Category: Opinion

my humble and correct opinion

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Virtual Hop – Week 1

Chalk up another W for pivoting to computer screens. Even the hop picking season, the spring training of the beer calendar has moved online. Here is what I learned from the first week of the Yakima Chief Virtual Harvest…

  • Hops can combust so hop warehouses have a fire watch system
  • Newly named hop, Talus has a spa like quality to it
  • Genetic testing is a big deal
  • Coconut fiber is used for the bines to climb and the workers who knot it at the top are highly prized and so good at their job that no machine can do the work faster
  • The logistics of which hops to pick first and when to switch to a different varietal is daunting
  • Data from this harvest is already being used for the 2021 harvest
  • I want to work at the Yakima Chief Aroma Dome
  • A hop delivery can be offloaded, tagged and tested in thirty minutes
  • There was a hop that had a Hefeweizen aroma to it but it did not make the cut
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Talus

We have a newly branded hop to be on the lookout for.  Talus.  Sounds like sport utility vehicle but is a new hop that is a cross between Sabro® brand and neomexicanus.  It was bred by Michael Ferguson of John I. Haas and Jason Perrault of Yakima Chief Ranches. 

What does Talus bring?  According to the press release, “big aromas of pink grapefruit, citrus rinds, dried roses, pine resin, tropical fruits and sage.”  To me, the descriptors that leap out are the roses and sage which sounds intriguing. 

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The Firkin for August 2020

A little bit of funny in the beer world. Maybe funny is too strong but in these times of delivered beer, I find it amusing that all the beer websites big font declare that someone over the age of 21 must sign for the alcoholic beverage.

In the past, it has been so stringent that only the recipient could sign for the package in some cases. But it seems that the delivery companies either due to increased load or fear of Covid have let rules slide.

I have yet to sign for the few delivered packages that I have received. I have yet to show my drivers license to get a package. The most common delivery method has been: ring the doorbell, drop the box, hightail it out of there. I have yelled, “thanks” to the backs of more delivery folks.

Even when picking up pre-ordered beers, I haven’t had to provide anything other than my name even though lengthy instructions say otherwise.

This disconnect between the legalese that online shopping has to add and the actual practice makes me giggle at all the rules hat everyone says you have to follow until it becomes clear that no one is following them.

I ordered some beer just a couple days ago and will be waiting to see if I will glimpse the more evasive than Sasquatch, deliver person.

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Norwegon

At this point in the pandemic, you have probably already watched everything good wanted to and stuff you are not proud of, but thanks to the Craft Beer Scribe for sharing there is some beer content created by the Ben brewery, The Ale Apothecary. Head HERE to watch the video. It is really cool. It will leave you wanting to learn more and to drink the beer.

Then please donate some kroner for their postponed festival.

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BSP Presidential Endorsement

This should come as zero surprise to anyone but for craft beer fans, when you vote this year, it is a pretty easy choice if you are looking solely at the craft beer industry.

Setting aside that Trump will go down as the worst President ever for just the non-stop lying alone, it is clearly in the best interest of craft beer to get him out of office. His disastrous non-handling of the Corona virus has imperiled small businesses. Many breweries have shut already. We need someone, anyone in office who will be pro-active and Biden is the one who may be able to drive us to the light at the end of the tunnel instead of being broken down on the side of the road.

I hate politics. I have gone through periods where I have not voted because whether I did or not did not materially affect my life. Mr. Worst President has affected all of our lives.

We need to get the Corona Virus under control, then we can get back inside breweries, then they can thrive again. This current non-President isn’t getting us there. So this blog and the person behind it endorse Biden/Harris.

End Note – yes, this is a beer blog but if you think that politics doesn’t enter into our fun little niche of the world then you are not looking at it through too hazy of an IPA.

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The Worst

Best of Lists dominate the landscape in all aspects. Movies, books, restaurants and beers too. Occasionally, the worst is talked about but usually within safe and unpublished confines. Get beer people together and you will hear which breweries in town are on their avoidance list.

When I saw this…

…I was intrigued. I would not expect a beer equivalent to be posted online. You have your Worst Beer Blog and other irascibles on the interwebs but a video of the fails? Not super likely and probably not done with good intent as opposed to just plain snark.

Now, I won’t do a Worst of 2020. 2020 is already a swear word. But I will be doing tiers of L.A. beers and breweries with the goal of steering fans to the breweries that will more likely than not, deliver excellent beer. Look for that in December and if the video is still up, watch the Worst Whiskey video.

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North Coast to Davis

Another positive step in creating a more diverse craft beer world, read the below snippet from UC Davis….

“A $50,000 endowment from North Coast Brewing Company of Fort Bragg, California will launch the Mark E. Ruedrich North Coast Brewing Diversity Scholarship for the brewing program at UC Davis. The gift ensures that, by supporting education and opportunity, North Coast Brewing Company furthers its goal of promoting diversity in the brewing industry in perpetuity.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to improve our community,” said Jeff Ottoboni, CEO of North Coast Brewing Company. “The tumultuous events of 2020 reinforced the need for us to make this significant commitment and lead efforts to promote diversity in the brewing industry. Twenty-four hours later, we were on the phone with UC Davis.”

Recognizing UC Davis’ commitment to inclusion and diversity and its reputation for brewing education, the brewery partnered with the Master Brewers Certificate Program at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education to support aspiring brewing professionals. “We have an obligation to our employees, our community and our world to do what is right at all times and in this case, the best way to do that – to create meaningful, long-lasting change – is through education,” said Ottoboni.”

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A New Steam

I am a harsh judge of brand design. I know what I like and only a few breweries win kudos from me on this front. When I heard that the venerable Anchor Steam was getting a make-over, I blanched. The old (current) design is great. Is it in-modern, yeah but it still stands out on shelves.

Now we get this yellow/gold look and the art is fine but the color scheme is both too much and too little. Garish brightness and lots of unused space. Maybe this will just be a summer look.

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A Podcast & A Beer – Creating Cashflow

Upfront, the creator of this podcast is my much better half so I am biased about this month’s choice for podcast listening. But I think that it might be of great help to all those in the craft beer world struggling mentally with financial challenges.

This soothing podcast gives good advice and hope in equal measure and even if it does not send you on a path to starting a multi-millions dollar career path, it will give you insight that will help you navigate through the tough situations in life.

Two episodes are currently available on all the major platforms or you can head to her website for info.

My wife does not drink, she is the best designated driver. So for this podcast how about having a Hop2O or HopTea instead.

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Open Window

Creativity abounds even in dark times and Temescal Brewing has fused together the 1950s Food-a-Matic with the even older wine window to make a not so automatic beer delivery.

You scan a QR code, place your order electronically and when it is ready, a window opens and you get a beer. Of course it is humans behind those cubbyholes and not robots but it is a bit of whimsy much needed.