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my humble and correct opinion
There is not a lot of things that CCBA could stand for (that makes sense) but Kern River Brewing has found the right combo of words to honor both the California Craft Brewers Association AND give a shout out to hang tough because California Can Beat Anything.
Last Friday I just could not shake the feeling that something was off. It wasn’t anything to do with the my little cocoon or the batshit crazy and sad week this country went through.
It was the first time that I really felt the absence of the beer community.
I don’t normally gain energy from being around people. Harsh truth be told, I could live without 45% of this country who think (refuse to have thoughts) in a certain way. And yet, the crowds of people who make the trip to Paso Robles are both fun and fascinating.
The two or three days that I spend at Firestone Walker HQ is like floating on air. I take the tour most years to see how things have changed (always drastically), I find beer to bring back home from their shop, I visit a distillery or winery, enjoy BBQ the night before the fest, get some Negranti Ice Cream and Twisted and Glazed Donuts. My internal battery is charged.
The festival itself, as I have written in the past, is perversely hard to write about. It is so smoothly operated that the only lead some years is how hot it is. You basically just have to write about the beer that you personally drank because there is so much that it is hard to wrap your word arms around it.
I would write up excited posts before driving up the 5 and exhausted post some after driving back down the 101. I don’t know if 2021 will be changed or disrupted by the events of this year but next year, I will return. I need to.
That boost was really missed this year.
I have to say that the moves that the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) have made during this pandemic have been mostly smart and effective. They moved with decent speed to allow beer sales to reflect the curbside and on-line ordering marketplace. Let breweries ship beer within the state and have loosened restrictions so that sidewalks and parking lots could be used as seating for patrons to keep that distancing effort alive.
But I am at a loss about this food and alcohol rule. Otherwise known as The Stuffed Sandwich for the great deli and beer lovers spot here in Southern California that operated under the weird rule that you could not purchase beer unless you ordered food.
Now that seems to be back on a larger scale for breweries wanting to re-open their taprooms. But what if I am a vegan and it’s a BBQ truck, or it’s a seafood truck and I am allergic to shellfish or if I just want a beer? Maybe they are looking to force breweries to help out restaurants?
Whatever the reasoning, I see people buying the lowest cost item and then not eating it. It has a two-drink minimum comedy club vibe to it. And it seems to put brewpubs into better position than taprooms.
Or am I reading this rule incorrectly?
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the big beer festival on the calendar is not going on as in the past. Instead of September 24-26 at the Big Blue Bear and in person in Denver, it will now be an “immersive online experience October 16-17.”
Though this sucks for the beer community and the breweries and bars in Denver that saw a big attendance boost, it was not a decision that comes as much of a surprise considering how 2020 is shaping up to be a year filled with bad news.
According to the Brewers Association, the virtual GABF is still in the planning stages but expect to see beer tastings, brewer interviews as well as food and beer pairing ideas possibly with a delivery of beer angle as well.
The good news is that the beer competition will take place in 2020. Will Pandemic beer be a style category?
I see this as a golden opportunity to try out crazy ideas and also how to incorporate more of the country into GABF since plane fare and time away is now off the table as an excuse not to go. And if all goes well with the re-openings, maybe smaller, mini GABFs can be held around the country. I vote for any wacky plan.
Grand RE-openings. There are going to be quite a few if people in Texas and Wisconsin are any indication when given any sort of quasi-approval to open the doors again. Previously, I talked about the simple ebb and flow problems that will arise when a taproom reopens but what about bigger parties?
There are breweries that were just about to open, breweries who will be ready this summer and a backlog inventory of missed anniversary parties in the second half of the year.
How do you creatively balance the celebration aspect with the safety aspect? On Mother’s Day not only were people viral video complaining about the wait times at Red Lobster but they were going to church, sick. Less than a week later 200 people were sick. From 1, one person.
How do you get beer fans to your brewery and then keep them safe and in a fun mood? I do not have the answers. I have been visiting breweries to pick-up only with a mask on but I understand if people are not comfortable with gatherings.
I would say that providing branded masks would be a good start. Having a hosted video of parties would be good as well with options for VIPs to get beer and special video. Sending beer to EMTs or hospitals would be good. Maybe doing a drop off for the hardworking grocery store workers. Creativity will need to come to the fore.
Since the Federal Government can’t be counted on to help, business is stepping into the huge gap to help. Pabst, a beer I don’t really ever drink, is “commissioning 1,000 works from creative professionals.”
Here is what the chief marketing officer has to say, “We know that 1,000 creative commissions isn’t world changing, but it definitely will make a difference,” says Luke Atkinson, “Every commission counts, and the talent we work with will get the added benefit of some exposure.”
30 works are in progress and Pabst “is inviting bartenders, designers, animators, dancers, singers, directors and other creatives to “do what they do best” and reach out to Pabst through Instagram (@pabstblueribbon).”
Kudos to Pabst for chipping in.
Old Town Brewing is setting up a one-stop shop for Oregon beers. Since their parking lot isn’t being used as much, they have turned it into a customer fulfillment center. Here is how it works – “Customers will enter the drive-thru on the north side of the parking lot by motorized vehicle, cycle or foot. Orders and purchases will be placed from your smart phone from the Brewers Market online menu, but contact and on-site imbibing and socializing is discouraged as is cash payments. As people make their way through the booths they can make their selections on the go or place an order in advance for pick-up. Once placed, pull into a designated parking spot at the end of the market where someone will bring their order out to them. Leaving the vehicle is not necessary, walk-ups are allowed with social distancing measures.” That is the write-up from the New School Beer blog who have excellent coverage of how Oregon breweries are doing in these times.
When breweries finally get the go-ahead to open their doors, floor plans are going to have to change. First though, the floral industry must have really pushed Newsom hard to open before Mother’s Day.
But I digress. Safely opening is really going to be hard especially for any taproom that has a small space to navigate. Others will be able to utilize outdoor tables but I bet we are going to see Brewers and assistant brewers behind the bar for most places because it will be cost prohibitive to re-hire if you can only have 1/4 or 1/3 of the normal crowd outside. HERE is the link to what the State of California is mandating
I am thinking of one brewery where there is one entrance, two doors to open and maybe 7 seats at their bar and some table seating. Either those door stay open or someone is going to have to wipe down those handles until they are gleaming.
And you know that people will be majorly pissed and feeling entitled and will not understand why they have to wait for a seat. Let alone being told to wait in a car for a seat.
So, please, be extra thankful when you sit down for the first time. Be respectful of the rules and put a smile on under your mask.