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Too Drunk

Yesterday I wrote about bar responsibility, and as promised here is my post on consumer responsibility.

For todays entertainment post I was originally going to write about pairing, but given this weeks news that the 45 year-old son of Goose Island founder John Hall allegedly urinated in the middle of a bar I thought I would talk about social drinking.  We all have done things we are not proud of while drinking.  I admit it.  I hurt people's feelings and acted like an ass on more than one occasion.  While I know I apologized and said something to the effect of "I was drunk" on these occasions I know that is not good enough.  Blaming it on the alcohol is not appropriate.  You made choices and you must deal with consequences.

A minor isolated incident might not be cause of concern, but when actions rise to a more serious level being drunk is not an excuse.  If the public urination allegation against Greg Hall is true, and had he been convicted he would be a sex offender. (At this writing no charges have been filed.)  He also sat in a car waiting for a ride according to published reports.  I asked a lawyer I know about this and sitting in a car with the keys is constructive possession and control which could result in a DUI conviction.  In one night Greg Hall almost got labeled a sex offender and lost his driver's license for a DUI.  I am not trying to pick on him; I am just trying to illustrate how poor choices can ruin a life.

What are your duties?

1. Know your limits and when it is time to go home.
2. Do not use alcohol as a cover for indecent or offensive behavior.
3. Respect the staff, other patrons and your friends.
4. Apologize like a man don't use Facebook pick up a phone or better yet go see the offended party.
5. Do not by any means get into a car.

These are simple duties.  I know you can handle it.  The most troubling thing for me out of this were the comments to the news stories.  I was blown away by the number of people who excused his actions because he was drunk and secondly, by the number of people who felt it was common to act this way.  More than one bartender made comments that it sounded like a typical Saturday night.  Seriously people?  I thought I left this behavior behind when I switched to craft and ditched the Natty Light. 

Responsible Drinking Part 1: The Bar

This week's Greg Hall controversy shed light on being responsible when alcohol is present.  There are two parties who share responsibility: bars and drinkers.  Over two days I will look at both.  Many large breweries run a drink responsible campaign, but realistically if you think about it they don't want you to stop drinking.  This is where an establishment has certain duties.

First and foremost, the bartender needs to know when to cut people off.  I know many of you go out to get drunk.  I am not saying bars need to shut you down at the first sign of tipsiness, but there is a line.  A seasoned bartender can often scan a crowd and see who has gone too far, and offer a glass of water instead of the next drink.

Secondly, when a customer crosses the line bar management needs to take appropriate action.  I was once in a bar where a man pulled out his genitals.  He was quickly ejected and the police were called.  Turns out he was a known sex offender.  If you read the comments in response to the Tribune article many people acted like urinating in bars happens all the time.  I go to a lot of bars and know a lot of people who work in bars.  I have never seen someone do this.  Urinating in the middle of the bar is crossing a line, and bar management should take swift action no matter who the customer is.  While urinating is an extreme act there are other behaviors a bar should take action against.  If a person's behavior is offensive or disturbing to the enjoyment of other customers they need to go out the door.

Finally, a bar is responsible for public safety.  If an employee of a bar sees a patron who is intoxicated get into a car they need to step in.  In this case the bar was under the impression Mr. Hall got into his car and drove off.  I would note Greg Hall told the Tribune he waited in the car while his ride was on the way.  Bar management should have called the police.  Under Illinois dram shop laws Bangers and Lace could have been held liable if Mr. Hall drove home and caused an accident.

I started this post by saying responsibility is to be shared.  Tomorrow I will look at what customers owe the bar and their fellow patrons.

Beer Review: Brown Angel by Clown Shoes

Clown Shoes is a new brewery in the Chicago market.  When I was deciding which of the four Clown Shoes beers to buy the label on Brown Angel caught my eye.  I am not usually a sucker for labels, but I wanted to write about this one.  The label has a woman in a bikini on it.  Some breweries have been having issues with appropriateness of labels.  To me the label indicates this brewery is not concerned about the possibility of attracting negative attention.  Some other breweries like Flying Dog are in battles with regulators over labels.  While this provided an excuse for me to buy this beer; don't worry I found excuses to buy the other three Clown Shoes beers as well.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a nice shade of brown with one finger of head.  Aromas of coffee, chocolate and sweet pine.  The flavor was a bit smokey with a bold citrus.  The hops were more present in this beer than in your typical Brown Ale.  Smooth and moderately carbonated this beer goes down easy.  While not your everyday Brown Ale if you are in the mood to explore give this one a shot.

Update:  Clown Shoes' Gregg Berman will be in Chicago tomorrow April 14.  Details here.

Greg Hall Poster Boy for Goose Island

After my last Goose story I was prepared to steer away from Goose Island.  Personally, I feel the topic is getting somewhat old, but the Hall's seem to have a miraculous ability to keep generating stories for this blog.  The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Greg Hall, exiting Brewmaster of Goose Island, son of the founder, and future brewing consultant to Anheuser - Busch (AB) mistook a pint glass for a urinal while standing in a bar.

The Tribune is reporting that Hall relieved himself in two pint glasses in the bar area of Bangers and Lace and then left the premises.  Hall has allegedly admitted he acted inappropriately, but can not recall the entire evening as he was too inebriated.  Hall did apologize.

I will be looking into the story more tomorrow as it is almost 9 pm here. I plan contact media relations at Goose Island, AB and Bangers and Lace.  I would also like to know if this brazen public urination has been reported to Chicago Police Department, or does Bangers and Lace let people have a complete disregard for decorum and the law?  Not only is Goose Island off my list of bars to hang out at, Bangers and Lace is looking that way to....

Check back for more updates or follow me on Twitter @verysmallbeer
Update: As I expected getting no comments across the board.

Tough Topic Business of Beer & Customer Relations

As I discussed last Monday everything connected to beer is a business.  What type of business depends on your relationship to beer.  If you are a store, bar or restaurant you sell to consumers.  Distributors have to convince those outlets to sell the beer they distribute, and brewers must convince distributors to carry their product.  However, one group matters more than any other in that heap, customers.

The customer is more important than anything.  If we are not buying a certain product no one will sell it.    The key to getting the customer to buy into your product is building a relationship.  We live in a time when social matters.  I already wrote on brewers in social media, but interpersonal relations matter too.  I buy local but I also buy from international faceless corporations.  I buy from Amazon but not Wal-Mart.  Heck, I would even buy beer from AB if it intrigued me.

One product I do not think I will buy again is Goose Island.  The company has a tragic inability to foster strong customer relations.  Years ago I met John Hall for the second time.  He started fishing for compliments.  I threw him a bone and then I explained an issue with the Clark St. brewpub.  Without blinking he told me it made a bunch of money last year so he must be doing something right.  Well, if he had got his head on the issue he might of made more.  After they had their near closing scare they made some serious changes to the brewpub. Unfortunately, they were not responsive to customer complaints, and even started to have what many believe were contaminated draft lines.  Finally, they sold to AB.  That in and of itself did not mean I would not buy their beer again although it did piss me off.  How they handled the situation is what irked me.

The final straw came last week.  The Chicago Beer Society sent out a notice that Greg Hall would speak on the AB sale.  I stayed for a while and I never heard him speak, although I waited two hours some say he did show up eventually.  What I did see was John Hall come in 90 minutes after the event started, shake a few hands with people he was obviously acquainted with and go drink a beer with a bunch of suits at the bar.  Many in the room were concerned about the sale.  I would not of classified the atmosphere as hostile, but this is the group is some of your biggest and loyal customers.  Many people ask these people for their opinion on beer.  Goose Island had a chance for a major PR victory here.  Instead they blew it off.

Beer + Ice Cream = Beer Cream

I needed a desert for a meal the other day.  To be honest I did not feel like baking which is my default.  I was feeling lazy.  I happened to read over the weekend about all these breweries making beer ice creams.  I once enjoyed Edmund Fitzgerald Ice Cream and a Beer Float at Kona.  My problem is I lack an ice cream maker, but I found a solution.

I went to the store and bought a 1.5 quart container of Edy's Slow Churn Vanilla Bean.  I took a 12 oz bottle of Barrel Aged Stout from Bluegrass Brewing Co. and headed into the kitchen.  I allowed the ice cream to soften and started shoveling it in my stand mixer.  When half the ice cream was in the bowl I added about a 1/4 bottle of stout.  With the mixer running I added the rest of the ice cream.  After I felt like it was mixed thoroughly I tasted, mixed in more beer and tasted again.  I used a total of 1/2 a bottle.  I recommend stopping the mixer occasionally to taste as you add the beer.  If I added anymore it would of been over powering.  If you lack a mixer letting the ice cream soften a bit more would mean you could use a sturdy spatula to blend it together.  Once your happy with the taste pour (it will be a bit soupy) the mixture back into the container and place in freezer.  It took my mixture about 2 hours to solidify.

Why this pairing?
I am of the opinion that bourbon and vanilla work together.  I picked vanilla bean because the flavor really pops. The BBC Bourbon Barrel Stout was picked for a less grand reason.  I had this beer at a beer festival some time back and remembered loving it.  I bought a four pack about a year later and let the beer age for about nine months.  The tastes was fine, but it was way over carbonated.  I assume it was an aging issue.  Mixing it with ice cream eliminated the carbonation problem and allowed the taste I like to come out creating a tasty treat.  I found this to be a good way to get rid of a bottle of beer I did not want.

New Beer: Boulevard Brewing Coming To Chicago

I know this is a bit of an old story.  Several other beer news outlets put the word out that Binny's was ordering Boulevard.  I have a source with a few more details including that Boulevard will be in stores the last week of April and exactly which beers will be brought to Chicago.  Still waiting on word of a release party, but I hope to hear about one soon.  I am looking forward to trying a new (to me) porter we need better representation of the style in Chicago.  I also heard that there is much better than expected response from bars for this to be on top as well as strong orders for bottles.

Year Round Beers Coming to Chicago:

• Unfiltered Wheat Beer
• Pale Ale
• Single-Wide I.P.A.
• Bully! Porter

As it stands now the seasonals will not be making it to Chicago.  I wish Boulevard the best as they break into what many call a difficult market.

Beer Review: Ten Fidy by Oskar Blues

Ten Fidy is a solid heavy Imperial Stout with a mind blowing 98 IBUs.  Like all Oskar Blues products, it is canned which I truly feel is better for your beer.  This beer recently won a Gold Medal at the 2010 World Beer Championships.

I have no clue where the name came from.  However, I did Google 10-50 and found out it means "under the influence of drugs" in police radio jargon.  I find that hilarious, because with all these hops and 10.5% ABV you feel the punch.

Tasting Notes:
Poured pitch black from a can into a snifter glass with a couple fingers of deep brown head.  It was full of smoke and ester with fresh dark fruits.  The aroma was not overpowering.  A bitter beer but not sour with plenty of roast, smoke and chocolate along with additional fruit notes.  A very smooth and creamy mouthfeel warms you up and yes, it even makes you feel safe.  Be careful with this one-you do not even know the alcohol is there.

Book Review: The Best of American Beer & Food by Lucy Saunders

Anyone who reads this site quickly knows that I like food and beer pairings.  One of my go to resources is The Best of American Beer & Food by Lucy Saunders.  I feel this is a must buy for the recipes it contains.  The book has two main sections Food and Beer Across North America and Cooking and Pairing Recipes.

Saunders  who also writes beercook.com published this book in 2007.  Judging by the content I am guessing the book was likely written in 2005/ 2006.  There is a rather lengthy discussion on beer and food spanning about 80 pages. This look at beer and food had many short discussions on trends which seriously dated the book.  I should mention that Saunders wrote this book as the beer/food revolution was beginning to really blossom.  Reading the introduction is very much like a time capsule, but do not expect that the book that is going to bring you up to speed on the revolution.  I did find the different regional beer and food discussions fascinating.

The bulk of the book is recipes and like I said makes this book worth buying.  There are cheese and chocolate sections that began with rather lengthy introductions that really explained how the whole pairing concept works.  I was rather disappointed the other food sections like salad, pasta or off the hoof had no introduction section.

Recipes were scattered throughout the first section.  section II contained the bulk of the recipes.  Each recipe had a few sentences about where the recipe came from.  Many of which come from brewpubs or gastropubs.  At no point did I see a name of a beer in here which I feel allows for the consumer to more easily identify the appropriate and locally available beer.  I warn novice cooks that many of the recipes are not easy.  That is not a criticism, but I feel as if you should be warned this book may challenge you.  The recipes were laid out in a consistent manner making them easy to follow.  Many had a picture so you knew what the dish should look like.

My two absolute favorites from this book include:

• Jicama, Apple, Fennel, Sweet Pepper, and Orange Salad with a Beer/ Mint Vinaigrette.  I use apple ale and it is a hit every-time.
• Fudge Stout Brownies which include Coffee Stout and bourbon.

I usually whip out these two recipes to blow people away when it is a first time having a beer dinner with me.

Contest Reminder

Don't forget you can enter here to win a New Glarus Bottle Opener Keychain.

Tough Topic: Beer As A Business

Alright-you should be sitting down for this: Beer is business.

It has become more and more obvious that breweries are big money makers.  Sales at places like Dogfish Head and Allagash have increased so much that in order to meet demand they shrunk their distribution territory.  Goose Island became such an attractive investment that it sold to Anheuser-Busch.  The price of a pint is no longer under $5 and a six pack is hovering around $9.  Analysts predict the craft market will account for 20% of beer sales within ten years from the roughly 5% it is now.  Some breweries are doing all they can to get customers in the door, but others are just praying they can keep up with demand.  Furthermore the idea that craft beer is a community in my opinion is on very shaky ground.

The Tough Topic series found here on Mondays will begin to take a much deeper look at some of what is going on.  Next week I will examine the deeper implications of the introduction of lawyers into breweries.  Other topics to be examined include beer writers, labels, definitions, trade secrets and community.

I know many of you are probably thinking today's post is not that hard hitting.  I am throwing a softball here because so many people are just not convinced craft beer is a business.  Many have commented this week that Goose Island sold out, but in reality who wouldn't?  I know not everyone would, but if a publisher offered me a million dollars for this blog I would probably quit my job, finally write a book and drink all day.  I have seen more than one person screw someone over in this community and it is about time we start talking about this.  It is not personal-just good business.

A Look At March

Wow-March blew me away.  Very Small Beer had a one month record of 2,770 hits with a one day record of 435 hits on March 28 when the Goose Island buyout story broke.  If you missed it you can still read my initial and more thoughtful reactions.

A story readers were highly interested in was posted here and here covering the Edgewater Lounge being temporarily shut down.  I wrote the initial post from a smartphone which I never did before.  I am still trying to get the City of Chicago to release the official documents regarding the closure before writing more, but remember clean matters.

Finally, I was a bit disappointed when readers seemed uninterested in New Glarus R&D Golden Ale.  Here is a brewer doing extremely small test batches and asking for feedback.  We do not see that often.

As always if you have a topic you would like explored leave a comment.  Comments are always approved unless they come from rich Nigerian widows looking to sell me a stake in a very important business opportunity. April has my first contest so be sure to enter, and check back tomorrow asI am ready to start seriously tackling the business of beer.

New Glarus Key-Chain Giveaway

This contest is now closed the winner was Liz with the answer of Sweetwater Brewery.

When I went to New Glarus last week I purchased the nifty key-chain you see here.  Sorry this is the best photo I could get, but it has the Drink Indigenous logo on the front.  It could be yours.  To win all you need to do is answer one simple question: What is your favorite brewery?

Put the brewery name and a way to contact you in the comments and I will randomly select one winner who answered next weekend.  No comments made after April 9, 2011 at noon Central Time will be accepted.

What To Put With That Beer

This weekend when you go to eat a meal or have a snack and want a beer think about it.  Think about how that beer will taste alongside the dish your eating.  Consider whether it would make your spicy food spicier or cool it down.  Maybe it is the sweet to go with the salty dish.

Now it is time for your homework.  I want you to go try some pairings, and come back leave the pairing in the comment.  I know that is tough homework, drinking beer, but some people need sugestions to understand how beer and food go together.

Goose Island Sale Will Damage Small Brewers

I know you are all sick of hearing about Goose Island and the Anheuser Busch acquisition.  I think every beer blogger, writer and news outlet wrote knee jerk responses.  I stand by my previous post, but I wanted to write a more thoughtful post especially now that a discussion had occurred.  I was faced with a difficult problem while writing on Monday.  No one had made an argument for or against this acquisition  This blog is not about me proselytizing, but rather about the conversation that occurs within the beer community in which I am one voice.

Beer enthusiasts have fallen into three camps.  The people who think Goose Island's sale is a great thing, those who regard it as horrible and the wait and see camp.  I think in some respects all three camps are correct.  Yes, I think everyone is right.  They are right for their own reasons.

The sale is great for Goose Island as a brand.  AB will pump up production, and may even bring back some retired styles like Oatmeal and Nut Brown.  The two Chicago brewpubs are unaffected, and I read in more than one article that they are evaluating their options.  The Hall family got a nice chunk of cash for building the business.  With AB at the helm I think people from coast to coast will see Goose Island in their stores over the next few years.  No doubt this is a win for Goose Island as a business.

The people in doom and gloom land are right for the same reasons.  These people do not like large corporations selling beer to them.  They believe in environmental sustainability, drinking local, and the diversity craft beer has to offer.  Craft trumps profit and they believe the industry is damaged.

The wait and see people are probably the most reasonable people.  AB is promising to let John Hall retain control.  They have also said the St. Louis brewery will not be used to produce Goose Island beer, but curiously did not mention the other AB facilities.  The recipes will not change and everything will be the same.  The question is whether AB holds true to their word or not.  These are huge questions and time will tell.  AB has not always followed this in the past, although they may have learned from mistakes.

Where do I sit?  I believe in all three camps.  This is great if your name is Hall or your a Goose Island production worker.  Without a doubt a larger corporation is selling the beer.  Goose is now a subsidiary.  Make no mistake this is not the "partnership" some have tried to frame this as.  AB owns Goose Island -do not be stupid.  AB will look to make their money back, and they will look to find ways to cut costs.  Will those changes come at the expense of quality?  Only time will tell.  I will put money on AB brewing 312 Urban Wheat Ale in giant brewkettles at their facilities within 3 years which may or may not affect quality.

The people who really need to be concerned are Metropolitan, Half Acre, Three Floyds and other Chicago brewers.  Without a doubt AB will flex their marketing muscle to keep their new brand out in front.  If AB is able to keep these breweries from expanding their taps and shelf space their business models went to hell.  Now imagine if AB is able to go after 5% of a small brewers accounts.  Metropolitan Chicago's only strict lager brewery is a strong up and comer.  (My review)  Metropolitan is sold in about 363 bars and restaurants in the Chicago area.  AB would only have to successfully shut Metropolitan out of 18 outlets to hit that goal.  Looking at the list it would not be that hard.  You can watch the movie Beer Wars to see how the retail side of things works.  AB may not need to shove them out, but imagine if Metropolitan's their shelf space went from two facings to one?

Many small startup breweries are running with debt right now.  Their business models are built on ever increasing growth.  Should AB flex their muscles many smaller craft brewers may be in trouble.

Beer Review: R&D Golden Ale by New Glarus Brewing Co.

New Glarus sells very small batch beers from their Hilltop Brewery Beer Depot called the R&D series.  This series is composed of beers the brewery is considering making, and looking for customer feedback.  I find this idea thrilling that a brewery is actively looking for feedback on potential beer.  Currently, the only R&D series for sale is their Golden Ale.  My only complaint is the series has no information on their website and no direct way to give feedback, although I am told they scout out opinions on blogs and message boards for feedback.  One suggestion I have is postcard attached to the bottle at point of sale may encourage customer feedback.  Postcards are not a necessity as beer folks love to post their opinions on the internet.  A webform would result in the same kind of situation by allowing more direct feedback.  I think breweries should always look for different ways to interact with customers and differentiate themselves.

Tasting Notes:


Poured into a tulip glass, Golden Ale was a cloudy golden color with thick white head and moderate lacing.  There were aromas of horse blanket (an acquired taste) and orange peel.  Brettanomyces sourness and malt on the tongue with very subtle hops. This beer had a very dry finish.  Although this was a tasty beer I felt the flavor came and went in a flash.  A more concentrated flavor would have satisfied me even more.
Final Note: Keep up the R&D!
Bottled 6-18-09; Purchased 3-25-11; Drank 3-27-11; Poured at 46F

Beer Tool: Bottle Thermometer

Yes, I said a bottle thermometer.  I do not use this tool everyday, but a thermometer comes in handy when you are trying to get the best tasting result of a particular beer.  I try to use the thermometer before writing any beer review.  I feel I owe it to the brewer to serve the beer at the proper temperature before I give my thoughts.  Also, if I am opening a pricey beer it gets a little more special treatment.  I know person after person who insists on the proper glassware for each beer they drink, yet many take a beer straight out of an ice cold cooler or sub 40F degree refrigerator and drink away.  Many beers, especially more complex ones, benefit from being in the 50-55F degree range.  In some cases temperature is suggested on a bottle or you can consult style guidelines for proper temperature.  I would say most beer should be consumed in the 45-50F degree range and barrel aged beers are likely best in the 50-55F range.

The Menu wine bottle thermometer measures the temperature of the bottle or can and not the beer itself.  The beer inside is likely one degree cooler.  The device will sit flush with almost every bottle or can style with the exception of longneck bottles.  In order to get it to sit flush I wrap a rubber band around it to hold it tight.

Is this a tool for everyone?  No.  If you are really, really, really into beer (or an evaluator) I suggest putting it on a birthday list.  If you can not justify buying one do yourself a favor and at least let your beer sit on the counter a few minutes before pouring.

Tough Topic: Goose Island Changes Hands

On Thursday March 21 I posted a more thoughtful second look.

Given today's breaking news I have opted for a second hastily written Tough Topic post.  You should still check out my post on Brewery Tours.

In what is a historic announcement Goose Island's ownership sold the production brewery and beer portfolio to Anheuser-Busch.  I have no qualms about saying this is historic.  Goose Island was a pioneer in bringing craft beer to the Midwest.  Several other breweries in the region, and even the nation are headed by brewers who cut their teeth at Goose Island.  Goose Island has stood for quality and innovation in a tight knit drinking community.

Goose Island is not just where I became acquainted with craft beer, where I made friends or enjoyed the best beer I ever had.  Over the last few years Goose Island really pushed the idea of drinking local with beers like Green Line, and  helped fuel the trend for barrel aged beer with the Bourbon County Stout line of beers.  While all this occurred Goose Island has had some issues, and long term customers were beginning to grumble about a drop in quality.  (See here and here for details.)  

I have met the Halls and I never doubted they were in this business to make money.  I can not blame them. only idiots go into business to go broke, but a bottom line always seemed to pop up with them.  Goose now claims that in order to keep up growth they needed to sell to Anheuser-Busch for $38.8M.  Frankly, I think they undervalued the brewery, but I am just a  humble blogger.  BeerAdvocate  has a press release where John Hall founder of Goose Island calls this a partnership.  I find it hard to consider someone buying a 58% stake in the business a partnership when the founder is no longer really in charge.

The customary claims that nothing will change are being made and Goose Island will continue operations as is, but with additional support of the resources of AB.  However Goose Island's current brewmaster is already stepping down and being replaced by Brett Porter. Brett is a well regarded brewer, but this is evidence of change, and I can only assume that positions will be eliminated.  I already had a recently terminated Goose Island employee tell me he expects us to see many more pink slips.

What else will change?  Beer selection.  I expect to see the Michelob line of beer scaled back.  Currently Michelob sells a line of craft style beers in in several traditional styles from English Pale Ale to Bavarian Wheat.  Michelob struggled to gain a foothold in this segment and having beer drinkers adopt it as a viable choice.  It would realistically make sense for AB to push Goose Island's current well rated and accepted line of beer into the same shelf space.

Harry Schuhmacher has reported on his Twitter feed that Dave Peacock the CEO of AB has stated they will not brew Goose Island's line of beers at the St. Louis brewery.  I find the choice of words interesting given that AB operates eleven other facilities in the US and has access to InBev facilities overseas.  At some point someone will make a decision that it is cheaper to begin doing runs of certain beers such as 312 or Summertime in a larger facility.    I agree we will not see these changes right away, but they are coming.  Once capacity opens up we may see the Oatmeal Stout and Nut Brown beers return or we may see less profitable beers disappear.

I do think the Chicago facility will continue operation, in fact AB is claiming to pump over a million dollars into the facility in the next year.  However, I believe that this will be to focus on smaller batch beers such as Bourbon County and Matilda.  It is just too easy to increase profits on some of these beers by transferring production to another facility.

What else will change?  I do not think AB will change their position on honesty.  I do think Goose Island will have a drop of sales in certain circles such as HopCat's announcement to discontinue sale (#3 Beer Bar on Planet Earth by BeerAdvocate).  I do think their sales will likely increase, and Goose Island will sell coast to coast.  I have not alway embraced the David vs Goliath philosophy and felt microbreweries biggest competition was each other and not the big guys.  I think this acquisition needs to be closely watched by Dogfish Head and Brooklyn Brewery.  This threatens them in a way they have not seen.

In any case the next 24 months will have a lot to show.  Will this work?  Will it grow or die?  What will the effect on other establishments be?  Come back and find out I plan to watch closely.  Given Goose Islands increasing focus on Belgian style beer it is ironic they got bought up by a Belgian conglomerate.

Tough Topic: Knowing Why You Go On Brewery Tours

I go on a lot of brewery tours.  I stopped counting after I went on over a dozen tours.  Some places I even toured more than once. Every tour has some sort of beer drinking built in.  Some include beer to sip during the tour, but most have beer at the end.  Last week I went on a "Hard Hat" tour of New Glarus Brewing Co.  On our tour a woman woman constantly asked where the beer samples were.  She actually became pretty obnoxious about trying to move the tour along so we can get to the beer at the end.  I said to the people I was with that she should have just gone to the bar instead.

During some tours, the beer samples are worth more than what you pay to go on the tour.  For instance, Lakefront Brewing Company's website claims $7 gets you four 6 oz pours and a beer at the bar, but in reality I remember more along with a pint glass.  New Glarus has a $20 tour that lets you free pour a selection of 6-8 beers into a souvenir tasting glass with cheese and crackers.  Both places had great tours, but New Glarus did not give you the value of your money in beer, but that is okay with me.  New Glarus provided value in other ways.

I do not go on tours to drink.  If I only wanted to drink I head to a bar or tasting room and pull up a stool.  Go on the tour to learn how beer is made.  When you get to the point where you are able to glaze over the basics listen for finer details.  For instance tours taught me that Two Brothers uses a forced carbonation system, Three Floyds relies on gravity not pumps to avoid agitation, and New Glarus has an open top fermenter.  You can also learn so much about a breweries' philosophy and why they do what they do from choice in yeast to distribution.

My family specifically asks me to not take them on tours.  They just want to drink but my friends like tours.  So if your like my family or the obnoxious lady at New Glarus skip the tour and find a bar.  We will both be happier that way.

Post Break

Still trying to get caught up from being gone and sick.  I apologize, but it looks like no new posts until Monday.

Beer Review: Light Lager by D.G. Yuengling & Son

Yuengling Light Lager

Yuengling is America's Oldest brewery and unless you live in one of the original colonies it seems it is impossible to get their beer.  I respect Yuengling for their decision to remain truly regional, but it does get frustrating not being able to buy their lager.

The Light Lager is my Dad's lawnmower beer.  It is that easy to go down beer that quenches your thirst.  Now I know most of you think a lawnmower beer is required to have zero flavor.  This is not the case with Yuengling it is full of flavor while still being light.

Tasting Notes:
When poured from a bottle into a pilsner glass Light Lager poured a dark amber with a solid three fingers of head.  Aroma is composed of caramel, corn, grass and a hint of lemon.  The taste follows the nose and has more flavor than others light lagers, but remember this is a light lager.  Mouthfeel is almost watery, but that is within the style.  Overall a very drinkable beer for a light lager, but if you can find it get the Traditional Lager from Yuengling instead.

When Clean Matters

Yesterday, I was talking with a group of beer people and we were discussing bars shut down by the health department.  When I wrote about Edgewater being closed a lot of people talked about how it was just the bathrooms.  (btw I did request the sanitation records which have yet to arrive)  We came to a consensus that if the management is not going to clean the toilets they likely are not cleaning draft lines.  A clean draft line is essential to good beer.

Cleveland's NBC station had this investigative report on draft lines a few weeks ago.

Cleaning lines in states like Ohio is mandatory every two weeks and no bar should really go more than every three, although I think bi-weekly is a better minimum.  Having someone come and clean the line can be a drag on the bottom line, but customers deserve it.

I do not know about you, but if the toilet is not being scrubbed I do not think draft lines are good either.

Tough Topic: How many Chances Do You Need?

Recently I told a bar manager I would come out and review his place.  He told me I should visit more than once before writing a review.  When I asked why he said you never know if the staff might make a bad impression.  Seriously?

The more managers I meet the more I hear this concept echoed.  They keep saying they need a break and it is not their fault if things do not go well.  If you run a bar and you are not sure your staff is up to snuff then you either should not be running a bar or need to fire staff.  Consumers who have a bad experience will likely not come back and you will not get a second chance review from me.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

I hope all you celebrating have a nice holiday.  I apologize for the drop in blogging and twitter a 102F fever can slow a man down.  I hope to be up to full speed after today.

Last week's trip to Ohio means a review of Ray's in Kent and Winking Lizard in Canton will be getting reviewed.  Also, I will be writing on my homebrew attempt number two which was a beer dedicated to my father.  It turned out just like him...sour.  (Sorry Dad the joke was too easy.)

Hope the luck of the Irish is with you, and be safe!

Support Japanese Breweries

I want to start out by saying this blog has had a consistent Japanese readership, and my thoughts are with all those currently in Japan. You can make a donation here via the American Red Cross to be specifically placed in the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Fund

The earthquake and tsunami had considerable impact and slowly the country and the world is taking stock of just what the total damage will be.  Japan will soon begin to transition from emergency response to long term recovery, and my guess is in some areas this process has already begun.  The most difficult phase of any disaster is recovery.  Several Japanese brewers were damaged in the disaster.  Not only were the facilities at Kirin, Sapporo, Asahi, Kiuchi (Hitachio Nest) damaged, but countless staff were impacted.  Kirin seems to be the most severely impacted.

These companies have a number of issues to handle.  First, staff and and facilities need to be cared for.  While this is occurring we will see shortages in Japanese produced beer.  Even those breweries such as Kiuchi which seem to have faired well have ceased production and shifted to potable water production for humanitarian relief. Even once they return to brewery production shipping methods will be impacted for the foreseeable future.  The longterm health of the Japanese brewing industry really needs your help in order to make the smoothest transition.

What can stores do?
When a store has trouble keeping a certain product in stock for long periods of time that beer often looses its allocated shelf space.  I understand why stores do this, and I ask them to please realize for the next several months it is not the breweries fault, and I understand you have a bottom line.  Please when the situation changes  make sure you have these beers back on your shelves and do not banish them.

What can a consumer do?
Continue to purchase Japanese made beer.  A consistent influx of cash will provide jobs and the necessary capital to allow rebuilding.  Secondly, when you notice your favorite Japanese import no longer having a space on your local shelves ask the manager about it.

I do not think any of these brewers will be forced to close, but I would think that some are going to be damaged for the foreseeable future, and some distribution channels will dry up.  I wish everyone the best.

Welcome New Readers

Over the last two weeks I have had an explosion in readership.  I would like to welcome all the new readers.  Comments and suggestions are always appreciated.  I would like to remind you the blog attempts to follow the following schedule:

• Monday- Tough Topics in the industry
• Tuesday- A variety of short series
• Wednesday- Beer Reviews
• Thursday- Event, Bar and Brewery Reviews
• Friday- Entertaining with beer

Glassware: Snifter

The snifter glass is one I commonly associated with nice whisky and brandy until I became interested in beer.  Now the snifter glass is my go to glass for many of the barrel-aged beers I enjoy drinking.  Most stem ware is designed to minimize heat transfer, but not in the case of the snifter.  When drinking from a snifter you should hold the glass with the stem protruding between your fingers and the glass resting in your palm.  The heat transfer will warm the beer and cause the beer to release more aromas.  The inward turn of the glass concentrates the aromas to hit your nose.

Snifters are appropriate for beers over 8% ABV, Imperial IPAs, Barleywines, and Russian Imperial Stout.

Event Review: Day and Night of The Living Ales

Each year the Chicago Beer Society (CBS) holds the Day & Night of The Living Ales: A Celebration of Real Ale.  This event features real ale, also known as cask beer.  Real ale has no carbon dioxide added and the beer naturally carbonates, additionally the yeast in this beer is still active almost up until the time you drink the beer.  The beer also likes to exist around 53F so festivals like this can be a bit chilly.  Normally CBS finds a deli or other caterer to put out a small selection of higher end meat and cheese to munch on.

CBS splits the day into two sessions the Day and the Night.  There is no real difference except time of day.  The organizers try very hard to make sure beer is held in casks for the second session.  Occasionally one will run out, but not usually half way into the second session.  A benefit of the second session is you can call people you know at the first session and know what is worth it and what is not.  Personally I am done for the day after drinking for hours so I typically crawl into bed after an event like this.

Night Session 2011

In 2011 there were 45 beers available and for the most part were very good.  Chicago brewers dominate at this event, but there was a fair sprinkling of brewers from elseware.  Metropolitan had an intriguing ginger infused alt and Piece had smoked chocolate porter that reminded me of cocoa puffs.  The bad side of cask events was evident in Revolution's Village Green Bitter which had some off flavors.  This can happen easily and I would note their Eugen Porter was above average.  With the ale be alive right up to the end it is hard for a brewer to ensure the perfect flavor.  I do not know if this was the situation with Village Green, but many brewers never get to crack open the cask until the event itself making it near impossible to provide the level of quality control we have become used to.

CBS also gives awards at this event and Firestone Walker's Double Jack Double IPA won the Golden Tut Award for being the beer that best exemplified the cask experience.  Attendees also vote for their top beers.  This year first place went to Goose Island's production facility for Scully an oak aged saison with strawberries, honey and Champagne yeast.

Overall, this is one of the better events on the annual beer calender, and does sell out.  I try to attend each year as I never know what I may find.  I have done both the day and night sessions, and I lean towards liking the night better.  CBS holds Living Ale each March and I hope to see you there next year.

Beer Review: Trader Joe's Vintage 2010

Most people believe store brand is probably inferior to the real name brand item, and beer lovers fall to that belief as well.  As I grew up I always thought store brand was not as good, and my mom will tell you I often thought name brands were marks of status.  I learned differently and do not shy away from store brands anymore.  I have commented before on Trader Joe's use of better brewers for their store brands.  Trader Joe's contracted Unibroue to make this year's Vintage Ale.  Unibroue without a doubt is a fine brewer, and Trader Joe's made a wise choice here.

Tasting Notes:
This Belgian Strong Dark Ale poured a  brownish black and had nice head.  The aroma reminds me of Unibroue's other beers.  Which means I was not a fan, but that is a personal taste issue and not a brewery defect.  There were aromas of spice, dark fruits, and of course esters.  Full of flavor this beer coats your tongue in dark fruit, clove and candy sugar.  It was very carbonated which tickled the tongue.  I aged mine for about 3 months, but you could age it for about 3 years.  I would likely try this again next year, but age for a couple years.

Beer History: My Dad Turns 60

The last few weeks on this blog have been focused on Beer History.  Continuing on that trend I would like to discuss my father's old age, 60.  He used to be a Busch guy and then he went onto Bud Light.  From Bud Light he went to American Ale by AB and now loves Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale.  My brother and I have been working to change his taste his horizons are rapidly expanding .

I think Dad owes me $101.93 for this.

What does an obnoxious son do for his father's birthday?  First, I had to drive to Wisconsin to get him a beer he asked for  back in October.  A six pack of Dale's Pale Ale for his office fridge, delivered cold of course.  Secondly, since I just drove about 7 hours to get there, we need food.  I will take him out to lunch at the same bar he has been going to for the last 40 years.  Finally, he gets one heck of a sampler pack including beer from Oskar Blues, Goose Island, New Glarus,  Bell's and others.  To pull this off I have travelled through four states, flattened a tire, and lied to my family all in the name of surprise.  Happy Birthday Old Man.

Tough Topic: Young Adults and AHA

Last week Ray Daniels the founder of the Cicerone program asked for suggestions on how to improve the 21-30 age group participation in the American Homebrewers Association (AHA).  I thought for a few days on this topic and have a few suggestions:

1. Make Yourself Known 
2. College Involvement 
3. Mentorship
4. Anxiety Reduction  

All four are simple on the surface, but I understand they will not be easy to implement or carry out.  Sometimes for big results you need to try harder.

1. Make Yourself Known
This weekend at Night of the Living Ales I saw a guy wearing a t-shirt from a brewing group in a city I lived in for eight years.   I had no clue the organization existed.  If I knew it was there, I would have joined.  While it is in part the individual homebrew clubs job to publicize itself, promotion by AHA would be a good step in the right direction.

2. College Involvement
College involvement may result in quick growth, but comes with its own set of headaches.  Setting up school sanctioned homebrew clubs on college campuses may be met with some resistance from college administrators.  I believe establishing school groups would be a great way to let people know who and what you are.  Additionally, I am a firm believer that we live in a country that does not understand alcohol.  College groups may be able to teach alcohol responsibility.

3. Mentorship
Establishing a mentorship program, while labor intensive to set up and manage, may reap the greatest rewards.  By having new members pair up with a more experienced hombrewer newbies may learn much quicker and make the connection to the craft.  Mentorship could work in a few different ways.  One option would be for the mentor to coach the mentee through his or her first batch.  A better option would be to have a mentee head over to the mentors to brew a batch together.  I would point out that a mentee should not be a free loader and should help pay their own way.  Additionally, I think the pair should meet in a bar ahead of time and discuss what kind of beer they would make and to ensure personality compatibility.  Either way the relationship has to be one both participants are comfortable with.

4. Anxiety Reduction
Finally, AHA and the beer community needs to reduce the anxiety.  All to often I have come to events and had trouble breaking into a clique.  At least for me, that anxiety transfers to a homebrew club.  How can I join a group where I literally have no clue what I am doing?  I personally feel apprehensive to show up at an event where I have no good beer to share, and can not help.  One solution would be to suggest to homebrew clubs or the AHA itself in larger metro areas to host New Brewers Nights.  A mixer/ educational evening or weekend afternoon would allow people a place to come and know they do not need to prove they should be there.

I know some of these suggestions will not be easy to institute and may take some time, but I hope those at AHA take a look at them and give them some consideration.  Craft beer and homebrewing are quickly becoming a force in modern society.  To keep the concept of flavorful beer, made locally going in the right direction we need new brewers.  AHA does some great things, and I feel they have some big goals on the horizon.  I wish them luck.

Bar Alert: Edgewater Update

See the original post here.

I spoke with a  person familiar with The Edgewater Lounge situation.  I was told the restaurant and bar were inspected by the City and given two weeks to shape up or face closure.  They were given a number of small violations to fix.  When the City returned the next week many were fixed and I was told the City found more violations.

Unfortunately, the City being so anxious to take tax dollars has not updated their inspection website since last summer so I have no way of confirming what I was told.  I am taking this story with a grain of salt until I can confirm this.

There is a sign saying they are closed for maintenance and apologizing for the inconvenience.  I am holding out hope the story above is wrong.  I doubt I will ever go back if they can not run a clean ship.  Crossing my fingers that there is not a disgusting explanation.

More information to come when I can get the office Health Department explanation.

Bar Alert: Edgewater Lounge

Hey Northsiders! Edgewater Lounge on N Ashland in Chicago is closed.  Closure was ordered by the Dept of Public Health.  Edgewater is known for their unusually large Rogue selection.  As of now no reason has been publicly disclosed for the closure.  I will update when more information is available.
More information available here.

Event Review: Chicago Craft Beer Week

Last week I talked about American Craft Beer Week, but this week I want to talk about a local event, Chicago Craft Beer Week.  Why do I like Chicago Beer Week?

The first thing I like about Chicago Craft Beer Week is the ownership.  This is our week.  This is the week for our people our town and our beer.

Secondly, the people come.  Each year there seems to be a distribution announcement by another big brewery in Chicago.  Famous brewers also come in and put on dinners and tastings, or randomly just show up in a bar.

You can expect events at brewery in the city and suburbs.  Also, many of the beer bars will likely be holding events paired with local and out of town breweries.  I will try to post updates on some of the better events here, but you should head on over to the Chicago Craft Beer Week website and sign up for email updates.

What else can you expect:

• Passport for sale on April 26 for exclusive events
• iPhone App to guide you also available April 26 (no word on an Android version so may trade phones with Beer Bitch)
• Rumors of Chicago History Museum Events
• 80 participating establishments

#16 of 1001 Brains Dark by S.A. Brain & Company

A few weeks ago I reviewed Brains SA and also discussed the differences between US and UK warning labels.  I specifically requested this beer from London because it is in the book, 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe)).  This is the 16th beer in my 1001 beers blogging series.

Brains Dark is known as a mild.  It was popular with blue collar workers throughout the UK until there was a decline in industry in the mid-20th century.  The style has remained popular in some areas such as Cardiff home to the S.A. Brain & Company brewery.  Brains claims the brew is the largest selling dark milk in Wales and was named one of the Top 50 Beers at the International Beer Challenge 2008.

Tasting Notes:
Pours a very dark brown almost black and creates a creamy head.  Aroma of chocolate and roasted malt.  There is slight smokiness mixed with more roasted and chocolate flavors.  The beer is thinner than you would expect, but overall a decent dark mild.

Beer History: Medicine & Health

Beer has played a role in medicine and health since it was invented.  Everyone knows you are supposed to eat your grains daily, and early beer was a source of grain based nutrients.  It is even possible the first beer was consumed like porridge or gruel.  The recipe used by Ancient Egyptians contained tetracycline a powerful antibiotic.  (A cruel twist of fate- this site stole my thunder yesterday.)

It is also important to note the role beer played in preventing illness from E. coli and other bacteria.  People moved into cities and water supplies became contaminated.  The idea of pathogens had not been thought of.  People knew water could make them sick, but beer did not.  What many did not realize is the boil stage of brewing was killing bacteria.  Beer saved thousands if not millions of lives.  Everyone drank beer as it was the only known safe beverage in Europe.

While we do not think of beer as health food today, it was likely more nutritious back then.  Beer today lacks  nutrition and the filters and ingredients used by many brewers likely do not yield the same punch.  However, it is important to remember where beer played a role in history.

Tough Topic: Should Kids Be In Bars?

Many bars and brewpubs have age limits for entry.  Owners and managers need to determine if having an age limit works for them.  Without this balance owners could be costing themselves revenue from the pro-kid camp or pro-kidless camp.

A bar is a bar is a bar.  If there is no food then your kid has no business being there.  If the establishment has food then personally I think kids should be allowed in the door.  Where you sit is another issue.  If an establishment has a dinning room and a bar kids belong in the dining room.

Some establishments have zero kid policies.  Establishments may be losing out on customers who want to bring their kids for lunch on a Saturday afternoon.  While on the other hand places with kids running rampant may be losing customers.  If they wanted screaming kids they could just go to Chuck E. Cheese.

Either way, bars and brewpubs need to find a balance, and restricting child entry to certain times and parts of the establishment are certainly appropriate.

Finally, if your kids are in an establishment running around screaming take them to Chuck E. Cheese.  When they are ready to behave bring them to the brewpub-you are going to need a beer.

What do you think?

Found it!

This is what we came all this way for.

Glassware: The Weissbier "Vase"

Hey you!  See that glass to the right?  You do?  Good!  That is not a stinking pilsner glass!  Got it?  Good!

Sorry for being aggresive, but I can not tell you how often people mistake a Vase a.k.a Weissbier glass as an appropriate vessel for pilsners.  The wide mouth allows for plenty of foam and thus aroma to hit the nose enhancing flavor.  As you raise this glass to drink the surface area further increases allowing for even more aromas.  The style has been around for sometime, but the flowing curve more than likely did not originate until the 1900's.

This glass is appropriate for wheat beers and wheat beers not pilsners.

Event Review: American Craft Beer Week

American Craft Beer Week (ACBW) is a way to set aside a special time to celebrate craft beer.  Personally I think every week should be beer week, but the powers that be decided we need a dedicated national time.  ACBW is not the same as your local city or state beer weeks, although usually they have the same goals.  


What is the point of ACBW?  
Honestly, I do not know the behind the scene reason.  The Brewer Association's website states ACBW is "an exciting opportunity for small and independent craft brewers and the community of better beer retailers to feature craft beer in their community."


Do not get me wrong, I love local beer weeks, but a national event just seems lackluster.  The establishments holding events should be featuring craft beer everyday.  There is no reason to wait until May to do so.  I  started thinking about this and determined it is not about getting a guy to try a beer or to hold events in breweries, although those are great things and part of ACBW.  I think what is really behind ACBW is a chance to pressure establishments to sell more craft beer and host related events.  It is really about a brewery rep walking into a bar and talking about this big national week and trying to get a Miller or AB product off draft and a craft beer on.  Believe it or not, there are still a lot of bars that will not ditch macro beer or open the door to craft beer.


For what it is worth, you should see a slight bump in the craft beer scene in your area May 16-22, 2011.  If you are reading this after May, note in your calendar that ACBW is always middle May.  Come back next week for a discussion of local beer weeks and how they can change your life, or at least get you drunk.


A constantly updated list of ACBW events.

Beer Review: Double Jack by Firestone Walker

I gathered my notes to write on Firestone Walker's Double Jack and then discovered that it is Chicago Tribune's Beer of the Month for February. Firestone Walker is a newcomer to the Chicago beer scene, but has been taking the beer world by storm over the last several years.  You may have tried products from Firestone Walker before as they are one of the brewers of Trader Joe's store-brand beers.  Named Mid-Size Brewer of the Year Firestone Walker by the World Beer Cup three times and twice named Brewing Company of the Year by the Great American Beer Festival.

Tasting Notes:
This Double IPA poured amber with some lacing.  Aroma of citrus, slightly sweet with a hint of pine.  Moderately carbonated this beer had a predominate hop flavor without going overboard.  A nice sweetness rounds this beer out.  At 9.5% be careful how much as you drink you cannot taste the alcohol.

Beer History: Writing & Building

Cuneiform for Beer

The first written language was called Cuneiform (3000 BC), and yes they had a symbol for beer.  Beer and barley were some of the earliest commodities that could be bought, sold or more likely bartered for.  It is believed that written language was created as a way to track the exchange of these commodities.  Ancient Sumerian peoples had more than 160 words related to beer.  Since the Agricultural Revolution, many other cultures have come up with their own words for beer.  Some of my personal favorites are beer, bier, pivo and cerveza.  But nothing beats the Egyptians that used the symbols for beer and bread to mean a meal.

The rise of written language allowed individuals to use commodities such as beer by being able track who was paid and who was owed.  Ancient beer was a vital source of nutrition.  Laborers building the pyramid were paid about a gallon of beer a day or about 231,414,717 gallons a pyramid.  Frequently the laborers were given a chit that was worth a certain amount of beer.  Very similar in concept to modern debit cards they could use the chit at the equivalent of a modern bar or store.

The tradition of paying in beer comes up throughout history, and today employees of breweries are still partially compensated with beer to drink both at work and to take home.  Beer has played an integral role in building society.

Keep checking back as I continue to look at beer in pivotal moments in history.

Tough Topic: Be Honest

As craft beer becomes bigger business, a few breweries become shady.  Some of the larger mass production brewers are making a line of more flavorful beer, but distancing themselves from the new brand to make it look like it is a hometown beer.  The two that come to mind right away is Landshark Lager and Leinenkugel's.

Landshark is really a product of Anheuser-Busch.  Landshark just uses Jimmy Buffet for branding.  Nowhere on their bottle or in any of their material is it obvious that Landshark is a product of AB.  In fact they have done such a good job covering this up that good.is created a beer map of the US.  In creating this map Good asked readers the following:

What is the most awesome, best tasting, sustainably brewed, independently owned, community-oriented craft beer brewed in your state?

Landshark is by no means independently owned and it is a shame the people of Florida don't know that.

A second brewery out there masquerading as a small craft brewer is Leinenkugel's.  Now I do enjoy one of their beers from time to time, but I do take issue with how they attempt to pass themselves off.  No mention of Miller on the bottle at all.  Check out their FAQ page.  See the spot where they claim to be a "regional brewery with limited marketing dollars." Bullshit.

Many consumers decide to drink craft beer for its' sustainability, or to support a local business in addition to a more flavorful beer.  I am glad to see some of these larger brewers are trying to produce more flavorful beer and there is some attempt to even give back to the communities where they are based.  But seriously folks, be honest about who you are.

Glassware: Stemmed Tulips

Stemmed Tulips are a fancy little glass.  Like  other specialty glassware they typically look more expensive than they really are.  The name is based on the silhouette of a tulip and is evident when you look at the glass in profile.  The glass has a wider bottom allowing beer to spread out and have more surface area to release aromas.  The middle of the glass curves in concentrating the aromas.  Finally, although I have yet to find someone else to say this, I think the the curved out rim on tulips actually bends your lip down and changes the way the beer hits your tongue.

Tulips are usually appropriate for Belgian and French beers especially Lambic, Gueze and Saison.

Brewery Review: Anheuser-Busch

St. Louis Brewhouse

Believe it or not, Anheuser-Busch might not be as bad as you think.  The whole operation gets a pretty bum wrap about their beer based on their flagship beers Bud and Bud Light.  Many find it appalling that rice is used in the brewing process.  I find it interesting that The Bruery can add rice to their beer to create a lighter flavor, but AB can not add rice for a lighter flavor.  Many of the beers in AB's Michelob line are actually pretty good.

People also do not realize the level of influence AB has in many of the most popular craft beers. AB has about a one-third stake in Goose Island and steaks of several others, most notably the Craft Brewers Alliance.  Many people from the South think Landshark Lager is a micro-brew.  Seriously?  When do craft breweries have enough cash to buy naming rights on an NFL stadium?  Think I am lying? Scroll to the bottom of their homepage and click the beeresponsible.com link.

Beer Bitch Loves The Horses

AB has played a big part in beer and popular culture.  How many cultural references have come from this brewery?  Clydesdales, Spuds McKenzie, frogs and the much loved and hated Whatzzzzzzzzzzzzuuuuuuuup.  Also, there are more serious issues in which AB has played a role from immigration in 19th century to prohibition in the 20th century to lobbying beer laws in the 21st century.

Pouring From A Finishing Tank

If nothing else AB is an excellent example of American manufacturing, even if owned by the Belgians.  If you are in St. Louis it would be a shame not to stop at the original brewery.  If you do go, it is worth signing up for the paid Beermaster tour.  This tour covers a bit more ground and you get to see more of the facility than you do on the free tour, plus there is a nice tasting glass for a souvenir.  I will say drinking Bud Light from a finishing tank doesn't taste half bad.

Beer Review: Honkers Ale by Goose Island

Goose Island's Honker's Ale for all intents and purposes was my first love of craft beer.  I used to be blown away by its' hops and when I have it now I laugh at how I used to think it was mind blowing.  I do not think Honker's is bad.  When I used to drink it all the time I had yet to have a 100+ IBU or any of the other powerful beers that now touch my lips.

Inspired by English country pubs, Honker's Ale is one of Goose Islands core brands and is found in most grocery stores in the Chicago region.  I also know some grocery stores and almost all beer stores in the Midwest can get you this beer.  For a number of years I kept a six pack of this in the fridge as my go-to-beer.  I also find this is a relatively safe beer to take to BBQs and other gatherings as people may not find it as intimidating as some other beers.

Tasting Notes:
Pours amber with a bit of a haze and a proper head.  A fruity aroma with a trace of hops gives way to flavors of a balanced brew.  A bit of citrus hops dances across the tongue.  Honker's has a pretty smooth feel almost thin mouthfeel.  I think novices will likely have their eyes opened by this beer and snobs will likely drink one and move on.

Beer History: Settling Down

Over the next several weeks come back each Tuesday to see how beer had major influence in society.  In many cases people look at me and say "It is just beer."  Yeah it is just beer, but beer played a role in everything from the Agricultural Revolution to the Industrial Revolution to technological advancements to massive government policy decisions.  Thousands of people rely on beer for employment and the modern craft movement is one of many elements driving our society to be more sustainable.  So yes it is just beer, but beer is huge.

For years scientists assumed that civilization went from a hunter gatherer society to an agrarian one for the generic concept of growing grains and raising livestock.  Scientists are now beginning to believe early humans may of settled to raise grain for beer.  While no one knows exactly how beer came about there are some theories.

It is believed that originally a group of hunter gatherers left grain in a container and it either deliberately or inadvertently became wet.  Then wild airborne yeast mixed in and the grains fermented.  Some lucky man or woman got to be the first to taste beer.  Their identity will never be known but they told their friends to try beer.  It was discovered to be tasty and early man decided to settle down and domesticate barley.  We know barley was among the earliest domesticated grains.  Now most people would likely say grains were domesticated to make bread.  Scientists have dated beer to 9000 BC which is 3000 years before evidence of bread.  The domesticated grains were the spark that created what we now call Mesopotamia the cradle of civilization.

I am not one to argue that without this discovery we would of never settled down, but what if the catalyst for the Agricultural Revolution did not happen for 100 years?  I likely would be working in a factory instead or typing a blog on the internet.  Something to think about isn't it?

Tough Topic: Bars Know Your Beer

Over the weekend Beer Bitch and I went to a bar in Chicago.  It was not a "beer bar" they did have some craft options.  The bar had six drafts and about twenty bottle selections.  I always make a quick sweep of my draft options when walking in.  I asked the bartender what Brooklyn Brewery Beer was on tap.  He replied "Brooklyn"  and with a plain Brooklyn Brewery tap handle I had no idea which beer I just ordered.  It poured dark which indicated to me immediately it was either Brown or Oktoberfest, and I am pretty sure it was Oktoberfest.  (I am ignoring the fact that this is mid-February because seasonality is a completely different issue.)

Later in the evening I asked a second bartender for Noble Pils.   I said Noble Pils a second time, and she still had no clue.  I then asked for Sam Adams and she poured the Noble Pils from the clearly marked Sam Adams Seasonal Noble Pils tap handle.

In this case both bartenders had no clue what beer they actually had..  What could be done to avoid this?  First, I think breweries like Brooklyn should abandon generic taps.  At least a customer could look at a tap handle and answer their own question.  Sam Adams did adopt an identifying tap handle and I think there is little more they could do.  However, bar mangers need to stress the importance of knowing what is on tap.  Knowing which beers are available are just as important as knowing how to mix signature cocktails.  Profit is king in bars and beer is a money maker.  Knowing what your customers are asking for will result in quicker service which frees up staff to go onto the next customer and increase customer satisfaction.

So please bartenders when serving beer make sure you know what is there!

Glassware: Size Matters

Recently I noticed a disturbing trend.  Bars giving small glasses.  It is one thing to order a draft beer and it be given in a smaller glass assuming the price is right.  It is totally another to be served a beer with a glass that can not hold a standard bottle of beer.  Beer as we all know is a complex beverage.  If the beer I ordered has sediment maybe I want that.  Nothing is more annoying than having to constantly tell a busboy to not take the half-empty bottle.  Besides bars have lots of options for glassware besides using a juice glass.

As for 22 oz and other large bottles.  Those get a pass on my glass must fit the beer rule.  So remember if your in a bar and beer is not being served right speak up.  Make the request for the right size glass!

Fullsteam Brewery

Today I am departing from a typical brewery review to comment on a brewery I have never tried, Fullsteam.  What drew me to Fullsteam was a recent blog post called "That Brewery Sucks".  In summary the author comments on how he hears people say a brewery sucks and he doesn't listen to it.  He only listens if you explain the basis of your criticism.  He reminds readers that some individuals criticize a brewery when the problem was a bad tap line or more personal like the style preference.  What really drew me in was this:

If you still don’t like the beer, let the brewery know. Have the balls to contact the brewery and tell them about your bad experience. We promise to treat you with respect and to listen to your criticism. Be prepared for us to defend ourselves, the beer we make, and our decision to brew it a certain way. That’s part of being proud. But we will listen.

He flat out said come chat and tell me what you do not like.  That is rare.  I can not tell you how many brewers, owners, reps and managers I know.  So many of them hand me every beer like it is the greatest beer ever.  If you criticize, they blow it off.  I have told people they are great, told people they are average and yes I have said that brewery sucks.  The only brewery that I ever came straight out to anyone and said don't go there was followed up with the comment that the place often runs out of beer, service is poor and the product is inconsistent.

What needs to happen is people need to start being accountable and taking criticism.  When you take criticism you do not have to implement what the critical person wants, but you need to acknowledge it.  Defending yourself is fine especially if it is in regards to a product that turned out the way it was supposed to, but if your customer got a bad bottle or a poor experience because something went wrong, work to fix it.  Listening to them say they didn't care for your porter may even inspire you to brew a stout.

Fullsteam is not available here in Chicago, but I hope they at least export a little of that attitude up here.  Too many Chicago area brewers have egos that do not match their breweries output, and good criticism can make a good product even better.  I wish Fullsteam the best and I hope to be in the neighborhood to try their beer and give you all a proper brewery review.