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August 30, 2007
23:20
Two Greats Are Gone
» ‎ Beer, Beats & Bites

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I’ve had a busy couple of days, so I’m a bit late to the game on both of these, but I still wanted to pay a brief tribute to two important men who have recently left us. The first is Michael “Beer Hunter” Jackson, a man who was quite possibly the most read and respected beer [...]

21:45
Thirsty Thursday–To Michael Jackson
» ‎ brewvana

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It’s a sad day in world of beer. Michael Jackson has passed.

I can’t say as I’ve had the opportunity to meet this beer guru, and it would be beyond pointless for me to wax philosophically on his contributions. I can only sit here and stare reflectively and respectfully at this man’s beer wisdom, writing, and, is it blasphemy to use the word discipleship? Go to Lew Bryson or All About Beer for inspiring firsthand accounts.

It made sense for me to drink something special today. Unfortunately, I live in a rural place where one can’t just run to the corner store and pick up a Thomas Hardy to pay tribute. Instead, I went to my cellar to find something good. Oddly, I came up with a mead, rather than a beer or a Scotch whisky.

I guess it’s fair to say there’s some explaining to do, since Jackson’s distinguished himself in the realms of beer and whisky. Suffice it to say that no matter how great I think my homebrews are, and whatever the coolness factor of anything commercial I might have tucked away for a vertical or a special occasion, they just didn’t measure up. They weren’t appropriate. They weren’t good enough. They weren’t special.

The mead was a gift from my good friend Ken Hilton. He’s a stellar homebrewer. He took the Carolina Brewer of the Year title in 2005, and is currently in the running for Meadmaker of the Year. I guess he needed something else to be great at. More importantly, this dude is just a good guy. I’ve been saving this bottle of Maple Black Walnut Mead since Christmas. I thought I’d drink it on my birthday. I was wrong.

This was made for Michael Jackson Day. I shared it with my wife, Michelle; my brother-in-law, Kyle; and my new beer buddy, Jimmy. Kyle and Jimmy weren’t familiar with Michael Jackson, so I had to lay down some background. And I had to explain Ken, as well. They didn’t know it, but Michael Jackson impacted them.

The mead was soft and delicious, as I’d known it would be. It was worthy. We raised our glasses…

To Michael Jackson!

20:47
Klaster Czech Lager
» ‎ SevenPack Beer Blog

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Second up from the Beer of the Month Club is the Klaster lager from the Czech Republic. Now, my understanding is that this lager is monastery-brewed and cave-aged for some time, all of which is rather odd for a lager. That, and the fact that I’ve never tasted this, makes me rather excited.

This beer actually pours a darker hue than I expected - it’s clear with a dark golden or caramel color - very rich in appearance. The aroma of this lager is certainly richer than most lagers, consisting of a rich bready aroma coupled with a slightly tangy sweetness in the background, which leaves me anxious to taste the brew. However, it turns out that the taste has little to do with the aroma. The flavor of this is complex and musty. You can tell it’s a lager, but there’s a lot more going on than I’m accustomed to. The predominant flavor here comes from the malt - there are lots of caramel flavored bready malts involved that give this a very rich flavor with a full mouthfeel. On top of this, there is this twinge of tangy sweetness that hints around near the middle of the mouth but doesn’t really come to fruition until the aftertaste where it attaches to the base of the tongue and sticks around for a while. Also, the whole beer tastes just a bit ‘musty’. I’m not sure how to explain it, but you can almost sense the cave-ageing involved in this beer. It doesn’t taste old, per se, but it tastes as though it’s been sitting around in a dark place mellowing for quite a while. Overall, I would consider this an interesting beer. This is not a beer I’d reach for when in the mood for a typical lager. However, if you’re feeling experimental and want something a tad different, then this certainly isn’t bad. It’s like an American lager with a quirky eastern-European-monk touch.

20:27
Raise your glass....
» ‎ Mississippi Brew

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19:59
The Beer Hunter is Gone
» ‎ Beer Tourist, The

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The world has lost its greatest beer writer. Michael Jackson passed away this morning, aged 65. Michael became world-famous in the late 80s with his television series "The Beer Hunter" on Discovery Channel.

He discovered beers and beer styles that few people had heard of, and his well-written books on beer are all seen as the authoritative guides on the topic. His books - starting out with the "World Guide to Beer" as early as 1977 - provided the ultimate inspiration for the craft beer movement.

The picture is taken at the Dolle Brouwers - the crazy brewers-stand at the Zythos beer festival 18 months ago. Michael Jackson was a regular at Zythos as well as at the smaller Bier Passion festival in Antwerpen.

Passionate about beer he certainly was, at the time probably seen as "doll", (but never dull). In the end his beer knowledge was unrivaled.

19:26
Hoosier Beer Geeks
» ‎ Good Beer Show, The

Enclosure: [download]

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The special guests continue. Chris, Mike and Gina from hoosierbeergeek.com made the pilgrimage to Muncie to check out our beer scene. We recorded a show at the Fickle Peach and threw back some great beer. They brought “Hop Juice” from Two Brothers Brewing and “Oaked Arrogant Bastard” from Stone. I threw in a couple of bombers of Three Floyd’s 10th anniversary beer called “Fantabulous Resplendence“. I left right after the recording but the party continued. Read about it here. Check out munciemusicfest.com and be sure to attend Devil’s Brew’s DVD release party August 31. Thanks to the Hoosier Beer Geek people for coming to ~~Muncie~~ Funcie.

DOWNLOAD SHOW #128

Ha Ha Tonka
“Caney Mountain” (mp3)
from “Buckle In the Bible Belt”
(Bloodshot)

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The Detroit Cobras
“Leave My Kitten Alone” (mp3)
from “Tied & True”
(Bloodshot)

More On This Album

18:59
“We Do not Digress Enough in Our Lives” Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter
» ‎ Beer Activist

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My first proper beer tasting was an evening with Michael Jackson at the Brickskeller about ten years ago. Michael Jackson, for those unfamiliar, is essentially the father of modern beer appreciation.

Jackson approached the evening as if everyone in the room was sitting ’round a fireplace drinking great beer and telling tales of adventure. Michael was, of course, the best story teller in the room, so we were all transfixed by his words (as well as by his eyebrows, which were rather robust). His plotline was never the most obviously direct route. Instead, he roamed down side roads until suddenly appearing at a surprise destination — always some place that illustrated a sublime point about appreciating the good life with beer.

Not all the side roads lead to destinations though. Some were merely entertaining explorations meant to be appreciated in their own right. He was proud of these digressions and acknowledged them as such. His general disposition projected an attitude that was as if he always found himself needing to say: “Please relax. Can’t you see we are drinking beer and telling stories here?”

My favorite quote from him, which I even cite in my book, is: “We do not digress enough in our lives.”

The last time I saw him was about a year or so ago. I had lucked into a free invitation-only private tasting with Michael in the back room of the basement at the Brickskeller. That night he digressed more than usual and occasionally lost the plot altogether. Later that night I learned that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Today’s edition of the U.K.-based Morning Advertiser reports that Michael Jackson died in his home. You can read the fruits of his thirty year beer writing career at his website and you can find his many books at bookstores everywhere. I highly suggest reading his last column, which was scheduled to be published in the next edition of All About Beer magazine. It is both hilarious and eerily preminiscent.

Tonight, my beer drinking and digressions will be in memory of Michael Jackson.

18:49
RIP Michael Jackson
» ‎ Portland Beer Blog

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Michael Jackson the master of beer knowledge passed away on the evening of August 30th 2007. Michael Jackson, died at his London home. He was 65 and had been suffering from Parkinson's disease. His intrepid understanding of beer set him apart from more than 99.9% of the world. An avid proponent of innovating and thought provoking brew styles makes Jackson an iconoclastic demagogue in the world of craft beer. Nothing written here would substantiate the loss of a pioneer and connoisseur of one divine concoction!

18:18
RIP Michael Jackson
» ‎ Hail the Ale!

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Beer’s smartest and most prolific writer, Michael Jackson, has passed away. Sadly, I haven’t had a chance to read one of Michael Jackson’s many books on beer. I have one in my Amazon cart from a few months ago but haven’t ordered it yet. I’ll remedy that this weekend.

Hop Talk has a list of links to coverage in the beer blogosphere.
Technorati Tags: beer

17:26
Beer Diary - Jim | Fantasy Football Beer
» ‎ Hoosier Beer Geek

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29 August 2007 Location: Indianapolis Northside, just off of Township Line Road

For the second year in a row, I get invited to participate in a fantasy football league. The problem--I barely pay attention to the NFL. Okay, I occasionally watch the Colts and am happy when they win. But my variety of football is the kind that is played with the round ball that the players kick around, not the pointy one that the players throw, catch, and run with.

Yet I played fantasy football last year and kind of liked it. So I am on my way to the league draft again to match wits with nine other team owners. I'm expected to come to the draft with beer since the other owners know I'm the beer geek. I have four leftover bottles of Barley Island stuff (Dirty Helen Brown Ale, Sheet Metal Blonde Ale), but I have two empty spots in the six-pack bottle carrier. So I stop at the nearest liquor store--21st Amendment on Illinois and 56th--to see if I can buy a few choice single bottles. Upon walking up to the cooler, I immediately spy the distinctive "B" from Brooklyn Brewery on a bottle with a yellow and blue label. Hmmm. I've never seen this one. Looks like a hefeweizen. I'm running late, so I quickly grab a bottle of this stuff without examining the label carefully and hit the road. After all, this is a Brooklyn Brewery beer, so I know it's probably going to be quality stuff.

I arrive at the draft site. I break out my draft list. Thank God for ESPN and USA Today's fantasy draft cheat sheets. Otherwise, my team would suck because I have no idea who three-quarters of these players are. Laveranues Coles? Frank Gore? J.P. Losman? Who the hell are these people?

Just before we get to Round One, I decide to check out the beer that I bought. I quickly pour and take a sip, fully expecting the banana and clove flavor that is typical for a hefeweizen. But I get immediately get smacked in the mouth with sweet, hoppy bliss. The banana and clove character is still there, but it's backed up by a powerful hop presence and a nice sugary flavor that sits well in the mouth. For a pale beer, this sucker is quite chewy. Oooooweee! Very nice.

I finally take the time to read the label. This ain't no hefeweizen, kids. This is a freakin' bock, and a wheat bock at that. Who's ever heard of a bock made with wheat? Well, not I. Perhaps someone else has. What's more, this stuff is 8.3% ABV. Oy. And normally, bocks are lagers, but the label says that this is an ale, which hefeweizens technically are. I'm so confused...

So what am I drinking? A Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse. Turns out that this beer is a collaboration between Brooklyn Brewery and G. Schneider & Sons, brewers of the lovely Schneider-Weisse hefeweizen. Here's what the label says:

Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse is a collaboration between brewmasters Hans-Peter Drexler of the Schneider Weissebier Brewery and Garrett Oliver of The Brooklyn Brewery. Garrett and Hans-Peter have long admired each other's beers. Now together they bring you a new sensation, a pale weissebock robustly dry-hopped with the Hallertauer Saphir variety grown in the fields near the Schneider Brewery. Hoppy, zesty and supremely refreshing, Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse is a delicious blend of Bavarian craftsmanship and American ingenuity.

Enjoying the hugely pleasant flavor, I finish the Hopfen-Weisse quickly. The ABV of this beer sneaks up on me quickly. I lose all of my senses and wake up the next morning with Rex Grossman as my starting QB.

Just kidding.

An outstanding beer. This is on the to-buy list for tomorrow. I'm stocking up with several bottles.

16:52
More on Michael Jackson
» ‎ Beer Blog

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I’ve been working at my day job all day, writing last, about fruit flies, but my mind has been on the death of Michael Jackson, a man who blazed the trail for lovers of good beer from the late 1960s until today.

I still have two columns and a magazine article to write this afternoon, so I’ll reserve my comments for now. But All About Beer, the excellent beer magazine, has posted an obit and people are logging on and adding comments. They’re worth a read and if you knew Michael, by all means add your comment. Bye for now.

Very sadly, William Brand

16:48
More on Michael Jackson
» ‎ What's On Tap – The California Craft Beer Newsletter

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I’ve been working at my day job all day, writing last, about fruit flies, but my mind has been on the death of Michael Jackson, a man who blazed the trail for lovers of good beer from the late 1960s until today.

I still have two columns and a magazine article to write this afternoon, so I’ll reserve my comments for now. But All About Beer, the excellent beer magazine, has posted an obit and people are logging on and adding comments. They’re worth a read and if you knew Michael, by all means add yours. Bye for now.

Very sadly, William Brand

16:36
Raise A Pint…
» ‎ Speaking of Beer

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Today the world of good beer lost its most eloquent spokesman, Mr. Michael Jackson, Beer Hunter Extrordinaire. His books fueled my (and many many others’) passion for good beer, and my humble little podcast is a tiny part of his massive legacy. On a day when I’m about to bottle two batches of homebrew, this is indeed sad news. Nonetheless I’ll be raising my next glass to Mr. Jackson and all he has done for the Beerniverse.

16:36
Port Brewing Company - Hop 15
» ‎ For The Love Of Beer

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22oz bomber. Love the label with the planes dropping hops as bombs! Pours into my glass a deep red orange color that's on the darker side with a nice half inch of creamy eggshell head on top that fades rather quickly. Aromas of deep sweet caramel candy malt run underneath a wall of bountiful hops. Mega grapefruit citrus aromas, like you just picked one off the tree and cut it open! Pine scents are in full force too. Can grapefruits grown on pine trees?? The dense aroma has some herbal spiciness to it as well...simply lovely. The aroma I dream about when I think of a great DIPA. This is up there with the best of the best.

First sip brings an instant smack of hops. A great amalgamation of grapefruit, citrus, tropical and piney flavors rush across the palate and bring a smile to my face. Lots of complex hop oils. It seriously takes like a fresh green hop cone. Yum! Flows down with some herbal spiciness alongside a nice caramel malt that has some candy, sugary aspects to it as well. There's just enough malt backbone here. One of the best double IPA's out there without a doubt.

Mouthfeel is dense with a nice chewiness to it as well. Just enough carbonation makes this brew almost too easy to consume. Damn good stuff. I could see myself drinking too much of this and getting in trouble real easily! I wish they would give up the secret as to what 15 hops are used in here...but ultimately they all work together to create a wonderful beer. Glad to see this bottled again, now I must get more. Thanks to KingG for the trade.

Overall I gave this a rating of Amazing. Get your hands on this beer if you can, especially if you love hops!

Check out the rest of Port Brewing's wares by surfing over to [www.portbrewing.com]
16:23
My new rating system!! A quick rundown
» ‎ For The Love Of Beer

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I wanted to create a new rating system that relied less on numbers and more on a good description of how I felt about the beer. I've used this in my past few posts and will do so from here on out. Here's the new scale for each beer I will try:

- Unbelieveable: an incredibly amazing beer, you can't live without trying it, do so at all costs!

- Amazing: speaks for itself. Just a step below unbelieveable. This is a beer at the top of its class.

- Great: a really good beer that really hits the spot.

- Enjoyable: a brew that doesn't make you say "wow", but that is well made and a pleasure to drink

- Average: nothing special, but still is usually a well crafted brew

- Blah: a boring beer that has some obvious flaws. probably not something I would come back to again.

- No Thanks: pass on this one, it's not worth the time or the effort.

16:02
Michael Jackson has left This Mortal Coil
» ‎ Bad Ben's Brewing Blog

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Michael Jackson, the "Beer Hunter," was a legend. He recently left this mortal coil and our worldly existence.

Michael had so much energy for beer, malt beverages, and people, and was a genuinely nice person. He was a true gentleman.

I got to meet him personally in 1994. It was at Big Time Brewery in Seattle, at 7 a.m., and he was leaving for the airport to go back to the U.K., but he still wanted to check out our beers for a possible new book project. This, after a whirlwind weekend tour of Seattle and the Northwest's breweries and brewpubs. He gave us an honest assessment of our beers, had some coffee and chit-chat, and then left. He didn't have to do this for us (at an un-godly time in the morning), but the man had said that he would, and he did. I still cherish the photo of all of us on that day.

In the photo was Mark Irvin from Spokane's Northern Lights Brewing, Dick Cantwell (currently of Elysian Brewing in Seattle), Brian Johnson (formerly of Fort Spokane Brewing, Spokane, Washington), and me.

Michael, whatever dimension you're in, I know that you are enjoying yourself thoroughly!
Happy trails and cheers,

Bad Ben

15:46
Father of Beer Writing Dead
» ‎ The Second-Best Beer Drinker in Britain

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I just learned that Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter, died this morning. He's been ill for a long time, and the reports don't yet say what the cause of death was, but the beer community has been increasingly concerned about his health for some years.

Michael was simply the most famous beer writer, beer advocate, beer fan, beer drinker, in the world. When I was researching my last book, I visited countless breweries around the world, and Michel had been there first. I knew this because people there couldn't wait to tell me - many of them had framed pictures by the mash tuns, evidence of his visit, a mark of approval, a stamp of credibility to rival any brewing award.

Every single person who ever puts pen to paper about beer (or finger to keyboard I suppose) is influenced by him, whether they know it or not. Because before Michael started writing about beer in the 1970s, nobody did - not in the way we recognise. He was the first champion of Belgian beers, then languishing in obscurity. He was the insipiration for god knows how many microbrewers setting up, a sort of patron saint of the American craft brew industry. He invented the way we write beer tasting notes, often imitated, never equalled.

Because the thing about Michael's writing was he understood that beer writing should be like beer itself - accessible, democratic, relaxed. His articles welcomed you in and sat you down. He made beer and brewers human, and realised you needed a bit of context around the piece, setting the scene, bringing it to life, if you wanted people to truly engage. He knew that it was only partly about what goes on in the glass - and at the same time made that compelling.

Earlier this year I was at a dinner where he was interviewing two young British microbrewers. The questions he asked them got them to open up and talk about their beer in a way they had probably never done before. He drew them out and made them eloquent. They were in awe of him - to them he was a pop star or movie idol, and they actually insisted on getting his autograph as the interview ended - but he treated them with respect and made them shine.

Coming only weeks after the death of John White, I think the whole community of British writers is just shellshocked now - I certainly am. It's no exaggeration to say that the whole world of beer has suffered a massive loss.

15:28
Michael Jackson…
» ‎ beer school

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Guess we can finally digitize his VHS tapes to convert them to more usable DVD without feeling bad. Bummer just the same. [raises glass]

15:25
Michael Jackson, The Beer Hunter, dies
» ‎ Realbeer.com Beer Therapy

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Michael Jackson, whose writing about beer literally changed what is in the glasses of beer drinkers around the world, has died. He was 65.

Jackson, universally known as The Beer Hunter, recently revealed that he suffered from Parkinson’s disease and was battling other health problems. He remained active, speaking at beer and whisky events around the world and most recently addressing British beer writers before the Great British Beer Festival. He wrote about the past year in his last column for All About Beer Magazine, now available online.

Jackson began working for a local Yorkshire newspaper in 1958, when he was 16, having even earlier submitted news stories and jazz reviews. Working as both a writer and editor during the next 20 years he contributed to dozens of publications and also made documentary films. In his frequent travels he became deeply interested not only in drinking a wider range of beers, but how they were made and their origins.

Shortly after the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) rekindled interest in traditional beers in Great Britain in the 1970s, Jackson began to write more about beer.

He recalled in a 1996 interview:

“I had nothing to do with the starting of CAMRA, but I joined early on. I’d already traveled quite a bit as a journalist, and I’d tasted interesting beers in other countries. Particularly, I was very aware of the Belgian traditions and to some extent the German tradition. I thought, it’s very good that CAMRA is fighting for British tradition, but what about the tradition of these other countries? I think the motivation was almost like the motivation of some of those musicologists like Alan Lomax who went down to the Mississippi Delta in the ’50s and recorded old blues men before they died. I wanted to kind of record Belgian beer before those breweries didn’t exist anymore. I certainly didn’t see it as a career possibility, but I think all, or many, journalists have in them a sort of element of being an advocate.”

He published his first book about beer, The English Pub, in 1976, but it was his second, the World Guide to Beer (1977) that dovetailed with a quite young beer and brewing revolution in the United States. The book became a bible for both brewers and drinkers reconnecting with traditional beer.

In the 30 years since his books about beer and spirits - he was as authorative writer about Scotch as he was beer, but this is a beer publication - sold millions of copies. His television documentary called The Beer Hunter remains a cult classic almost 20 years after it was compiled.

He considered himself a journalist first, but also took equal pride in the words he put to paper.

They are only part of what he left behind and that list is endless. The tributes have just begun. It is the only topic of import today in beer blogs, on beer discussion boards and in various e-mail lists.

Expect the flow of words to continue for months.

They won’t be enough.

14:48
It’s Confirmed. Michael Jackson, Beer’s Leading Light, Is Dead.
» ‎ What's On Tap – The California Craft Beer Newsletter

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Just got this, thanks to Stan Hieronymous of Appellation Beer. It’s from the Morning Advertiser, a UK newspaper.

30/08/2007 17:00

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Top beer expert Michael Jackson died this morning.
Jackson dedicated more than three decades to the pursuit and documentation of the world’s finest beers, and wrote many books on the subject.

He became known as the most widely-published and influential author on beer. He developed a cult television series known as “The Beer Hunter”, and contributed articles to countless magazines and newspapers.

Jackson was especially well-known for his particular passion for the specialty brews of Belgium, and his bestseller The Great Beers of Belgium.

Morning Advertiser beer writer Roger Protz said: “I’m in Germany at a beer conference and when I announced he was dead people were totally shocked - he was just so well-known.

“He was the best - and always will be the best. His knowledge of beer is unsurpassable. His genius was to to be able to write simply and beautifully about beer.

“He was a very private person but I enjoyed his company - he always had a really amusing story to tell about his travels.”

14:39
It’s True. Michael Jackson, the incredible beer guru is dead.
» ‎ Beer Blog

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Just got this. It’s from the Morning Advertiser, a UK newspaper.

Michael Jackson dies

30/08/2007 17:00

Top beer expert Michael Jackson died this morning.
Jackson dedicated more than three decades to the pursuit and documentation of the world’s finest beers, and wrote many books on the subject.

He became known as the most widely-published and influential author on beer. He developed a cult television series known as “The Beer Hunter”, and contributed articles to countless magazines and newspapers.

Jackson was especially well-known for his particular passion for the specialty brews of Belgium, and his bestseller The Great Beers of Belgium.

Morning Advertiser beer writer Roger Protz said: “I’m in Germany at a beer conference and when I announced he was dead people were totally shocked - he was just so well-known.

“He was the best - and always will be the best. His knowledge of beer is unsurpassable. His genius was to to be able to write simply and beautifully about beer.

“He was a very private person but I enjoyed his company - he always had a really amusing story to tell abou

14:26
Craft Beer Writer Michael Jackson Passed Away
» ‎ Nate's Beer and Brewing Blog

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As reported in tons of other beer-related places, beer guru Michael Jackson, author of the first beer book I ever owned, passed away this morning. If ever there was someone for whom to raise a glass, it'd be Mr. Jackson.

14:24
RIP Michael Jackson
» ‎ MNBeer - By, for and about Minnesota beer. Dedicated to MN breweries, brewpubs & homebrew

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Michael Jackson (the one we actually care about) has passed away. Lew Bryson has a nice piece about Jackson to share.

14:20
Whole Foods wine goes green
» ‎ On the House

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The changes in wine packaging keep coming. Now, Whole Foods, lately in the news for its takeover of Wild Oats, has introduced a line of large format organic, Tetra pack Aussie wines:

The Country Vintner (TCV), an Australian-based wine exporter, announced the first wine produced with organic grapes in a Tetra Pak carton package is available nationwide exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores starting in September.

The wine, sold under the name Green Path, is made by Organic One Wines, one of Australia's oldest and largest vineyards and winery establishments. Organic One Wines is a 100 percent organic vineyard and winery.

These wines aren't available in glass bottles; they are packaged in a Tetra Pak carton, which is a paper-based carton that is more environmentally friendly. The packaging strategy is part of a growing idealism in which people, manufacturers, businesses, organizations and the government are participating to protect the environment for future generations.

Green Path wine in the one liter Tetra Pak package is ideal for consumers who want to enjoy a quality wine in a portable, recloseable, safe and easy-to-use package. Tetra Pak containers are also very environmentally friendly not only because they are made primarily from a renewable resource, but also because the packages are lighter in weight than traditional bottles, requiring less trucks for transportation, thus reducing total greenhouse gas emissions. The wines are available in a Chardonnay and Shiraz, sourced from Organic One Wine's 280-acre vineyard -- The Billabong Vineyard in Jerilderie, New South Wales, Australia.

According to Liz Mencel, managing director of The Country Vintner, there are many opportunities for Green Path with grocery stores and restaurants that promote natural products, wine retailers that support innovative packaging, forward thinking airlines and general retailers that support any type of environmental program.

"We are excited about the prospects for Green Path in the U.S. and other markets. These are the first wines produced with organic grapes that are packaged in this format, which means great things for the environment in terms of both the wine and the package. Most important, the wines are of a fantastic quality and stand up on their own as fruit-forward, full-flavored Australian wines."

"Whole Foods Market is excited to be one of the first to bring in a new age of eco-friendly packaging for wine in the United States," said Geof Ryan, global wine co-buyer for Whole Foods Market. "The Green Path organic wines are tasty and fruit-driven and show great quality and value for our shoppers."

14:20
Michael Jackson: The Beer Hunter (1942-2007)
» ‎ Lyke 2 Drink

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Michael Jackson. Say the name and most people think of the King of Pop. Say the name to anyone serious about beer, or whisky for that matter, and they think of the journalist whose books, articles and television appearances made it acceptable to have a beer with a gourmet meal.

Today is a sad day for the drinks world. Michael Jackson passed away. He had revealed last year that he was suffering from Parkinson's Disease. Reports from England are that Michael died at his home earlier today.

It is really impossible to overestimate the impact of Michael Jackson on the beer world. With his various books, including the landmark World Guide to Beer first published in 1977, Jackson took us on his beer journeys to breweries and distilleries great and small. The books kept coming, as did the Beer Hunter television show on public broadcasting, numerous magazine and newspaper articles, websites and DVDs. He even popped up on television shows as the guest of hosts like David Letterman and Conan O'Brien. Along the way he helped make both the beer and whisky world what it is today. His words literally launched millions of drinks by encouraging people to think about what they had in their glass. Michael was an ambassador for great beer and single malt. He brought them to life with his words and stocked our vocabularies with the tools needed to talk about Trappist ale, Islay malt and everything in between.

I did not know Michael well, but I'm glad to say that I did meet him a couple of times. My first encounter with Michael was at the Great American Beer Festival a number of years ago. I walked and talked to him for a few minutes while we tasted samples from various breweries. He had a tape recorder in one hand and a tasting glass in the other, making constant notes into the device between talking to me and chatting with brewers and beer fans on the GABF floor. I've never hung out with a rock star, but after seeing how people reacted to seeing Michael Jackson approach their booth for a sample I know what it must be like. Folks pointed, some asked for his autograph. Others just shouted out "How you doing Michael?," like he was an old friend. And he was the best kind of friend because he taught us all how to enjoy some of the simple pleasures of life a little bit more than we would have if he had not been around. Michael responded politely to all who interrupted him on his journey around the GABF and kept taking notes along the way. There were always articles and books to fill.

I saw Michael briefly twice during the Great American Beer Festival in Denver last year, but never had the chance to talk to him. He came into a Brewers Association beer and food pairing press event one afternoon, but stayed for just a few minutes. Then while heading out of town and stuck in the security line at the Denver Airport, I noticed Michael in a restaurant across the terminal. My view was from the side and behind, but it appeared to me that he was relaxing with a cup of coffee. He was too far away to shout a hello and leaving the line would have meant missing my flight. I was a bit shocked to read in the tribute to Jackson posted today on the All About Beer website that Michael was rushed from the airport that day with what doctors believe was a minor heart attack. In his final column for All About Beer, titled "Did I Cheat Mort Subite?" and dated August 22, 2007, Michael Jackson tells the story and gives us an idea of how he approached his health issues, with both a sense of reality and a bit of humor.

Today the world lost its greatest beer writer. The only thing I can really do to honor the man is to have a pint of good beer. I think Michael Jackson is relaxing somewhere right now doing the exact same thing.

14:15
The Leader of the Band has Died
» ‎ Lost Abbey Brewer's Log

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The Leader of the Band has Died

Today is one of those gut wrenching days. Michael Jackson our friend, our mentor and our nomadic Beer Hunter has gone to the heavens where the angels sleep. For the first time since September of 2001, I am sitting in eerily quiet brewery not really thinking about the production side of beer. Because days like today demand reflection, offer an opportunity to pause for moments and memories and the time spent with a legend.

I realize that there will be numerous forthcoming accounts of Michael’s contributions to the world of beer. 30 years of writing, traveling and consuming can’t go unnoticed. I just finished reading his last column for the upcoming All About Beer Magazine. Eerily, it talks about cheating Mort Subite or Sudden Death. As I was reading, I was struck by his voice in my head narrating that story. It was his very distinguished British voice that sticks with me.

Like many brewers, I had the pleasure of drinking with Michael on numerous occasions. Often, as judges at the GABF and World Beer Cup we would find ourselves at the same table. He was the epitome of a professional when it came to judging. As the world’s foremost authority on beer, he was never overbearing, certainly not egotistical and at the same time, he was inquisitive. I always liked that about him. He also cared about me the person. He offered his condolences when Noah passed away and was elated when Sydney came into my life. I suppose that is what it means to be a friend.

Several years back, Michael implored the judges at the GABF judges reception to consider the strength of American Beer. The world was looking at us for innovation and direction. He decreed we should all work together as judges to reward beers not deconstruct them. It was a very motivating talk. It was also the first time in recent memory where every single medal in every single category was awarded. The man just saw things differently than we did. But above all, he was a great story teller.

With that in mind, here is the one story from my life that I knew I was never going to be able to share with Michael but it’s one that I “think” he would appreciate on some level.

It’s 2005, we are heading from San Diego to Belgium with a brief stop in London. I email Mr. Jackson and let him know that if possible, we would love to stop by for a visit. I would be traveling with Tom Nickel from O’Brien’s Pub, Vince Marsaglia (owner of Pizza Port) along with Ken Allen (owner of Anderson Valley Brewing Company) and his head brewer Dave Gatlin.

Michael agrees and gives me the address in Hammersmith for his office. We arrive later in the afternoon (around 6-7 pm). His office is actually a converted garage attached to his house. Inside this narrow room is row after row of whiskey, beer and editions of nearly every book he has ever written and in each language they have been published.

Michael has been hard at work tasting and writing about whiskey for a forthcoming book. It’s everywhere in this little room. He’s talking to Ken Allen about Anderson Valley when I start playing a game of I spy in my head. I spy an 18 year old port wood finished bottle. I spy a 1973 Glen something or other. But right in front of me, I spied a 1963 Macallan that had been opened. Oh Lordy!!! Would you look at that?

It immediately hit me that this was one serious bottle of booze that I needed to taste. It also struck me that this was about as close to one of these bottles of Scotch that I was ever going to get. I salivated. I contemplated. I damn near stared that bottle down. Michael, to his credit, offers us a glass of some new farmhouse beer. We liked it very much. At this point, it becomes obvious to me that we are making a move towards heading to Andover Arms for dinner. But how can I beg/ ask for a dram of that spirit. Would it be rude to do so? What is the protocol at work here? I am clueless. Thirsty, but incredibly clueless.

That bottle is still staring me down and in no time flat, I might be walking away from what promises to be an amazing booze experience. I steel my nerves. I had been mulling over a plan in my head. Suddenly, Michael spins back around to his laptop to save his work for the night. I instantly grabbed the bottle of Scotch, rip off the cork and pull the largest swig I thought my mouth could handle. Ambrosia never felt so guilty, so good or so stolen. My amigos stared in disbelief as I calmly replaced the cork in the bottle, set it on the table and rubbed my now fiery belly to let them know I was satiated. 1963 Macallan. Yep! I could cross that one off my list. And it was AMAZING!!!

I am relieved as Michael turns around, oblivious to my actions (I hope) and casually mentions that he needs to go get a coat for the evening. He points to a set of New Belgium Globe Style Glasses in a box on the floor and says ” If there is anything in these bottles that interests you gents, please feel free to have a drink.” He no sooner closes the door to the candy store of Whiskey and us kiddies get our drink on.

Now, we head right for the glasses. There’s about 8 of them we line them up. I grab the 1963 Macallan and pour about 4 fingers. Tom grabs a bottle of 1958 something (it wasn’t very good). Ken, Vince and Dave all find bottles they want to try. Next thing you know, we’ve got 8 globes of Scotch 4 fingers high lined up in front of us. Time never went by so fast as it did that night. Michael left us to our devices for about 15 minutes. (The next morning we’re left wondering if we drank all of them. The consensus is that we were proper drunks and left no booze behind.)

He returns. We’re drunk and heading out for supper I don’t know how dinner went for Michael, it was certainly smashing for the 5 of us on the sauce. Sometime around 11:30 we waived goodbye and caught a taxi home.

You ever have one of those mornings where you forget what went on the night before? Yeah, me either. On the Eurostar ride to Belgium, the five us talked and were only then able to reconstruct what had occured the night before. It was spotty at best. We do know that we shared a meal with Michael in London after drinking ourselves silly in his office.

I doubt very much we were the only ones to ever over indulge in that candy store. Hell, I might not even be the only back woods brewer to ever pug 63 Macallan right from the bottle. I suppose, I should have told this story to Michael in the last year. Then, I could have popped the cap from a vintage Cuvee de Tomme and had him steal a swig or two from the bottle. Then we’d be even? Doubtful? He afforded me so much. For that, I am thankful.

Either way, when it comes down to it, life is about the moments we live, the beers we drink and the stories we share. I suppose stolen drams of Scotch probably need their own category as well. That night in Michael’s office ranks as an all timer. Just like him. Today is a sad day indeed. One that requires more than a few liquid refreshments. I only wish he was here to share.

14:11
Hot hop water. Delicious.
» ‎ Monday Night Brewery : Atlanta, GA

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We dry hop both our pale ale and our IPA (dry hopping means adding hops to secondary fermentation in order to impart their aromatics and, to a lesser degree, flavors). Usually we use whole leaf hops. We find we get better aromatics out of whole leaf than pellets. Unfortunately, the whole leaf hops turn into mini beer sponges in the fermenter, and have a tendency to reduce our yield substantially.

And so, in an effort to keep our yields up and preserve that great hop aroma simultaneously, we introduce a third technique, which we are tentatively calling “hot hop water.” Take a gander.

We boiled a bit o’ water, threw hop pellets in there and dissolved them. We then poured the hot hop water into the bottom of the carboy via a funnel. Finally, we transferred the beer into the new carboy, directly on top of the hot hop water. The result was a well-mixed blend of hops and beer. We’ll let you know if the technique holds any water (zing!). And, for those who appreciate pictures of Joel acting a fool, I leave you one final gift:

14:08
Michael Jackson: Beer Guru, Craft Beer Pioneer
» ‎ Beer Blog

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I just picked this up from Jay Brooks excellent beer blog:

Haven’t gotten it confirmed yet. Emailed Roger Protz at Camra, in the UK, but no response so far. So I’m going to withhold an obit or eulogy, pending receipt of solid news.

Michael Jackson Passes Away
by J @ 6:48 am. Filed under News, Europe, Great Britain

I just got word from a friend and colleague that Michael Jackson passed away yesterday in his home. He got the word from Roger Protz, a beer writer in England, that he had been found in his tub. I have no details at this time but will update this when I can find out more information. This is very sad day for the beer world. Michael was larger than life and his influence cannot be overestimated. To say he will be missed seems a great understatement.

Here’s another link.

Apellationbeer.com.

14:08
Coconut Chocolate stout and Kentucky Common notes
» ‎ Wort's Going On Here?

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In anticipation of visiting Satan to discuss our brewing plans for Nationals next year, I used my beer gun to bottle a few dopplebocks in 12 oz bottles, and a 32 oz Coconut Chocolate Stout, and a 32 oz Kentucky Common. I thought I would let you know what I thought of my brews.

Coconut Chocolate Stout—Last time I made this, I added the chocolate powder to the priming sugar and water solution. The beer was gritty, so I thought I would add the chocolate to secondary. Well, the experiment did add some chocolate flavor. But the first thing I tasted was roasted malts. There was a hint of chocolate, and then a wisp of coconut. No. I'm not happy. I wanted more coconut.

Kentucky Common—Sour. I should have added anise to the boil. It would have cut some of the sour. I ordered the ingredients for the next batch. Believe me, anise will be in the boil. I also madae sure to get Williams Brewing Company's American Lager extract, made with corn, so I don't have to futz around with a cereal mash.

14:06
Michael Jackson: Beer Guru, Craft Beer Pioneer
» ‎ What's On Tap – The California Craft Beer Newsletter

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I just picked this up from Jay Brooks excellent beer blog:

Haven’t gotten it confirmed yet. Emailed Roger Protz at Camra, in the UK, but no response so far. So I’m going to withhold an obit or eulogy, pending receipt of solid news.

Michael Jackson Passes Away
by J @ 6:48 am. Filed under News, Europe, Great Britain

I just got word from a friend and colleague that Michael Jackson passed away yesterday in his home. He got the word from Roger Protz, a beer writer in England, that he had been found in his tub. I have no details at this time but will update this when I can find out more information. This is very sad day for the beer world. Michael was larger than life and his influence cannot be overestimated. To say he will be missed seems a great understatement.

Here are another link.
Apellationbeer.com.

13:23
The Saint Arnold Video News - Divine 5 Edition
» ‎ Saint Arnold Brewhouse Blog

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Dictionary.com defines the word stout as, "strong of body, hearty, sturdy". It also defines the word divine as, "heavenly, celestial or surpassing excellence". In this edition of The Saint Arnold Video News, Lennie Ambrose gets the low down from brewer Sam Wright on how he and his cohorts put together those two words for a supremely satisfying Divine Reserve 5.

QuickTime Player is necessary to view the video.

13:00
News: Michael Jackson dead
» ‎ KevBrews

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Sad news for beer lovers today. Patriarch and brew luminary Michael Jackson died yesterday. Forever known as "No, not that Michael Jackson," Jackson was a world-renowned beer hunter with a huge influence over today's upsurge in craft beer appreciation.

Below are a few links to other blog posts about his death. (If you only click one of the links, check out the last one. Lew Bryson has a nicely done tribute.)

A Good Beer Blog
Appellation Beer
Brookston Beer Bulletin
Seen Through a Glass

Update: Another link, this time with a full article:
BellaOnline

Technorati Tags: beer, brewing, craft brew, homebrewing, Michael Jackson

12:57
The World Loses a Great Beer Hunter, Michael Jackson
» ‎ Beer Bulletin

Tags: [edit]

I was just informed that Michael Jackson passed away late last night in his home by a fellow beer advocate. I have no details at this time but will update this when I can find out more information. Michael has been a big inspiration for me in my beer explorations and I hope to carry on his legacy by continuing to document and explore the world for new and exciting beers.

Cheers Michael, you will be missed. www.beerhunter.com

12:56
Sam Adams Growth Leads Craft Pack
» ‎ Brew Blog - Beer Industry Market Analysis, News and Commentary

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Boston dominating segment growth in supermarkets, BMI says.
The August 27 orange sheet edition of Beer Marketer’s Insights had an interesting story exploring how much of the growth in craft has been driven by Boston Beer.

BMI noted that Boston Beer accounted for 35 percent of craft segment growth as defined by the Brewers Association (this definition excludes Leinenkugel’s and Blue Moon Belgian White Ale, among others) during the first half of the year. But it only represented 24 percent of the segment.

BMI went on to say:

Boston Beer would undoubtedly dispute notion that it’s sucking oxygen out of segment. In fact, Boston Beer ad spending could be fueling category growth in less developed craft (markets), bringing new users in. But in supers, Boston dominates craft growth.

BMI then cites IRI figures showing Boston Beer was up 17 percent in supermarkets for the 13 weeks ended Aug. 12, while Sierra Nevada and New Belgium both were flat.

The BMI home page can be seen here.

12:43
Michael Jackson, RIP
» ‎ BEERJANGLIN'

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It is with a heavy heart that we here at Beerjanglin' acknowledge the passing of Michael Jackson.

One of the first writers to write seriously about beer, Mr. Jackson worked pretty hard to spread the gospel of beer - publishing his first book on the topic 30 years ago, when most people's knowledge and understanding of beer was limited to macro-brewed lagers. The world is a different place these days - a quick visit to any reputable tavern will prove that. You can thank Mr. Jackson for that.

Mr. Jackson's last column is currently up at All About Beer. It's a must read, and discusses his battle with Parkinson's Disease with an unparalleled frankness and humor.

Rest in peace, sir.

[A Note from Bill: Michael Jackson wasn't just a beer critic, he was a writer first who happened to write about beer. He was self-effacing, passionate, and most of all, entertaining.

Please read an article from BeerHunter.com about Beer vs. Wine to get a great example of Jackson's unmatched style. Those of us who write about beer for fun can't possibly compare, but we owe him anyway.]

12:43
Thoughts on Michael Jackson
» ‎ Barley Vine

Tags: [edit]

As mentioned yesterday, the Father of Beer Writing Michael Jackson has passed on. Like most lovers of beer, I have never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I consider him a great influence. However, there are many who have met him, some of there stories and thoughts are below:

Thoughts from Stan at Appellation Beer.
A great article and post from Lew Bryson
Another good article from the folks at Realbeer.
All About Beer has posted his last article where he talks a little bit about his illness.
A post from Rick Lyke and his experiences with Mr. Jackson.
The brewers over at Lost Abbey take their turn expressing their sadness at the loss of the Leader of the Pack

12:38
An extremely sad day for the beer community
» ‎ Pop the Cap South Carolina

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I just heard that Michael Jackson passed away yesterday at his home. He was the original, true beer advocate and an absolute top-notch beer writer. David and I only got to meet him once at GABF in 2000. He did come by Palmetto many years ago as well. If you’ve never seen the “Beer Hunter” go rent it now (it’s only vhs to my knowledge- always wanted them to redo it to DVD). Wow, I can’t believe it, a true loss.

“Hello, my name is Michael Jackson. No, not that Michael Jackson, but I am on a world tour. My tour is in pursuit of exceptional beer.”

We raise a pint to Michael Jackson!

12:36
A Sad Day......
» ‎ Barley Vine

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If any day was one, today is it for the beer world. News from Brookston Beer Bulletin brings that the great Beer author and more Michael Jackson has passed. Mr. Jackson known as the Beer Hunter among other things, introduced many a novice beer drinker to craft beer with the World Guide to Beer among many other books. He will be missed. Other much more eloquent will be posting their thoughts throughout the next couple of days. I'll try to gather as many as I can and post links to them this weekend.

12:16
Yes, my name is Michael Jackson, but I don't drink cola, I drink beer
» ‎ Flossmoor Beer Blog

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(Ray Daniels (r) on stage with Michael Jackson (l) and a representative from Rogue (m) at GABF in 2005 ) If you haven't read yet, Michael Jackson, "The Beer Hunter," has passed away. Nothing that I can write here will be as eloquent as what others have already said today, so I will give you lots of links to catch up. I will however share my beer hunter story. Lew Bryson wrote a really nice

11:48
The Death of a Great Man and a Greater Writer
» ‎ That's the Spirit - Beer Blog

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About fifteen minutes ago, I received word that Michael Jackson passed away last night at his home in England. Details are still sketchy, but according to one source, his death was a peaceful one.
11:48
The Death of a Great Man
» ‎ That's the Spirit - Beer Blog

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About fifteen minutes ago, I received word that Michael Jackson passed away last night at his home in England. Details are still sketchy, but according to one source, his death was a peaceful one.

11:47
You and A Weekend of Beer Pix - Be Our Guest Blogger
» ‎ My Beer Pix

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This weekend is Labor Day weekend – the traditional end of summer for those of us here in the States. Being who we are, we naturally like to celebrate the end of the season with (what else) Beer and pictures! But this time around we thought we'd do something really special ...

11:40
Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter
» ‎ Stonch's Beer Blog

Tags: [edit]

Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter

11:34
A sad day for beerdom
» ‎ Hop Talk

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Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter, who became required reading for anyone ready to move up to better beer, has died.

A sad day indeed.

Other coverage:

Brookston Beer Bulletin
Appellation Beer, plus a personal remembrance
The Barley Blog
Seen Through A Glass
BellaOnline
The Brew Lounge
Brew Dad
All About Beer
KevBrews
Stonch
The Brew Site
The Potable Curmudgeon
MNBeer
Bruisin’ Ales
Beer Bulletin
The All-Grain Evangelist
Nate
Jack Curtin
Bob Skilnik
Inside Bay Area Beer Blog
Trouble Brewing
ProBrewer
Beer Bits 2
Speaking of Beer
I Love Beer
Beerjanglin’
CNYBrew.com
Lyke 2 Drink
Hail the Ale
Beer Haiku Daily
Beer Activist
Brewvana
Nanobryg
Knut Albert
A Girl’s Guide to Beer
Zythophile
Sioux Brew, and another
Boak and Bailey
Dowd’s Brews Notebook
maeib
Brewerman
The Brew Site
Beercraft
What’s On Tap
Davis on Draft
Beer Therapy
Beer Me
Brewers Association
The Beer Tourist
drinkboston.com
Hoosier Beer Geek
Keg Works
Around the Keg
The Beer Snob
AZ Beer
Shepody Brewery
Stephen Beaumont

Morning Advertiser
Time Out Chicago
Pete’s Picks
tales of a sommelier
CNN
Washington Post
Bar Stories
Imbibe Unfiltered
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Oregonian
Metafilter
Philadelphia Daily News
Associated Press
The Stew
WFMU
International Herald Tribune
Terra Sigillata
The Guardian - obituary by Roger Protz
Copyright © 2007 Hop Talk.
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11:29
Michael Jackson Passes Away
» ‎ Utah Beer

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Famed Beer Author and enthusiast Michael Jackson reportedly passed away at his home in London, England yesterday. Jackson authored more than a dozen books and helped bring beer out of the working class stereotype that had shadowed it for more more than a century. He was arguably the foremost authority on beer and whiskey in the world, and made it his life’s work to identify and describe the ever growing styles and characters of crafted, artisans beers from every corner of the globe. I had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Jackson on a few occasions. He was a man who was always in demand and yet made time for casual beer geek talk. He will be greatly missed

11:12
R.I.P. Beer Hunter
» ‎ Barley Blog, The

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R.I.P. Beer Hunter Stan is reporting that the Beer Hunter Michael Jackson has passed away this morning. This is a sad day for beer. Lew Bryson’s thoughts, as well as a list of recollections from the guys at Hop Talk.

11:09
A truely sad day for all beer ...
» ‎ Craft Beer (rating, drinking, etc.) and other Musings

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A truely sad day for all beer lovers, one of the first and greatest beer pioneers has passed today.
[www.bellaonline.com]

Some kind words from another beer writer.
[lewbryson.blogspot.com]

Michael Jackson's last article
[www.allaboutbeer.com]

10:54
Lift a Pint for Michael Jackson
» ‎ Beer 4 Chx

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We've had a big loss in the beer community today. Beer expert Michael Jackson, whom I've mentioned several times in this blog, has passed away. I've read every book that he's written and often looked to them for guidance and answers. Here's what All About Beer Magazine wrote about him today.
"It's not often you get to know an honest to goodness giant. Michael Jackson was a giant, indeed, and his place in the beer community was unique. Now, he's gone. Not exactly surprising, given the state of his health, but still a shock.
Michael gave us our voice and vocabulary, and grounded the history and traditions of beer. Beginning in the seventies with the publication of the World Guide to Beer, Michael began beating the drum demanding more respect for beer. He swirled and tasted beer, filling pages with new words. He traveled unceasingly, discovering styles and traditions long gone or on their way out the door. He chided the mainstream press for its beer provincialism. He even wore one glove, just one glove, to mock a similarly named celebrity.
Originally a newspaper reporter, a badge he wore with pride, he never lost the newsman's love for a breaking story or a tight deadline. He was a prolific writer, an expert in whiskey and fine food as well as a pioneer beer writer.
We will all lift a pint in his memory.
Daniel & Julie Bradford"

Cheers Michael! I hope you are enjoying that big beer chalice in the sky!

10:47
Sad News
» ‎ A Good Beer Blog

Tags: [edit]

A Good Beer Blog --
Sad news from Stan who is reporting the passing of Michael Jackson, the English beer writer who taught so much to so many of we beer geeks. Tonight, in his memory, you might raise a very good glass of one of the many somethings his writings illuminated for you.
Lew's recollections are quite thoughtful as are the stories from Lost Abbey and Pete Brown's, too.
Later. Such an outpouring of kind thoughts and stories for a person to whom each of us really owes a debt of gratitude. I pulled out my 1977 edition of The World Guide to Beer and noticed the bit of preface at the bottom of page 4 including this written by Michael Jackson thirty years ago:
This book was not written for brewers, though I hope they will find it interesting, and perhaps even useful. It is a book for the beer-drinker. Similar books have been written about the beers of individual nations, but such a wide-ranging coverage of the beer-drinking world has not been attempted before. There is much more to say about the great brewing nations, and the lesser ones, but authors - like brewers - have to find balance.
After completing a labour no less weighty than this one, Samuel Johnson reminded his readers: "In this work, when it shall be found that much is omitted, let it not be forgotten that much likewise is performed." Where would we be without Dr Johnson? He liked his taverns, too, but he didn't have to drink while he was writing.
M.J.
That sort of sums up his career, even though it was written fairly early into it. His last column mentions the ennobled drinker, too. I am popping one of the beers he mentions in each of the books of his I own, a Thomas Hardy's Ale, this one a 2006 - two years younger than my last note. Somewhere between and beyond what a dubbel and whatever an imperial brown might be, it is massive at 13.3% with a rough textured whole grain burlapped quality that needs no spiced yeast or smoked toastiness. Just a celebration of the fundamentals of malt, with concentrated dried apple, pear with raisin or, as a better man wrote, "when it is young it can be as rich and creamy and meaty as beef broth."

10:31
Molson Coors To Increase Its Focus On The Better Beer Segment
» ‎ Andy Crouch's BeerScribe.Com

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Reports in the Wall Street Journal and the Rocky Mountain Daily News today bring news that the Molson Coors Brewing Company has incorporated a high-end beer division to compete in the better beer segment. The RMDN article reports:

Coors Brewing Co. plans to roll out upscale beers via a new Golden-based unit called AC Golden Brewery.

The new “brand incubation company” will “introduce above-premium beers to the marketplace using a new approach” that’s less splashy than typical “national rollouts,” according to a Coors announcement obtained by the Rocky Mountain News that was distributed to company employees and distributors.

The news was first reported by Beer Marketer’s Insights Express, a trade industry publication.

Golden-based Coors’ chief brands are Coors Light, Keystone Light and Blue Moon.

Incorporation papers filed in April with the Colorado secretary of state’s office list an AC Golden Brewing Co. formed by Pete Coors. Coors is chairman of Coors Brewing and vice chairman of parent Molson Coors.

According to the Coors announcement, AC Golden Brewery will introduce its brands in the similar stealth way Coors built up its Blue Moon brand. A number of craft beer drinkers who enjoy Blue Moon Belgian White Ale aren’t aware it’s a Coors product.

Coors has long been slow to adjust to changes in the beverage alcohol market (Aspen Edge anyone?). Despite its missteps, Coors has a long proven dedication to the better beer segment. Check out the Beer Scribe interview with Tom Hail, brewer for the Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field to learn more about Coors’ history in the better beer segment. I look forward to seeing what offerings this division serves up and whether the brewery continues to treat its specialty releases with respect.

10:29
More than a moment of silence for Michael Jackson
» ‎ Appellation Beer: Beer From a Good Home

Tags: [edit]

There’ll be no blogging here today.

Consider it a symbolic moment of silence to honor the memory of Michael Jackson, simply the best writer about beer there ever has been.

His death was reported this morning and I’m sure that news stories and tributes will appear soon enough elsewhere on the Internet.

You don’t need details from me and I don’t much feel like writing.

When I do I promise to pass along a story or two about him that will help us regain our smiles.

Added late in the morning: All About Beer Magazine has posted the last column he wrote for the publication, which was due to appear next month: Did I Cheat Mort Subite?

10:28
The Curious Case of Blue Moon…
» ‎ Andy Crouch's BeerScribe.Com

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Forty years ago, people described Coors’s flagship Banquet Beer as having a ‘mystique’ to it. Loyal fans would prod, coax, and bribe their westward traveling friends to lug cases of the beer back to the East Coast. The ‘Coors mystique’ may seem long out-of-date now but the Colorado brewery is slowly building a new mysterious brand.

The buzz in the beer industry is all about the explosive growth of craft beer. In the last three years, the category has boomed with 31-percent growth. While the news is a well-deserved reward for craft brewers, the accolades have obscured some of the more significant repercussions of their accomplishments. In response to the American palate’s sweeping shift away from lifeless beers, most corporate breweries have buried their heads in Olympic-size fermentation tanks or released their own ill-conceived, faux-craft brands. The approaches have seen little success, save for one.

The worst kept secret among hardened beer geeks is that Blue Moon Belgian White is brewed by the Coors Brewing Company (now Molson Coors), but word has not yet leaked out to the general drinking public. What people may not know is that the wildly popular Blue Moon is probably America’s best-selling craft beer brand. You may ask, ‘but what about Sam Adams Boston Lager, the quintessential craft beer?’ Despite Boston Beer’s recent successes, I’d wager that more orange-accented pints of Colorado’s sleeper wheat beer pour from American taps then do glasses of the American patriot’s namesake lager. (Both breweries declined to release actual production numbers).

Like a flush hipster who toils to keep his conservative parental benefactors a secret, Blue Moon is in no rush to take you home to meet momma and poppa Coors. Coors employees created the brand in 1995 at the company’s own brewpub, the SandLot Brewery at Coors Field. Now produced under the Blue Moon Brewing Company label and brewed in three locations, Coors has enjoyed steady growth with the brand, fueled in part by its intentional disassociation from the brand. And the Coors people willingly admit this. “It’s not that we hide the fact that it’s brewed by Coors,” says Blue Moon’s Brand Director, Ken Hehir. “We’re just not openly advertising that fact.”

And here starts the craft beer lover’s political problem. Should it matter that Blue Moon is brewed by America’s third largest brewery, one that produces more than 23-million barrels of beer per year? Countless dedicated craft beer drinkers have seen a Blue Moon tap handle, ordered and enjoyed the brand, only to later discover the Coors connection. While they certainly have an understandable objection about truth in labeling (a complaint they can also lodge with many contract-brewed craft brands), it doesn’t change the fact they probably liked the beer when they tasted it blind to beer politics. In the end, shouldn’t the question always be, is the beer any good?

While popularity is certainly no indication of quality, an honest review of Blue Moon shows it to be an entirely respectable wheat beer. Brewed with malted white wheat, oats, coriander, and orange peel, the unfiltered beer is a pleasant mix of floral, citrus, light wheat and yeast flavors that are well suited for summertime enjoyment.

In dismissing Blue Moon as another big brewery poseur brand, contrarian beer lovers miss two larger points. First, in reporting the achievements of American craft brewers, the Brewers Association doesn’t include Blue Moon and its double-digit growth volume. While Blue Moon may not qualify for membership in the ‘craft beer’ club, it’s certainly a charter member of the ‘better beer’ segment. When added to the tally sheet, the Blue Moon brand’s explosive growth is perhaps the best evidence of a sea change in the American palate.

The second point is perhaps the least appreciated. In contrast to the sometimes-juvenile efforts of America’s two largest breweries, Coors has long treated the Blue Moon brand in a remarkably innovative manner: with respect. Blue Moon’s artistic point-of-sale materials, refusal to run television ads, and its dedication to the ritual of serving the luminous wheat beer in proper, shapely glassware speaks to the gentle, considered treatment of this brand. In comparison, one need only look at the absurd tap handles for Anheuser-Busch’s own line of seasonal draft beers to get the sneaking suspicion the brewing giant is trying to make craft beer look like a bunch of clowns.

In the new era of craft beer, the Coors mystique has clearly returned with good reason. Only this time, beer lovers don’t have to get their traveling friends to make beer runs for them.

Article appeared in the July 2007 issue of BeerAdvocate Magazine.

9:59
Michael Jackson
» ‎ Seen Through a Glass

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I just learned that Michael Jackson has died.

Jackson was immensely influential on all of us: drinkers, brewers, distillers, and of course, writers. (He could be almost too influential; I remember one writer telling me that he didn't read Jackson's work at all any more, because he didn't want to sound too much like Jackson.) His books were bibles for beer and Scotch whisky drinkers -- moreso here than in the UK, perhaps -- and his tutored tastings were ground-breaking. Jackson was the first rock star of beer, drawing crowds of admiring fans whenever he appeared.

I was one of them. I met Michael in the men's room at the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, during one of his mass tastings that was part of The Book & The Cook. It was before I even knew what TB&TC was; Michael Jackson was in town doing a beer tasting, what else did I need to know? After the tasting (yes, I took notes, and still have them), Jackson was signing books and I overheard someone asking him a question about "stock ale," in the context of the Samuel Adams Boston Ale, then sub-labeled as a stock ale. MJ gave a somewhat circuitous answer that left me still curious (At a TB&TC press breakfast years later, I told him I admired how he took questions, any question, from a beer audience and answered in detail. "It's simple," he told me. "If I don't know the answer, I take a sentence or two to speculate, another sentence to note what other subject that brings up, and then I just answer the question I want to answer.").

I was a long time in the line for the bathroom afterwards, and just as I stepped up to the urinal, I heard some commotion behind me: "Pass him up! Oh, please, Mr. Jackson, go ahead! After you!" The next thing I knew, there was MJ at the porcelian appliance next to me. I took the opportunity to introduce myself, declined an offer to shake hands, and asked him "So the stock ale: is that really a style, like a New England biere de garde, or just an extra-aged ale?" He eyed me, still working, and said, "Well, more age, more hops. It was made, but I don't know if I'd call it a style." I thanked him, we washed up, and then shook hands. I'd met Michael Jackson.

Working with John Hansell at Malt Advocate gave me a lot more chances to talk to Michael; he and John were good friends. Eventually I would wind up editing his column for the magazine. It was not something I looked forward to; Michael was a bit of a sloppy writer at times, largely because of the rush he was always in. MJ always had numerous pots boiling at the same time, a project here, a project there, trips, visits, lectures, editing, writing. He was immensely productive: multiple columns in print and on-line, books on beer and whisky, feature articles, video series, CDs. If it was about beer or whisky, he did it.

But it was Michael's sense of place that really made his writing so important to me. When MJ wrote about a beer, he wrote about where it was brewed and where people drank it, the look of the walls and the lay of the land, why the town was there and who the brewer's father was.

I remember driving Michael around on a tour of area breweries, a day that turned into a travel disaster. He was two and a half hours late leaving New York, thanks to some skinny git who was trying and never did open a brewpub in NYC, but still managed to hold MJ's attention all morning; I suspect he simply refused to take him to Tony Forder's house until he'd said all he had to say. We had to cancel the appointment at Yards and drive on to Brandywine Brewing near Wilmington in heavy rain.

Yet when Michael got there, he calmly pulled out his notebook, tasted beer, and started asking questions...about the rug in front of the fireplace. "Now why is that rug there? It doesn't look like the right place, it doesn't really fit with the rest of the room. Is there a spot on the floor? Why that rug?" I was baffled and a bit annoyed; I brought him all this way to find out about a cheap little imitation oriental rug? Dave Dietz shrugged and said "It's just a rug."

But as we slowly, slowly made our way up through heavy rain and ridiculous traffic to the Stoudt's Fest, arriving an hour before it ended (MJ made a quick tour of the floor, and then locked himself in Carol's office with a bottle of Triple), I realized that he was right. The rug didn't fit on the wide expanse of blonde wood floor. Except it was a touch of softness in an open space, something interesting. Whether he ever wrote about it or not (and I never saw anything about it), it was a memory key, a small something that would bring back the whole feel of the place. I learned that trick, and use it myself.

Maybe the most valuable thing I learned from Michael Jackson was that importance of place. I learned it second-hand, because it was actually something he told John Hansell, and John's hammered it home to me: you can't write about a place if you haven't been there. Seems simple, obvious, yet I see writers crossing it every week. I did. I'm working to overcome that, and to go to the places I write about.

What Michael meant is that it's crucial to go to the place where beer or whisky is made to understand it. I finally went to Scotland for the first time just last month, and Scotch whisky makes much more sense to me, even though I've been drinking it for years. I went to Köln and Düsseldorf in January to get my own personal understanding of kölsch and altbier. I've been to Kentucky a number of times, including 12-hour helldrives to save money. I went to Bamberg, I went to Aying, I went to Andechs. I'm planning a trip to Ireland, and a trip to Belgium. And it's all because of Michael Jackson.

What I do, every day I write, is all because of Michael Jackson. If MJ hadn't been there to fire my interest, to show me a path that could be taken, I'd still be a librarian. I might be happy with that, but I wouldn't have had the fun, the late nights with great people, the satisfaction of a well-written piece or the satisfaction of opening someone's eyes to a great beer, if not for Michael Jackson.

It's hard to believe he's gone. We all knew he was sick, he had been staring down Parkinson's for years. When I came across him walking to his Monk's dinner with Carolyn Smagalski this past spring, he seemed cheery, lucid, and not so weak as he had been. We greeted each other gladly, and walked on to Monk's -- that's the picture above. He did a great presentation, good stories, much less meandering than usual. It was the last time I'll see him.

Michael Jackson has died. I'll miss the man, the writer, the friend.

All About Beer has published MJ's last column for them on the web. Go read it; Michael had come to grips with his disease -- and death -- in his own singular way. I'm still holding off tears -- for a very Jacksonian reason; I have a story to complete -- but reading this almost broke me.

9:48
Michael Jackson Passes Away
» ‎ Brookston Beer Bulletin

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I just got word from a friend and colleague that Michael Jackson passed away early this morning in his London home. He got the news from Roger Protz, a beer writer in England, that he had been found in his tub. IT now appears that the cause of death is a heart attack. This is very sad day for the beer world. Michael was larger than life and his influence cannot be overestimated. To say he will be missed seems a grand understatement.

After getting the news early this morning, I’ve just spent the last eight hours flying home from Yakima, Washington, where I’d been attending Hop School. In that time, a little more information has come to light and some memorials have already been created. Here are a few from around the beer world:

News Reports:
Memorials & Remembrances:
- All About Beer Memorial
- Tomme Arthur at The Lost Abbey
- Roger Baylor at The Potable Curmudgeon
- Brewers Association’s Remembering Michael Jackson
- British Beer Writers Memorial
- Lew Bryson on Seen Through a Glass
- Tom Dalldorf at the Celebrator Beer News
- Stan Hieronymus on Appellation Beer
- Stan Hieronymus again on Appellation Beer
- Stan Hieronymus on Real Beer’s Beer Therapy
- Rick Lyke at Lyke 2 Drink
- Carolyn Smagalski at BellaOnline
Photos:
- Tom Dalldorf went through some of the Celebrator’s older photo archives and dug up some great pictures of Michael, which he’s posted at the Celebrator.
- Mark Silva, from Real Beer, posted some great photos on his Flickr page from an event at the Beach Chalet in San Francisco from 2001.
Video:
Stan Hieronymus has now set up a special blog as a memorial entitled Michael Jackson The Beer Hunter In Memoriam

Here are some of my own memories:

I first became aware of Michael Jackson at about the same time I discovered different, more flavorful beers while stationed in New York City in the late 1970s. I was in a U.S. Army Band at the time, stationed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge on Fort Hamilton, which is on Staten Island. My bandmates and I went into Manhattan whenever we could and spent a lot of our time in the many jazz clubs in the Village and other parts of the city. Beers like Bass Ale, Guinness and Pilsner Urquell were often served in these clubs and they were vastly different from the local pilsners I grew up drinking in southeastern Pennsylvania. I was smitten with them at once, and wanting to learn more about them, chanced upon Michael’s World Guide to Beer at a bookstore and devoured it whole.

Fast forward around 13 years later and I’d just published The Bars of Santa Clara: A Beer Drinker’s Guide to Silicon Valley and treated myself to my first trip to the Great American Beer Festival. This was 1991 or 92. Michael was signing books at a table and I was thrilled to finally meet someone who had been such an inspiration. I told him about my book and explained how grateful I was for his books and how helpful they were to me in writing a summary of beer history and styles for my guidebook’s appendices. He gave me his card and asked me to send him a copy, which I happily did.

My next encounter with Michael was at the Great Divide Brewery in Denver during a later GABF. At this point I was the beer buyer at Beverages & more and had been invited to one of the first of Great Divide’s annual Thursday morning open houses because I had recently started selling Great Divide in our California stores. I asked Michael if he had received my book, fully expecting him to have no recollection of it given that several years had passed. He told me he remembered it and particularly liked my appendix with historical events, birthdays etc. for every day of the year, a lifelong passion of mine that you can still see in the upper left-hand corner of the Bulletin every day.

A few years later I joined the Celebrator Beer News and saw Michael more and more at events around the country. I loved hearing him talk about beer, of course, but I figured out early on that it wasn’t the only thing he loved. As a result we started discussing literature, politics, music — especially jazz — and topics decidedly non-beery whenever we saw one another. He recommended many books and authors to me over the years, including ones I now cherish such A.J. Liebling. I think Michael liked being able to relax and not have to talk about beer constantly and I just enjoyed his company, he was insightful and a great storyteller.

But I think my favorite Michael memory took place at the Craft Brewers Conference when it was in San Diego in 2004. One night everyone was around the central pool area enjoying the many San Diego beers there. I was feeling hungry and thinking about getting dinner even though it was later in the evening. About that same time, Michael declared he was hungry and it turned out we were the only peckish ones in our group standing around chatting. I volunteered to take Michael to dinner so his people could stay at the party. We walked slowly over to the closest restaurant in Town & Country, the self-contained resort where CBC was being held, talking amiably about nothing and everything. But we arrived too late and a rude maitre’d would not seat us and suggested we try the last remaining open restaurant in the complex, though he wouldn’t guarantee it was open either. Outside the restaurant, I persuaded a Town & Country employee to take us to the other restaurant, Kelly’s Steakhouse, in his electric golf-cart because Michael was visibly tired. Kelly’s Steakhouse was open and we sat at a corner table, before spying Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo out to dinner with some friends. They had just sat down, too, and invited us to join them and we all re-situated ourselves at a larger table. It was a great night of wine, beer and conversation. And there are a few funny stories I can’t tell here.

The outpouring of memories and reminiscences in the last 24-hours are a living testament to the influence Michael had throughout his thirty-plus-years writing about beer and spirits. It’s hard to imagine a single soul who did more for an industry. It’s a remarkable achievement that reminds me of one of my favorite stories, Jean Giono’s The Man Who Planted Trees. It’s a French tale about a solitary man living alone in the hills of a desolate part of rural France as a sheepherder. Every night he hand picks fifty acorns and the following day he plants them. He does this for years and then decades, totally changing the landscape. The trees flourish which brings back birds, animals, plants and water, which in turn brings life back to an entire region, including countless people who begin moving back into the area. It was made into a wonderful animated film several years ago which won an Academy Award for short animated feature (you can watch the video on Google Video). The story is about how the dedication and perseverance of one man — which could be you or me — can really make a difference. So often we feel like nothing we do can or will make much of a difference, but people like Elzéard Bouffier (the fictional tree man) and Michael Jackson prove that it is possible for an exceptional person to have a profound effect on peoples’ lives. It’s almost impossible to imagine what the American craft beer industry would be like today without Michael Jackson. He wrote with such passion and enthusiasm — and so beautifully — that he inspired countless brewers and beer enthusiasts. Without his voice, where would be today? He was a giant among men. Try as we might, none of us writing today are in his league. A few are very good — you know who you are — but there is no one as clearly gifted. Of course, through his work Michael will live on and continue to inspire us, as well as future generations of beer lovers.

Michael and Carolyn Smagalski at a recent Pilsner Urquell event. (Thanks for the photo Carolyn.)

9:43
Beer hunter Michael Jackson has died; worldwide good beer community mourns today.
» ‎ Potable Curmudgeon, The

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It always was my hope that there'd be a second visit to the Public House by beer writer Michael Jackson. Sadly, it isn't to be.

Joyfully, his role in teaching us about beer will be celebrated for as long as there is a craft brewing business.

As always, ironies abound. I'd just finished posting about essential beer books, smiled inwardly at my memories of meeting Jackson at Rich O's and later in Denver, and then I checked my e-mail, only to learn that Jackson died last evening.

There'll be eulogies by the thousands, written and spoken by people in good beer circles who recognize the almost unfathomable extent of Jackson's contribution to the success we enjoy today. The hyperbole is deserved, because he made us all.

I'll have more to write when there's time; the show truly must go on, and we have a Bamberg-centric draft beer event kicking off on Friday. If not for Jackson, would I have visited Bamberg when I did? Would I have chosen to make good beer my life's work?

The weekend's beers are going to have his imprint, and I'm having the first one now.

All About Beer is the first place to turn for an appreciation. There'll be others, and I'll collect them at another time.

9:28
And They Lived Happily Ever After
» ‎ Beer Haiku Daily

Tags: [edit]

For that perfect day
March of the Kegerator
was the only way

Written by Captain Hops.

References: On a couple occassions earlier this summer, I mentioned the great Kegerator Giveaway of Summer 2007. Essays were solicited to explain why the entrant was the most deserving of a brand new kegerator with a free kegerator as the ultimate prize. Well the winner has been announced and the essay is well deserving. The winning essay is called The March of the Kegerator. Congratulations Patrick - on the wedding and the win!

A new Kegerator Giveaway contest will be announced later in September. Stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: beer, haiku, kegerator
Thing of the Day: Monkey In a Tree Beer Tap Handle
Sponsor: Chitika eMiniMalls Make money from your website or blog.

9:16
Hummingbird Organic Bitter
» ‎ shoreman organic ales

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This is the result of my New Brewing Technique . I can’t pick out any flaws in this brew matched with previous batches of Bitter I have brewed. I would say that I added a touch too many hops when I was trying to make up for the lack of hop utilization in the boil. The recipe calls for Organic Pale, Crystal 60 & Wheat malts as well as Organic East Kent Goldings hops. This beer is golden in color with aromas of fresh bread, fruit and citrus from the hops. A real session English-style beer, this weighs in at about 4% ABV. I’ve been serving it on tap with little to no carbonation and its been a great summer treat.

9:01
Sad Day in Beer Land
» ‎ Great Canadian Pubs and Beer

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Michael Jackson, the world's foremost author about beer, has died. Jackson was an English born beer writer with many-many books and encloypedia's about beer's history, tastings, cooking with beer and pubs all over the world. He was a living legend to all those in the world that are consumed with the beer industry and was a sought out role model for those aspiring to write about beer. He was 65. http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news_detail.aspx?articleid=49858

Here is his last article, featured in All About Beer:http://www.allaboutbeer.com/

8:11
Oktoberfest at Snowbird
» ‎ Utah Beer

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It's been a brutal month here at Utah Beer. I've been scouring the state looking for good beer related crap and coming up with bupkiss. Finally. A lil' sumpin-sumpin to talk about. Snowbird's three decades long Bavarian themed Oktoberfest resumes once again. This year marks the 35th anniversary of our locally produced Oktoberfest, which will take place weekends at the resort center Aug. 25-Oct. 7.

So strap on your lederhosen, cram your alpenhorn in to the back of of your Honda and join the 70,000 visitors that'll consume tens of thousands of brats and weisswurst. Along with hundreds of kegs of local suds. I'm not sure yet if an actual Oktoberfest style beer will be available, but I'm checking.

7:55
Michael Jackson...dead?
» ‎ Beer Me! Blog, The

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Beer has lost one of its heroes. Reports say that Beer Hunter Michael Jackson died at his London home this morning. Eulogies are already posted at All About Beer Magazine, Seen Through A Glass, and the Brewers Association.

Paris and I had a few opportunities to share beer with Mr. Jackson over the years. I'll post pictures and memories as soon as I find them.

7:53
Show 36: The Case for Pilsners
» ‎ Speaking of Beer

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Prebeer Preamble: There are many *ahem* unpleasant associations with the word “pilsner” in the Beerniverse. Perhaps this is because it’s the little beer that grew up to conquer the world, and many of us were deeply scarred by its watery tyrany during our formative years. Nonetheless, rumor has it that there was actually a decent beer in there before global economic pressures for mass-production took their ugly toll. Today, I’m joined by Farpoint Media personae Michael R. Mennenga, Doug Kress, Brian Brown and Tim Adamec as we try a couple of pilsners brewed the way the beer gods intended.

Beer #1: We start off with Scrimshaw Pilsner from California’s North Coast Brewing Company. The tasting crew fears no yellow fizz as we plunge into this straw-colored brew. The style is designed to be light and refreshing, but the pungent nose spurs one co-drinker to make some rather un-refreshing comparisons…

Interbeer Interlude: Microbrewed “Old Dominion, Part 2″ Podcast novelists and beer-loving bon vivants Tee Morris and Phil Rossi are back to wrap up their evening at the brewpub where it all started. Much ale-talk brings a balance to this lager-heavy episode, and yes, Tee, you told the story correctly. Pretty much.

Beer #2: Next up is Blue Paddle Pilsner, a product of craft megabrewer New Belgium Brewing Company. From a brewer that’s taking over the country one Fat Tire at a time comes this uncharacteristically non-belgian brew that’s a lager to boot. Does being the odd one out in the New Belgian stable help or hurt this Czech-style beer?

Beer Geek Moment: “Lagers” Admit it, some of you out there don’t know (or worse, don’t care about) the difference between ales and lagers. Well, tough. I happen to think it’s the cornerstone of Beer Geekiness, so I’m giving it to you again, this time with some history…

Postbeer Postscript: The great “pilsner-off” winds up where things often do on this show: in the numbers. We try to be concise as we split hairs between shades of gold and ponder all things crisp. Does the “Thing That Pilsners Became” haunt our evaluation of these two all-malt micros? Tune in and see!

7:45
Michael Jackson and A Day of Reflection
» ‎ Brew Lounge : Beer Tasting Brewing and Culture, The

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After seeing the news at Jay's and Lew's respective sites this morning, I feel even more fortunate to have met Michael for the first time this past spring. Our 10-minute conversation was memorable and will be cherished. Here's to a larger-than-life man who, in his pursuit of better beer, helped pave the way for what we all can fortunately enjoy today! [new links] All About Beer Brewers

7:39
Flying Dog Dogtoberfest
» ‎ Barley Blog, The

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I love this time of year. All of the fall beers are starting to hit the shelves. It started with the Paulaner a couple of days ago, continues with a few more Oktoberfest brews and then onto more Autumn Seasonals. Not only that, but now I can start enjoying my stouts without the looks I [...]

7:23
Michael Jackson has died
» ‎ Yours for Good Fermentables ™

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D.C.'s Bob Tupper (l), the world's Michael Jackson (r): RFD, 2006 I've just been alerted to some sad news. Michael Jackson has died. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease for a few years now. In his inimitable erudite fashion, Jackson's life work was to promote good beer. Through his words, he brought beer's joys to many of us. His contributions to the advancement of good beer

7:07
Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter, Passes
» ‎ All-Grain Evangelist: A Beer Brewer's Blog, The

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Numerous places around the web have reported that famed beer author, Michael Jackson, also known as the Beer Hunter, passed away this morning at his home in England. This is sad news for the world of beer. He will be missed.

7:06
Lagunitas ‘Kill Ugly Radio’
» ‎ Realbeer.com Beer Therapy

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As promised last year, Lagunitas Brewing in California has released the second beer in its Frank Zappa series.

Kill Ugly Radio, featuring the inside album art from Zappa’s second album, Absolutely Free, is in stores now. Last year Lagunitas brewed Freak Out! to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of the first album by Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, and Kill Ugly Radio commemorates the 40th anniversary of the second.

Lagunitas founder Tony Magee obtained the permission of the Zappa Family Trust to use the original album art for both.

The beer itself? A hefty 7.8% and not surprisingly brimming with West Coast hops, a blast of citrus and Northwest pine, and unapologetic bitterness.

6:30
Memories Of Michael
» ‎ Jack Curtin's Liquid Diet Online

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International mourning for Michael Jackson, the man who invented beer writing and who died today, stirs up reminders of times spent in his presence.
6:30
Michael Jackson, R.I.P.
» ‎ Jack Curtin's Liquid Diet Online

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The man who invented beer writing and who was a singular icon of the brewing world has died.

6:12
A few good beer books.
» ‎ Potable Curmudgeon, The

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A reader asks:

I'm thinking about getting into home brewing, and I'd like to just become more knowledgeable about beer and the craft beer industry in general. Do you know of any good books to read on one or all three subjects (home brewing, the industry, and beer overall)? A cursory search in Amazon yielded plenty of results, but I figured you might have a good suggestion or two.

Following are quick, off-the-cuff suggestions designed much like a personal “Top Five.” The list is not intended to be comprehensive, and reader additions are appreciated. Perhaps we can come up with a worthy “Top Ten.”

I may not think much of Charlie Papazian when it comes to his beer industry dabbling outside homebrewing, but when it comes to homebrewing, his New Complete Joy of Home Brewing probably remains the best place to start for aspiring homebrewers.

The classic “great beer” texts by Michael Jackson are still out there, and worth it for the always elegant writing, although the information is dated in older editions. Go to his Beer Hunter website and read the many archived columns there, then look around for used copies of the warhorses from the 1980’s.

Garrett Oliver's The Brewmaster's Table is a recent essential volume. The subtitle says it all: “Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food.” However, it’s also a wonderful overview of beer styles.

Fermenting Revolution: How to Drink Beer and Save the World, by Christopher Mark O’Brien. Need I say more?

For insight into the microbrewing business, I like Sam Calagione’s Brewing Up a Business: Adventures in Entrepreneurship from the Founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. He has another book called
Extreme Brewing: An Enthusiast's Guide to Brewing Craft Beer at Home, but I haven’t yet read it.

Readers?

5:48
Room for rent in Wellington Beer enthusiasts haven
» ‎ RealBeer.co.nz

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Ever dreamed of living in a pub? I have a room for rent in a beer lovers dream home. I run an English style homebrewery with attached home bar south of Brooklyn Wellington. My ales are served hand pulled in the 'lounge' , there are drinks every Thursday, with the odd tasting session at other times in the week. The house is situated 4 minutes drive from Willis St, a 24 minute walk and yet is

5:05
Brew Burglar
» ‎ Hoosier Beer Geek

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Man, this is just dirty. Not that I'm above being dirty. In fact, this very easily could have been me. Hey, don't judge. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do to get free beer.

4:19
The Price of Beer Yesterday
» ‎ Shut up about Barclay Perkins

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This article was published in the Weekly Dispatch on April 8th 1917, just as new government
regulations came into force limiting the amount of beer produced and drastically rasing duty. You'll see how much discord it aroused.

There are a few snippets of social history in it that amused me. The importance placed on the workman's "the morning pint" may sound odd to us, but it demonstrates just how different British drinking culture was before WW 1. Whereas regular drinking of spirits was recognised as a vice, even by publicans.

We're also given a rare glimpse of what beers London pubs were selling, through the landlord's price fixing agreement. Worth noting is the absence of porter from the draught beers and the presence of lager in the bottled ones. You might have expected three years of bitter fighting with the Germans would have killed the demand for lager. A WW I pub's draught beer choice has genuine variety - Mild, Bitter, Stout, Burton - each has a very different character. Give me that rather than half a dozen bitters with only a few tenths of a per cent alcohol difference between them.

"There is a feeling that the present prices for beer will come down before the end of this month." No sign of it yet. Patience. Maybe next millennium.

The Price of Beer Yesterday.

----

Threatened Strike of Publicans.

----

BATTLE OF THE BAR.

----

Weekly Dispatch, April 8th 1917

There were some remarkable fluctuations in the price of beer in London yesterday, with a tendency to go back to the old prices.

At the Black Dog in Shoe Lane, London, bitter was only 3d a half pint - 2d. less that the price fixed by the Licensed Victuallers' Central Protection Society London: at the Temple in Tudor Street the charge had also gone down to 3d.; at the Mail Coach in Farringdon Street it was still at 5d.; at Gatti's Restaurant in the Strand it was 4.5d.; at the Wellington Restaurant, Fleet Street, 5d.

In South London, in Camberwell and Peckham, there has been a battle of the publicans ever since Monday last. At a meeting it was agreed to put up the prices, but when the time came a minority did not do so. The news spread quickly and the old-price houses were beseiged. Another was held and again an agreement to raise the price was reached, but this time a few of the publicans had a vendetta against the men who played the trick on Monday. One man in Peckham Road put outside his house a notice stating that as other publicans in the desitrict had been disloyal the old prices would be charged until further notice. Many others are doing the same. Yesterday in these old-price houses, it was fighting room only. In Manchester a boycott of formidable character is taking place.

In Manchester and Salford yesterday pickets were stationed near many beerhouses in the industrial areas, and the takings of hundreds of licensees decreased by over 50 per cent.

In Liverpool the boycott also continues. There has been a great drop in the trade and, contrary to expectation, the workmen have shown no sign of buying beer at the new price. At Sunderland the premises of one publican who declined to advance the prices and charged 4d. a pint were crowded to the doors, while people intending to enter premises charging 6d. and 7d. were assailed with cries of "Come out, you blacklegs" from pickets.

A strike was threatened by publicans in Chatham and Rochester yesterday. The licensed victuallers and beerhouse keepers there have decided to accept no further supplies of malt liquors from the brewery until they reduce their rates to the prices prevailing in the greater part of the county of Kent. According to present arrangements the public is henceforth to pay 10d. a quart for its mild ales and 1s. 6d. a quart for bitter ales.

PROHIBITION BY PRICE.

"It's prohibition by price - so far as beer is concerned." said a London publican yesterday. He said that his sale had dropped by 50 per cent since the prices were increased in his establishment last Tuesday.

An old man walked in and asked for "a pint of bitter" and when told the price had been raised to tenpence walked out without touching the drink - a remarkable example of self-denial but typical of the kind of protest the British workman will always make when he feels, rightly or wrongly, that he is being badly imposed upon.

The new rise in the price of beer in a consequence of the war, which to many men is a more startling fact than the inflation in the prices of foodstuffs or luxuries. Twopence on on tobacco was serious, but as one ounce lasts the average smoker two or three days he did not feel the call on his pocket so much. But tenpence for the morning pint every morning has come as a brutal shock. Mild ale is only 7d., but to a man accustomed to bitter the change is extremely distasteful.

SPIRITS AS ALTERNATIVE.

But the consequence of the prohibitive price would not be serious if it simply compelled a man to become a total abstainer.

The truth is that beer drinkers are not becoming total abstainers; they are becoming addicted to spirits.

The other day a man walked into a well-known buffet in Fleet Street and ordered a small bottle of Bass. At the same time the man standing next to him asked for a Scotch whisky. For the Bass the barmaid demanded the new price, 7d.; for the whisky she turned to the other customer and said, "Fourpence, please."

The beer drinker hesitated, then looking at the whisky, said: "Will you change the Bass for a Scotch?" The barmaid said that she could not do that, and the convert to whisky grunted, "Well, this is the last bottle of beer I'm going to buy. I shall save threepence by drinking spirits." At the same place a customer had two glasses of mixed vermouth and they did not cost him any more than a pint of beer.

A manager who controls many public-houses, both in the City and the East End, said yesterday that there had been a very sharp rise in the consumption of whisky.

"Several men I know," he said' "who for years have had a pint of beer every morning, which was their only intoxicating drink for the day, and never touched spirits, now call for a 'double Scotch.' It costs them twopence less than the beer."

He says that the same habit is also growing among the dockers.

The publican, of course, refuses to condemn these customers for giving way to what is a bad habit merely because the country's food peril makes it imperative that the brewing of beer should be drastically cut down. The publican's attitude is that beer is a very important food to a numerous body of workers, whose constitutions have become so habituated to the drink that they feel ill without it.

OLD STOCKS AT OLD PRICES.

A curious situation created by the new prices is that many public-houses which have large cellars and a considerable supply of barrels bought at the old price have not yet raised their charges. The result has been a migration, temporary, of customers from a new-price house to an old-price house close by.

The new scale of prices as fixed by the Licensed Victuallers' Central Protection Society of London is:

Mild ale
half pint 3.5d.
Glass -

Bitter
half pint 5d.
Glass 4d.

Stout
half pint 5d.
Glass 5d.

Burton
half pint 6d.
Glass 5d.

Mild and Bitter
half pint 4.5d.
Glass 3.5d .

Stout and Mild
half pint 5d.
Glass 4d.

Mild and Burton
half pint 5d.
Glass 4d.

Other prices: Bass 7d.; Guinness 8d.; London stout (screws) 5d.; pale ale (screws) 5d.; barley wine nips 6d.; lager, light or dark, 8d.

It has been pointed out on behalf of the brewers that the existing large stocks of malted barley, sufficient to brew the 10,000,000 barrels of beer authorised for this year, are useless for any other purpose.

This has been denied by Dr. Saleeby, who says that malt cake is an admirable food for cattle, and can be turned directly into meat an milk, and that if the cakes were supplied to farmers they would release for food the unmalted barley, oats, and sedes now being used as food for cattle.

In any case the public have got to make up their mind that, high price or low price, there is not enough beer to supply the old demand, or anything like it, and a good many people have got to do without it.

It is stated that a dozen or more metropolitan brewers have decided to offer their customers (or "tied" houses) the old "four ale" at 90s. a barrel and a trade discount, which will enable the publicans to sell at 3d. a half-pint and make a reasonable profit. These brewers have always maintained that 100s. per barrel, the present price, was more than the circumstances warranted. There is a feeling that the present prices for beer will come down before the end of this month.

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Notes:

Burton was a type of strong brown ale, one of the standard draught beers in a 1917 London pub. Wahl & Henius, describing the beer in 1902, defined it as being 1064-1069º OG and hopped at a rate of 2 to 3 pounds per American barrel. As a comparison, Burton Pale Ale is also 1064-1069º OG, with a hopping rate of 2.5 to 3 pounds per American barrel. Mild Ale was 1053-1058º OG hopped at 1.25 to 1.5 pounds per American barrel. As Burton's price was the highest per barrel in 1917, we can infer it was the strongest draught beer.
Burton had a long history, being mentioned by Combrune in "Theory and Practice of Brewing" in 1762. Its journey from ubiquity to obscurity is a lesson in the fickle nature of public taste. It finally died out in the 1970's, when Fuller's was replaced by ESB and Youngs renamed theirs Winter Warmer. Though, Youngs did recently brew a seasonal beer called Burton. Ballantine - the USA's largest ale brewery for decades - also produced a beer called Burton Ale, as documented in this article by Ed Kelley.

Bitter was, as today, part of the standard pub draught range. Wahl & Henius describe London Pale Bitter Ale in 1902 as having an OG of 1055-1058º hopped at a rate of 1.5 to 2 pounds per American barrel. By 1914 the gravity had aleady dropped to around 1050º.

Mild was one of the most popular draught beers. Always cheaper than Bitter, it wasn't necessarily weaker before 1914. Wahl & Henius describe London Four Ale (Mild) in 1902 as having an OG of 1053-1058º hopped at a rate of 1 to 1.25 pounds per American barrel. It dropped from an average OG of 1048º in 1914 to 1032º (about the same as today) in 1919. It bore the brunt of the cuts needed to get the average gravity for all beer down to 1030º. At the height of the wartime restrictions in 1918 it sank to 1024º, 1027º or lower and barely counted as intoxicating. Mild has remained a low-alcohol drink ever since.

Porter, long a London favourite, was stumbling uncertainly, even before 1914. The war gave it a final kick in the bollocks when it was already lying in a pool of its own wee. The weakest of the Porter/Stout style beers, it was elbowed out of its strength slot by Stout. Wahl & Henius describe Porter as having an OG of 1050-1061º hopped at a rate of 0.75 to 1.5 pounds per American barrel.

Stout remained a popular draught beer. It was the second-strongest draught, after Burton. Wahl & Henius describe Single Stout as 1064-1075º OG, hopped at a rate of 1.5 to 2 pounds per American barrel. Bottled stouts were stronger, with gravities as high as 1110º pre-war.

Lager is a surprising inclusion in the price fixing agreements. Finding someone who knew how to make it was a major headache for Britain's few lager breweries. Lager has a surprisingly long history in Britain. The first to try bottom-fermentation was John Muir of Edinburgh in 1835. The legendary Munich brewer Gabriel Sedlmayr had visited Muir's brewery whilst on a study trip to Britain in the early 1830's. Sedlmayr sent some Bavarian yeast to Scotland on Muir's request. Despite being impressed with the results, Muir abandonned his attempts when he was unable to propagate the yeast successfully.
The Wrexham Lager Beer Company was founded in 1878 and, despite a takeover by Ind Coope in 1949, only closed in 2000.
Tennent's of Glasgow first brewed lager in 1885 and built a new dedicated
brewhouse for its production in 1891.

Guinness was one of the strongest beers on sale in pubs. On April 1st 1917 Guinness Extra Stout was still 1074º OG (its pre-war strength), dropping in July the same year to 1062º. Guinness did not drop in strength as much as its English rivals because different rules applied in Ireland. By April 1st Guinness Extra Stout was down to 1049º (still higher than today - bottled Extra Stout is currently 1042º), but the average gravity in England by then was just 1030º.

Bass, like Guinness, was widely sold in bottled form, also in pubs tied to other brewers. It's gravity averaged 1062º in the 1800's. By 1919, it had dropped to 1044º. It later recovered a little in strength, getting up to 1046º in the 1950's.

Beerhouse - a pub with a licence to sell only beer, not wine or spirits. They were the smallest and most basic type of pub. During the course of the 20th century beerhouses mostly either closed or obtained full licences. I can remember drinking in pubs with beer-only licences as late as the 1980's (The Roscoe in Leeds) and there may still be a couple left.

Money:
For those of you unused to pre-decimal currency
d. = penny
s. = shilling
12 pence (pennies) = 1 shilling = 5p (modern money)
20 shillngs = £1

Measures:
lb = pound = 454 grams
barrel = 36 UK gallons = 163.7 litres
gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 4.546 litres

3:55
Getting Started in Homebrewing - Racking to a Secondary Fermenter
» ‎ Brew Lounge : Beer Tasting Brewing and Culture, The

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Click here for an index of Getting Started in Homebrewing Racking (in layman's terminology, moving or draining) to a secondary fermenter is not absolutely necessary. But, I figured it didn't involve that much extra effort, bought me a little more time before bottling, and increased the chances for a more clear, stable, and better beer. The jury's out on those last three claims until I pop open

3:42
A wee heavy session
» ‎ Knut Albert's Beer Blog

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I was in Scotland last weekend for the annual European Summer gathering of ratebeer. This is a community that usually meets through the web site, but some of us see each other while travelling, and the most eager ones...

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3:36
BERT GRANT’S & THEIR AROMATIC MANDARIN HEFEWEIZEN
» ‎ Hedonist Beer Jive

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If it was all about the smell, then this BERT GRANT’S MANDARIN HEFEWEIZEN scores a straight-up perfect ten. Then again, I’m one of those guys that buys those globe-shaped chocolate oranges with the individual “slices” that you break off by smacking the middle. Anything with orange – I’m on it. It’s why my initial glass of BLUE MOON Belgian Wit with an orange slice on the side was not met with revulsion, as it was by so many beer dorks, but by pure glee. Yet it’s not all about the smell, is it now. This wonderfully fragrant orange wheat beer promised sheer nirvana, and as it turned out, was pretty darn good, even after the initial letdown of the beer not quite comparing with that incomparable smell. But I digress.

Now BERT GRANT’S – that’s a name from the 1990s for me. I used to buy their SCOTCH ALE when I lived in Seattle from 1997-1999, and I guess after I moved back to California, these Yakima-based microbrewing pioneers just sorta fell off the map for me. I saw this in Central California a couple weeks ago and got all excited & stuff. Beer Advocate claims the beer is “retired”. If that’s true, then I bought a 2-year-old bottle of beer from a cooler. I think what’s more likely is what I read elsewhere on the web – that this beer is contract-brewed “somewhere’ using the Bert Grant’s name. Whatever. The MANDARIN HEFEWEIZEN, after that burst of sweet-smelling oranges and flowers, reins it in a bit with a very carbonated (perhaps a little too much), cloudy, unfiltered wheat beer that at times was even a bit on the tart side. That’s OK. Tart is good. We’re starting to dig tart. I drank it much too fast, which I think means I enjoyed it. Then I realized I’ll probably never ever see it again. Then I walked over to my notepad and put down a 7/10 so I could write this review for you. See if you can find one and let me know what you think.

3:32
A Good Pub - What I Look For
» ‎ Great Canadian Pubs and Beer

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Ever since I was a small kid I have always had a fascination with beer. Not drinking it, but collecting bottles from all over. I spent my public and high school summers working on the back of a garbage truck where I had the opportunity to browse through recycling bins (can you picture it) searching for exotic bottles. Being close to cottage country had its benefits as cottagers brought imports that I wouldn't have seen otherwise as the small village I grew up in is predominately Molson drinkers.

Looking back, I believe that this was the start of my quest to seek out the abnormal beers. Collecting the different bottles made me realize that there is more available other than the brand the bikini clad hot girl was holding in commercials.

So, over the years I would search out places that serve craft beers or imported beers that aren't necessarily easily accessible, which lead me to pubs. And here I am today, writing about them. Since I started this blog, many people have emailed me asking, what is it that I look for when I go to pubs? Why do I only write about some and not all the ones I attend? I guess its time I'll pick five things I look for and share them with you.

Independent Owners
1. Have you ever been to a Fox and Fiddle in Toronto and listened to bad music, drank bland beers and ate deep fried food? And then travel to Kingston to another Fox and Fiddle and thought you were back at the TO location? Independent, inspired, and dedicated pub owners offer so much more than franchise pubs do. Beer menu's rotate occasionally as does the food menu because independent owners are free to do as they please. They are passionate about their pub and they put their heart and soul into running it. Just as an artist paints a picture of something they love, pub owners create a place that reflects their ideal "third place" besides home and work.

The Local
2. I look for a town's local. And by local, I mean a place that may have been there for years, serving the community. The location of a local is important. Locals become popular due to their proximity to homes, offices, bus routes etc, and people tend to gather to discuss social/political issues or to relax with a beer after a hard days work. The Henry House in Halifax fits the bill perfectly. It is always packed with people but the parking lot remains empty. The history of the a town's local is also fascinating as it is sometimes situated in a old building that was once a prominent figure in the town.

Memorabilia - Building
3. Sometimes when you walk into a pub in a small village you get a history lesson while enjoying the cozy surroundings. The Spitfire Arms in Windsor, NS has a large collection of WWII plane artifacts, and has many stories on the walls about the village. As a tourist, or just out for a drive, you learn a little about each town you visit which makes your pub visit all the better. Some also occupy historic landmarks like old jails, old banks and coverted hardware stores and the owners pay homage to what was once there by decorating the pub with collectibles and memorabilia that relate to the building. I prefer to drink in a place like this than one with all stainless steel with no "character".

Good Beer
4. Good beer selection!! A pub has to have a good beer selection to set them apart from the big chains. I am not against macro brewed beers by any means, I just like a full flavoured beer with different tastes in different styles. Nothing peeves me more than walking into a place and seeing Molson, Blue, Coors, Bud, Corona as the only selection on tap. Their all similar in taste (well, aren't they). There is adventure in trying something new, something you have never tried before and some pub owners have found that niche. C'est What in Toronto (who I will profile soon) serves only Ontario Craft beer and feature some cask conditioned ales because George Milbrandt, the owner, wanted to feature something different and unique to the Ontario market.

Character - Ambiance
5. Once I leave a pub and start the drive back home or the walk, I want to be able to say to someone, "what a nice spot, the place had so much character". Some people think of a pub's character as the design, the layout. I agree, but I feel that character comes from everything that I have already mentioned bonded together. Owners make it comfortable, quality beer make it searchable, being local makes it popular and the structure makes it memorable. This creates character and delivers the right ambiance for customers. And good music, NO Avril!! That's what I look for in a pub; what do you look for??

Cheers
Troy

3:16
We Brewed the Beer!
» ‎ The Second-Best Beer Drinker in Britain

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(l-r: Me, Kevin the American, Steve Wellington, Jo)
The India Pale Ale for my epic trip is now brewed and sitting in Burton-on-Trent.
Two weeks ago (fittingly, the week India celebrated 60 years of independence) I went up to Burton to meet Steve Wellington, head brewer at the White Shield brewery, and he put me to work.
We've recreated (that's "we" - I'm a brewer now) an authentic nineteenth century IPA, as near as we can figure it. For those of you interested in brewing, here's the recipe bit - if you think this kind of thing is a bit spoddy, look away now. The 'chassis' of the beer, if you like - the basic recipe - is based on an old beer called Bass Continental, that was brewed for export and last saw the light of day in about 1920. This beer was 6.5% ABV, so we've upped that to 7%. It's brewed with crystal and pale malts, and English hops, using Northdown hopes for aroma. It's a rich golden colour - "a blonde with a tan", as Steve puts it. We used Worthington yeasts and water from the well that used to belong to Thomas Salts, so it's kind of a meta-Burton IPA, with three legendary brewers represented. It'll be dry hopped as it goes into the barrel, and will come out at around 50 units of bitterness. That's quite bitter, unless you're an insane American hophead who likes drinking fermented hop extract and thinks that tooth enamel is overrated anyway. There was a bit of a party atmosphere in the brewery with plenty of friends turning up, and the long pauses when wort was bubbling away and there was nothing to do inevitably became filled by beer tasting, and by the afternoon everything was starting to get a bit warm and fuzzy.

Me cleaning out the mash tun. I told you they made me work.

By now it'll be in the barrel - or 'Barry' as I've taken to calling him. I'm going to collect him in about a week, and then we'll be off!

3:09
Nominees for Dumbest Crooks with Beer in a Supporting Role
» ‎ Lyke 2 Drink

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There is no doubt that indulging in excessive amounts of alcohol can lead humans to do stupid things. When it comes to criminal activity, alcohol also usually makes it much easier for police to catch the crooks. If you don't believe me, here are four brief police blotter entries that have moved across the wires this week.

You can start asking "What were they thinking?," now and avoid the rush.

Port St. Lucie, Fla. -- Pamela Battilla, 23, told police she really could not believe she was being arrested for stealing “the cheapest beer made,” as she and Jason Muni, 22, were being placed in a patrol car. The pair had removed a 12-pack of Natural Light Ice, which sells for $6.29, from a Cumberland Farms store at 2:15 a.m. The problem was the clerk had told them the store could not legally sell them the beer after 2 a.m. Police report Muni allegedly got upset and started a disturbance. He grabbed the Natural Light, tossed a $10 bill on the counter, yelling an expletive at the clerk and pushing another shopper out of the way as the pair exited the store. The police found the couple later, but no beer could be submitted for evidence since it had already been consumed.

Linwood, Kansas -- Police are investigating reports that a 29-year-old man repeatedly drove his car into the side of a local home after residents refused him a beer. A couple in the house say the man was intoxicated when he showed up at their home, so they refused to give him a beer and escorted him back to his vehicle. That's when the driver allegedly drove his car at the male resident of the home, who made it safely inside. The car struck the house. The driver pulled away and then backed his car into the house for emphasis. An arrest has not yet been made.

Temple, Texas -- The reign of terror caused by the "Texas Beer Bandit" appears to be over with the arrest of Randall Shane Cox, 17. In three crimes Cox is alleged to have robbed convenience stores of a case of beer each. Reports say the crook would enter the store, grab a case of beer and while walking out of the store throw a can or bottle at the clerk behind the counter. Police had plenty of store surveillance video to use in their investigation. Cox ended up in Bell County Jail waiting for someone to post $60,000 in bail.

De Soto, Mo. — Three unidentified men are under arrest after an incident at Fish's Quick Stop. The store clerk says that a naked man entered the store wearing only a mask and proceed to do a hula dance. Police believe this was an attempt to create a distraction while another man allegedly removed a case of beer from the store without paying. Perhaps it was the quality of the dancing, but the plan did not work. The clerk called police and with the help of a license plate number jotted down by a customer the police arrested the dancer, the beer thief and the getaway car driver. The trio, ages 19-23, face shoplifting and indecent exposure charges.

2:39
Coeur d’Alene Vanilla Bourbon Stout
» ‎ [BW] Beer Blog

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Brewery: Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Stout
BeerAdvocate.com Rating: Retired?
RateBeer.com Rating: 3.78 (95th Percentile)
Serving: On Tap

Last night my friend Tim and I decided to check out Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company’s alehouse in Moscow, Idaho. Pullman (where we currently live) isn’t exactly a beer Mecca, so we were incredibly relieved to go to a real public house and try some hand-crafted, local beer.

I decided to try their Vanilla Bourbon Stout and wow, I was really impressed. Here’s what I wrote down while tasting:

Color - Incredibly dark brown, not quite black with only a thin lace of head. The lack of head may be due to a lag in getting the beer from the tap to my table.

Smell - Smells of roasted coffee and vanilla. Very inviting.

Taste - My nose is getting really good at this. Tim described it as “coffee with vanilla ice cream.” While I don’t completely agree, there is definitely a slight coffee hue that balances perfectly with the vanilla. The bourbon comes through afterwards very slightly and lightly floats over your taste buds for a few seconds. While this may be a stout, this brew is incredibly drinkable. It’s not very heavy and I had no problem drinking two pints.

Beers like this are the kinds of gems you can only find from local microbreweries. These are the brews that show how hard working and how creative brewers can get when they’re not forced to brew inoffensive, mediocre beers that are supposed to appeal to everybody. Coeur d’Alene Brewing has a new fan and he definitely plans on picking up a growler next time for the incredible price of only $15 and $7.50 for refills.

I also had the opportunity to order their Blue Cheese Burger. This hamburger was topped with blue cheese, two huge onion rings, and all the standard burger veggies. Served with some seasoned fries and combined with the beer, Tim and I had one very delicious and much deserved dinner. I highly recommend you visit the alehouse if you happen to be in the Palouse area, want some good food, and crave a local brew.

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2:25
Molson Coors Forms AC Golden Brewing in "Above-Premium Beers" Push
» ‎ Lyke 2 Drink

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It looks like Molson Coors Brewing wants its Coors Brewing subsidiary to come out with a hit craft beer more than once in a blue moon.

Beer distributors and company employees have been told the company formed AC Golden Brewing Co. in Colorado to make "above-premium beers." The company says it will use low key roll outs in hopes of finding another Blue Moon, a brand that is among the fastest growing at the craft end of the market.

Coors also makes Coors Light, Killian's Irish Red and Keystone, but avoids connecting Blue Moon with these brands.

AC Golden Brewing's efforts will be closely watched by craft brewers. Anheuser-Busch has been extremely active in rolling out craft-styled flanker brands in recent months. The larger brewers benefit from established distribution channels which can more easily obtain store cooler space and bar tap handles than small brewers. While the giant brewers are careful to not put major ad spending behind the brands, the process of consumer discovery of these new brands is greatly assisted by the fact that they end up in thousands of retail locations almost overnight.

1:17
Buffalo BrewFest: The inevitable slightly-delayed re-cap post
» ‎ Beer-O-Vision

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I know, I know… If you were there, you probably aren’t going to hear anything you don’t already know. And if you weren’t there, well, attending beerfests vicariously through a blog post is not exactly living la vida cerveza. But nonetheless, I’m going to go ahead and ramble a bit about my impressions, the beers I tried and liked, and there are at least two reasons to delve deeper into this post than the front page excerpt: I must of course report on the winner of the raffle, and the winner of the BOV vote. On the way, I’ll probably touch on a few things you may have missed, so read on…

First of all, I think from a logistics point of view, this year’s fest was in most ways much better organized than last year’s. In particular, the bathroom scene was most certainly better, and I heard no complaints there. In general, in fact, the utilization of the outdoor space really created more efficient traffic flow indoors, and also considerably fewer bodies inside at any one time, making navigating the crowd far less arduous than last year. The token system certainly seemed ahead of time to be something of a turn-off for some people, but as it worked out was hardly worth worrying about. Pours were pretty generous, and dropping your tokens in the bucket was, at some stations, harder than getting your beer. So I think overall, the things people feared the most turned out not to be a big deal.

On the negative side, however, a few elements might have been cause for some consternation. Things got off to a slightly later start than was anticipated, due largely to a late delivery of the ice which the brewers needed to keep the beers cool to serve. Ultimately, because the ice was late, rather than doors opening at 1:00 and taps turning on at 2:00, the whole thing was moved up- doors & taps opened up around 2:00. Not perhaps something which ruined anyone’s day, but certainly when things don’t go according to schedule, people get anxious.

The only other comment I heard on the negative tip was some people’s despair about brewers who didn’t show, or who didn’t bring enough beer to make it through the entire fest. Indeed, at least one brewer was out by 4:30, which I can certainly agree is a bit of a poor showing. On the other hand… you know it starts at 2:00, right? By 5 to 5:30, things very well ought to be slowing down, and the idea is to get people pretty much out the doors by 6:00, so that real cleanup can begin by 6:30. Keep in mind that the staffers are all volunteers, and they spend a fair amount of time after we leave making the place look good again; I can certainly appreciate that they’d like to get on with it. That said, I think it is a delicate balance to strike- you want to have beer all the way through to at least 5:30, but you really don’t want to take any back with you. Ideally, your taps run dry at 5:45 on the nose, but that’s not entirely easy to achieve. I guess to sum up, I hope next year the brewers do anticipate the numbers we get at this festival and supply–and pour–accordingly.

Still, overall I think we’re sitting on a really good festival here in Buffalo, one which has the potential to be one of those top-tier festivals with another couple of years at this site under its belt. We certainly have the numbers, now all we need to do is net about 50% more breweries and we’ll be even more of a destination than we are already. As it was, we spotted license plates from as far as Florida in the lot, so we’re already drawing a pretty decent beer-geek-touring crowd.

Working the festival, I certainly didn’t get to sample as widely as I’d have otherwise- but then again, there weren’t too too many beers there I’d never had. The brews that really grabbed me were all otherwise unavailable. Kudos to Flying Bison for their collaborative effort with High Falls in a cask-conditioned Belgian Dubbel. Although the volunteer who poured mine was a little hard on the beer engine, when the foam subsided I found myself in possession of a fantastic take on the style. Hard to evaluate the head given the pour, but the foam led to great lacing all the way down the sample, right on-style. The color was a hazy orange-brown. Aroma-wise, the beer gave off a slight clove nose with plenty of banana, bolstered by solid bready malt and nary a trace of hop aroma. The sip began with noticeable light carbonation and flavors of spice (clove again, and pepper), bold rum-raisin fruit, and led to a slightly biscuit malt middle. The finish lingers with slight alcohol flavor enveloped in more dark fruit. This beer compared favorably with the classics, evoking, more than anything, Chimay Red for me.

The second beer that rocked my ‘buds was the Randall-ized J.W. Dundee’s Pale Ale. Out of the bottle, this is a solid pale ale, on the hop-tip, yet easy drinking, a session beer for sure. Running the beer through a few pounds of Amarillo hops, essentially dry-hopping it on-the-fly, transformed this beer into a real beer of note. All those hops add considerable aroma to the beer, and since aroma is a huge part of the taste, it is no lie to say this is an entirely different beer. It poured out a beautiful golden color, with a three-finger head that settled languidly. The aroma was just jam-packed with citrus, complimenting the Cascades already deployed for aroma in the beer- the freshness was a real wallop. Turning to the taste, an initial hop bite containing grapefruit in abundance and some pine resin as well was followed up with a nice crystal malt center, slight toast but hardly noticeable behind even hops which come to the fore in the finish before leaving with a snap. The medium body and medium carbonation served the hops well in this one.

Finally, as was the case last year, the Polish mead, Kurpiowski,, was outstanding. They only brought the one type this year, which is brewed high-strength at a 1:2 water to honey ratio, with additions of spices and black currant juice, judiciously used. It is visible in the color, which was auburn with some near-purple highlights. The mead had a very strong sweetness in the nose, though the hint of spice (caraway?) and oak helped a bit to add some dimensionality to it, still, cloying is the word. The still (some meads are semi-still or outright carbonated) mead washed over the palate activating sweetness detectors in abundance, strongly honey-flavored but here as in the aroma, spices and a touch of berries lent some depth. The alcohol leaves clear warming at the finish, which lingers long due to the sweetness. Unlike some other types of meads, when you think of this one, think of port. This would pair very well with a humble bowl of Ben & Jerry’s vanilla. Stawski’s other offerings included the justifiably famous Okocim Porter (have one, seriously), which was great to have, and some solid Czech options for those that would like to expand their pilsner horizons beyond the ol’ Urquell.

So, there’s the roundup… A few beers I wish I’d managed to check out- I didn’t get over to the Erie booth at all, for shame, nor the Lake Placid for beer, though I did talk to the reps for a bit beforehand. Sorry, guys- we’ll just have to come to the brewery, eh? Though I’ve had it and enjoyed it, I didn’t manage to get a Saranac Imperial IPA―another BOV road-trip, I think―nor did I sample one of my all-time favorite IPAs, Brooklyn’s East India Pale Ale. Oh the stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth-hoppiness of that one- damn! I didn’t even manage to grab a sausage from Ulrich’s- for shame.

Anyway, on to the winners portion of the program. We raised some bucks for the CTRC and the BSHC, and gave a fine bottle of Special Edition Abt 12 to one R.M. Doran, of Alfred State U- dude had one big shiner, too, and wasn’t at all ashamed about it it, seemed. I hope it was good- I mean the beer, not the fight.

As for the balloting… Well, we didn’t get back 100’s, just 54 in fact, which in the end was a good good thing, as tabulating Instant Runoff Voting (IRV; here’s my favorite explanation using muppets for illustrative purposes) ballots when there are 23 candidates turns out to be a big pain in the butt (H/T Mrs. BOV for forcing Excel to our will on the tabulations). I am a serial multi-tasker, so I really wanted to use the balloting as both a fun, informal thing to add to the party but also, an opportunity to push my favorite electoral reform concept in the form of IRV. However, with that many choices to rank, in each round, breweries that were eliminated before keep popping back in, and a lot of ballots get ’spoiled’ (in the IRV sense, not like your ballots often are in the current system.) Which is to say, it took well over 15 rounds to determine that Flying Bison was the winner, which was already pretty clear in round one were they already had twice as many votes as the next closest brewery, Harpoon. The second last brewery to be eliminated in the runoff was Elicottville, the thrid last was Harpoon, and before them, Ommegang. If you look at the rankings just for #1 votes, the order is Flying Bison(16); Ommegnag(8); Harpoon(7) and Ellicottville(5)- they did well with 2nd, 3rd and 4th rankings, obviously. Finally, if you look at all votes/rankings, Flying Bison wins again with 24, followed by Ellicottville with 18; Ommegang with 15; Harpoon with 13, Ithaca with 12 and Southern Tier with 11- the others only garnered 6 or fewer total rankings. I just love data- can’t you tell?

With respect to the voting for individual beers, IRV was out of the question- far too many choices. Using a strict #1 vote tabulation, the clear winner (of this time 55 total ballots) was Okocim Porter, which managed to get 5 votes. Harpoon’s UFO and Flying Bison’s Aviator Red both garnered 4 votes, and not other single beer got more than 2 votes total.

In sum, for next year we’ll probably think to have drop-boxes near the exit so you don’t have to come back to the BOV table to vote; we’ll have the ballots in the cups at the start; and we’ll probably just go ahead and use the standard model for tabulating, which won’t mean a clear, 50%+ winner will emerge, but will take a lot less time to count at least. Lessons, lessons…

That’s a wrap on the Brewfest post. Naturally, we have some hour+ of footage to edit down now as well, so we’ll get that up as soon as is truly feasible.

Sláinte!

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really simple BEER syndication » August 30, 2007

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