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.

Why Cascadian Dark Ale is confusing.

Yesterdays Brewers Association newsletter had a story by brewer Matt Van Wyk on the Black IPA name debate.  Van Wyk currently of Oakshire Brewing, and formally of Flossmoor Station Brewing Company where I bottled earlier this week is an excellent brewer.  Please stop go read his article here and come back.  Thank you.

He raises six points towards the end of his article on why all the other names suck.  While agree with him.  Cascadian is wrong for a very similar reason.  He points out that many of the assumptions in the other names are confusing to the novice drinker.  His argument for the Cascadian name relies heavily on the Cascadian region being the cradle of this beer.  While a decent point, he forgets that most drinkers from novice to expert will likely assume Cascade Hops must be an ingredient.  It is a common ingredient, but not a required ingredient.  A decision to go with this name may confuse a number of people, and in the end may force the style into requiring cascade hops.

While a number of names have been thrown out there, and none seem to suffice. I propose four alternatives:

1. Hopped Black Ale 
2. Hopped Dark Ale.  
3. American Black Ale
4. American Dark Ale

I know you will likely think it sounds stupid, but do you have a better idea?