Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
TODAY: HOLLAND V CAMEROON
I have always loved the free flowing play of Holland AKA The Netherlands. They are always on the cusp of winning then they run into Argentina or Brazil and fall. Maybe this year.
For the game how about trying Wieckse Witte: a classic Dutch “white” beer. Light and cloudy, Wieckse Witte has a genuinely sweet and mild taste, without a hint of bitterness. Refreshing and delicious.
Keep the cans coming! Here is a pirate themed entrant from Washington state’s, 7 Seas Brewing.
TODAY: ENGLAND V SLOVENIA
The heavyweights and underachievers in the US group is the team from England. With their star power, they should be locks for the quarterfinals if not further. Is this the year that they and the Netherlands shake off World Cup bad memories?
Maybe with a nice session bitter from Batemans? Here is what the website says about XXXB: “Superb strong bitter with a complex palate, consisting of a delicate aroma of hops delightfully balanced by a prominent malty character. 5 times ‘Premium Beer of the Year’ at CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival.”
From South Africa to the American south and the cleverly named Straight to Ale.
This is the scoop from their website, “Straight To Ale is Alabama’s newest craft brewery. Located in the historic Lincoln Mills, we are working hard to provide our hometown of Huntsville, Alabama with top quality, full flavored beer in styles ranging from English brown ales to American Imperial IPA’s and everything in between. You can find our beer on draft at many local restaurants and bars. If we’re not already on tap at your favorite hang-out, please ask them why not!”
The Beers
This offering caught my eye…
Wernher von Brown Ale
“Perhaps good beer is rocket science. Named after the preeminent astronautics engineer, this luscious brown ale is sweet and malty up front with hints of toast and chocolate in the finish. East Kent Goldings provide a slight bitterness to this English-style ale. ABV of 5.0%”
TODAY: KOREA V. NIGERIA
Both Korea’s are in the Cup chase this year but it is kinda hard to root for the Northern One. But let’s leave politics behind and focus on a beer from South Korea.
Hite Brewery Company Limited is headquartered in Seoul. Its main products are beer, rice wine, and mineral water. The company was established as Chosun Breweries way back in 1933. Hite’s share of the domestic beer market was some 55%.
I have had this lovely large corked bottle of Dark Truth in my ‘fridge for awhile and finally I decided to open it. It is part of Boulevard Brewing‘s Smokestack series, of which there is lot’s of great beers. A Belgian collaboration in particular.
Now I am up to 33! But sadly no new states are in my possession. But I do have trips to the OBF and to the Stone 14th Anniversary bash so I think I may be able to tick at least 2 states of my list, if not more.
As always, any help is appreciated. Click on the PDF to your left to see what I have done and if you can help. I will donate money to a food bank in your neck of the woods.
TODAY: SWITZERLAND V. CHILE
For the Swiss selection, I head into the old styles that are being revived section of Craft Beer Land. Zwickel is a rather old, rare, and unique German beer style, a lighter version of Kellerbiers which are unfiltered and unpasteurized lagers. Keller and Zwickel beers are smooth and cloudy and rich in vitamins.
The beer comes from Rugenbräu near the town of Interlaken.
More hops for the midwest! I love seeing small, local, boutique operations and that extends to beer ingredients. Simple Earth Hops “is a new 1/4 acre hopyard located at Greenspirit Farm CSA in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. The hopyard was founded with the idea of providing a much needed agricultural product for local craft brewers. Simple Earth Hops was established to demonstrate that local farmers can produce a consistent, sustainable supply of ultra high quality hops by working directly with local craft brewers while still maintaining a focus on ecology, the land and the people involved.”
Here is a partial list of the hop varities that they will grow:
cascade, eroica, liberty, Mt. Hood and perle.
TODAY: BRAZIL V. IVORY COAST
When you sit down to watch Kaka face off against Didier Drogba make sure to grab a refreshing and a little sticky sweet Palma Louca. Brazilian beer isn’t just Xingu ya’ know.
As if the beer world needed more festivals! Now can beer festivals are sprouting everywhere. But this one sounds really good. Too bad I won’t be in Colorado until the Beer Blogger conference in the fall.
Here is the 411, straight from the brewery website:
Oskar Blues invites you to join the EVOLUTION of craft beer with the initial all Canned Beer Ragbag at its roots, Lyons, CO. Under the backdrop of Rocky Mountain National Park, Burning Can offers up the future prospect of craft beer civilization by pulling all the plugs on beer traditions. Craft Beer from (15ish) Canning Pioneers, Live Music by Nashville’s Bonepony www.bonepony.com, Can Art, Beer Can Chicken & other beer-infused dishes collide to create an inaugural event sure to shake the status quo the way canned beer was meant to.
This free spirited poke has its soul in the right spot….All proceeds from this event will go directly to the Colorado Brewers Guild www.coloradobeer.org & its continued fight to keep Colorado beer culture alive!
Eco-Cycle www.ecocycle.org is in the house to ensure the environmental advantages of the can keep Ma Nature happy as cans take care of keeping the beer fresher, longer than bottles & making it portable to keep up with your next movement, regardless where or what it is.
Walk away from this celebration with a rattled hominid cranium full of how far craft beer in a can has come, a soul full of roots music & full belly of beer can chicken. You also walk with Inaugural BURNING CAN collectors swag knowing the entire shindig helps keep Colorado beer culture kicking. Wait…did I mention the mechanical bull????
Who & What: Lovers of Craft Beer in a Can, Music, Food & Rocky Mountain Revelry
When & Where: Oskar Blues Brewery @ Sandstone Park, Lyons, CO – June 26th, 2010 1pm to 4pm
Why: To Celebrate Craft Beer in a Can & benefit The Colorado Brewers Guild