08.25.10

Southern Brewers Fest-See You There!

Posted in Uncategorized at 11:23 am by Administrator

I just love a good beer festival, which is why I’m headed to the Southern Brewers Festival Saturday, August 28th. Over thirty breweries, great food, and the proceeds go to charity. What could be better than that? I’ll be there, will you?

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05.26.10

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout in the USA!

Posted in Uncategorized at 8:42 pm by Administrator

Guinness is test marketing that holy grail of American beer geeks, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, in select US markets. If you’ve never tried this wonderful brew, now’s your chance to get some. It’s in Atlanta and reportedly New York as well, and if you don’t live near either of those places, best to find a beer geek buddy who’ll swap you some that does.

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05.10.10

Hops and Glory: The Story of IPA

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:43 pm by Administrator

If you’re a beer geek, you probably know that the “I” in IPA stands for “India”, as in, “India Pale Ale”. Fair enough. But did you ever wonder just how it got there? Pete Brown did, and he made a book of it, a rather good one in fact. The title: “Hops and Glory: One Man’s Search for the Beer That Built the British Empire.” And while it helps to have an appreciation for fine beer while reading, it’s not a prerequisite. This is a work that spans a number of topics beyond beer, a fact that gives it a broader appeal than its title might imply.

Ask any beer geek what India Pale Ale is, and you’ll likely get more than you bargained for. A tale of a beer brewed in England in the late 18th century almost to the end of the 19th, a beer fortified with extra alcohol and lots of hops to survive the long sea voyage to India, where it would be supplied to British troops and officials. A beer that would condition during the voyage, mellowing substantially and rounding along the edges until it was ready to drink upon arrival in India, where the climate was not at all suited for brewing.

English beer writer Pete Brown wanted to know more. And so, he did something no one has done since the heyday of IPA more than a century ago: he decided to take a keg of India Pale Ale, brewed to the same recipe that would have been used for the original examples of the style, and follow the sea route to India.

Brown’s pilgrimage begins with a barge trip from Burton, simulating the river voyage IPA would have taken to get to the sea. From there, his journey takes him aboard cruise ships, sail boats, and container vessels on a three month adventure until he finally arrives in India, keg of beer in tow. Things don’t go quite as Brown expected, and there’s one major mishap that almost dooms his mission along the way. But Brown shows amazing perseverance and always keeps his eye on the prize, with amazing results.

As mentioned, Hops and Glory: One Man’s Search for the Beer That Built the British Empire is more than just a beer book, however. Beer is an important component here, to be sure, but the work is made up of equal parts travelogue and history lesson as well. That’s because the author’s attention to detail in this 451-page work is careful and true, and we truly get the feel we’re on board each vessel right along with him. The container ship leg of the journey, complete with boisterous captain and modern-day pirates, is perhaps the most intriguing of all.

Brown also weaves the history of India Pale Ale, the mighty East India Company, and British imperialism into the book as well. He alternates between chapters from the past and his own adventures, weaving them together to form a perfect tale that’s hard to put down and that entertains as much as it educates.

Brown’s affable writing style is also a credit here. Take one part Douglas Adams and another Michael Jackson (the beer hunter folks, not the gloved one), and you have an idea what Brown’s style is like. His use of humor helps the book along nicely, and is just another reason why Hops and Glory: One Man’s Search for the Beer That Built the British Empire is so much fun.

Whether you’re a seasoned beer veteran, a recent neophyte, or don’t even drink the stuff at all, there’s something for you in Hops and Glory: One Man’s Search for the Beer That Built the British Empire. The book is published in the United Kingdom is not always easy to find in the U.S., though I got a copy amazingly cheap from Amazon Canada. It came to me well recommended from a respected fellow beer enthusiast, and he was right on the money with this one.

Don’t miss it.

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04.26.10

Beer and Mustard: A Match Made in Heaven

Posted in Uncategorized at 11:57 am by Administrator

I’ve always had a fondness for spicy mustard. But when you make one with beer, why, what’s better than that? My latest find: Henry Weinhard’s Dark Pub Beer Mustard by Barhyte Specialty Foods. I picked this up at the market the other day and we got to try it Sunday while grilling out. This is not a mustard for the faint of heart, as it has a substantial spicy bite that is sharp and laced with a subtle burn. That’s tempered a bit by a hint of white wine and, best of all, a bit of creamy dark lager flavor. I slathered it on juicy bratwursts fresh from the grill to very good effect, matched with a cool glass of Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Well worth trying for those who like every bite to bite back back.

For more information, visit the company website at http://www.barhyte.com/lines/mline.cfm?cID=4 .

Also available through Amazon.com.

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03.28.10

Remembering the Beer Hunter

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:45 am by Administrator

As I sit here sipping an Uerige Doppelsticke Altbier from Germany, I can’t help but think that a good part of the reason I can buy rare and wonderful beers like this in the United States is because Michael Jackson wrote about them. That’s apropos, of course, since today is the Beer Hunter’s birthday. Michael would have been 68 today, and every year I like to commemorate the day by tipping a beer in his honor.

Hopefully, you’re familiar with Michael (not the singer but an English beer writer without equal) , but if you’re not, it’s not too late to learn from him. Jackson wrote books on beer, appeared in a documentary series for Discovery called “The Beer Hunter” (which really should be on DVD by now), and even a few CD-Rom programs for the PC. What made MJ really stand out wasn’t just that he started writing about beer when nobody else was doing it, but that he did it so well. Jackson’s prose simply flowed in a way no other beer writer has even replicated. He wrote with humor and style, to be sure, but he also wrote about beer by styles and paired it with food in a way nobody else did. He brought about awareness for beer as a class beverage, and fanned the flames of many a beer enthusiast. In many ways, he is responsible for the beer revolution that continues today. And as I pop a bottle of 2008 Stone Double Bastard I’ve been aging, I know that’s so very true.

So here’s to you, Michael. Happy Birthday, wherever you are. They say that in heaven there is no beer, but something tells me you’re up there now sipping a brew and smiling down on us all.

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03.08.10

All the Rage in Berlin: Currywurst

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:18 pm by Administrator

Lately, I’ve been eating a lot of currywurst. What is currywurst you ask? It’s a leading fast food in Berlin, a hearty snack or meal made with pork sausage doused in spicy curry ketchup and often served with a side of fries. Currywurst sprang to life after World War II as a fusion of German fondness for sausage mixed with occupying British zeal for spicy Indian curry. The treat is easy to make, and you can buy premixed curry ketchup like Burkhardt’s at GermanDeli.com.

Still, it’s easy enough to make your own by mixing your favorite ketchup with curry powder to your taste. This is what I prefer as I like mine with lots of curry, and I simply pour the sauce over fresh cooked brats from Patak Meats, garnish with a bit of paprika and enjoy. I like hoppy beers with spicy foods, and in that vein I match mine with a good German or German-style beer like Konig-Pils, Jever Pils, Victory Prima Pils, or Sierra Nevada Glissade Bock.

If you’ve never tried currywurst, you’re in for a treat. Why not try it with a cold beer today?

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02.24.10

What Happened to the Beer?

Posted in Uncategorized at 1:39 pm by Administrator

When in the Buckhead section of Atlanta, I’ve often made it a habit to stop at Pearson’s Wine, Beer, & Spirits to check out their beer selection. And that’s the problem: Pearson’s no longer seems to have one. On my last visit, I was disappointed to see that almost all of their craft beers had been removed, with only a rudimentary selection of the most popular brands remaining.

More wine now fills the space where the beer once was, and the store now goes by the name of Pearson’s Wine of Atlanta. All well and good, but they’ve obviously just lost my business.

If you’re looking for good beer in Atlanta, pass on Pearson’s and head downtown to Green’s instead.

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02.21.10

Sweetwater 420 Pale Ale Beer Bread

Posted in Uncategorized at 4:39 pm by Administrator

Usually, I find that people who demand much from their beer (gastronomically speaking) are equally enthusiastic with what they eat. This is not to say that I, for example, don’t enjoy the occasional fast food lunch, but I do get a lot more excited about something with a lot more flavor. This is especially true with bread, which is, after all, not that far removed from beer. Both are made with grain, after all.

Thus my enjoyment of Sweetwater 420 Pale Ale beer bread, made locally with spent grain from Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewery and sold at Whole Foods markets. I picked up a loaf yesterday at Harry’s Farmer’s Market in Marietta, which is part of the Whole Foods chain. This delicious bread is hearty enough to be served as a meal in itself, and has so much flavor there’s no need to add butter. Dark and mysterious inside and out, this whole wheat loaf has spent barley brewed right into the loaf and seeded into the crust. It’s moist and chewy inside, crisp and crusty outside, and has a gentle sweetness and whole grain flavor that makes it akin to a big bran muffin.

Wonderful with sliced Cotswold and Butterkase cheeses, fresh pickles, and cod mild sausages (English bangers for me). Wash it all down with a glass of (what else) hoppy 420 Pale Ale, and you’ve a meal fit for a king.

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02.16.10

Beer Wars, the Movie: Exploring the Business of Beer

Posted in Uncategorized at 1:04 pm by Administrator

Have you ever really thought about your beer? I don’t mean how it tastes, of course, or if it’s too cold or too warm, or how much you paid for it. No, I’m talking about the business of beer: how it’s made, how it’s distributed, how it’s promoted, and how it’s sold. Chances are you’ve never given any of that much thought, even if you’re a craft beer drinker. You go to the store, you bring your beer home, and you drink it. And that’s that.

There’s far more to the business of beer, however, than there is to most other industries, a fact that you’ll learn while watching Beer Wars. Written and produced by Anat Baron, this captivating documentary delves into the world of beer from two angles: that of brewing behemoth Anheuser-Busch vs. tiny start-up microbrewer Dogfish Head (hence the “beer wars”).

Baron is no stranger to the alcohol business; she is a former executive for Mike’s Hard Lemonade and is therefore very familiar with how the industry works (and doesn’t). She appears throughout the film as narrator and roving reporter of sorts, all the while exposing some of the more intricate workings of the industry. Clearly, Baron is biased, and Beer Wars goes out of its way to portray the big brewers, especially Anheuser-Busch, as the bad guys while casting a halo over the heads of the small brewers.

There are a few shots taken at Anheuser-Busch for their attempts to get into the rapidly-growing craft beer market. Problem is, AB (and the other macrobrewers) also get lambasted for denying American beer drinkers choice by cranking out a line of mostly similar products that are bland, boring and have little taste. The latter is demonstrated in a rather funny segment that shows Coors Light drinkers blind taste testing their favored brand vs. Bud Light and Miller Lite. The reactions when they pick the wrong product are amusing to behold, though we never get any scientific data on how many times this happened.

Bottom line, however, is that it’s rather disingenuous to slam the big brewers for feeding us crap beer, and then slam them again when they respond to the market and give us the good beer after all. Yet this is just what Beer Wars does. Certainly, Anheuser-Busch and the larger brewers have plenty of genuine sins to atone for, and Baron explores them here. Craft beer aficionados will likely see red during the segment where Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione describes how Anheuser-Busch is suing him claiming that he has no right to use the generic terms “Punkin” and “Chicory” on his beers. Strange then, Sam muses, that they have no problem using the term “Natural” on one of theirs.

And that’s the perspective much of the film takes, exposing the challenges small brewers like Dogfish Head face trying to pry away a miniscule amount of market share from the now foreign-owned brewing goliaths Anheuser-Busch, Miller, and Coors. We see it not only in the story of Dogfish Head, which has a brewery and is trying to build a bigger one, but also through the efforts of Rhonda Kallman to expand her contract-brewed Moonshot brand.

Certainly, Baron has done her homework, as she explores the history of brewing in America, the dark days of prohibition and its effects on locally brewed beer, regional breweries, the ridiculous amount of market share that the big brewers now possess, and the antiquated and unbalanced three-tier distribution system that overwhelmingly favors the large brewers to the detriment of the smaller ones. A range of beer personas have a moment in the sun here, and we get interesting insight from Jim Koch of Samuel Adams fame, Charlie Papazian of the American Homebrewers society, Garret Oliver of the Brooklyn Brewery, Carol Stoudt of Stoudt’s brewing, Dick Yuengling of Yuengling Brewery, and even a cameo by Michael Jackson.

In sum, you don’t have to be a beer geek to enjoy Beer Wars. Even if a Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre or Samuel Adams Boston Lager has never passed your lips, you may find this insightful glimpse into the politics of beer a fascinating study of how the powerful work their way in America. If you do love beer in all its shapes and forms, however, Beer Wars is certainly not to be missed, and will likely give you a perspective on the beer industry you might not have considered before.

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02.11.10

New and Exciting Beer Blog

Posted in Uncategorized at 1:16 pm by Administrator

I’ve been enjoying the bejesus out of a new beer blog, Beers in the Henhouse. I’ve known the author for decades now, and he’s one of the most knowledgeable beer enthusiasts you’ll ever meet. His first post about Pete Brown’s amazing book Hops and Glory got me to order a copy from Canada, and I’m in the process of reading it now. More on that later, but I can already recommend you get your own copy. Until it arrives, why not pop open a beer and hop on over to Beer in the Time of Cholera for a read? Enjoy.

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