Alaskan beer is not just for drinking. You can also use it to cook. Really cook.
Just head over to the Alaska website to check out how beer pairs with food. (It does and beautifully!)
Beer (actually) on TV?
During a recent stay in a home outfitted with this newfangled invention called “cable tv”, I watched a lot of both American Pickers and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Those were the good shows.
Why you ask?
Because the people doing the shows or being interviewed CARED about what they were talking about passionately. Forget the shows with people yelling at each other. Or the shows that purport to be “real”. Take your competition shows and stick them… OK you get my point.
So I was cautiously optimistic about the Discovery Network show which was to have Sam Calagione hosting. Unfortunately, just as the show was announced another announcement came out which lowered my expectations. Who knows how the show will look or if it will even make it to air.
Now there are supposedly two more beer shows in the works. One a quasi competition/historical brew show on the History Network..
And another tuned to the travel edge on the Food Network…
Which will succeed? I will be able to tell you after five minutes. The one with passion.
Review – Caldera Vas Deferens
We finish the Caldera Kettle Series with this provocatively named creation…
the Stone collaborations keep coming
San Diego County Session Ale is the latest in the lovely etched collaboration bottles to soon grace our ‘fridges. It was brewed over the course of the summer by Colby Chandler from Ballast Point, Mitch Steele from Stone and Kelsey McNair from a brewery I have yet to taste from called North Park Beer Co..
I am glad the session is taking over!
Stone Saturday
I will be at the Stone Brewing 14th Anniversary bash today and in honor of that, today’s posts are Stone-centric. First up, let’s do the numbers…
Late Harvest
Does this sound great? Yes, it does.
A farmhouse brown ale with…
-pomegranate seeds
-grains of paradise
-Tasmanian peppercorns
from Upright Brewing
Women Enjoying Beer
There has been plenty of stealth and not so stealthy marketing of alcohol to women. Some people are wise to the fact that they are half of the marketplace and should be treated as a large buying group. Most attempts are crass, mis-leading or both. Select 55, I’m looking at you.
Instead of pushing for better marketing from the mega-internationals, it is time for others to take the lead. That is why I think Women Enjoying Beer is soo cool. They want better beer in the hands of more women! Here is what caught my eye from their website:
1. To Service The Craft Beer Industry
“To help the industry grow and authentically develop the female craft beer enthusiast. In order to create new market segments and gain market share, you have to equally dedicate marketing efforts and a budget that go with the new markets. Marketing to women is not a token or single initiative idea. It’s an enormous opportunity to engage in IF you know that marketing to women is different than marketing to men. If you’re a brewer, brewery, distributor, and any other beer oriented business call WEB to talk about differentiating yourself to appropriately market beer to women. Developing the female market and getting them to buy and enjoy your beers and related goods is a way to strengthen your business and serve more customers.”
2. To Encourage Female Beer Enthusiasm.
“Women are 50.9 % of the population. By courting the female beer buyer more and more women can learn about and learn to enjoy the incredible flavors of beers. As a beer specialists, WEB can help you create affinity groups to help share and grow the beautiful thing we know as beer. These groups are formed to provide a comfortable and fun format to learn about beer and connect with other women – which can help you grow your female clientele (read: no cannibalization of your existing market share).”
your review here…
I will admit up front that I think Yelp and it’s ilk are just flat out useless except for posting hours of operation. Too many opinions from people who didn’t get their precious food fast enough or complaints about parking. So, instead of just complaining about it, why not fix it? Just for the beer world in Los Angeles at least. Each month, I will ask for reader opinion on a new or old beer bar or restaurant that I haven’t visited.
I am asking because I am in Glendale and I don’t want to drive across town for beer that I can get out here unless the beer list, vibe, the location or the food really warrants it.
So first in the crosshairs, here is your chance to let me know your reactions and reviews of the newly opened Venice Ale House. Have you been? Was the beer list good? How was the service?
Defense agains the Dark Beers- Wynkoop
In a bit of a departure for my intrepid dark beer correspondent, a sampler tray was tasted! I know it is heresy but to truly appreciate the dark beer side of life you must check the lighter side. Here is the report:
“From right to left
Light Rail Ale – light citrusy going to a doughty dusty wheat – good gardening beer. Also functioned as a palate cleanser for the subsequent beers.
Tut’s Royal Gold – sweet malty finishing with a nice sour tastes more carbonated at the finish.
Wixa Weiss – not my fab. Too barnyardy.
Mile HIPA – seriously hoppy grapefruity super bitter finish.
Railyard Ale – pretty reddish orange. Nice floral notes with a mellow finish
B3K Schwartz Bier – smoky goodness with a smooth finish. Probably my fav of the night.
Monkey’s Fist IPA – not as hoppy as the mile high but bitter finish continues to build.”
“Ignore the glasses in the background. Still working right to left
My notes were getting fuzzy by this point.
St Charles ESB – totally coats the tongue and palate. Light grapefruit with a slight bitter finish that continues to build
Patty’s Chili Beer-most interesting beer of the night. Light but definite jalapeño flavor without the spicy heat
McKenzies Milk Stout – chocolate/ espresso. Really sweet a little smoky sweet finish. Would make a great float.”
Concordia Cup
Old News to those in Portland, but I thought I would share this information from a great beer destination in Portland. (If you haven’t been during one of their blind tasting competitions then you have missed out)
Concordia Cup Results
“Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub – Hop Henge Experimental Batch #8 Wins Concordia Cup
Cam O’Connor Head Brewer at Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub has won this event three times in a row, winning the “Oregon Only” Imperial IPA Concordia Cup for three straight years, 2008, 2009, and 2010. He will captain the OREGON BEER BRAWL IV team at Concordia Ale House yet another time coming 02/2011.”
After 579 taster trays Hop Henge Experimental Batch #8 won by 6 votes over Hopworks Ace of Spades.
Blind Imperial IPA Tasting Results
1. Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub Hop Henge Experimental Batch #8
2. Hopworks Urban Brewery Ace of Spades
3. Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. Deadlift
4. Rogue Ales’s I2PA
5. Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom Molten Lava
6. Caldera Brewing Hopportunity Knocks
6. Ninkasi Brewing Co. Tricerahops
I have “only” had the Deadlift, Hopportunity Knocks and Tricerahops. Not bad for a LA based beer boy!
