Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
my occasional rants and raves about what is going on in the industry.
Seems like the dynamic duo of Grossman and Calagione have more on their minds than just Life and Limb. They also want to build a better glass and just for IPA’s. They took time to taste Stone’s IPA as well as their own offerings in different glasses from the famed Riedel people. Sounded like a fun way to spend two hours.
Check out the story from The Philly Beer Scene HERE! Then look forward to a better way to celebrate the hop.
Occasionally, some Randall action happens at special beer events. But it is not commonplace at bars. But now for an Andrew Jackson you can get the Jr. version from Dogfish Head and start experimenting.
“So you’ve tried to acquire the Randall 3.0 and it’s either out of stock or out of your price range, right? Well, we heard you and here’s the answer! The same concept in a much more convenient size and price tag. The Randall Jr. allows you to infuse your favorite brew with just about whatever ingredients you can think up. Midas Touch with lime and mint? Yes please! World Wide Stout with espresso beans? You betcha! Just place the ingredients in the Randall Jr. and pour the beer right over them. Place in a cold climate such as the fridge for 10 minutes or so and you’ve got an amazing concoction on your hands! Share with a friend…or not…we’re not judging.”
Now if I had one the MegaMillions when it was at a bazillion dollars last month, one of the splurges that I would have made would have been to pick up one of these Brewcaves.
They sort of look like the shed that my dad had out back and I didn’t see a price tag on the website and I am sure the cost to operate would be a big line item on the electric bill but wouldn’t it be cool to have?
Instead of the boxes or cartons that most people store in or having to get a second ‘fridge so actual food can go into the main one. You could have a great beer shed!
I saw this in the Los Angeles Times (would have added a link, but they are in a pay for everything mode currently). Take a quick read and then below is my take on the topic.
I was all set to rant against the interlock device but after reading and re-reading this opinion piece, I think I semi-support it. If changes are added.
If the machine is set to the legal limit and not ratcheted down to protect against the almost drunk and as long as that information stays in the car, I could support this. But here is the BIG if: it must be set uniformly across the country. I do not want to deal with 50 different versions. Beer laws are already needlessly complex.
A piece of electronics that would save lives and the cost to the driver (other than the cost of adding it to a car) is simply time and nothing else? The only thing a craft beer fan would have to do is change their drinking habits by adding water and food (if they don’t already) and then if they are over the limit. Guess what? Take a walk. Find a coffee house. Wait it out.
Of the percentage of drivers that this would affect, craft beer drinkers would be the minority. Just as they are now. And of that minority, I would like to think that craft beer customers are smarter. (They already pick better beer). Smart enough that the percentage affected among the small percentage should be smaller than the typical BMC water lager drinker. And I think it would do us all good (myself included) to learn what our limits are occasionally. Lest we forget.
It would force so many people to re-evaluate and change their behavior. More designated drivers would be on the road. More taxis called and more people staying alive. And I don’t think it would stop people going out all that much. Because, craft beer fans love beer on tap and won’t be able to get some of it in bottles, so they will HAVE to go out.
Here is the kicker. If deaths caused by drunken drivers falls, the oft repeated complaint of road danger would be weakened. How could an anti-alcohol crusader use a statistic that was being addressed to stop future craft beer locales from sprouting? It takes a big arrow from their quiver.
Heard about this beer cellaring must have on the wonderful Beer O’Clock podcast.
The name is unfortunate (Brewbicle) but they look pretty good (and can be specially labeled too) and for the price look to be a pretty good deal, especially if you are buying more than one.
PHOTO FROM BREWBICLE WEBSITE
They can be reconfigured to different bottle shapes and can be stacked. The one thing that I would like to see is if they have a way to be locked.
You have one week to ready your bank account and find a super-fast computer if you want to get in this craft beer futures action from 50/50 Brewing…
…..I will probably wait (and hope) for another tasting night like the Library Alehouse had.
This is one of those fascinating charts that simultaneously explain and confuse. Alaska at #1 in amount of tax, yet Alaskan and Anchorage and others seem to thrive. Conversely, Wyoming at # 50 is not nearly the hotbed that Oregon or Colorado are. And how to explain that Washington and California are pushing forward fast with their mid-pack ranking?
This was sent to me by Steve Zuback who found it HERE.
What conclusions do you draw?
Two things jump out at me. The number 13.2% growth and the fact that this time next year, we could be looking at over 2,000 craft breweries. That is amazing. And all in a staggeringly short amount of time. But the future number that I am looking at is market share. With each large gain the water lager manufacturers might finally learn that taste is paramount.
This chart is courtesy of the Brewer’s Association.
All day today, BELMONT STATION will be celebrating it’s 15TH ANNIVERSARY.
And here is what they are going to do to celebrate, “Yep, it’s been 15 years since the founding of Belmont Station as the first specialty beer store in the Northwest. Thanks to you we’re still here so we’ll be breaking out some vintage bottles to sell and have a few surprises on tap. Ted Sobel of Brewers Union Local 180 is bringing us two firkins of his unbeatable genuine cask-conditioned ales, including one brewed just for our 15th, with 15 malts.”
I wish I could take the day off, fly up to Portland and stay there all day if only to have Brewers Union beers.
This video made the interwebs rounds in early February. Watch now and I will comment below.
Methinks that this information (be it selective, or not) has got to scare the BMC and their water lager brewing brethren. The sheer numerical growth in such a relative short time span does not bode well. 7.6% of total sales might not seem like much that number just keeps creeping up.
The other take away for me is the home brewing sticking power. Did it start in the Prohibition years? Was it there before and get a boost from the legal side? Either way, that DIY ethos has been around for awhile in the craft beer world and that is a great base to build on.
I like the video though. Punchy and visually captivating. Maybe we shall see more delving into more arcane beer topics.