Category: Beer Industry

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

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Homebrew DVD

A while back I was contacted about reviewing the Beginning Homebrew DVD. I jumped at the chance because…

A) I have tried to brew and failed (twice)
B) I find the process fascinating

I preface my review with the fact that I am not the guy to review this for detailed, step by step accuracy. I am reviewing the production and the way the material is presented from the standpoint of someone who has tried and would like to try again.

Overall the presentation was very good, for two reasons. First, it was paced extremely well. A tutorial with this many steps could easily bog down in the picky details to the point where people would lose track of what was going on. Each step was clear and led to the next one.

Second, the host had an approachable quality and was easy to listen to for the duration of the lesson. A little bit more comedic touches might have helped keep the proceedings more lively but he did a commendable job talking and doing at the same time which is not easy. Try making an omelette while describing it without saying “ummm” every other word.

Here are my constructive criticisms. At the beginning, I would have like to learned more about the host and his beer history. Maybe even a bit on what he was brewing now. A quick primer on tools and equipment and ingredients needed at the start would have been good too. Lastly, a bit more history of the beer that was being shown would have been fun and invested the viewer in the process some more.

Pop up information on the screen could have been utilized more without distracting the viewer. Information about the types of hops and yeasts could be conveyed to add a second layer of help to the home brewer.

The DVD comes with an instructional disc as well to help the beginner with the journey and adventure that is home brewing.

UPDATE: If you want to win a DVD go to the A Beer in the Hand website and try your luck!

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Put your beer in a pouch

What do you get when you mix Capri-Sun technology with craft beer?

You get Beer Pouches!

The canned beer evolution is still gaining steam and now more ways to hold our precious brewed liquid!

Check out these advantages (according to the Beer Pouch folks)
More protective of fine beverages than a bottle or can
Light weight, Reduced freight costs
Reduced Air Exposure
No Light Damage
Folds flat as a dime
No Bottling Line Needed
Easy to pack off a glacier
Less expensive than using bottles
Fresh flavor, stable shelf life of the product
Makes your fine ales stand out from the crowd

Here is a photo of the pouches in action from the Beer Pouch website:

Thanks to the Beer Goddess, Lisa Morrison for pointing this product out.

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Growlers

A while back you may have run across my growler post at FoodGPS. I have started reading up on California Beer Laws to see what I can do to make some effective changes to make craft beer culture friendlier in the Golden State.

So it was with great interest that I read this on the HopPress about working to change outdated laws on the other side of the country.

For 2011, I am planning on gaining support for creating a California Growler. Check back in January for an on-line petition and for updates about my education in legalese and in my progress of creating saner growler law.

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Food Carts + Craft Beer =

In my usual better late than never style, I ran across this interesting bit of news from the New School Beer Blog.

Portland already has Prost! which is a lovely German beer bar located right next to a food cart pod so this next evolution sounds promising. Maybe the LA area can try this too! Verdugo and Eagle Rock invite trucks in but if you don’t care for that particular truck that night then you are out of luck (plus the lines can get enormous). A group of carts would minimize both problems.

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Your Help is needed…

….to pound some sense into some Florida politicians and to keep Cigar City beer flowing to the people of Florida and beyond.

Read this short bit from noted beer writer Sean Nordquist:
“Cigar City Brewing, located in Tampa, Florida, opened a tasting room last year to much success. By being able to extend their hours of operation and sell and serve beer on-premise, this local business was able to increase their employee count from 2 to 22. Serving award-winning craft beer in a comfortable and friendly environment, they have operated without incident, which few other establishments can claim. In a short time, Cigar City has achieved national (and international) recognition for their creative and consistantly excellent craft beer. In a state that has been often referred to as a “beer wasteland”, the fact that their beers are highly sought after is a testament to what owner Joey Redner and head brewer Wayne Wambles have been doing.
Now they are facing a huge problem. For reasons known only to themselves, members of the Tampa City Council have voted to not make the wet-zoning (required to allow the serving of alcohol) permanent, which would essentially force the closing of the Tasting Room. As Joey has said, this means “no more special events, no more limited release parties, no beer for sale – at all – at the Tasting Room.”
So as the citizenry, we have a responsibility to make our voices heard. Tell the Tampa City Council not to vote for killing jobs. Tell them not to vote for limiting growth. Tell them to reward success and not punish it. Tell them that local businesses are watching. And so are those that might wish to do business in Tampa in the future.”

These are the three members of Council who voted against Cigar City:
Gwen Miller
Thomas Scott
Curtis Stokes – Curtis.Stokes@tampagov.net

These are those Council members who voted for Cigar City:

Mary Mulhern – Mary.Mulhern@tampagov.net
Yvonne Yoli Capin – yvonne.capin@tampagov.net
Joseph Caetano – Joseph.Caetano@tampagov.net

Finally, the member who was absent. Let Charlie Miranda know you support CCB and craft beer and are counting on his yes vote on December 2nd.

Go to Save the Cigar City Tasting Room!

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Mystery Brewing

Some days the mailman brings fun stuff. Today I got a package from >Mystery Brewing, the new brew start-up that I helped via Kickstarter.

That opener is a heavy duty wonder. And who doesn’t love getting a certificate? Especially one that says that I am a “patron” of craft beer!

I just can’t wait to try the beers!

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High Tech Delivery Systems

Recently, two beer items popped up at the same time so I took it as a sign that I should talk about it.

First, All About Beer magazine had a blurb about table taps. OK, it’s got the marketing name of DraftMaster. Two tap handles rise out of the center of the table so you can pour your own beer.

I can so see why this would go over well with publicans. Saves time. People will order more because it’s right there. Technology probably hits the credit card whenever a pint is poured. But to me it just promotes the drink all you want culture and speed. I try my best not to race through beers. (Some are so good that I do it anyway). It also eliminates the creation of a rapport with the barkeep. But what scares me most is that it, in the end, promotes a homogenization of beer. You could have different beer at each table (that would be kinda cool). But then some tables would always be vacant while others would have lines going out the door. I would not give up an Upright or Drakes table easily.
To avoid that scenario, either each table would have the same beers or at least one common denominator, usually the lowest. And how do you know your table has a full keg?

The second dispensing system has the inventiveness of the first, plus some. But whereas the DraftMaster is a sure fire economic barnburner. The Biero idea may end up being too costly. I saw this earlier in the month on the fabulous Brookston Beer Bulletin.

Basically it takes bottled beer and puts it into a chilled and light protected tube so that patrons can see the beer. From what I have read on their site, they love beer and have thought of most of the technical issues, which shows how far beer culture has grown. But I don’t know how feasible it is. To compete with great tap beer, you would need a hook. The one I see is rare beers or perhaps blended beers. And that could work if they get the price point right. And I would certainly enjoy trying a rare beer that I normally couldn’t get because of price. But is the public ready for what is basically a cellared beer bar? I know Cascade opened a sour beer bar. But I worry that this a good idea ahead of its time.

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Museum quality beer

Thanks to the Celebrator magazine, I saw a great to expand anyone’s beer horizons.

A museum exhibit on BEER!

Here is what the City of Fullerton (in the OC) has to say about it:
“Kegged, Casked, Bottled or Canned: 10,000 Years of Beer
Open to the public through October 10, 2010

This exhibition tells the story of beer with with advertising material, tap handles, metal signs, prints, beer steins, and fixtures from the home brewing industry.

Bottle Cap Treasures: Art Workshop for Adults!
Tuesday, September 14
7:00-9:00pm

Turn old beer bottle caps into fun magnets and jewelry! Bring your own bottle caps or use some of ours for no additional charge.”

$12 general/ $8 museum members