting world of American craft beer, this unique book touches upon several subject areas, including not only beer, but food, travel, history, and the stories and personalities of those who brew America’s best beers. It includes 25 perfect pairing recipes and profiles of some of the best brewpubs in the country.”

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Beer (actually) on TV?

During a recent stay in a home outfitted with this newfangled invention called “cable tv”, I watched a lot of both American Pickers and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Those were the good shows.

Why you ask?

Because the people doing the shows or being interviewed CARED about what they were talking about passionately. Forget the shows with people yelling at each other. Or the shows that purport to be “real”. Take your competition shows and stick them… OK you get my point.

So I was cautiously optimistic about the Discovery Network show which was to have Sam Calagione hosting. Unfortunately, just as the show was announced another announcement came out which lowered my expectations. Who knows how the show will look or if it will even make it to air.
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Now there are supposedly two more beer shows in the works. One a quasi competition/historical brew show on the History Network..
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And another tuned to the travel edge on the Food Network…
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Which will succeed? I will be able to tell you after five minutes. The one with passion.

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Stone Saturday

I will be at the Stone Brewing 14th Anniversary bash today and in honor of that, today’s posts are Stone-centric. First up, let’s do the numbers…

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Gypsy Brewing – the next big thing?

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NPR is one of the few news outlets that covers beer in an interesting way and regularly. And HERE is a cool beer trend story that starts out with Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisanal Ales and then morphs into a beer/food pairing promo for Greg Engert of D.C.’s Birch & Barley.

I know America is built on finding “the next big thing” and if NPR has caught a whiff of it then other outlets will smell the blood in the water. But let’s just embrace Gypsy Brewing as an integral part of craft beer just as we should assume that beer and food pair together well.

It reminds me of a coaching anecdote. I don’t remember which sport so substitute your favorite into this; “When you score, act like you do it all the time otherwise people will think this is the first time.” Remember that. Beer DOES pair with food. Gypsy brewing IS part of the scene.

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Velvet Merk- check that, Merlin

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When Solace runs its course over the summer, it will be replaced by a sixer of Velvet Merlin. No, this isn’t an offshoot of the Velvet Merkin. It is he same thing just changed to avoid any “imperial entanglements” so to speak.

Either way, I am looking forward to it.

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Oregon Craft Beer Month – For the Love of Beer

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For the Love of Beer is a new documentary about brewing in the NW. And, more importantly, it’s about women who are re-shaping a male dominated industry.

Here is a summary to pique your interest further…” “For the Love of Beer” is a documentary devoted to the stories and passion of the women at the forefront of the Pacific Northwest beer community. The craft beer industry is exploding; as of July 31, 2009, there are 1,482 craft breweries operating within the United States, and sales continue to rise upwards of 6% annually. While brewing is traditionally a woman’s job, the modern brewing industry is a heavily male dominated field.

However, in the Pacific NW, women are fighting their way to being some of the most influential people in the brewing industry. From the farm to consumption, Pacific NW women are setting new standards for brewing and changing the way the nation looks at women and beer.

These inspiring women are not afraid to fight discrimination and make sacrifices for the sake of their craft. While these women acknowledge that their struggles are opening doors for females everywhere, they’re not doing it for feminism or equality…they’re doing it for the love of beer.”

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Brewed on Discovery Channel

This sounds interesting. No Reservations is done well by this production company, so I am cautiously optimistic.

“EXPERIENCING THE WORLD ONE PINT AT A TIME DISCOVERY CHANNEL RAISES A GLASS FOR BREWED, NEW SERIES ON THE WORLD OF BEER ANNOUNCED FOR FALL 2010

(Silver Spring, Md.) Beer is the drink of the masses. If you look into a glass of beer you can see the past, present and future of mankind. Cicero lauded it, Genghis Khan fought for it and now Discovery Channel celebrates it with a world premiere series, BREWED, exploring the culture, history and variety of beer.

Meet Sam Calagione: maverick entrepreneur, family man and owner of Dogfish Head Brewery in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. As an ambassador to the world of craft beer, Sam travels the world to experience what every culture brings to its own special brew.

In BREWED, Sam shows viewers the other side of the bottle, sharing the stories of beer sub-cultures as well as exploring life inside The Dogfish Head Brewery. BREWED goes behind the scenes at Dogfish Head as Sam’s merry band of creative brewmasters concoct new taste varieties.

“BREWED taps more than just kegs and barrels, it unlocks a fascinating history of beer making, showcasing the ingenuity and passion behind our love affair with those alluring suds and how it played a role in building civilizations,” said Clark Bunting, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel.

Running a successful business also requires inspiration, so BREWED hits the road for the ultimate beer tasting road trip. Along with archeologist and beer expert Pat McGovern, Sam sets out to recreate “ancient ales” that have been discovered at sites around the world from Egypt to Peru. He travels to Rome to research old world Italian beers as inspiration for a new site in New York with Mario Batali. A visit to New Zealand introduces the idea of making the “first tomato based beer.” And back home, Sam is tasked to come up with a commemorative beer called “Bitches Brew” to celebrate the 40th anniversary release of Miles Davis’ famous recording.

“Beer has always been my passion. It is so much more than what you see in the glass. I’m excited to share the diligence, daring and creativity that we pour into our work,” said Calagione.

BREWED is produced for Discovery Channel by Zero Point Zero Productions. Chris Collins and Lydia Tenaglia are executive producers. Tim Pastore is executive producer for Discovery Channel. “

UPDATE!!!
This won’t be airing until next year and the format has changed though it appears the focus on world class craft beer remains. More as the details become clear. Still remaining cautiously optimistic.

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Ancient Chinese beer secret

It can be hard to keep up with all of the interesting tidbits on NPR. So when I find beer stories, I feel it’s my duty to pass them on to you…
Click HERE for the story
…I am on the fence on whether I would like Chateau Jihau. No matter how changed it is for modern tastes.