Special beer drinking occasions (like St. Patrick’s Day) can lead to staring at the store selection and going back and forth between the tried and true, Guinness, or something new. Here is my suggestion, do a stout/porter tasting. Start with Guinness then head off and try stouts from your local area. In California, try a Telegraph Stock Porter. On the East Coast try the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. In Oregon, Deschutes the Abyss is a monster and well worth the price. Or pick up a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout. Avery has some great dark beers or you can try Bell’s Expedition Stout. Give little tasters of each and have a vote. See which is a fan favorite.
2 Brooklyn Beer books
These two books are musts for any beer library. You had better have a beer library or at least one book by Michael Jackson. Beer School is a great business accented account of how the Brooklyn Brewery was born and nurtured to where it is today. Very interesting on the intricacies of selling beer and creating a entreprenurial mind set.
To cover the beer and food pairing phenomenon, you have to read The Brewmaster’s Table. It is an excellent guide to food and beer. If you don’t learn something new, then you are the one true beer geek god.
What I am drinking now – March 8th
1. Widmer Drifter – I generally like Widmer’s special releases better than the Drop Top and Hefe. But this Drifter is smooth with taste. To get the grapefruity taste that this has you usually have a lot of hops like Pliny the Elder but somehow Drifter gets both. Excellent summer beer.
2. Urthel Hop It – I had this on tap at the fabulous Lucky Baldwin’s and it has such a floral smell and taste. The bottled version doesn’t capture that magic as well but this is the best Belgian/Hop mash up around.
3. Brew Dog Punk IPA – I love the logo and the design but I must say this was dissapointing. Not very hoppy. It tastes like a generic British bitter and to me that is the most boring of styles. Give me a Belgian or American micro any day.
ABInBev
Apart from the fact that BIG BEER abbreviations are getting more baroque, it is interesting to hear that Anheuser has tumbling profits according to the Wall Street Journal. You would think that the cheap beers would be flying out of stores. But because they buy in bulk and hedge its raw materials purchases means it is locked in to old, high hop prices while the small brewers are making less but better beer at cheaper prices. I say it too much but your local small brewer always seem to do more with less.
Great Beer Guide – East Coast
When you find yourself traveling through the East Coast then Lew Bryson is your man. He has guides for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and even Michigan. His website and blog are also filled with information you can use.
Great Beer Guide – West Coast
This is a great guide to who is making and who is pouring in Southern California and Nevada. A quality resource for the beer traveler.
Good news for the Brewing business
Great Beer Article you will use over and over
Imbibe is a cool magazine about all types of drinks. From tea to whisky. This article has given me all sorts of ideas for beer trips.
Drink Locally
I urge all of you out there to keep supporting your local brewery. I know that alot of people are on “economic hold” ( Count me in that group) but if I you have a favorite brew, and it’s from the little brewery down the street, then you better keep buying it. Otherwise it might not be there the next time. Same goes for your local pub. You don’t need to do it all yourself. Let your circle of beer loving friends know about your favorite place or a new place near them.
I will start. If you are in the Los Angeles area here are two great places to try….
Laurel Tavern in Studio City
The York in Highland Park