E-Bay

A truly fascinating study (with quite a few economic terms that I had to look up) was posted on RateBeer regarding auctioning of rare beer on E-bay.

What riled me up was right up front. E-bay policy or non-policy. Here is the summary according to the post:
1) The value of the item is the collectible container, not its contents.
2) The container has not been opened and any incidental contents are not intended for consumption.
3) The item is not available at any retail outlet, and the container has a value that substantially exceeds the current retail price of alcohol in the container.
4) The seller will take all appropriate steps to ensure that the buyer is of lawful age in the buyer’s and seller’s jurisdiction (generally 21 years of age).
5) Buyers and sellers both ensure that the sale complies with all applicable laws and shipping regulations.

All I can say is that E-bay might strain a muscle in their effort to look the other way. What a blatant way to say that we want the commission fee and none of the legal problems. I don’t know who wins the crass capitalism award more. E-bay or the sellers.

And all of this could be minimized with a simple national law that standardizes alcohol shipments between states. That way E-bay and other online sites, including the brewer could sell without worrying that they were “against the law”. The market would have an increase in sellers and that might push the prices below what makes it worthwhile for the rare beer seller who is it in for profit and not the taste of the beer.

Have any of you bought beer from E-bay? I would like to know what the experience was like.

Helping the Longshot

Here is your second dose of Sam Adams related news…..

“(Boston, MA) – Samuel Adams today announced that it is expanding its philanthropy initiative, Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, to home brewers and small craft brewers nationwide. Focused on helping up-and-coming brewers turn their passion for beer into successful businesses, the program will target funding of at least $100,000 to the craft brewing industry in 2011.

The initiative is part of the company’s Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, which supports small business owners in the food, beverage and hospitality industry by providing accessible financing, as well as business and financial literacy tools and assistance. Small brewers nationwide can apply for loans ranging from $500 to $25,000 to be used for a variety of business purposes including expansion, equipment, and marketing, with all loan payments recycled back into the fund.

Launched in June 2008 in partnership with ACCION USA, one of the country’s top not-for-profit micro-lenders, the broader initiative has already loaned $540,000 to over 60 businesses – largely in New England – with the goal of reaching $1,000,000 by the end of 2011.

“Our goal with the craft brewing component of Brewing the American Dream is to support small business owners in our niche of the industry who are facing the same hurdles around starting or expanding their nano or microbrewery that I faced when I started brewing Samuel Adams in my kitchen in 1984,” said Jim Koch, brewer and founder of Samuel Adams.”

It is actions like this that make me continue to write about and drink craft beer. What other industry helps out possible competitors like this? And they spent most of the fund money in their own backyard!

LongShot

Here is the info on this year’s LongShot winners!

“With the 2011 Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest – Category 23 Variety six-pack hitting shelves this month, drinkers nationwide can taste the two innovative homebrews that triumphed over more than 700 competitors to win the 2010 Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest. Samuel Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch tapped homebrewers nationwide to think outside the box and develop a “Category 23″ style beer unlike any other. Georgia resident Richard Roper’s Friar Hop Ale and Illinois resident Rodney Kibzey’s Blackened Hops beer were named the 2010 winners at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF).

In addition to Richard and Rodney’s winning brews, Samuel Adams also honors Employee Homebrew Winner Caitlin DeClercq for her Honey B’s Lavender Wheat beer. All three winning homebrewers had the opportunity to brew alongside the Samuel Adams brewers in Boston. Their recipes were bottled and are now available nationally in the 2011 Samuel Adams LongShot American”

Karl Strauss – Coastal Reserve series

I really enjoyed the Vanilla Porter that KS came out with and the BIPA is a style that I enjoy as well. Toss in the New Zealand hops and I am in.

“Blackball is a Belgian-inspired India Pale Ale with a robust West Coast hop profile. Belgian ale yeast, coriander, and Curacao lend a fruity and spicy character for an ale bolder than your average IPA. A blend of New Zealand and Cascade hops add a vibrant floral aroma and clean citrus hop bitterness that lingers through its crisp, dry finish. Drink up while it’s young, heavily hopped IPA’s are best enjoyed fresh.”

Cosmic Brewing

You know the craft beer world is exploding. Especially now that the OC is the home of Cismontane, Bootleggers, the Bruery of course and now Cosmic Brewing in Irvine.

Their Hell Hound brown is starting to make it’s way into the LA beer bars. I will report further when I have sampled that and their saison.

Label talk

Every twice in awhile, I like to get a little nitpicky about labels. Why? Because there are indeed times when a label is the deciding factor between two unknown beers. Same for tap handles too, by the way.

So first, take a look at this label…

I like the color and the spareness of the label. It is very stark. And upon looking at other bottles in their line it sticks to the brand already established while also being separate from the rest. I like the sash across the top left as well. And the “message” on the far left is legible and nicely worded which some labels should emulate.

I am on the fence about the font. This is a Florida beer with a Louisiana tinge to the name and the modern font doesn’t quite match those two states of mind, as it were.

What I don’t like and what puts this label into negative territory for me is the logo. It matches the font but it goes way to arty for me and not modern but more shapes thrown together.

What do you think? Yea or nay?

(I still want to try their beer though, check out their offerings HERE)

Best Damn Beer Shop

To me, the sign of a healthy craft beer scene is that all markets are covered. Breweries from large to small, beer bars dedicated to the breweries in the region, restaurants that serve up the good stuff and beer stores.

Which brings us to the Best Damn Beer Shop. Located in the Super Jr Market in San Diego. They carry the locals from Alesmith to Lightning and do tastings as well.

Looks like a great place to do some one-stop SD Beer shopping.

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales

Dave Logsdon started with Full Sail then moved to Wyeast Labs. So he knows beer from multiple angles and now he has a farmhouse line of beers under his own name.

Logsdon is entering the Belgian, farm-style ales category. He plans to release two beers this spring — a Seizoen and a Seizoen Bretta.

I love this quote that I saw in one of the articles about the new brewery, “We’re probably the only brewery in the United States that’s a farmhouse making farmhouse ales,” The beer will be made on a family farm with organic hops.

Plus, it has been set-up as a co-op. So maybe more beers from different brewers will come of this incubator of sorts.

Logsdon Farmhouse beers will pop up at New Seasons and Whole Foods as well as local restaurants in Hood River and Portland and maybe beyond later.

Taps at the table

City Tavern in Culver City is going the tap within reach route.


They have three tables (that I am sure will be booked solid, so don’t wander in and get upset that you can’t get one) that have taps built in. You pay and off you go.

City Tavern are planning on local brews with a spectrum of choices on the three taps. Let’s hope that they keep that up. I would not want a Bud Light table for sure.

Check out this article in Urban Daddy as well for other information.