Drink With The Wench » Beer News http://drinkwiththewench.com Drinking through the world, one beer at a time. Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:58:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Homebrewing On Campus: The Future of Craft Beer? http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5732 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5732#comments Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:53:12 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5732

Right now, Rod Stewart’s voice is echoing in my brain:

“I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger.”

Not gonna lie, the closest I got to drinking craft beer in college was probably Guinness. Okay, that is a lie. My parents always had some sort of craft or imported beer in the house growing up, so I wasn’t completely unexposed. But like most poor college students, I always searched out the cheapest thrill and swill possible. Unfortunately, this usually meant Natty Light and buckets of the big bad corporate beers. Back then, beer was a means to an end. And that end was getting drunk. Yeah, you’ve all been there so don’t look at me like that.

I did not know one single person that homebrewed on campus. Which actually makes sense when you think about the “I want a golden egg and I want it now” instant gratification seeking Millennial Generation. We didn’t have time to wait 6 weeks for the beer to ferment. We wanted to get drunk NOW. My BFF Shana puts it best: “I don’t have all day to start feeling good here.”

Today’s college kids are a bit more savvy, though. Which sparks a little envy deep down inside me. If only I knew that I would eventually throw my two degrees out the door to pursue a career in the craft beer industry. Instead of hosting themed parties with Gatorade jugs filled with deadly (and disgusting) vodka concoctions, I could have hosted kick-ass homebrewing parties. Let’s face it, I would have been the coolest kid in school. Probably wouldn’t have graduated with honors, but it could have saved me 5 years of soul-searching.

Sara Wallace, Senior Writer at The Daily Princetonian, recently contacted me regarding my opinions about the recent trends towards homebrewing on campus for an article she released today. Naturally, I was more than happy to weigh-in on the topic.

I think it’s extremely important for young drinkers to develop an appreciation and respect for the art and craft of beer. Craft beer is more than just a mechanism for getting drunk. Sure, alcohol consumption does have a pleasantly euphoric side effect. But getting drunk should never be the primary reason behind drinking beer. Unfortunately, most college kids are mindlessly drinking whatever yellow fizzy beer they can find at the cheapest price instead of putting thought and consideration into where the beer came from, who made it, what ingredients went into it, and whether or not they actually like the stuff.

Beer is both a science and an art, which I think most educated persons can appreciate on some level, whether or not they drink. Brewing beer is like making food — there is a baking (scientific) component to it as well as a cooking (creative) aspect. I find that students get into homebrewing for all sorts of reasons outside of getting drunk. (Engineers like the science aspect, artists like the design component, etc.)

The trend towards homebrewing on campus is really exciting. I know many brewers who started homebrewing during college and then ultimately became professional brewers. Many of my friends that are still in college have started homebrewing on campus and often come to me for advice and inspiration.

There are SEVERAL great resources about homebrewing on the Internet as well as many excellent books. Charlie Papazian’s “The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing” is a must-read book for all homebrewers. For the frugal, used copies of older versions are available and just as helpful. In regards to equipment, Northern Brewer is one of the best resources for supplies and ingredients. By far the best resource online is the American Homebrewers Association website. The AHA also releases a great magazine on news and trends in homebrewing called Zymurgy. And naturally, I always encourage following homebrewing blogs.

In my opinion, young (student) homebrewers will be responsible for shaping the future of the craft beer industry. They will be the driving force behind future innovation, inventing new tools and systems as well as pushing the boundaries of the industry. It is a really exciting time for craft beer!

What do you think?

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5732 4 Craft Beer Advocacy: Join the Fight to Save Cigar City’s Tasting Room http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5695 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5695#comments Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:34:22 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5695

If you have some sort of connection to the online craft beer community, you are probably aware of the recent legal turmoil facing Cigar City Brewing Company (based in Tampa, FL). If not, well have no fear. That is what I am here for!

For those that don’t remember, Cigar City Brewery faced opposition from neighbors just over two years ago when its owner, Joey Redner, applied for wet-zoning. The council, consisting of 7 members, voted in favor 5-2 of Redner, after he promised to be a “good neighbor.” In order to reach a compromise between both parties, the council granted Cigar City a “trial run” wet-zoning permit for only one year, with limited hours.

Which brings us to today. Last Thursday, Redner applied for a continuance of the wet-zoning permit as well as extended hours of operation. Three members of the Tampa Bay City Council voted against making the wet-zoning approval permanent, and three members voted for it. Which leaves us with one vote missing in action.

If this passes, Cigar City will be forced to close its tasting room — which would also mean an end to events, special releases, on-premise beer sale etc. As an ex-resident of Tampa Bay (yes folks, I get around), a craft beer evangelist, and a hardcore fan of Cigar City Brewing Company, I would like to add my two cents to this argument: I think its bullshit. (Brief apology to those I just offended).

The State of Florida often gets referred to as the “Beer Wasteland” (among other things). And I’m not gonna lie, it was pretty damn hard to be a beer geek in Florida. Decent craft beer bars are very few and very far between. Grocery store craft beer selections are mediocre at best and specialty stores are almost non-existent. My saving grace was Total Wine, which carries one of the most extensive and impressive craft beer selections I have found in retail stores of its size.

In Florida, there are only a handful of craft breweries, and only about two of them have even been able to make a name for themselves. One such brewery is Cigar City Brewing Company. I was lucky enough to be living in Florida when Cigar City started brewing, although not lucky enough to be there when they opened the tasting room doors. Aside from a few craft beer bars and a few wine bars serving decent craft beer, Tampa Bay’s overall craft beer scene was lackluster and almost pathetic — that was until Cigar City came along.

I can say with complete confidence that Cigar City’s tasting room has single-handly amplified Tampa’s craft beer scene, increased tourism (trust me, us beer geeks are flocking to there), and helped boost the local economy by increasing local spending and adding more jobs (the brewery went from 2 employees to 22).

But now the brewery is facing damaging losses. The local economy is facing damaging losses. And why? Because some people still believe in upholding ridiculous Prohibition Era legislation. But the good part is that it is not too late to act.

“Our next trip in front of the Tampa City Council will be December 2nd. My birthday. We need 4 votes at this meeting and a following one or we lose our wet-zoning on the 16th of December. This means no more Tasting Room, no more special events, no more limited release parties, no beer for sell, at all, at the Tasting Room.” — Joey Redner, Cigar City’s blog.

So what can we do to help?

WRITE TO THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS!

Beer blogger Sean Nordquist sums it up best: “Tell the Tampa City Council not to vote for killing jobs. Tell them not to vote for limiting growth. Tell them to reward success and not punish it. Tell them that local businesses are watching. And so are those that might wish to do business in Tampa in the future.” All it takes is five minutes to write a message and blast it out to all of the people below. In fact, copy and paste Sean’s message if you need to. PLEASE, please … take the time to contact these people. (ALSO: Join the Facebook Group: SAVE THE CIGAR CITY TASTING ROOM)

The three members of Council who voted against Cigar City:

The three members of Council who voted for Cigar City:

The Council member who was absent:

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5695 2 UPDATED 2010 Beer Bloggers Conference Confirmed Attendee List http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=4834 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=4834#comments Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:16:46 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=4834

Everyone keeps asking me if there is a list of attendees for the Inaugural Beer Bloggers Conference. The event organizers have given me the go-ahead to post the list of current registries. Note: this list is continuously updating. For ease of use, the updated bloggers will be highlighted in RED!

Allan Wright – Zephyr Adventures www.ZephyrAdventures.com
Reno Walsh — Zephyr Adventures    www.ZephyrAdventures.com
Ashley Routson — Drink With the Wench    drinkwiththewench.com
Gerard Walen — Road Trips for Beer    www.roadtripsforbeer.com
E.T. Crowe — Wolverine State Brewing Co.    www.wolverinebeer.com
Ryan Conklin — Denver Bartender Examiner    www.examiner.com/x-28228-Denver-Bartender-Examiner
Lucy Saunders — Best of American Beer and Food    www.bestofamericanbeerandfood.com
Peter Kennedy — Simply Beer    www.simplybeer.com
John Holl — The Beer Briefing    www.beernexus.com
Tamre Mullins — Girls’ Pint Out    www.girlspintout.com
Jennifer Litz — Girls’ Pint Out    www.girlspintout.com
Kerry Finsand — Taplister    www.taplister.com
Bob Mack — World Class Beverages    http://worldclassbeverages.wordpress.com/
Anne Fitten Glenn — Brewgasm    www.brewgasm.com
Angelo de Ieso – Brewpublic    www.brewpublic.com
Margaret Lut — Brewpublic    www.brewpublic.com
Sean Inman — Beer Search Party    www.beersearchparty.com
Sanjiv Gajiwala — Blue Ribbon Blog    www.blog.pabstblueribbon.com
Dan Fisher (Dan on Tap) — Life on Tap    www.lifeontap.net
Dale Miskimins — sodakbeer    http://sodakbeer.com
Billy Broas — BillyBrew    http://billybrew.com
PJ Hoberman — Starting a Brewery    www.startingabrewery.wordpress.com
James Marks — Columbus Beer Guys    http://columbusbeerguys.wordpress.com/
Ronnie Crocker — Beer, TX    http://blogs.chron.com/beertx
Carla Gesell-Streeter — Hoperatives    www.hoperatives.com
Tom Streeter — Hoperatives    www.hoperatives.com
Alexis Fritzsche – Ale Babe    www.alebabe.com
Rick Hagerbaumer — Big Foamy Head    www.bigfoamyhead.com
Carlos Swinney — Mendocino Brewing Co.    www.mendobrew.com
Jason Fellon — Beer Cruiser    www.beercruiser.net
Sara Wade – Monarch Beverage    www.monarch-beverage.com
Julia Herz — Craft Beer Muses    www.craftbeer.com
Alison McGee —  From This Pint On    www.fromthispinton.com
Andy Dunfee – Hippo Lane    www.hippolane.org
David Jensen — Beer 47    www.beer47.com
Jennie Chen — MisoHungry    http://misohungrynow.blogspot.com
John Knox — MisoHungry    http://misohungrynow.blogspot.com
J.R. Woolsey — Consultant
Mark Jackson – Simply Beer    www.simplybeer.com
Zach Rosen — Santa Barbara Craft Beer    http://www.examiner.com/x-32901-Santa-Barbara-Craft-Beer-Examiner
Dustin & Libby — Beer 2 Buds http://www.beer2buds.com
Jenn Prosser  – Jenn and Beer    www.jennandbeer.com @jennandbeer
Jonathan Shikes —  Beer Man at Westword Mag    http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/beer_man/
Greg Koch  – Stone Brewing    www.stonebrewing.com
Jacob McKean – Stone Brewing    www.stonebrewing.com
Lauren Polinsky  – Durham Craft Beer Examiner    http://www.examiner.com/x-53634-Durham-Craft-Beer-Examiner
Cathy Clark —  Brewtiful www.brewtiful.com
Jim Pavlik —  Central State Asylum www.csasylum.wordpress.com
Jessica Daynor —   Draft Magazine www.draftmag.com
Ryan Ross —   Karl Strauss Brewing Company www.karlstrauss.com
Jay Brooks — Brookston Beer Bulletin www.brookstonbeerbulletin.com
Ian Cowpar — 2 Beer Guys http://www.2beerguys.com
Sean Jansen – 2 Beer Guys http://www.2beerguys.com
Ryan Jansen – Beer Guys http://www.2beerguys.com
Chuck Noll — World Class Beverages Arizona http://az.worldclassbeverages.com/
Jennifer Morrison –  Ales for All http://alesforall.blogspot.com
 Willis F Jackson III – Mashtun Technologies www.mashtunbeer.com
 Mike Besser — BrewDad www.brewdad.com
 Steven Ward — Nova Beer Fly http://novabeerfly.wordpress.com
 Doug Brumley — Fledgling Brewer http://www.fledglingbrewer.com/
 Tiffany Adamowski – 99 bottles http://www.99bottles.net/blog
Jay Rascoe — Guns and Tacos www.gunsandtacos.com
Kami Marquardt — Great Lakes Brewing www.greatlakesbrewing.com
Lauren Boveington — Great Lakes Brewing www.greatlakesbrewing.com
Dionne Cocktail Diva
Mariah Calagione — Dogfish Head Craft Brewery www.dogfish.com
Sebbie Buhler — Rogue Ales www.rogue.com
Kyle Freeman — Jenn and Beer www.jennandbeer.com
 Michael Bussmann — New Belgium Brewing www.newbelgium.com
 Owen McCuen — Ferment Nation www.fermentnation.com
Greg Krsak — KSW Beer www.kswbeer.com
 Ilya Feynberg — Damn That’s Good Beer! www.damnthatsgoodbeer.com
 Jay Wilson — Brewvana www.brewvana.wordpress.com
Tom Wilmes — Boulder Daily Camera www.dailycamera.com
Nate Fochtman — The Beer Ace www.thebeerace.com
Josie Finsand — Taplister www.taplister.com
Tom Wilmes — Boulder Daily Camera www.dailycamera.com
Ryan Murphy — The Daily Pint www.dailypint.wordpress.com
Rick Andrews –  Ales from the Crypt http://alesfromthecrypt.blogspot.com
Stephanie Jerzy — Drinks for the House http://drinksforthehouse.blogspot.com
Will Blankenship — Colorado Beer & Food www.cobeerandfood.com
Erik Boles –Beer Tap TV www.beertaptv.com
Eli Shayotovich — Beer Tap TV www.beertaptv.com
Stephen Johnson — New Brew Thursday www.newbrewthursday.com
Patricia Shepherd
Dan Weitz – Boulder Beer www.boulderbeer.com
Sean McNeal – Wayward Productions
Chad Melis — Oskar Blues www.oskarblues.com
Travis Poling — Beer Across Texas http://beeracrosstexas.com
Mark Drudge — Pencil and Spoon http://pencilandspoon.blogspot.com/
Adrienne Rinaldi — BeerSnobChick www.beersnobchick.com
Meghan Storey — CraftBeer.com www.craftbeer.com
Zander Hartung — The Beer Ace www.thebeerace.com
Jeff Bull — He-Brew Men’s Brewing Society www.hebrewbrewing.com
Nancy Maddaloni — Great Brewers www.greatbrewers.com
Reggie Currie — Cheers for Beers www.cheersforbeers.com
Carol Dekkers — Microbrews USA www.microbrewsusa.wordpress.com
Jake Koeneman –  iBrewToo www.ibrewtoo.com
Carla Companion — The Beer Babe www.thebeerbabe.com
Lisa Mallen — Zephyr Adventures www.ZephyrAdventures.com
Wendy Littlefield — Belgian Experts www.belgianexpertsblog.com
Sanjay Reddy –  Not So Professional Beer Blog www.notsoprobeer.com
Julian Green –  MillerCoors www.millercoors.com
Jeff Bowles — Huck Fin’s Beer Buzz http://huckfinsbeerbuzz.com
Renée DeLuca — The Brewer’s Daughter www.brewersdaughter.com/
Dustin Romero — Widmer Brothers Brewing www.widmer.com
Candace Lacy – NC Beer Wench
Hagan Blount — Wandering Foodie http://wanderingfoodie.com
Erik Peterson –  Bull and Bush www.bullandbush.com
Jen Cadmus — Bull and Bush www.bullandbush.com
Mike Laur – Beer Drinkers Guide to Colorado www.beerdrinkersguidetocolorado.com
Danielle Quatrochi — New Planet Beer www.newplanetbeer.com 

--

And then there is my ongoing Twitter list. I will do my best to update this list as much as possible. If you are registered and would like to have your name added to the list, leave a comment on this post and I will get you on it ASAP.

Twitter list to follow: TWITTER LIST

CONFIRMED BBC 2010 ATTENDEES

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=4834 29 “Beer is Proof God Loves Us”: Uncovering the Craft and Culture of the Brewing Industry http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5526 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5526#comments Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:20:37 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5526

The other day I received an email from a great wine blogger friend of mine, Thea Dwelle of Luscious Lushes, regarding a new craft beer book that just hit the market. She passed my information on to the publisher, who provided me with an exciting press release and a free online version of the book to review. Unfortunately, I have not yet read the book… BUT, I do feel the need to pass her press release along to my community to craft beer enthusiasts. The publisher has offered to send out the first chapter of the book for any or all of my readers to sample. If you are interested, please leave a comment or send me an email! CHEERS!

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Beer is Proof God Loves Us: Uncovering the Craft and Culture of the Brewing Industry

New York, NY—Today, beer is more than just a beverage. It has become a contest.  Drinking games, annual festivals, and an increasingly competitive brewing market has made the drink the target of anti-alcohol lobbyists and social stigmas.  The addition of caffeine and fruit flavors to beer has resulted in criticism towards the industry for seeking younger consumers.  Beer, however, has one of the most moderate alcohol contents of all alcoholic drinks, and more than that it has been a societal tradition across the ages.

For centuries, beer has been a cultural constant—an extraordinary and static beverage all over the world. The world of beer is rich in social history and its enthusiasts never cease to strive for mastery of quality beer.  And for many, beer is as much a drink as it is a science and spiritual subject.

One such man is Charles Bamforth, whose love of beer landed him with one of the most unique careers ever.  After 32 years in the brewing industry—which includes research, academia, and brewery experience—he was selected as UC Davis’ first Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor in Malting and Brewing Science.  In his new book, Beer is Proof God Loves Us: Reaching for the Soul of Beer and Brewing (FT Press Science, ISBN-13: 9780137065073, $25.99, hardcover, 304 pages, November 2010), Bamforth draws on his diverse knowledge and enlightens readers on the fascinating world of beer.

“The world of beer is hugely different from when I was a too young drinker in my native Northern England. The beers that folks enjoy today—and the latter day “near beer” which is the mal-ternative (think Smirnoff Ice)—speak to a new age of Kindle, Facebook, and fast food,” writes Bamforth. “But fortunately, there is a growing global realization that beer, rather than wine, is the ideal accompaniment to foods of all types and is actually good for you, in moderation.”

In his examination of beer and the brewing industry, Bamforth discusses a wide array of brewing topics.  With an understanding of nearly every aspect of beer, he reveals the cultural values of good beer, the radical changes in brewing companies and how they will affect beer drinkers, the latest global trends in beer consumption, the industry’s many adversaries, the raw materials and brewing process, and why in moderation beer can provide health benefits.

In Beer is Proof God Loves Us, readers will discover:

• Global Concerns: Why the consolidation of major brewing companies might mean restricted consumer choice
• What is Quality?: Attitudes towards what is good beer and how the container, foam, clarity, color, and flavor contribute to quality
• Anti-Alcohol Forces: The religious fervor targeting alcohol, the history of prohibition, and the public perceptions of the drink
• Health Benefits of Moderate Consumption: Why drinking beer may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s, diabetes, osteoporosis, and the chance of ulcers
• The Future of Brewing: How environmental issues will change the industry and new approaches to brewing like Happoshu and malternatives
• God in a Glass: Bamforth’s take on why a higher power is linked to fermentation

Guided by an international expert, Beer is Proof God Loves Us allows us to understand and appreciate the beverage and its history, while clearing up widely-held misconceptions. Charles Bamforth takes readers on a journey through the past, present, and future of the brewing industry from a humorous and highly researched perspective.

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About the Author
Charles W. Bamforth (UC-Davis) has been in the brewing industry for 32 years, including thirteen years in research, eleven in academia, and eight at a brewing company. After an international search, he was selected as UC Davis’ first Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor in Malting and Brewing Science. Throughout his diverse career, he has embraced every dimension of beer, from raw materials and processing, through quality, to beer’s impact on the body. This makes him unique amongst “beer people” worldwide. His books include Beer: Tap into the Art and Science of Brewing and Grape versus Grain.

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]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5526 2 Session #44: Blogger Roundup http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5406 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5406#comments Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:32:27 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5406

Sincere apologies to all the bloggers who participated for taking an extra day to compile the round-up. A weekend full of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, craft beer and travel made any sort of Internet work almost impossible.

Alas, let us move on.

For two years now, beer bloggers have been partaking in a community exercise called “The Session”. On the first Friday of each month, a different beer blogger brainstorms an original theme or topic and then anyone interested in participating is instructed to write a post on their own website and link it to the host website. The following week, the “host” blogger then conjures up a list and a brief synopsis of each post.

I had the honor and pleasure of hosting Session #44. In honor of my favorite holiday which falls at the end of this month, I chose the theme “Frankenstein Beers”. Although I gave a lose description of the topic, bloggers were free to interpret the theme as they wished. The results were extremely entertaining. So without further ado… allow me to present the Session #44 Blogger Roundup:

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BROOKSTON BULLETIN — Session #44: Frankenstein’s Beers

Novato, CA: Jay Brooks gives us a more in-depth background behind the story of “Frankenstein” and creates a unique parallel between Dr. Frankenstein and modern day craft brewers. “The American craft beer scene, and more recently the world beer scene, has become a landscape filled with Frankenstein-like beers, unique and unusual and beloved.”

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APPELLATION BEER — The Session #44: Frankenstein and lust

Stan Hieronymus shares a brief glimpse into the background of “extreme” beers using citations from famous beer connoisseurs such as Randy Mosher and Ron Pattinson, who are both in agreement that Danziger Joppenbier is one of the weirdest and most freakish beers to have ever been created. “Does a beer brewed with wheat malt, oat malt and beans sound like a Frankenstein beer? How about if once fermentation begins the brewers add the inner rind of a fir tree; fir and birch tree tips; Cnicus benedictus, a bitter herb used to stimulate appetite; flowers of Rosa Solis, an insect-eating bogplant, said to stir up lust; elder flowers; betony; wild thyme; cardamom; and pennyroyal (which turns out to be dangerously poisonous).”

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THE BEER NUT — “Mont Blanc, in awful majesty”

Dublin, Ireland: The Beer Nut brings us a story of a beer brewed with “La Verte” from Brouwerie Mont Blanc — the very same substance that the greenfairy uses to make absinthe. The beer itself is a shocking color of bright green. “Were Victor Frankenstein a brewer, this is definitely what he’d be turning out.”

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SEACOAST BEVERAGE LAB — “Session #44 — Frankenstein Beers”

Portsmouth, NH: Brian addressed the question: What if there were a beer that could change men/women into beasts? His answer? Kate The Great, a Russian Imperial Stout with an intense cult following. “I risk my life whispering this name in public, let alone type it. I’m talking about Kate the Great from the Portsmouth Brewery.”

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LUG WRENCH BREWING COMPANY — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beer Costumes

New England & Virginia: Tom and Jeff Wallace took a unique approach to the theme by researching beer-themed Halloween costumes on the web and posting pictures with funny captions on his blog. The Wench’s favorite had to have been the Flying Dog Six-Pack. “It is truly creative to go out as a variety six-pack of your favorite craft beer with your closest friends.  I would imagine the six-pack holder for these people was an exercise in invasion of personal space.”

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FROM MY MELLIN — Session 44 – the Frankenstein Beers

New York, NY: Seth Mellin discusses how much the craft beer industry has evolved in just the past few years and sites examples of crazy experimental beers that prove brewing really has no limits or bounds. “This to me is just a sign that brewers today are very much like Dr. Frankenstein pushing the envelope of brewing to new boundaries and new heights.”

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THE BEER BABE — The Session #44 “Undead” t’Smisje Catherine the Great

Portland, ME: Carla Companion brings us a chilling tale of a run-in with an aged bottle of Catherine The Great. “Why is that weird? Because it was once a strong stout, but has been aging so long (since 2004… when I graduated from college) that the malts have been devoured, leaving a funky, hollow and soul-less (yet delicious) monster behind.”

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THE BREW SITE — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers (Unusual Beer Week)

Bend, OR: Although he qualifies most beers that fall outside of style guidelines as “Frankenstein” beers, Jon defines the original Frankenstein style as being the sour wild ale. “These are the true “monstrous” beers—brews that are purposefully infected, inoculated with wild, unpredictable yeasts and bacteria, left to sour and bubble away for years at a stretch, often quite ugly along the way.”

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A GOOD BEER BLOG — Session 44: Frankenstein Beers? What Isn’t?

Ontario, Canada: Alan McLeod tells us about his encounters with Frankenstein beers and his predictions for the future of the industry. “Most freakish beer I have ever had? Without a doubt Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru by Cantillon. I was so offended by this beer that some cheese eating schoolboy lost it. That was funny.”

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BEER 47 — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

San Francisco, CA: David Jensen discusses different variations on “Frankenstein beers” — experimental and extreme beers, blended beers, colored beers, wild yeast beers etc… “I’m enjoying all of this wonderful experimentation and creativity in the craft beer world to create these so called Frankenstein beers.”

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BURGERS AND BREWS — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

Mike Lynch develops an interesting analogy between Frankenstein and hybrid-beers. “Like Frankenstein, a lot of brewers have begun meddling with “hybrid” beer styles, combining (sometimes radically) different types into one. Like the two notions of Frankenstein, the evil monster and the misunderstood creation, two of these hybrid beers stick out for me. One is the Belgian IPA, and the other is the Black IPA.”

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LOV BEER — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

Seattle, WA: Mike Steinburg addresses the pros and cons of extreme beers and makes a strong argument in favor of supporting non-Frankenstein beers. “Some may actually argue that to brew a great Pilsner is harder than brewing some of the Frankenstein beers. I may have to agree with that because it’s always harder to make something stand out that is made simply.”

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RAMBLINGS OF A BEER RUNNER — The Session #44: The Drive of a Scientist Brewer at Mayfield

Belmont, CA: For this post, Derrick Peterman highlighted a hometown brewery called Mayfield Brewing. They are known for their Iconoclast series of win barrel-aged beers. “I have to say, Alderete seems much more turned on by the challenge of creating a beer of unusual flavor combinations for people to slowly discover for themselves, than putting out something easily and instantly appealing to everyone that’s easy to sell.”

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THE DENVER BEER REVIEW — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

Denver, CO: David D. describes his experience tasting a “Frankenstein” collaboration between Left Hand Brewing and Terrapin Beer called Teutonic India Pale Lager. “Whether it’s the Teutonic India Pale Lager, a black IPA from Stone or Deschutes, or a wheat wine from Portsmouth Brewing, the craft brewing scene is full of Dr. Frankensteins, all seeking to create something unique and innovative for their fans.”

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THE BEER SEARCH PARTY — Session # 44

The World: Sean Inman paints us a picture of the myth and the legend of modern day Frankenstein beers. “These fright inducing, sometimes cringe worthy ingredients are tossed into the kettle for many reasons. There are breweries raising nearly extinct beer styles from the dead. There are breweries pushing the ABV boundry. There are breweries that use brettamyoces just to add another note to an already great beer.”

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A FLAGON OF ALE — The Session #44

The Twin Cities, MN: An interesting argument that, at some point or another, all beer styles were Frankenstein beers. “Every new idea and beer style was frankenbier at some point. So while I might not enjoy novelty brews just for the sake of novelty, all the beer we drink was a Frankenstein beer at some point, even ones which are steeped in tradition.”

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BEER IN BALTIMORE — The Session #44: Biologically Engineered Beer?

Baltimore, MD: Alexander brings us a “geekified” report about the protein content in beer and its impact on flavor. “The most interesting part of this for the layman or ordinary beer drinker?  There were twice as many proteins from yeast as there were from barley malt, far more than previous experiments had discerned.” But the real question is, will the mega corporations use this knowledge to genetically-engineer beer from lower quality ingredients to taste like beers with higher quality ingredients?

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A BEER IN HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE FRIDGE — The Session- Frankenstein Beers

Baltimore, MD: Jay Zeis expresses that while he has no qualms with crazy beers, sometimes a well-crafted traditional beer is “For every Frankenstein beer that comes out, every crazy new fad (goze, sours, RIS, hop-bombs)- there will always be solid basic beers that will win people to craft beer, and keep beer geeks/snobs happy. My favorite beer is the one in my hand, and I would be happy to share it with you.”

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THE BEER WENCH — Session 44: The Frankestein Beers of BrewDog

San Francisco, CA: I chose to highlight BrewDog and its crazy brewers for my particular theme of The Session. “Over the past year or so, the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde brewing duo from BrewDog, James Watt and Martin Dickie, have unleashed mad chaos and massive confusion on the craft beer industry with some of the most extreme beers known to man — if we can even call them beers. Brewdog’s monstrous, freak-of-nature beers beg the question… Is this science or is this witchcraft?”

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I really hope that I did not miss anyone’s posts on the roudup. If I did, please please please forgive me because it was not intentional. Just leave me a comment or shoot me an email and all will be corrected ASAP!

Thanks to all who participated! See you next month for another episode of THE SESSION!

CHEERS!

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5406 2 Session #44: The Frankenstein Beers of BrewDog http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5395 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5395#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:03:35 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5395

WELCOME TO THE SESSION — the brain child of beer blogging veterans Stan Hieronymus of Appellation Beer and Jay Brooks of Brookston Bulletin. On the first Friday of each month, all participating bloggers write about a predetermined topic. Each month a different blogger is selected to host The Session. The blogger gets to choose the topic (provided it has not already been covered). The day after The Session is over, the blogger is then “required” (I say this loosely) to post a roundup of all the responses received. For more info on The Session, check out the archive page.

Today’s theme was chosen by … yours truly! Session #44 = FRANKENSTEIN BEERS!

A name, what’s in a name?

Everywhere you look these days, brewers are defying traditional style guidelines and crafting products that resemble science projects and culinary experiments more than beer. Beer festivals have become grownup science fairs where brewers can display their latest inventions.

Some brewers have pushed the limits so far that they have become modern day Dr. Frankensteins — crafting mutated monster beers.

Dr. Frankenstein was obsessed with natural philosophy and chemistry. He set on a mission to defy the laws of nature. His scientific creation was unlike anything the world had ever seen before. It was not a man, but a monster, constructed of human parts and various other inanimate objects.

One brewery, in particular, stands out above the rest as the brewing equivalent Dr. Frankenstein.

Over the past year or so, the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde brewing duo from BrewDog, James Watt and Martin Dickie, have unleashed mad chaos and massive confusion on the craft beer industry with some of the most extreme beers known to man — if we can even call them beers.

Brewdog’s monstrous, freak-of-nature beers beg the question… Is this science or is this witchcraft?

My first run in with BrewDog’s Frankenstein-esque beers was Nanny State — a 1.1% ABV beer with a theoretical IBU of 225. Orginally brewed as an out-lash against the government, Nanny State was BrewDog’s odd attempt at creating the world’s first Imperial Mild. Technically, it is below the legal classification of beer.

How does one even begin to describe this beverage? Nanny State has a nose of pure hops — very floral with intense notes of pine and citrus. The nose does nothing to prepare you for the palate onslaught of its flavor. But then, I’m not even sure the beer has any flavor since one sip of it completely destroys the ability to taste anything. It was by far the most bitter thing that I have ever put on my tongue. Drinking Nanny State felt like I was licking the pine sap off of a pine tree.

Nanny State left my tongue completely numb for a good 15 minutes. And it took my taste-buds a good hour to fully recover from the hop attack.

Brewdog followed Nanny State with the release of a polar opposite Frankenstein-esque beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin — an insane imperial stout with an ABV of 32% ABV, which was achieved through repetitious freezing and re-fermentation with mutinous yeast strands.

My reaction? Take a wad of peet, some dirt, a bunch of liquid smoke and a bottle of vodka. Blend. Filter out the dirt. And there you have it. Tactical Nuclear Penguin.

But in all seriousness, the beer was actually not that bad. I happen to be a huge fan of scotch and TNP had many characteristics that reminded me of scotch. A small shot of the beer, goes a long way, though. I doubt I would ever be able to finish an entire bottle

Interesting enough, the beer does mellow out and become more drinkable with age.

The Germans were not about to let BrewDog claim the highest alcohol beer crown. They retaliated with a 40% ABV. Not one to step down to a challenge, BrewDog recaptured the title with its 41% ABV Sink The Bismark.

Sink The Bismark has one of the best noses, ever. The aroma hits you like a hop explosion — in your face citrus, pine, resin, grass. At 41%, the beer drinks like a spirit — and it warms the esophagus like a spirit. The extreme alcohol level and boisterous malt bill help to balance out the intense bitterness from the hops.

Surprisingly so, I liked this beer a lot. However, as with anything that teeters around 80 proof, I don’t think I could handle more than a few “shots” of this beer. Interestingly enough, though, Sink The Bismark worked nicely as a “spiking agent” and a shot of it took BrewDog’s regular IPA to the next level.

As if 41% wasn’t extreme enough, BrewDog released what they are deeming as the last of its extreme alcohol beer series, aptly named End of History. Clocking in at a boisterous 55% ABV, The End of History is the Frankenstein beer of all Frankenstein beers. It is an Imperial Blond Belgian ale, infused with nettles from the Scottish Highlands and fresh juniper berries. Each bottle of the beer is stuffed into the carcass of a dead woodland creature (that has been taxidermified).

According to BrewDog: “The name derives from the famous work of philosopher Francis Fukuyama, this is to beer what democracy is to history. Fukuyama defined history as the evolution of the political system and traced this through the ages until we got the Western Democratic paradigm. For Fukuyama this was the end point of man’s political evolution and consequently the end of history. The beer is the last high abv beer we are going to brew, the end point of our research into how far the can push the boundaries of extreme brewing, the end of beer.”

Only 12 bottles have been made — and it has been completely sold out. As fate would have it, BrewDog released one bottle (and one bottle only) to be sampled by members of the press. The lucky recipients were my good friends over at BeerTapTV. I’m extremely honored to say that on November 5th, I have been offered the opportunity to taste this freak-of-nature beer during a live steaming of BeerTapTV at the Beer Bloggers Conference! Make sure to tune in and watch the debauchery go down.


Well folks, there you have it. I have dedicated my Session #44 Frankenstein Beer post to none other than the freak-show circus act known as BrewDog. Cheers!

“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.” -The Monster.

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5395 2 May The Force Be With You: Aussies To Test First “Space” Beer http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5379 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5379#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:08:48 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5379

If Darth Vadar had access to beer in outer space, the plot for Star Wars might have been a bit different…

Whether it’s due to lack of oxygen from the cabin pressure, dehydration, or other unknown factors, anyone whose ever indulged in an adult beverage or two (or three or four) while flying in an airplane can probably attest that altitude impacts how alcohol effects the system.

One can only wonder what gravity does…

Saber Astronautics Australia, a new space engineering company that researches logistics and operations solutions for the space industry, and 4 Pines Brewing Company, an up and coming microbrewery located near Sydney, Australia, recently teamed up to brew a beer specifically designed to defy the laws of gravity and be consumed in outer space.

Although suitable for consumption on earth, the actual drinkability of this beer in microgravity environments has yet to be determined. For its inaugural mission as a contracted flight researcher, Astronauts4Hire, a non-profit corporation poised to blaze new trails in the commercial spaceflight industry, will be conducting tests on what could ultimately become the world’s first beer to be certified for drinking in space.

“Astronauts4Hire is living up to its name,” says its President Brian Shiro. “This opportunity is an important milestone for us and illustrates how researchers can hire our members to conduct experiments under conditions of microgravity.”



According to the official press release: “An Astronauts4Hire flight member will act as the primary flight operator. The researcher will perform various experiments such as sample the beer during weightless parabolas and record biometric data on body temperature, heart rate and blood alcohol content.”

The first test is scheduled for mid November 2010 and will take place on-board a series of parabolic flights operated by the ZERO-G Corporation. A portion of the funding for the series of test flights that will ultimately qualify the brew for consumption in space will come from the sales of the very same beer on Earth.

So for those of you lucky enough to travel into space one day, it looks as if beer might be on the menu…

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5379 1 GABF Craft Beer Activism Panel Announced http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5216 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5216#comments Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:29:50 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5216

Crowds of enthusiasts don’t visit salsa factories, and no one geeks out over the chance to meet a soda maker. There isn’t a Great American Wine Festival, and people don’t line up for the chance to buy special release potato chips.

Craft beer fans differentiate this industry from all others. From introducing craft beer to friends, to playing a crucial role in the passage of vital legislation, fans are the frontline in the movement to make the world safe for craft beer.

Using social media tools for grassroots activism, craft beer fans numbering in the millions can be more effective than the priciest ad campaigns and the most well-connected lobbyists.

During the Saturday evening session of the 2010 Great American Beer Festival, a panel of four craft beer evangelists from all aspects of the industry will fuel a discussion on how to become a craft beer activist and build a grassroots movement based on a shared love for the most diverse, delicious, and authentic beverage in the world.

The panel will take place on Saturday, September 18th at 7:30pm in the Brewers Studio Pavilion. During the panel, Short’s Brewing Company will be pouring its Anniversary Blood Orange Wheat Wine and Stone Brewing Company will be pouring samples of its 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout – the only time and venue that particular beer will be available during the Great American Beer Festival.

The Craft Beer Activism Panel consists of:

Jacob McKean, Social Media Coordinator at Stone Brewing Co.

Scott Newman-Bale, CFO & Vice President at Shorts Brewing Co.

Peter Johnson, Brewers Association Programs Manager

Ashley Routson, Founder of Drink With The Wench

Hope to see many of you there! CHEERS!

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5216 1 Mutinous Battle Chai Release Party Announcement http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5190 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5190#comments Mon, 13 Sep 2010 21:52:48 +0000 The Beer Wench http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5190

Unless you have been hiding under a rock (or in a cave) all summer, you probably have gotten wind about the Mutineer Magazine + New Holland Brewing Company collaboration beer. After several months of buzzing about the beer on various social media platforms, the time for its official unveiling is upon us.

Mutinous Battle Chai will make its debut this Friday, September 17th at Falling Rock Taphouse in Denver, CO. There is no cover charge for the event and the cost is per beer. The beer will be on available until all the kegs are tapped. You can RSVP for the event on both RateBeer and Beer Advocate.

The entire proceeds from the sale of Mutinous Battle Chai will be donated to A Child’s Right, an organization dedicated to global water relief and bringing clean water to children in underdeveloped regions of the world.

Technically speaking, Mutinous Battle Chai does not fit the guidelines of any individual style category. The base beer was brewed with both pale and rye malts, spiced with an original interpretation of the traditional chai tea spice blend, and fermented with a Belgian wit yeast strand. This base beer was then primed with brown ale wort and underwent a secondary fermentation with merlot yeast on oak. The end result is a dry, amber-colored, medium-bodied Belgian-style spiced and oaked ale unlike any craft beer brewed before.

Other beers from New Holland Brewing Company, including Golden Cap Saison, Imperial Hattter IPA, as well as Hatter Royale Hopquila, a distilled spirit that has been steeped in hops, will also be available during the release party. This is the first time that New Holland beer will make an appearance in Colorado outside of the Great American Beer Festival.

For more information on the recipe and brewing process of Mutinous Battle Chai, check out Issue 13 of Mutineer Magazine, now on newsstands.

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=5190 1 Announcing Session #44 — “Frankenstein Beers” http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5106 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5106#comments Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:51:09 +0000 The Beer Wench http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=5106

The Session is the brain child of beer blogging veterans Stan Hieronymus of Appellation Beer and Jay Brooks of Brookston Bulletin. On the first Friday of each month, all participating bloggers write about a predetermined topic. Each month a different blogger is selected to host The Session. The blogger gets to choose the topic (provided it has not already been covered). The day after The Session is over, the blogger is then “required” (I say this loosely) to post a roundup of all the responses received. For more info on The Session, check out the archive page.

Yours truly has been assigned the honor of conceptualizing Session #44 — the first Friday in October of 2010.

October is one of my favorite months for several reasons — college football season, fall foliage, apple picking, and … Halloween.

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, if not my favorite day of the year. All-Hallows-Eve is the only night of the year when hosting a séance and playing with tarot cards, voodoo dolls and Ouija boards are socially acceptable. It is the only day that people can parade around in costumes, without being carted off to the insane asylum.

For me, Halloween is a magical and mystical day where I can transcend the boundary between reality and fantasy. It is a day where I can be anyone and anything I want.

In honor of Halloween, I have decided to give Session #44 the theme of “Frankenstein Beers.” For those of you not familiar with the story, Frankenstein was actually the name of the scientist, not the monster.

Frankenstein was obsessed with natural philosophy and chemistry. He set on a mission to defy the laws of nature. His scientific creation was unlike anything the world had ever seen before. It was not a man, but a monster, constructed of human parts and various other inanimate objects.

“Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world.” — Frankenstein.

Many craft brewers are like Frankenstein. They have become mad scientists obsessed with defying the laws of brewing and creating beers that transcend style guidelines. These “Frankenstein Beers” challenge the way people perceive beer. They are freaks of nature — big, bold and intense. The ingredients resemble those of a beer and the brewing process might appear to be normal, but some aspects of the entire experience are experimental, unorthodox and insane.

An altercation with these beers produces confusion in the eye of the taster … is it a beer, or a monster?

“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.” -The Monster.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a blog post on “Frankenstein Beers.” There are no rules about how to write about this topic — feel free to highlight a Frankenstien brewer, brewery, beer tasting notes … or just your opinions on the concept.

In order to partake in “The Session”, either link back to this blog post in your article, or post a link to it on my blog. The following Monday, I will collect and present a summary of all the Session #44 blogs! I look forward to reading everyone’s blog!

Cheers!

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