Category: Beer Industry

my occasional rants and raves about what is going on in the industry.

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2 Beer Books on the horizon

There are two books on the near and far horizon that will appeal to craft beer fans and especially to the lot who have been bitten by the home brewing bug. And though the Amazon site has been glitchy with me. I have ordered one in Kindle version to arrive next year. But first…..

Mitch Steele – IPA. It makes sense. Stone has a definite bitter style and this book which includes both history and recipes. As the liner notes to the book go on to explain, “Explore the evolution of one of craft beer’s most popular styles, India pale ale. Loaded with brewing tips from some of the country’s best brewers, IPA covers techniques from water treatment to hopping procedures. Included are 48 recipes ranging from historical beers to recipes for the most popular contemporary IPAs made by craft brewers such as Deschutes Brewery, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Pizza Port Brewing and Russian River Brewing Company.” And even if you are not a brewer but a fan of the style the recipes should be interesting from the vantage point of which hops are used and how much.


Ken Grossman – Sierra Nevada. I wish I didn’t have to wait until 2013 to read this one but I will. I hope this is a harbinger for more books on craft beer pioneers. I read a slim tome about the famous Bert Grant that did not meet expectations and I think there are quite a few newbies who can stand to learn about the old guard. I know the outlines of the Sierra Nevada story but I hope this book digs a little deeper.

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Labologists Society

One of the great pleasures of going through the Oxford Companion to Beer is finding little gems of information that you did not know about before and the latest one that I have found (I am only in the B section) is about this breweriana group by the name of the Labologists Society.

Here is a short bio from their website….“The common paper beer bottle label was first introduced when the heavy duty on glass was repealed. As a result bottled beers began to feature more prominently in the brewer’s repertoire. The label has come a long way since the original, small, simple, strikingly beautiful examples of the designers art began appearing around the 1840’s.

Although the collection has not been discovered yet, acquisitive individuals being a type always present in society, the first collector of beer bottle labels must have begun conserving labels from that time.

In 1911 a young collector called Norton Price remembered as a boy soaking labels (some now unique) from returned bottles in his father’s off-licence, and during both World Wars, when soldiers were forbidden to mention details of their postings in letters home, a simple beer bottle label from a local bar secured in a small album, served as an aide-memoir for future reference.

However it was not until 1958 when three label collectors got together, originally with financial support from Guinness Exports Ltd., Liverpool, that the Labologists Society was formed with the idea of uniting collectors world-wide. Today the interest in Labology is truly international with clubs and societies in the Americas, Australasia, the Far East and throughout Europe.”

They also host a yearly “Label of the Year” charity contest. A great way to highlight the art of the label and help some people out.

Their website is being worked on so I will be returning to see if the gallery is up because that would be a fun way to while away the time.

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Define Beer for the State of California

Here in the state of California on the political craft beer front comes this piece of news….

“Before the Governor for action, A.B. 1812 seeks to clarify that beer aged in empty wooden barrels previously used to contain wine or distilled spirits will continue to be defined as “beer” in order to protect the existing regulatory and licensure structure in California. The California Craft Brewers Association, the sponsor of this bill, sought this clarification due to concerns that current law creates ambiguity on how wooden barrel-aged craft beers are defined and categorized for purposes of regulation, distribution, retail sales and taxation.”

Seems obvious to me and many other craft beer geeks but you know politicians, they would have trouble finding a piece of their anatomy with two hands and a flashlight (one of my dad’s favorite political jokes). But seriously, there are so many tiny underwritten sections to state laws regarding beer that it can be frustrating that a little common sense can’t be applied and either have a fast track for fixing things or a way to just ignore it and not enforce it. Thankfully Governor Brown signed this so now we can move on to more legal tweaks to the twisted mess of beer laws in this country.

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Mosaic

There is a new hop varietal to be on the lookout for, Mosaic. (not to be confused with the virus mosaic)

The first major beer that I have seen that uses it is from Odell in Colorado and their Woodcut # 06. They describe it as, “The distinct character of the Mosaic hop presents wafting aromas of tropical fruits like mango, papaya, and guava.”

I have had a homebrew that utilizes this hop and it did provide a very heavy fruit and earthy characteristic that really grew on me.

I have a feeling that this might be a hop we see much more of in the coming years.

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Beer Shampoo


You can get a luxurious mane of craft beer smelling here from that bottle above thanks in part to Seattle’s Elysian Brewing. Might be the perfect gift for the craft beer fan who you need to get a present (other than beer for.)

Click HERE to check out via Amazon

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Hermetus Bottle Opener & Resealer

I have plenty of bottle openers. It is a nice curse of the beer geek. But re-sealers are a different story. I am personally fond of Beer Savers but if you have less room and would like a two-in-one item then the Hermetus is the one to check out…

One tool to open and then reseal those large format bottles that can’t be finished in one sitting.

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PDX to LAX via ABV

Saw this beer item over on the Brookston Beer Bulletin (awhile back) and thought that I should (finally) weigh in on it.

It appears the goliath that bestrides the beer world is trying to take some of my words to heart. I have long held that the BMC needs to get local. Give their quality control technicians (aka, their brewers) some artistic tools and freedom to make local brews instead of watered down American Ales. You know, stop the marketing and make beer.

Now following on the heels of holding phone area codes as possible names, they are buying up the airport designations too. It seems that ABInBev is once again laser focused on names instead of beers. Because no word on the brewing front at all. The only news I hear from them is financial or marketing.

All indications point to just selling local pride. Probably emblazoning a can with a swirly vortex and the letters LAX or PDX. Come on ABInBev, make some actual beer. Spend your money there for once.

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MBAA Beer Steward Program

When you want to make your craft beer credentials, street legal, you can become a certified beer judge, a Cicerone or a beer steward.

I have chosen the Cicerone route because the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) is more geared toward the home brewing and judging competitions. Which is not my field of expertise, though judging is on my beer bucket list.

But it is good to have alternative routes to get education. Cicerone is not for everyone (you just can’t be all things to all people) so if you are looking for more beer education you can check out the Steward program which has former Bridgeport brewer Karl Ockert at the helm.

As with the Cicerone, there are (3) levels to the program….

Level 1: Associate Beer Steward Certificate
Designed for servers, bartenders, retail clerks, and sommeliers looking to expand their expertise to include beer, the Associate Beer Steward Certificate Program will cover a more limited range of information, including role of beer in human history, brewing, beer styles, beer freshness, and proper presentation.

Level 2: Beer Steward Certificate
Designed for wholesale buyers/sales managers, retail owners, bar managers, and sommeliers looking to expand their expertise to include beer. This level includes that Understanding Beer Flavor seminar.

Level 3: Master Beer Steward Certificate
Designed for beer enthusiasts, educators, and beverage directors for hotel and restaurant chains, the Master Beer Steward Certificate Program will be the highest level designation. Applicants will be required to pass the Beer Steward Certificate exam and then to complete an essay exam that includes demonstration of sensory skills for the identification of ingredients, beer styles, and flavors.

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Behind Zion’s Curtain

If you want to learn more about Utah and their liquor laws there is a documentary called Liquor Behind Zion’s Curtain in the works. According to the folks behind the camera, “It’s a hard look at Utah’s crazy liquor laws from the 1800 to present day.”

The documentary features many of the current craft brewers in the state of Utah including Epic Brewery, Uinta Brewery, Squatters Pub, Wasatch Brewery and many more..”

You can see the second trailer HERE, and the first trailer HERE.