tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31385972596346306522024-03-12T23:48:05.238-04:00Celebrating the SudsOh beer, is there anything you can't do? Is there anything you can't accomplish?Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-29055106708774014832016-11-03T12:29:00.000-04:002016-11-03T12:29:02.518-04:00From the Cellar: Unibroue Terrible<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a while since we pulled one out of the cellar for this blog, but with the weather getting colder there is no better time to dive into the big monsters that tend to lurk in my stash o' beer than now.<br />
<br />
A bottle of Unibroue Terrible has calling me for a few years now, so let's check it out.<br />
<br />
Unibroue are out of Canada, and until the American craft beer explosion they were easily one of the best brewers in North America. Hell, they probably still are. Specializing in Belgian-styles, they are matched only by brethren like Allagash and Ommegang. Hard to go wrong with anything they make.<br />
<br />
This three-year-old bottle of Terrible pours the color of mahogany, with a thin, fizzy head that disappears almost immediately. Smells of black bread, dark sugars, and a hint of plum and grape rise from the glass. There is a candy sweetness to the aroma.
Medium body, dark sugars, and very little alcohol despite coming in at 10.5%.<br />
<br />
Age has treated it well. There is a softness here not common to ales. Whether through aging or because it was fermented on lees I don’t know, but it makes this beer drink wonderfully. (Lees is the leftover sediment from wine making, mostly dead yeast. In beer making, this is known as the trub.)<br />
<br />
I paired this with spicy Asian cuisine and it was <i>fantastic</i>. I suspect it will go well with any bold meal.<br />
<br />
Terrible has a lot in common with Trappist ales, especially after spending some time in the cellar. It drinks wonderfully smooth. <i>TOO </i>smooth, maybe, because it's hard to tell that it's a whopping 10.5% ABV. Since this comes in 750ml bottles, that means you should either take a few hours to sip it down or split it with a friend, otherwise you’ll be in trouble.<br />
<br />
Unibroue Terrible is a fantastic beer when fresh, and after about three years in the cupboard it remains a fantastic beer. A little less "hot," a little creamier, but still delicious from start to finish. Thumbs up to laying a bottle of this down.Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-51004613923768763422016-10-27T12:07:00.000-04:002016-10-27T12:07:01.310-04:00Spotlight on Jersey: Flying Fish Exit 16 Wild Rice Double IPA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"What exit?” is a Jersey thing (for some damn reason), so it's fitting that New Jersey's largest craft brewery, Flying Fish, has a whole series of beers devoted to New Jersey Turnpike exits.<br />
<br />
Previously one-time beers only available in 750ml bottles, many of those Exit beers are now making their way into six-packs -- and that's a welcome thing, because the Exit series has been Flying Fish's crowning achievement, filled with excellent examples of their underrated brewing expertise. <br />
<br />
Exit 16 is one that sounds odd but tastes so right. This is a wild rice Double IPA -- and yes, it's actually brewed with rice. Seriously.<br />
<br />
If that brings to mind tasteless macro lagers, though, set your fears aside. This is a complex yet utterly drinkable beer that gives off aromas of citrus and tangerine, and drinks far easier than an 8% IPA should drink. It has all the flavor of a great Double IPA, but with a softness on the palate that really makes it stand out. Superbly balanced, full of hop flavor but not overly bitter, and crazily smooth, this has earned a spot on my list of favorite beers.<br />
<br />
This may be the second best thing to come out of Jersey after pork roll, egg and cheese.<br />
<br />
<i>NOTE: Portions of this post originally appeared in The Philly Weekly </i>Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-7807687986842315472016-10-20T12:08:00.000-04:002016-10-20T12:08:11.550-04:00Quick Sips: Founders Porter<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There are a few core styles that <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">simply <i>must </i></span>be
explored and appreciated by any self-respecting beer geek, and without question
porter is one of th<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">em</span>. The origins of stout lie in porter, and porter
itself has a rich, impressive history that is sometimes <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">ignored in today's rush for sour beers and <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">hop bombs</span></span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thankfully <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">t</span>here are lots of porters out there<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">. S</span>ome are pretty mediocre, some are <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">q<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">uite good</span> -- a</span>nd then there is<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"> </span>Founders Porter<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">, </span>one of the very best on the
market. It gets a perfect 100 at ratebeer.com for a reason.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Pouring a brown so
deep it might as well be black, the frothy tan head kicks up aromas of
chocolate, toffee, and a hint of coffee, and the taste is pure bliss. You know
that “ooooh” sound some people make when they bite into a rich chocolate cake?
Yeah, it’s like that.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The label describes the beer as “Dark, Rich and Sexy,”
and that’s about right. This is pure sex in a glass. Drinking it in public
feels like an indecent act. But if indecency is wrong, <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">I </span>don’t want to be
right</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Honestly, if you even <i>remotely </i>like porters,
GET THIS BEER<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"> NOW.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"><i>NOTE: Portions of this post originally ap<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">peared in The Philly Weekly</span></i></span></span></div>
Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-41353350203271117702016-10-13T12:08:00.000-04:002016-10-13T12:08:06.070-04:00Quick Sips: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">At this point, it’s hard to imagine
California’s Firestone Walker doing any wrong. Founded by people with a
background in the wine industry and incorporating many of the exacting
standards of that industry into their beer philosophy, they have managed to
produce some of the world’s very best beers in their respective categories.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Double Jack, Parabola, Sucaba, Wookey Jack, these are some of the best beers on
the market<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">, <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">bar n<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">one.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Those are big, complex beers, th<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">ough<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">. A fairly standard American IPA, on the other hand ... </span></span>the IPA market is a really really really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">crowded</i> one, so standing out is pretty
tough.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Yet they pull it off. A super bright hop aroma that just screams of
mango and grapefruit with a dash of lemongrass and pine needles lays atop a
nice bed of fresh baked biscuits. Bitter but not too bitter, strong but easily
drinkable, this is an IPA that proves you don’t have to go all “double” and
“imperial” on us in order to impress us.<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"> It's yet another winner from a brew<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">ery that just keeps churning <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">them out. Highly re<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">co<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">mmended.</span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
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Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-2712211161952555252016-10-06T11:52:00.000-04:002016-10-06T11:52:01.056-04:00Quick Sips: Terrapin Moo Hoo Chocolate <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">True
Confession: When I was a teenager, I had a giant wall of yellow in my bedroom
made up of nothing but Yoo-Hoo cans. Until beer came along, it was the greatest
beverage known to man. I drank so much of it, my zits had zits. Seriously,<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> all those cans</span> covered a whole wall in my bedroom.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Also, I failed
to rinse out the cans before I stacked them up, resulting in an awful spider
problem best left for a horror novel.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A horror novel that features Terrapin’s
Moo-Hoo, however, is one I’d read twice. Maybe three times. This <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">to-die-<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">for </span></span>beer
is a milk stout brewed with loads of chocolate, <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">making i<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">t a </span></span>creamy, delicious<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> </span>adult version of Yoo-Hoo. If this was around when I was 15, I
would have died </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">of liver failure </span>by the age of 19.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As it stands, I’ll have to
hold out for 59.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moo-Hoo isn't <i>quite </i>as mind-blowing as it was <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">a few years back, but it's still worth grab<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">bing without hesitation an<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">d remains one of my favorite chocolate beers. Get it!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(NOTE: <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Yes, this<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> </span></span>story is,
sadly, true. All of it.)</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">NOTE 2: Portions of this post originally appeared in The Philly Weekly</span><br /> </span></i></div>
Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-75505528840297517282016-09-29T12:58:00.000-04:002016-09-29T12:58:18.151-04:00Quick Sips: Fegley’s Bourbon Barrel Insidious<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Those in Allentown
and Bethlehem, PA know Fegley’s as The Brew Works, a pair of great brewpubs in some
of Pennsy’s finest non-Philly towns for hanging out and enjoying great beer.
When bottled, those beers get the “Fegley’s” label – but they are no less
awesome than they are at the pub.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Insidious is their big imperial stout, a
chocolate forward brew that can be a bit hot on the alcohol when fresh but that ages into itself very nicely after about 12 months in the "cellar" (<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">or cupb<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">oard).</span></span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The Bourbon Barrel
version? A twist on that <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">delightfully dark beer</span>, following the trend of stuffing
everything <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">possible</span> into a barrel. Trend or not, though, it works. Fegley’s
version has less up front bourbon than many bourbon barrel aged beers, making
this an approachable (but still imposing!) take on the barrel-aged style.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Black
as night, rich as a Rockefeller, and surprisingly drinkable when compared to others of the same sty<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">le</span>, enjoy this sipper
of a beer with a big steak or spicy nachos<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">.</span></span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">NOTE: Portions of this post originally appeared in The Ph<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">illy Weekly.</span> </span> </span></i>Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-90538704579960639982016-09-22T11:46:00.000-04:002016-09-22T11:46:14.445-04:00Quick Sips: Troegs Dreamweaver<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Harrisburg,
PA is not only a city brimming with history, in 2010 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forbes</i> ranked it as the #2 place in the United States to raise a
family.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that the greatest thing
Harrisburg has to offer is Troegs Brewery, one of the best of Pennsylvania’s
amazing craft breweries. (Seriously, folks, PA is an embarrassment of riches
when it comes to beer. Only California, Michigan, and Oregon can compete.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">That means</span> when Troegs puts out a modest little wheat beer, we expect something special. And
yes, Dreamweaver <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> something
special. Sure, it’s just a German style wheat beer, but it’s a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">super great one</i>, with spicy clove, musty
yeast, and easy drinkability. Without straying too far into hyperbole, it just
might be one of the very best American interpretations of a German wheat beer.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Best <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">part of all? It's s</span>uitable for all occasions<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">, making it an excellent cho<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">ice for a year-r<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">ound, anytime beer. Cheers!</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
NOTE: Portions of this post originally appeared in the Philly Weekly.<br />
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Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-37914580793945225312016-09-15T13:05:00.000-04:002016-09-15T13:05:17.018-04:00Quick Sips: 21st Amendment Bitter American<br />
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It's a lament we've heard a million times over the last decade: IPAs are a dime a dozen.<br />
<br />
True. That's part of the reason why so-called "session IPAs" and session beers in general have become the fastest growing segment of the craft beer market. Because a lot of people love their hoppy goodness but don’t want yet another beer with an inflated alcohol content.<br />
<br />
Bitter American, by 21st Amendment, provides an option for people looking for such beers with this hopped up low alcohol session beer. At just 4.4% ABV it has an alcohol content comparable to a light beer – it’s actually a little less than Corona – but you wouldn’t mistake this for a light beer. The chewy caramel malts alone would make light beers seem like water by comparison.<br />
<br />
Throw in bundles of hops with characteristics of tangerine, orange peel, grapefruit and a dash of pine and you’ll be wondering if those light beers are even the same kind of beverage. And all in a brew you can drink all afternoon long! Proof positive that session beers don’t have to be bland beers.<br />
<br />
<i>NOTE: Portions of this post originally appeared in the Philly Weekly. </i>Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-4152321844966881632016-09-08T12:09:00.000-04:002016-09-08T12:09:01.235-04:00Quick Sips: Stone Imperial Russian Stout<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Catherine II ruled over Russia’s Golden Age,
though it was her allegedly voracious sexual appetites that have made her
something of a legend. Pretty ridiculous, really, when what we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> know her for is popularizing one
of the world’s great beer styles: imperial stouts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">See, way back in the 18<sup>th</sup>
Century, Thrale’s Brewery in England brewed a big, imposing dark beer for
export to Catherine’s court. The beer became known as Russian Imperial Stout,
and today it’s one of the most popular styles among those who like their beers
bold and aggressive.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">One of the very best on the market is by Stone. Their
Imperial Russian Stout -- yes, they reverse "Russian Imperial" on purpose -- is dark as night and just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loaded</i> with powerful chocolate, cocoa, and bitter roast coffee,
along with the generous hopping Stone is known for. It really gives your senses
a workout, yet amazingly, you’d never notice it’s a whopping 10.5% ABV.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Oh, and did I mention how affordable it is?<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"> Stone's price per bomber is far lower than comparable beers of <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">the</span> same style, sometimes by half. </span>Without
question, this is one of the best beer<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"> bargains</span> on the planet. Thanks, Catherin<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">e!</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i>NOTE: <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">Portions of this post originally appeared in <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">The <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">Philadelphia Weekly</span></span></span></i></span></div>
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Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-19737226284362714952016-09-01T12:09:00.000-04:002016-09-01T12:09:00.153-04:00Quick Sips: Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBmgV24nubSgaDtoZZDCKm7snU4yYseWJEj6ewpbvv9V4_0MjSwqSuY5xIXJIVenZyg6K474Z1_jp_6HSCbpz2esFmiHjgD8gDQhxBs17wywrrTu8MLwJ7LOm73u8s7ax8BCHx0YbAA4/s1600/Monk%2527s+Cafe+Flemish+Sour+Ale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBmgV24nubSgaDtoZZDCKm7snU4yYseWJEj6ewpbvv9V4_0MjSwqSuY5xIXJIVenZyg6K474Z1_jp_6HSCbpz2esFmiHjgD8gDQhxBs17wywrrTu8MLwJ7LOm73u8s7ax8BCHx0YbAA4/s400/Monk%2527s+Cafe+Flemish+Sour+Ale.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Before every other brewery in the American craft scene was pu<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">shing out half-hearted sours<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">, there was Monk's.</span></span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Sours <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">have been </span>surging the<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"> last few years</span>, but let’s be
honest: Sour isn’t for everyone. The acidic, tart bite of a sour beer is heaven in a glass
for those who enjoy the style, but can be puckeringly off-putting for those who
don’t.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This beer, though, this is a sour for the masses. Brewed for the
legendary <a href="http://www.monkscafe.com/">Monk’s Café in Philadelphia</a>, this Flemish red ale is only mildly <span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">sour</span>, with a nice, fruity
sweetness that does a fine job of balancing the beer’s acidity and gentle vinegar qualities. It’s a brew
that goes especially well with a meal (a salad, spicy fish, or chocolate make
great pairings), but that also stands up nicely on its own. There are few traditional sours
as approachable as this one. It drinks so smooth and easy even your finicky
friends will find themselves enjoying it. If you’ve never had a sour beer
before, this is a great place to start.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The beer is widely available in bottles, and of course can always be found on draft at Monk's Cafe. </span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">NOTE:<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"> Portions of the preceding ori<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">ginally appeared in The Philadelphia Weekly.</span></span></span></i></div>
Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-72664944162357728152016-08-31T12:00:00.001-04:002016-08-31T12:00:32.029-04:00Get a job in the NJ beer industry - Cape May is hiring!The New Jersey beer scene is looking pretty good these days. Amazing breweries like Carton <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2015/11/njs-carton-brewing-is-about-to-get.html">are expanding</a>, old favorites like Flying Fish are pushing out excellent new brews (try their Baltic Porter!), places like Atlantic City are turning into <a href="http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/food_and_drink/brewing-up-a-new-image/article_147f8503-ab4c-5657-955b-461727bdc2b0.html">great beer destinations</a>, and it's easier than ever to find good beer on tap.<br />
<br />
No, we're not about to compete with Philadelphia or Portland or Asheville or San Diego, but we're doing pretty goo here in the Garden State, thanks.<br />
<br />
In fact, we're doing well enough so that feisty little nano-breweries like Cape May Brewery are no longer just a pair of dudes in a garage. They're turning into bona fide regional players -- which is great, because <a href="http://philadelphiaweekly.com/2015/sep/24/beer-tap-cape-may-brewing-you-only-pope-once-yopo/#.V8b9AzW748k">as I've said before</a> in the <i>Philly Weekly</i>, these guys are worth drinking.<br />
<br />
So that's where you come in. Ever had an interest in working in the beer industry? If so, Cape May is hiring. Check it out:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3>
Position available</h3>
Multiple Beer Jobs<br />
<h3>
Job Description</h3>
Looking for a new career? Cape May Brewery has some openings. Be a
part of a fun, fast growing company. A large variety of positions are
currently available<br />
<h3>
Instructions for applying</h3>
Visit the attached link for job listing and send cover letter and
resume to careers@capemaybrewery.com, with the position you wish to
apply for in the subject line. Good luck.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://capemaybrewery.com/careers">http://capemaybrewery.com/careers</a></blockquote>
<br />
A job in the beer world would be pretty cool, especially if you get to work with brewers who make stuff as good as Cape May's. So yeah, go for it!Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-1970294949138944762016-05-16T18:49:00.000-04:002016-05-16T18:49:00.921-04:00Getting Creative In Your Kitchen To Make Prepackaged Homebrew Kits Unique<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKQ6XcLbp5CX6dqWJPh49dhTVxqDrgHjT3TGucP4RDOoxAmY-VUy5K7c-yeC9szLuZgkT4UShe5bkfCFIwtWY_L_OI3dslaZc6ICp62jlMz1FQ1U4iFrls4UIAYK-03SrFWfpD6KbLWI/s1600/hopshopshopshops.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKQ6XcLbp5CX6dqWJPh49dhTVxqDrgHjT3TGucP4RDOoxAmY-VUy5K7c-yeC9szLuZgkT4UShe5bkfCFIwtWY_L_OI3dslaZc6ICp62jlMz1FQ1U4iFrls4UIAYK-03SrFWfpD6KbLWI/s320/hopshopshopshops.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Pre-packaged beer kits. At one point or another, most homebrewers dabble with using them. I daresay most of us got our start either using such kits or at one of those "brew your own" places.<br />
<br />
Even after about six years or so of homebrewing, I still pick up kits every now and then. They're an easy way to get a good, reliable brew without having to build a recipe from scratch. Plus, they're a lot of fun to mess around with, as I've written about before when I talked about <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2013/04/kitbashing-midwest-oatmeal-stout.html">homebrew kitbashing</a>. You start off with one beer, you get a little crazy with it after rooting around in the kitchen cabinets for a bit, and the next thing you know you have something you can't find on store shelves.<br />
<br />
As I <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/experimenting-with-homebrew-kits.html">recently wrote on Homebrew Talk</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The great thing about experimenting with your homebrew kits is that getting started is easy. All you need is a homebrew kit of your choice and an idea. The best ideas begin with a specific beer and spring naturally from that beer, so begin there.<br />I find that entry-level recipe kits for classic styles are best, as they tend to be simple enough to offer a lot of room for creativity while still providing a good base beer. Those old standards may seem boring in today’s world of mango ginger double IPAs, but the point is that they provide an excellent canvas upon which to paint.</blockquote>
<br />
It's fun stuff! I've had a great time messing around with kits and turning them into something new and different. To see how, and to get some tips on how you can do the same, check out my newest article on Homebrew Talk, <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/experimenting-with-homebrew-kits.html">Experimenting With Ingredients In Your Kitchen To Make Prepackaged Kits Unique</a>.<br />
<br />
Cheers!Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-43056212169555575752016-05-06T16:37:00.000-04:002016-05-06T16:37:03.794-04:00How to grow hops at home even with limited space!Growing hops at home is fun, and it's FAR easier than you probably imagine. You don't need much real gardening experience to do it, because once hops settle in they are damn near impossible to kill. You'd have to be <i>trying </i>to get rid of them.<br />
<br />
They do take up a ton of space, though. They'll grow 15 feet <i>easy</i>, and can climb to 30 feet under the right conditions. When they get bushy and full, that's a LOT of plant.<br />
<br />
As I <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/growing-hops-limited-space.html">wrote on Homebrew Talk</a>, though:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #232020; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27.2px;">Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with space enough to grow their own hops. These aggressively growing bines can climb to upwards of 30 feet tall, spreading out bushy limbs covered in the fragrant hop cones we know and love. Most growers built tall poles or trellises for their hops, which require materials and yard space. But here’s what you may not know: You don’t actually need a huge yard or sprawling acreage to grow your own hops. In fact, if you get creative, you can even grow hops indoors – and we’re going to give you some tips how.</span></blockquote>
<br />
So how do you do it?<br />
<br />
It's easier than you think! The trick to maximizing what little space you have is to realize that almost anything can be a suitable growing area for your hops. Surf over to "<a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/growing-hops-limited-space.html">Growing Hops With Limited Space</a>" at Homebrew Talk to check out advice and pictures by yours truly that will help you get a decent hop harvest even if you have little space to work with.<br />
<br />
'Cause come on, wouldn't it be cool to have your deck covered like this?<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPidMhDE3i6dRPDjmbEHt6mFc_-ig3VNYXISgtGPi20W9lUaie7PKEoy3SF4OtGItV-YhCbnyeBcv2TgqPSYwa2LiMG-Rji9L8d2923LH_YfS20X3LOYYKQL5afGQJ1HnJW6X5LF7kPk/s1600/Hop-Growing-01-F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPidMhDE3i6dRPDjmbEHt6mFc_-ig3VNYXISgtGPi20W9lUaie7PKEoy3SF4OtGItV-YhCbnyeBcv2TgqPSYwa2LiMG-Rji9L8d2923LH_YfS20X3LOYYKQL5afGQJ1HnJW6X5LF7kPk/s400/Hop-Growing-01-F.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So go check it out! Cheers!</div>
<br />
And for more stuff by yours truly, check out <a href="http://ericsanjuan.com/">my main blog</a> (which includes lots of non-beer stuff).Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-59962601911724931692016-01-23T11:06:00.002-05:002016-01-23T18:18:53.717-05:00NO DOGS ALLOWED: Cranky jackass food critic ruins a good thing at St. Louis breweryThe craft beer world is a dog-friendly world. It just is. Anyone who has toured more than a few breweries will have encountered some friendly rovers hanging out with the public. Sometimes they're with guests. Other times they're with the brewery.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA74Rq1Pc5eRQOo7KNsVt0qEdscdi-fzrMlkMxNNiL8MB77fjv2hvAB69Ad469CzKFhyphenhyphenNjUMSpOTl_YGeR5ysV6Gr8RnTZXYaKnDxCMQT0sCaABdqZSrMiCIQuHumPxcyUjm47VSD8Xs/s1600/dog+with+beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA74Rq1Pc5eRQOo7KNsVt0qEdscdi-fzrMlkMxNNiL8MB77fjv2hvAB69Ad469CzKFhyphenhyphenNjUMSpOTl_YGeR5ysV6Gr8RnTZXYaKnDxCMQT0sCaABdqZSrMiCIQuHumPxcyUjm47VSD8Xs/s320/dog+with+beer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Most recently, I visited <a href="http://www.stonefacebrewing.com/">Stoneface Brewing</a> in New Hampshire (try their porter, it's excellent), and they had two lazy ol' dogs just chillin' out. Pet them, ignore them, whatever works for you. They won't approach you; you have to go to them. The point is, they are part of the brewery.<br />
<br />
This is pretty typical.<br />
<br />
And most people like it that way, because in many ways the craft world is a huge, nation-spanning clubhouse of like-minded people.<br />
<br />
Except for the <i>St. Louis Post Dispatch's</i> Daniel Neman, I suppose, whose <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/urine-trouble-at-this-st-louis-restaurant/article_b17ef363-1398-56a7-901a-bebf6f81caac.html">recent rant about a dog at a brewpub</a> -- not to mention a <i>dozen phone calls</i> he made to the local health department -- caused the brewery to <a href="http://www.stlmag.com/news/post-dispatch-ruins-urban-chestnut-dogs-allowed-beer/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link">withdraw its open door policy for dogs</a>.<br />
<br />
(Seriously, dude, a dozen calls, plus multiple calls to the brewery itself? Get a life.)<br />
<br />
The owners at the place, <a href="http://urbanchestnut.com/">Urban Chestnut Brewing Co.</a>, had no choice, of course, because they were technically in violation of local ordinances, despite it being well known and clearly advertised that it was a dog-friendly establishment.<br />
<br />
But it's a shame they were forced into it by a smug old crank who clearly has no idea what the craft beer experience is all about.<br />
<br />
The brewery is taking it fine. In a letter by co-founder David M Wolfe:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.012px;">Personally, as a dog owner, it’s been a lot of fun watching fellow dog-lovers accompanying their ‘best friends’ over beers & food at Urban Chestnut, and I’m disappointed that we have to make this change. However, it is always our intention and practice to abide by the law, and thus I hope those of you who have brought your dog(s) by in the past will understand this decision.</span></blockquote>
Naturally, Neman doesn't take responsibility for being the stick-up-the-ass that he is, instead claiming that he was doing it for The People:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I am not the sort of person who gets freaked out by such things. I have been to bars where there have been worse things on the floor. But most of my fellow revelers at the birthday party — and probably most of my fellow humans — get a little queasy at the thought.</span></blockquote>
Right. Sure thing, dude. How very selfless of you. Thanks for falling on your sword for our benefit.<br />
<br />
I'm not even a dog guy. Don't have one. Don't plan to. I'm fine without one. But I'll be the first to tell you that the dog-friendly nature of the craft world is a nice example of the scene's casual, bro-less, "we're all in a collective backyard together enjoying this common interest" nature. It's <i>different </i>than the corporate beer and dining scene, and we like it that way.<br />
<br />
So basically, screw Daniel Neman.Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-11903264574298043552015-12-23T15:16:00.001-05:002015-12-23T15:31:46.151-05:00"If you can't beat them, buy them," craft brewery acquisitions, and ranting against a pet peeveThe super mega global guys over at ABInBev, owners of Budweiser and a jillion other huge, bland beer brands, have <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/12/22/anheuser-busch-buys-breckenridge/">bought another craft brewery</a>. This time, it's the folks at <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2011/07/quick-sips-breckenridge-vanilla-porter.html">Breckenridge Brewery</a>.<br />
<br />
This is the latest in a series of acquisitions and partnerships by the major breweries, who are scooping up or getting partial ownership of craft breweries like <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ballast-point-beer-deal-20151116-story.html">Ballast Point</a>, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2015/09/08/heineken-grabs-50-of-lagunitas-brewery-to-take-ipas-global/">Lagunitas</a>, and most notoriously, Goose Island (which has actually <a href="http://adage.com/article/news/years-a-b-inbev-good-goose-island/245676/">proved to be excellent for the brand</a> despite legions clamoring for a boycott). It seems two weeks can't go by without hearing that another craft brewery has been acquired by one of the big boys.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuksizNx_cTMLcpvc13uqRSd2EWiv_6waDVCOYSWpoQE-Bt0CQuW7Jp_CuODRQyUNDx0yQFbmk05ZSUo2B-rnmxg-daJUzoaSvFa9odyfkTo72KY1pSuZop9n7tM6hEF5x64HWU8J8tpc/s1600/outrage1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuksizNx_cTMLcpvc13uqRSd2EWiv_6waDVCOYSWpoQE-Bt0CQuW7Jp_CuODRQyUNDx0yQFbmk05ZSUo2B-rnmxg-daJUzoaSvFa9odyfkTo72KY1pSuZop9n7tM6hEF5x64HWU8J8tpc/s320/outrage1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
Unsurprisingly, this news <a href="https://www.facebook.com/beerpulse/posts/10153891385510719">did not sit well</a> with people in the craft community. As happens with any one of these acquisitions, message boards and discussion forums were on fire. Breckenridge has never really been seen as one of the elite craft breweries—they're solid, but you're not going to trade away your soul for one—but the response when InBev buys another brewery is <i>never </i>positive. It's often seen as something just short of <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/beer/comments/3xyxza/why_we_should_be_nervous_when_ab_inbev_buys_craft/">the end of the world</a>. Such <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/beer/comments/3xumx2/anheuserbusch_inbev_to_acquire_breckenridge/">was the case</a> with this news.<br />
<br />
As expected, one of the most common refrains when the news came out was, "If you can't beat them, buy them."<br />
<br />
And that makes me want to beat my head against a wall.<br />
<br />
I've been drinking craft for so long (since the mid 1990s), and so many of the people around do the same (almost everyone in my circle of friends), it would be easy to assume that everyone has long since converted to craft beer and that the big brewers are running scared. The wider craft beer community certainly seems to think so.<br />
<br />
But despite the perception we get in our insular little world, nothing could be further from the truth.<br />
<br />
The fact of the matter is, despite craft beer's EXPLOSIVE growth in recent years, they are still a pimple on the ass of the big brewers. An annoying pimple the big brewers would like to pop, perhaps, but a pimple nonetheless.<br />
<br />
Sorry, cheerleaders. I've been shouted down before for pointing this out, but the numbers don't lie. The fact that you and your friends all drink good beer doesn't mean jack. Craft beer <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/04/popular-beers-in-america-_n_6787494.html">isn't beating the big boys</a>. It actually isn't even close. As a brand, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/04/the-state-of-american-beer/360583/">Bud remains dominant to the point of absurdity</a>. Bud Light alone sells SIX TIMES as much <i>as every single craft beer combined</i>.<br />
<br />
Read that again. You can take every single craft beer brewed by every single craft brewer in America, put them all together, and you'd still only amount to 1/6 of what Bud Light alone sells. Throw in the core Budweiser and the two sell <i>eight times</i> as much as all the craft beer in America combined.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7kDFFE5Reeq9qLWXCjbBabw9liLamrcMbGPNrB2hAjxhog4lta5EqlmMBZVECBmxLenUlEwMMeWWuSJyuo5v1E1kb13JuE80oTxBWfyX88RhcJL-T8YBlbGMQszfJNrsjn5inuK0ijY/s1600/total+domestic+beer+sales.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7kDFFE5Reeq9qLWXCjbBabw9liLamrcMbGPNrB2hAjxhog4lta5EqlmMBZVECBmxLenUlEwMMeWWuSJyuo5v1E1kb13JuE80oTxBWfyX88RhcJL-T8YBlbGMQszfJNrsjn5inuK0ijY/s400/total+domestic+beer+sales.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Total Domestic Beer Sales, courtesy of The Atlantic. For context, all of craft combined sold 55 million cases.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And that doesn't even begin to touch Busch Light, Coors Light, Coors, Miller, Miller Lite, and so on.<br />
<br />
So yeah, the whole idea of "if you can't beat them, buy them" is ridiculous. Craft beer <i>is </i>getting beaten. Trounced, actually. The only "craft" beer to even <i>sniff </i>at those levels is Yuengling, and they do it by producing a beer that is just a macro lager dressed up in craft scene-acceptable packaging.<br />
<br />
Yes yes yes, craft is growing super fast while the big boys are stagnant, and that is not an insignificant fact nor is it one lost on the big brewers, but the big guys have such a gigantic lead that it would take decades to even up the score.<br />
<br />
Don't expect to see it happen any time soon. Also keep in mind that the mega enthusiasm of those new to craft beer is often overwhelmingly huge, but that enthusiasm often fades with time; people grow older, they fall into old standbys or spend their money differently, and before they realize what has happened they go from trying a few hundred different beers a year to a handful.<br />
<br />
Craft beer is a concern to the big brewers, yes, but we in the craft community often overstate the case to a tremendous degree. The big brewers are not running scared from that excellent little craft brewery you like.<br />
<br />
You know what the <i>real </i>threat to the big brewers is? It's not craft breweries, it's spirits and wine.<br />
<br />
Americans are actually <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/08/09/us-beer-and-wine-making-growth-spikes">drinking less beer than they used to</a>—around
8 million barrels less than in 2008, according to Gatza. Meanwhile,
wine consumption has grown steadily since the early 1990s and <a href="http://www.csnews.com/product-categories/beverages/spirits-industry-outpacing-wine-and-beer">spirits are making huge strides</a> in the booze industry (especially <a href="http://www.just-drinks.com/news/flavoured-spirits-drive-growth-as-category-outpaces-beer-wine-study_id110399.aspx">flavored spirits</a>).<br />
<br />
In fact, <a href="http://www.drinksint.com/news/archivestory.php/aid/1109/US:_Beer_losing_out_to_wine_and_spirits.html" rel="nofollow">story</a> after <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01-31/business/ct-biz-0131-liquor-export-20120131_1_liquor-sales-alcohol-sales-david-ozgo" rel="nofollow">story</a> after <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/americans-are-starting-to-hate-beer-2013-9" rel="nofollow">story</a> after <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/163787/drinkers-divide-beer-wine-favorite.aspx" rel="nofollow">story</a> after <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-you-wont-be-drinking-a-bud-during-the-super-bowl-2014-01-31?link=sfmw_fb" rel="nofollow">story</a> after <a href="http://www.beveragedaily.com/Manufacturers/AB-InBev-keen-to-steal-larger-share-of-throat-from-wine-and-liquor" rel="nofollow">story</a> after <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/alcohol-market-share-beer-wine-spirits_n_1821639.html" rel="nofollow">story</a> and even <a href="http://demetergroup.net/sites/default/files/news/attachment/State-of-the-Craft-Beer-Industry-2013.pdf" rel="nofollow">studies conducted for the craft beer industry</a> show that beer has been losing ground to wine and spirits for some time now.<br />
<br />
Experts in the industry say <a href="http://blog.chron.com/beertx/2014/03/report-2014-will-be-challenging-but-exciting-for-beer-wine-spirits-industries/" rel="nofollow">“Never before has the battle for share of glass been so intense.”</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJFy5gQeGaxfZ5-ZILTzrLl7WNla2o5xZ7Fw5Y-aOAYHBLWtIe796NQvdeizIJghu9DlB7DrwcmZ-7KFhfUPnjloxSuw21vB7jchfjDDZJ-GLzNopRw_LLaJM7ENxLb-KqDU1wWyLrvI/s1600/Dumb+Bud+Meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJFy5gQeGaxfZ5-ZILTzrLl7WNla2o5xZ7Fw5Y-aOAYHBLWtIe796NQvdeizIJghu9DlB7DrwcmZ-7KFhfUPnjloxSuw21vB7jchfjDDZJ-GLzNopRw_LLaJM7ENxLb-KqDU1wWyLrvI/s320/Dumb+Bud+Meme.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Makes us look juvenile and obnoxious</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Craft beer is
growing, but beer overall <a href="http://www.canadianbusiness.com/business-news/industries/consumer-goods/molson-coors-fights-for-share-of-shrinking-beer-market/">is not</a>—and that's bad for the entire beer industry, not just for the big boys.<br />
<br />
The fact is, the growth of craft beer is <i>good </i>for the big brewers, or is at least neutral, because it means people are at least still drinking <i>beer</i>. People moving away from beer to spirits and wine means the entire beer market shrinks, which in turn means beer makers have to convince people to come <i>back </i>to beer if they want their business. That's bad.<br />
<br />
If
people just switch from one beer brand to another, however, that's better. Then
at least you're fighting for an audience that already drinks beer. That means they still have a chance at capturing their dollars in one way or another. The big brewers would rather have people in front of a row of tap handles, <i>no matter what those tap handles are</i>, than in front of a row of wine bottles.<br />
<br />
If people switch to wine or spirits, on the other hand, that's a customer they can no longer reach as easily. (This is exactly why you see so many of those <a href="http://www.budlight.com/our-beers/lime-rita-lime-margarita-twist.html">beer cocktails</a> on the market. You may wonder who buys them, but the fact is they sell like CRAZY. Folks like Bud want to at least keep people attached to their brand as they migrate away from beer.)<br />
<br />
So yeah, of <i>course </i>the big brewers would like to see growth instead of being stagnant—that goes without saying for any business—but buying up craft breweries has only a small amount to do with that. Breweries like Breckenridge produce as much beer in a year as Budweiser spills in a day. These acquisitions aren't offering big gains to their bottom line. They're not turning around the company's fortunes. They would literally have to buy <i>100 Breckenridges</i> for Breckenridge to slide into the top 10 beer brands despite Breckenridge being one of the top 50 craft brewers in America.<br />
<br />
(Insanely, it would take over <i>1,000</i> of these breweries to match Bud Light. There are not 1,000 breweries of this size in America. There <a href="http://www.brewbound.com/news/breaking-down-the-brewers-associations-top-50-list">aren't even 60 of them</a>.)<br />
<br />
Rather, these acquisitions are about diversifying in a market that increasingly demands diversity. It's about having something to offer bars and restaurants other than Bud and Bud Light. It's about becoming a little more flexible in the face of a market that demands it. It's about not being tied to just one thing. And it's about planting some seeds for the future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1py0UJeaDIv0PlrZFotsQ1uV7WKh91PpVh5e5mhc76UjDEZP1poVco519JtXgp1fzEWKG5tm_YPmwpUlkpRU4jfV4hevde959I6rp_7wSO8n1YElE7upT3F1qn9Kq0ikDeFV6zveh-Q/s1600/Outrage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1py0UJeaDIv0PlrZFotsQ1uV7WKh91PpVh5e5mhc76UjDEZP1poVco519JtXgp1fzEWKG5tm_YPmwpUlkpRU4jfV4hevde959I6rp_7wSO8n1YElE7upT3F1qn9Kq0ikDeFV6zveh-Q/s320/Outrage2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Buying an interest in these craft breweries doesn't mean they're being beaten in the marketplace. They're <i>not</i>. The numbers are beyond dispute. Despite all our hardcore proselyting for craft beer—I've been annoying my friends with that shit for 20 years now—the big brewers like Bud still dominate the market to a crushing extent.<br />
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So yeah, no. "If you can't beat then, buy them" is a stupid phrase that completely ignores the actual landscape of beer in America in lieu of the one we in our insular little craft world like to image, and it drives me up a wall.<br />
<br />
Though perhaps it's not nearly as stupid as wasting this much time on an insignificant pet peeve.<br />
<br />
Please shoot me.Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-40909831371588785372015-12-05T13:38:00.000-05:002015-12-05T13:38:00.726-05:005 Beers that Should be on your Holiday Dinner Table<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieT4N7nkl6KxrlXaNtU18fMfziPNgTM3IgEV4b5xAL-uewq8bLK_ixcYfuMcDZ3RBvv6514otnmswkZ1yOQ1_gufqA_uQL0WduRTsJnGGo5jKTzFOhlLyV2KZCMthxyUbQpELzC5muax4/s1600/drunk+santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieT4N7nkl6KxrlXaNtU18fMfziPNgTM3IgEV4b5xAL-uewq8bLK_ixcYfuMcDZ3RBvv6514otnmswkZ1yOQ1_gufqA_uQL0WduRTsJnGGo5jKTzFOhlLyV2KZCMthxyUbQpELzC5muax4/s320/drunk+santa.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
'Tis the season to stuff your face with lots and lots of food and feel guilty about it the next day, but then stuff your face some more because man, there are gatherings and get togethers and parties to attend, so you eat some more, and then some more, and when will this cycle of eat and guilt, eat and guilt end?<br />
<br />
And hey, you can't stuff your face without some beer. Well, you <i>can</i>, but why would you want to?<br />
<br />
Yeah. So to accompany this wonderful time of year, here are five beers to consider adding to your holiday dinner table. I'd say that my criteria included the ability to pair with well with food, availability, and so on, but mostly my criteria was "this is a column that didn't get used in the magazine I write for, so let's get some use out of it on my blog."<br />
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You know, for the cynical among us keeping score.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Dogfish Head Fort</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
A table full of food calls for a beer ideal for pairing with all that food, especially fare like turkey, stuffing, greens, and cranberry. Dogfish Head’s Fort fits the bill. Boasting as much in common with wine as it does with beer, this insanely huge fruit beer demands a cautious approach but rewards a well-chosen pairing. Coming in at 18 percent ABV – yes, you read that right – Fort greets your nose with an almost wine-like fruitiness. Your first sip will reveal intense fruit, hints of Belgian funk, and then a wash of alcohol heat. It’s a fantastic way to accent a hearty salad, fine cheeses, and cheesecake (though honestly, who the hell actually likes cheesecake?).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Firestone Walker XIX</b></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8Wud3vIsYKmyRVxWXY2AapPy90jxaxrzahBJd1lhiDQQe6BMSVmnkqXuYtSpR4_3kvzydksCZLGkP4dhKZIbbZ-zOzBdsfK53NYl4nVzUpWgErA2dJa9IV7YMMacrrqTHJTJiCwRud8/s1600/Firestone+Walker+14th+Anni.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8Wud3vIsYKmyRVxWXY2AapPy90jxaxrzahBJd1lhiDQQe6BMSVmnkqXuYtSpR4_3kvzydksCZLGkP4dhKZIbbZ-zOzBdsfK53NYl4nVzUpWgErA2dJa9IV7YMMacrrqTHJTJiCwRud8/s200/Firestone+Walker+14th+Anni.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 14th anniversary edition</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some beers are like a holiday in a bottle, a once-a-year break from the norm that makes all the others around it pale by comparison. For nine years, Firestone Walker’s anniversary blends have been one of those holidays in a bottle. <a href="http://blog.phillyweekly.com/2015/02/06/five-beers-on-tap-around-philly-this-week/">Anniversary beers</a> are nothing new, but few do them like Firestone. This year, a group of California’s most talented wine blenders gathered at the brewery to help develop XIX (19). Made up by blending <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Firestone-Walker-Parabola-305359591.html">Parabola</a> (bourbon barrel stout), Stickee Monkee (barrel-aged quad), Bravo (barrel-aged imperial brown), and <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Firestone-Walker-Velvet-Merkin-240126731.html">Velvet Merkin</a> (barrel-aged oatmeal stout), this highly complex brew boasts up front vanilla, bourbon, and oak. This is the beer you have with a cigar during a break in your holiday meal, or that you open to impress your stodgy old uncle.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Solemn Oath / The Bruery Conquest</b></div>
<br />
The Bruery is well-known thanks to creative concoctions like <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/Bruery-Autumn-Maple-at-Beer-School---331239052.html">Autumn Maple</a> and <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer--240126301.html">Tart of Darkness</a>. The Chicago area’s Solemn Oath is less well known, largely because they are not yet distributed outside their immediate area, but beers like Conquest are a sure sign you’ll know their name soon enough. This collaboration beer is a Belgian-style golden ale made with cocoa nibs, coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon. In other words, perfect to enjoy alongside some pie at the end of your long, family-filled holiday day. Bright carbonation, zesty spices and grainy malts dominate, with the additional flavors there to accent the whole rather than to take over. The result is eminently drinkable; it’s subtle enough to enjoy over conversation but features layers enough for finicky drinkers to unpeel. <i>(My great thanks to my friend Cary for helping me get my hands on this beer.) </i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Victory Vital IPA</b></div>
<br />
Not all beers in your holiday lineup need be potent, complex monsters. In fact, it’s best that they are not. You’ll need something to start your day, and it’s hard to go wrong with a vibrant, aromatic IPA. Vital IPA is the latest in Victory’s growing lineup of hoppy beers (check out <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Victory-Dirtwolf-246047651.html">Dirtwolf</a> and the <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Victory-Moving-Parts-IPA-282190931.html">Moving Parts</a> series . This highly fragrant pale ale will wake you up with its aromas of spice, grapefruit, and hints of pine. The crisp, almost pilsner-like malts help it drink clean, with a nice wash of bitterness in the finish to clear the palate. ‘Tis the season for big, dark beer overload, making an IPA like this one a nice change of pace.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Deschutes the Abyss</b></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPsa7J9t7CQhEQeuUYAIRRy0EXBwhEK5mq4GXdOr65m1Eyu5c1CEOCCfP0FWFThyphenhyphenCyOPNzqNdOF38rTT3YD8YQaNIdmqAFcyATYLvrTye6Avm_QweQS81wa3fMhZiNGnpUCmjArX3xAg/s1600/Deschutes+Black+Butte+XXIII.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPsa7J9t7CQhEQeuUYAIRRy0EXBwhEK5mq4GXdOr65m1Eyu5c1CEOCCfP0FWFThyphenhyphenCyOPNzqNdOF38rTT3YD8YQaNIdmqAFcyATYLvrTye6Avm_QweQS81wa3fMhZiNGnpUCmjArX3xAg/s200/Deschutes+Black+Butte+XXIII.JPG" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abyss, 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At one time, those of us living on the East Coast considered the Abyss something of a white whale, a big, elusive brew we had to chase halfway across the world for a sip. Good beers have a way of making their way east, though, which means you can finally tip your glass and give thanks with this once hard-to-find beer. Made with molasses, licorice, and vanilla bean, with a portion aged in a variety of wine and spirits barrels, this is the sort of complex, knock-you-out brew you enjoy as a nightcap split between a few friends. With luscious dark chocolate, sweet licorice, pleasant bourbon heat, and absurd smoothness for a beer that clocks in at 11 percent ABV, it’s widely praised as one of the best stouts on the market for a reason.Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-69693286733641197702015-11-10T09:03:00.000-05:002015-11-10T11:36:48.650-05:00NJ's Carton Brewing is about to get biggerNew Jersey isn't exactly known for its thriving craft beer scene, at least not when compared to its neighbors in Pennsylvania and New York.<br />
<br />
That's not to say it doesn't have some fantastic breweries. It sure does. Flying Fish doesn't get much love from the newest crop of beers geeks, but I contend that <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2013/12/quick-sips-flying-fish-exit-16-wild.html">Wild Rice Double IPA</a> is one of the great hidden gems of craft beer, while their <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2012/10/quick-sips-flying-fish-exit-8-chestnut.html">Exit Series</a> has churned out an array of quirky, interesting brews. Located at the Jersey Shore, Kane has one of the <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Kane-Head-High-IPA-288586621.html">best IPA's in the region</a>, and specialty brews like their <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Kane-Morning-Bell-211462811.html?addFav=Y">Morning Bell coffee porter</a> are top shelf by any measure. Plus there is the great stuff from <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/year-of-beer/Beer-on-tap-Cape-May-Brewing-You-Only-Pope-Once-YOPO---329148271.html">Cape May brewing</a>, among others.<br />
<br />
But no NJ brewery has gotten more attention than Carton Brewing.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WQH8pjNJHrsA-ITYhVzUeai3hdNf268C8MdnDemutOGcmiamIHC5PR1LhDdRCTEXcJ9kzE9fBR3twnbR3p1Vig4Ty-SVsD6j7zv18dZFxawiyGyf2HMEj8nV6OeNFkXpalTqizIY_8E/s1600/DSC00797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WQH8pjNJHrsA-ITYhVzUeai3hdNf268C8MdnDemutOGcmiamIHC5PR1LhDdRCTEXcJ9kzE9fBR3twnbR3p1Vig4Ty-SVsD6j7zv18dZFxawiyGyf2HMEj8nV6OeNFkXpalTqizIY_8E/s400/DSC00797.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat on a boat? It seemed appropriate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Based out of the Atlantic Highlands and founded by Augie Carton, a guy with a culinary background rather than a beer background, they've become by far the most in-demand brewers from the Garden State. Their <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Carton-Boat-Beer-288837861.html">Boat Beer</a> is arguably the best session ale on the market, while experimental beers like <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Carton-Regular-Coffee-290218031.html">Carton Regular Coffee</a> are nothing short of mind-blowing.<br />
<br />
<i>(Seriously, people, this tastes like a sweet Dunkin' coffee, but it's 12% ABV ... and you won't taste a bit of the alcohol. Wow.)</i><br />
<br />
No wonder stores can't keep the stuff on shelves. No wonder people in other states will trade you some outstanding shit to get their hands on Carton. No wonder people are actually paying attention to beer in New Jersey.<br />
<br />
Because Carton is <i>damn good </i>at what they do.<br />
<br />
It's great news, then, that Carton will be <a href="http://www.app.com/story/money/business/2015/11/06/6-beer-soaked-tips-run-your-own-nj-brewery/74875322/">expanding their operations</a>.<br />
<br />
The brewery is going to be moving into a 10,000-square-foot building, which doubles the size of their existing facility, and will be bumping up their production from about 4,000 barrels per year to about 5,000 after their expansion. Now, 5,000 barrels a year isn't a lot, but when people are knocking over pregnant nuns to get a taste of <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Carton-SS-2014-Yirgacheffe-Need-a-Bigger-Boat-277068151.html">your wacky IPAs</a>, every little bit counts. So yeah, beer lovers in the vaguely-defined tri-state area, hoist your glasses and celebrate.<br />
<br />
The idea, Auguie <a href="http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2015/10/popular_nj_craft_brewery_set_for_expansion.html">told the Newark Star-Ledger</a>, is to allow them to keep experimenting.<br />
<br />
"As much a we love that people enjoy our Boat Beer and 077XX, we also love making other beer and trying out new flavors," Carton said. "So in the short term, (the expansion) will help us do more of that while also keeping up with the growing demand for distribution of the beers that people already enjoy."<br />
<br />
This is all happening in part thanks to a $1.25 million line of credit extended to them via the New Jersey Economic Development Authority's Premier Lender program, which makes it easier for small businesses to get loans.<br />
<br />
The new facility will be located right next door to the existing brewery.<br />
<br />
There is a downside to this, though. Carton currently has distro to about 390 stores, give or take. It's a rather small number, really, when you think about it.<br />
<br />
And in order to better meet demand, the plan is to cut that number.<br />
<br />
Yikes.<br />
<br />
It makes sense, though. Beer shops in and around New Jersey are routinely hammered with "did you get Latest Carton Beer in?" Even standbys like Boat and 077XX (their flagship IPA) tend to sell out within a day. The only way to make sure that every shop that wants to carry Carton CAN carry Carton is to cut back on distribution. That kind of sucks, I guess.<br />
<br />
But if in the long run it means more Carton for everyone, that's fantastic news, because I suspect this is a brewery that's going to be around for a long, long time.<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-15445363863595311672015-10-14T15:52:00.002-04:002015-10-14T15:52:41.438-04:00NJ brewery Rinn Duin looking for a Head Brewer<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMn6wuvhOi4YUhqEOk-iUkkRJMHdFkI3eTaKcUcmRzcZIbKziRXJDuDkPRLb7zk59Atrwo0vFOglvOVqxgY5eFKZiyXCYo-6iu5eoztNBpTXTMLrUX2qdBSUVxBlBXFt_BgPf5t75Juw/s1600/Rinn+Duin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMn6wuvhOi4YUhqEOk-iUkkRJMHdFkI3eTaKcUcmRzcZIbKziRXJDuDkPRLb7zk59Atrwo0vFOglvOVqxgY5eFKZiyXCYo-6iu5eoztNBpTXTMLrUX2qdBSUVxBlBXFt_BgPf5t75Juw/s320/Rinn+Duin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="irc_su" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">The folks at Rinn Duin. Photo by </span><br /><em>Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you're a brewer or aspiring brewer, and you live in New Jersey or are willing to locate there -- really, it's not as bad as people say! -- a small brewery in central New Jersey might want to hear from you.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://rinnduinbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Rinn Duin Brewing</a> is a small, 25-barrel brewery out of Toms River that specializes in traditional UK styles of beer. English milds, Scotch ales, browns, that sort of thing.<br />
They're pretty new, having gotten their start less than two years ago, and are located in an area with a growing craft beer scene. (<a href="http://cartonbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Carton</a> and <a href="http://www.kanebrewing.com/" target="_blank">Kane</a>, both highly praised NJ breweries, are both within an hour of this place.) Despite being new, they have a great looking facility.<br />
<br />
Anyway, they're looking for a head brewer. Maybe you? Here are the details, as pulled from their posting at <a href="http://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?48818-Head-Brewer-Ocean-Co-NJ&s=e1aec72ab156d659cba80a003e1afe14">Probrewer.com</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Head Brewer for a UK style brewery<br />
Rinn Duin Brewing is a 25 BBL brewery in Ocean County NJ that is looking
for a head brewer. This is a working head brewer role encompassing all
aspects of brewery operations. <br />
Essential Functions and Responsibilities<br />
<br />
• Cleaning and sanitation of all equipment in the brewery<br />
• Brewing recipes to specifications, and ability to develop recipes.<br />
• Yeast management and propagation<br />
• Responsible for the entire brewing and quality control processes and
should be well versed in scheduling, brewing, cellaring and packaging
operations including a bottling line.<br />
• Manage raw materials, inventory control, scheduling and hop contracts, coordinating with suppliers<br />
• Sanitary sampling, yeast cell counts and record keeping of all beers produced<br />
• Equipment maintenance and troubleshooting<br />
• Review and maintain a top quality QA/QC program<br />
• Process development and Standard Operating Procedures enhancement<br />
• Strong verbal communication and organization skills.<br />
• Monthly detailed inventory<br />
• Mentoring to all employees on the brewing process and beer education<br />
• Cutting controllable costs and maintaining a profitable brewery<br />
• Use of proper and safe chemical handling techniques<br />
• Safety Protocols and OSHA compliance<br />
• Fill server shifts in the sample room as needed<br />
• Ability to work flexible shifts<br />
• Participation in events, festivals, promotions, etc. (this is a must).<br />
• Forklift experienced/certified. <br />
<br />
Requirements<br />
• Minimum of three years brewery experience and hands-on working
knowledge of a production brewery with a 20bbl brew house or larger,
brewing education is a plus<br />
• Must possess good mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills.<br />
• Able to work with alkaline and acidic chemicals without allergic reactions.<br />
Able to work in wet or humid conditions (non¬weather), wet floors, wet equipment and extreme heat<br />
• Assure cleanliness in the brewery and follow brewery best practices<br />
The full time position will offer competitive compensation, an allowance
for health insurance and paid vacation. Compensation will be based on
experience and qualifications. If interested, please send a resume,
salary requirements, and a brief summary of proven skill sets<br />
Responses by email only to <a href="mailto:chip@rinnduin.com">chip@rinnduin.com</a></blockquote>
Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-71460181588262597812015-10-06T17:15:00.000-04:002015-10-06T17:15:00.117-04:00Sam Adams takes on Heady Topper, Enjoy By IPAWhen I <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2013/07/for-jim-koch-and-sam-adams-variety-is.html" target="_blank">talked to Jim Koch</a>, founder of Boston Beer Company, two years ago, he made pretty clear that he didn't like standing still. He didn't want his company to stand still, either. Keep innovating, keep trying new things, or die. That was the idea.<br />
<br />
In today's craft beer world, in which the best beers in the world are always the <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2015/09/us-now-has-over-4000-beweries-how-many.html" target="_blank"><i>Hot New Thing</i></a> instead of the <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2012/12/tipping-my-hat-to-anchor-brewing.html" target="_blank"><i>Rock Solid Classic</i></a>, that's the right approach to take. People demand new. They demand their breweries keep mixing things up.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7GenxopO4jsjcW1ctQMhqMmK3h1LY9dnE-FqmzRVVySDzKahXdQtiM4Two9wpxeVqWuVsGeByqkXiHYoA5YLSrY8sBTVcVEFt-C7orBMIPAExche25R4Rnq4Nz8bhwrWUQWj8uwk-3Y/s1600/Jim+Koch+Samuel+Adams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7GenxopO4jsjcW1ctQMhqMmK3h1LY9dnE-FqmzRVVySDzKahXdQtiM4Two9wpxeVqWuVsGeByqkXiHYoA5YLSrY8sBTVcVEFt-C7orBMIPAExche25R4Rnq4Nz8bhwrWUQWj8uwk-3Y/s400/Jim+Koch+Samuel+Adams.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of masslive.com, by Michael Beswick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Koch and his mega <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/search/label/samuel%20adams" target="_blank">Samuel Adams</a> brand are going to be shaking things up soon. First, by releasing a huge canned double IPA inspired in part by Heady Topper, and more notably, by demanding that it only stay on shelves for a short period of time, akin to Stone's <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Stone-Enjoy-By-IPA-290219311.html" target="_blank">Enjoy By</a> series but even more aggressive. They're going to mandate that after 35 days it gets pulled from shelves in order to ensure freshness.<br />
<br />
That's a pretty bold move, especially for a brewer as big as Sam Adams. It could change how some beers are handled at retail.<br />
<br />
First, the beer itself. Koch <a href="http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2015/10/03/double-ipa-sam-rebel-raw-beer/" target="_blank">recently told BostInno</a>, "When you look at some of the iconic big IPAs, like Pliny the Elder or Heady Topper from here in New England, part of what makes them so renowned is people drink 'em fresh ... They get 'em at the brewery. If you have those beers two to three months into their life, they're not the same."<br />
<br />
This beer is going to be an unfiltered double IPA clocking in at 10% ABV and available only in 16oz cans.<br />
<br />
In other words, <i>very </i>inspired by Heady Topper.<br />
<br />
Dabbling in big, hoppy beers is a bit unusual for them. They've done IPAs for years, of course -- they had an IPA way back in the 1990s before almost anyone else, messed with DIPAs several years back with <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2012/02/quick-sips-samuel-adams-third-voyage.html" target="_blank">Third Voyage</a>, and these days have a full line of them, including Rebel Rouser (not to mention their awesome <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2011/05/deconstructing-hops.html" target="_blank">single-hop</a> pack from a few years back). So, despite <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2011/10/samuel-adams-unfairly-scorned-by-beer.html" target="_blank">the scorn they get</a>, they can do hoppy, too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxONxUhhLRURpOFVMBu2XTcHUjHn4zp8JBdc6d7WQDyJt4Fj-h7aBcpR-tI4sDHy5jHZ9irPljc1dRYeYuMkum7lGP2J-mDzBPCiW9sGPuMbDi6-0XapONiDKBUg9IpfPgchko04uaUbc/s1600/Samuel-Adams-Rebel-Raw-Double-IPA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxONxUhhLRURpOFVMBu2XTcHUjHn4zp8JBdc6d7WQDyJt4Fj-h7aBcpR-tI4sDHy5jHZ9irPljc1dRYeYuMkum7lGP2J-mDzBPCiW9sGPuMbDi6-0XapONiDKBUg9IpfPgchko04uaUbc/s400/Samuel-Adams-Rebel-Raw-Double-IPA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
But a Heady clone is new ground for them.<br />
<br />
The REAL new ground will be their stringent shelving policies for this beer, though.<br />
<br />
They plan to give it a 35-day shelf life. After that, it must be pulled from the shelves. Wholesalers are probably going to do some grumbling about that, but you know what? It's a great move. I've <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2012/08/hey-brewers-date-your-bottles.html" target="_blank">ranted about bottle dating</a> before, and for good reason. You want to be drinking your IPAs as fresh as possible. When they linger on the shelves too long, they go downhill ... some of them pretty quickly.<br />
<br />
So why not <i>force </i>freshness? It's done with other types of food and drinks. If we care about it enough for frickin' Little Debbie snacks to get yanked after a time, we should care about it with beer, too, to the point of taking an aggressive hand in getting older IPAs off the shelves.<br />
<br />
Retailers might not like it, but I'm all for it.<br />
<br />
Though Sam Adams no longer gets much respect among today's beer crowd, I'm generally up for trying anything they do. This one will be released only in select markets (and they haven't said which markets yet), so we'll see if I can get my hands on some.Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-37979915111208971312015-10-05T14:20:00.000-04:002015-10-05T14:20:00.708-04:00Busting 5 More Persistent Beer MythsSome time back, I pulled out my trusty bow and quiver and, after accidentally killing my pet cat and a small family of nearby chipmunks*, took aim at some <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2014/01/busting-5-persistent-beer-myths.html" target="_blank">pernicious beer myths</a>.<br />
<br />
It's time to take aim at a few more, because there is no better feeling than lording some pointless piece of knowledge over someone in an effort to make yourself feel a little better about your small, sad little life. This selection is <i>perhaps </i>a touch more subjective than the last, but I have the benefit of being right, so I'm not too worried about any subjectivity here.<br />
<br />
Here are 5 beer myths you should totally stop believing:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Contract Brewing is Bad</b></span></div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclaglgU17-HhKE1jlI_a_nup_GG5FVf1MJJal_S_pTzomBJSkkVU_vYrTFJJHSe6vDiln_Lvw03lujiCdvw_NBfOIkVFmaWCBimUIHFYCGGLeGFR3VIazVKD6eqiGT_P5LRXb7aEfUyc/s1600/21amendbeers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclaglgU17-HhKE1jlI_a_nup_GG5FVf1MJJal_S_pTzomBJSkkVU_vYrTFJJHSe6vDiln_Lvw03lujiCdvw_NBfOIkVFmaWCBimUIHFYCGGLeGFR3VIazVKD6eqiGT_P5LRXb7aEfUyc/s320/21amendbeers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of CraftCan on Photobucket <br /><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
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Contract brewing is something of a dirty word in the world of craft beer. Guys like Jimmy Carbone of <a href="http://heritageradionetwork.org/series/beer-sessions-radio-tm/" target="_blank">Beer Sessions Radio</a> routinely rant about how he refuses to support or respect contract brewed beers. Some have proclaimed it will be <a href="http://beerpulse.com/2013/12/contract-brewing-will-be-the-death-of-craft-beer-controversial-statement-riles-brewers-2121/" target="_blank">the death of craft beer</a>. The idea of contract brewing is simple: you have a beer you want made, and you pay another brewery to make it for you. This may be because you don't own your own equipment, because your brewery doesn't have enough capacity, or for other reasons. The bottom line is, contact brewing is when Beer A is brewed down the road at Brewery X instead of by the people who own Beer A. And this really gets some people up in arms.<br />
<br />
Which is silly. What matters is what's in your glass. You can't taste "passion." Owning your own brewery or equipment doesn't magically imbue it with magical properties that turn it into "real" craft beer. And guess what? If you've enjoyed some Sixpoint, Terrapin, 21st Amendment, Samuel Adams, Brooklyn, and even for a brief time Russian River, among countless other breweries, you've probably enjoyed some contract-brewed beer. (In order to keep up with demand while installing new equipment, Russian River had Firestone Walker <a href="http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-pliny-firestone-walker-20141003-story.html" target="_blank">brew Pliny the Elder for them</a>.) Contract brewing is a business decision, nothing more, and despite what some idealists would have you believe, craft beer <i>is </i>a business. If the recipe is good and the end result is tasty, that's all that matters.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lagers Are Boring</b></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLy1TkDoUM5ONgT5siPplV59UAPJ1SsA0hpWqNiIzWiZNn0xHlhZUtSKEcAOacroxBfZKs7WV3kKUNNl5uhFdZaZNidL5VdYAaAsibWSOcULfvUb72RHR_3_5P1LZV62timkU69b1Gbg/s1600/lager.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLy1TkDoUM5ONgT5siPplV59UAPJ1SsA0hpWqNiIzWiZNn0xHlhZUtSKEcAOacroxBfZKs7WV3kKUNNl5uhFdZaZNidL5VdYAaAsibWSOcULfvUb72RHR_3_5P1LZV62timkU69b1Gbg/s320/lager.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These lagers are delicious, you fool! Image from heavemedia.com</td></tr>
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Chat with some beer geeks (especially those just starting their exploration of beer) and you're bound to run into more than a few people who are quick to proclaim their disdain for boring old lagers. So bland! So dull!<br />
<br />
Guess what? You're probably talking to someone who isn't as familiar with beer as they claim to be. "Lager" is a broad category, just like "ale," and it includes many styles. Lagers are simply beers brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast, usually at a colder temperature and often (but not always) stored in cold temps for a time after brewing. Legendary beers like <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/ayinger-celebrator-doppelbock/1090/" target="_blank">Ayinger Celebrator</a> or <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/schneider-aventinus/2224/" target="_blank">Aventinus</a>? Lagers. Landmark smoked beers like <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/aecht-schlenkerla-rauchbier-urbock/6349/" target="_blank">Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock</a>? Lagers. <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/the-duck-rabbit-baltic-porter/63820/" target="_blank">Baltic porters</a>? They're lagers. <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beerstyles/oktoberfest-marzen/37/" target="_blank">Marzens</a> aka Oktoberfest beers? Also lagers. <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/ayinger-altbairisch-dunkel/2019/" target="_blank">Dunkels</a>, <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/sprecher-black-bavarian/1367/" target="_blank">schwarzbiers</a>, <a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/style/32/" target="_blank">bocks of all types</a>? Lagers, lagers, lagers. If you really think all those beers are boring, you're either lying to save face or you have the most one-dimensional palate <i>ever</i>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>IPAs Were Invented To Survive The Trip to India </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUO0mRMti6OLp-WrtHTMR1wCVS8oVsv0z-iDcUY1dmM-Qu4BH6cjWEtQpUxmOkz8I5L7FyaxcloEBzCY0FZ5jATbmiu7zcVwJd5rJrWJf82Tic6x-55ax8zKZcHi9KWG9awfiN02OZJA/s1600/IPA.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUO0mRMti6OLp-WrtHTMR1wCVS8oVsv0z-iDcUY1dmM-Qu4BH6cjWEtQpUxmOkz8I5L7FyaxcloEBzCY0FZ5jATbmiu7zcVwJd5rJrWJf82Tic6x-55ax8zKZcHi9KWG9awfiN02OZJA/s320/IPA.png" width="320" /></a></div>
This one involves a little bit of hair-splitting, but if the Internet was invented for anything, it was for hair-splitting. According to this myth, the beloved India Pale Ale (IPA) was invented by George Hodgson in order to survive the long trip to India, something other beers couldn't do because they didn't have the copious amount of hops that IPAs did. He jacked up the ABV and hops to survive the trip, and that was that.<br />
<br />
It's a great story, but it's not so simple. For this one, I'm going to turn things over to people a lot smarter than I am. First, take a gander at this <a href="http://zythophile.co.uk/2011/08/04/four-ipa-myths-that-need-to-be-stamped-out-for-ipaday/" target="_blank">excellent breakdown</a> of some IPA myths by the outstanding beer historian Martyn Cornell, then throw in <a href="http://zythophile.co.uk/2012/08/02/more-ipa-myths-that-must-die-on-ipaday/" target="_blank">this one</a> for good measure. <a href="http://www.beerchurch.com/beer-info/the-truth-about-ipa/" target="_blank">This fantastic post</a> from Beer Church tells the real story in clear terms. And <a href="http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2009/02/another-nail-in-that-ipa-myth.html" target="_blank">one more</a> to wrap things up from the superb <i>Shut Up About Barclay Perkins</i>. It all boils down to this: Other beers made the voyage to India just fine (especially the ever popular porter) and what evolved into today's IPA was largely an accident. It was never "invented," it merely evolved, and even that wording is a bit dubious. So there.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Guys At (Insert Big Brewery Here) Are Terrible Brewers </b></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjl1jA79sWHovVQUkZyFuCfvkHs5LL4kn6fcgyqBkPj6h2dbehQsMnpgKDr5yIEm1R32o7LtIdNOZD-q3wQA7GabDm9NGE9BP4VwMj4a6XSVlWhKlKDOrQt27un2qTA2SET5Qt55G0uus/s1600/Mitch-Steele-Stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjl1jA79sWHovVQUkZyFuCfvkHs5LL4kn6fcgyqBkPj6h2dbehQsMnpgKDr5yIEm1R32o7LtIdNOZD-q3wQA7GabDm9NGE9BP4VwMj4a6XSVlWhKlKDOrQt27un2qTA2SET5Qt55G0uus/s320/Mitch-Steele-Stone.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mitch Steele, brewmaster at Stone</td></tr>
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Visit any thread on any beer discussion group that happens to mention Budweiser or one of the other mega breweries and inevitably you'll see a slew of comments about how awful those brewers are, if only they knew how to brew real beer, maybe Bud should hire someone with talent, blah blah frickin' blah.<br />
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There's no two ways about it: those comments are stupid. The fact of the matter is, the big breweries employ some of the most high skilled, best educated, most thoroughly trained brewers on the planet. Yes, even Budweiser. If they brew boring beer, it's because it's their <i>job </i>to -- and make no mistake, being able to make every can of Budweiser in America taste exactly the same is <i>really damn hard</i>. Even excellent craft breweries sometimes have some variation from batch to batch. Try doing the same with a beer so "simple" there is no place for off flavors to hide. Further proof can be found in the craft beer world. Mitch Steele, brewmaster at Stone, is just one of many former <a href="http://www.craftbrewingbusiness.com/beer-of-the-month/stone-brewmaster-mitch-steele-talks-levitation-ale-anheuser-busch-and-aggressive-growth/" target="_blank">big brewery brewermasters</a> who have moved into the craft wold (and who have done a killer job at it). Chris Lohring, founder of Notch Brewing, <a href="http://www.brewbound.com/news/watergate-craft-brewers-say-no-scandal-at-bud" target="_blank">calls the big guys</a> "the most technically proficient brewers in the world." Basically, hate their beer all you want, but respect the skills of the guys who make it. They're some of the best, even if their bosses don't let them show it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Big Breweries Use Sub Par Ingredients</b></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EZCCIVCzXarlR9PmAUmkmsbEygdkqVEYhz4brrOjLczFG5wh9ps2JR-ID421yzycXqKfUea-bhrLiPX0xF65B5c8QM-c1mp3ctUhAIkQJURfJcpXwRNXR_eqG8BF-gFvdyczHBM7fqo/s1600/hopshopshopshops.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EZCCIVCzXarlR9PmAUmkmsbEygdkqVEYhz4brrOjLczFG5wh9ps2JR-ID421yzycXqKfUea-bhrLiPX0xF65B5c8QM-c1mp3ctUhAIkQJURfJcpXwRNXR_eqG8BF-gFvdyczHBM7fqo/s320/hopshopshopshops.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hops and barley. Photo by <em>Algerina Perna</em></td></tr>
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At the risk of being called an apologist for the big brewers -- two entries about them in a row will do that, despite this blog being a clear indication of what I tend to drink -- I'm going to go ahead and tackle this one. This myth is simple: the big brewers like Coors and Budweiser buy all sorts of cheap, shitty ingredients and bottom of the barrel hops and grains so they can make their lousy beer as cheaply as possible.<br />
<br />
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The fact is, those mega brewers have contracts with the same hop and grain producers who provide the ingredients for craft beer. They've <a href="http://goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2014/9/1/reaping-what-you-sow-anheuser-busch-and-goose-island-bring-a-hop-farm-back-to-life" target="_blank">invested a lot in them</a>. Further, because of the huge volume of business they provide these farmers, they get first dibs on the product -- and they're <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/25413874/ns/business-us_business/t/barley-growers-worry-about-budweiser-takeover/#.Vgw9kW6EyuI" target="_blank">known to have stringent standards</a>. "Each truckload of barley is sampled and tested at delivery. If it fails
to meet company standards for quality, the barley is rejected and likely
becomes cattle feed." Stone's Mitch Steele has <a href="http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=basic-brewing-radio-2012" target="_blank">discussed this on podcasts</a>, saying that the folks at A-B were damn near tyrannical about buying the best on the market before anyone else could. And as for the adjuncts, I've <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2014/01/busting-5-persistent-beer-myths.html" target="_blank">already addressed that</a>. The finished product may not be for you and me, but it's not because they're using lousy ingredients. It's because they're tying to reach Joe Six-Pack who just wants to down some beers and watch the game.<br />
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So there you have it. Five more beer myths that needed busting. Agree, disagree? Comment down below and give me the validation I crave.<br />
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The End.<br />
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*This is probably a work of fiction. I probably didn't kill any animals in the writing of that post. Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-13899593681643827042015-09-30T14:09:00.001-04:002015-09-30T16:49:41.276-04:00U.S. now has over 4,000 breweries. How many is too many?According to the Brewer's Association, the trade group that represents craft beer, there are now <a href="https://www.brewersassociation.org/insights/4000-breweries/" target="_blank">over 4,000 breweries</a> in the United States. That's approaching the high of 4,131 the U.S.boasted in 1873, before the Temperance Movement, and later Prohibition, and then after THAT the big corporate brewers, laid waste to beer brewing in America.<br />
<br />
That's pretty remarkable, when you consider that within our lifetime (or at least within <i>my </i>lifetime) there were as few as 89 breweries operating in the United States. There are now <a href="http://oregoncraftbeer.org/facts/" target="_blank">more than that</a> in the Portland metro area alone!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHNGidmk1ZdEl5Hs8Dbk4Nx-HIQQCF52a3lGjj-Bhj8u59RG1TwWu4clDd1i5xF_vAKgMJi5Izpb6_n1Re9IMXDVTGmhoYn794p5Y5JY4a-bkvkapIUAC6zw9vQCFeFzTb-a-Smt1uLM/s1600/craft-beer-sales-somethingsbrewing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHNGidmk1ZdEl5Hs8Dbk4Nx-HIQQCF52a3lGjj-Bhj8u59RG1TwWu4clDd1i5xF_vAKgMJi5Izpb6_n1Re9IMXDVTGmhoYn794p5Y5JY4a-bkvkapIUAC6zw9vQCFeFzTb-a-Smt1uLM/s400/craft-beer-sales-somethingsbrewing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chart courtesy of Somethingsbrewing.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Of course, many of us remember the craft beer boom of the 1990s. It was a glorious time. It was a time when Samuel Adams, Brooklyn, Sierra Nevada and others were just starting to make waves. Between 1986 and 1995, craft beer grew at rate of up to 75 percent a year. That growth dwarfed even today's beer explosion. Sure, I had to drive 30 minutes to get to the only decent beer store in the area, but the fact that decent beer even <i>existed </i>was a revolution.<br />
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In 1997, that growth hit a wall. Between 1997 and 2003, craft beer barely budged. Some years, there was no growth at all. It began to slowly tick upwards after that, but didn't begin to surge again until 2010, when the craft beer segment began experiencing double-digit growth that continues to today.<br />
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But can it last? Is there a so-called "bubble" that is threatening to burst, leaving hundreds of broken breweries in its wake?<br />
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It's a question that many people have been asking the last several years.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzhUT2kiYnuckDxeU0Ob3GPM5oCYB6DtfGVdkPPsEGHiLBXeUwx7NOAhAxdkYVItZ7xUMxGWA-uSvcNKwf-j4dQTrnr0xegFYFkUoQhWqds71OThEaqc2xNfNb7sG9NRqDLs9sq6q9Gc/s1600/BreweriesinPlanning2011.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzhUT2kiYnuckDxeU0Ob3GPM5oCYB6DtfGVdkPPsEGHiLBXeUwx7NOAhAxdkYVItZ7xUMxGWA-uSvcNKwf-j4dQTrnr0xegFYFkUoQhWqds71OThEaqc2xNfNb7sG9NRqDLs9sq6q9Gc/s400/BreweriesinPlanning2011.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breweries in planning, circa 2011</td></tr>
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<br />
Despite my <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-ugly-truth-about-craft-beer.html" target="_blank">misgivings about the quality of many of the newest breweries</a>, I don't think so. At least not any time soon.<br />
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Breweries like Stone, New Belgium, Dogfish Head, and Lagunitas are petty big fish, but only in a small pond. They seem big to craft beer nerds, but in truth they border on being
nobodies. Really influential nobodies, to be sure, but hardly the giants
we often think they are. As Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione <a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/dogfish-head-sells-15-percent-stake-to-lnk-partners.339440/#post-4109450" target="_blank">recently pointed out</a>, "I guess we are somewhere around one tenth of one percent of the US beer industry."<br />
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And these are the BIG craft breweries. Most are <i>reeeaally </i>damn tiny. That 4,000 figure includes nano breweries operating out of garages and barns, small brewpubs that make just enough beer to supply their restaurant, and so on. They serve very local, very small customer bases, just like breweries did over 100 years ago.<br />
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As the Brewer's Association <a href="https://www.brewersassociation.org/insights/4000-breweries/" target="_blank">points out</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Most of the new entrants continue to be small and local, operating in
neighborhoods or towns. What it means to be a brewery is shifting, back
toward an era when breweries were largely local, and operated as a
neighborhood bar or restaurant<br />
<br />
How many neighborhoods in the country could still stand to gain from a
high-quality brewpub or micro taproom? While a return to the per capita
ratio of 1873 seems unlikely (that would mean more than 30,000
breweries), the resurgence of American brewing is far from over.</blockquote>
<br />
That's not to say we're not feeling the squeeze. Talk to the person who runs your local beer shop and they'll probably tell you that there just isn't enough shelf space for all the new beers coming out. I have a solid half-dozen <i>really good</i> beer stores within five minutes or so of my house, and between the six of them they <i>still </i>can't maintain a selection of all the beers supposedly available in our area.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofZHfdPe9ecE1g9EjIO0JOMOe4zvWBDglVE8mabx8YceoGxl7Ev08OTLvnyLWGM9fbqyMy1wm-p7czzh2p8cy1EuRnPG9AFCc0G_BI8pluuyltC06eq8AJiEGQvhWhixnCoXFRGRi_-o/s1600/beer+is+dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofZHfdPe9ecE1g9EjIO0JOMOe4zvWBDglVE8mabx8YceoGxl7Ev08OTLvnyLWGM9fbqyMy1wm-p7czzh2p8cy1EuRnPG9AFCc0G_BI8pluuyltC06eq8AJiEGQvhWhixnCoXFRGRi_-o/s400/beer+is+dead.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of a <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/craft-beer-is-dead-gose-ruined-craft-beer" target="_blank">really stupid column</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There is a lot of competition in the craft beer world. There will only be more. A lot of beers will get squeezed off the shelves. One bar owner <a href="http://draftmag.com/will-it-fall-brewery-beer/" target="_blank">told Draft Magazine</a> in 2013:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Frankly, I’m pretty convinced that the market [here] won’t support all
of these breweries ... From talking to all of the bar owners in the market, we all have that
opinion. There are a few breweries right now that none of us, meaning
respected beer bars, support regularly. They sort of get ‘pity handles’
because we’re all on the same team.”</blockquote>
<br />
But there is room to grow, especially in areas not yet served by several good local/regional breweries, and even when that growth begins to slow -- and it inevitably will -- it's hard to envision a <i>collapse</i>. Today's beer drinker has been exposed to better beers right from the start. Sure, they will often still buy a cheap 30-pack of something because college + spending money don't usually go together, but from a taste perspective they have different expectations than people from my father and grandfather's generation.<br />
<br />
Sure, my shop of choice doesn't stock half of what I want to drink because there is literally too much great beer out there for them to stock, but for the moment all that means is that every good beer shop is unique, with a selection not duplicated by the shop down the road. It makes every store you visit a beer adventure.<br />
<br />
And that's hardly a bad thing. It means demand is still huge.<br />
<br />
More importantly, people are still demanding good beer made nearby. As long as that demand remains -- and I don't see it waning any time soon -- we'll continue to see craft beer grow.<br />
<br />
The sky is not falling. The good stuff is here to stay. Sure, make no mistake, there is NOT much room for competition in the upper echelon of the craft beer world. They're already starting to step on one anothers toes. There is room for only so many Founders and Bell's and Samuel Adams to go around.<br />
<br />
The small, uber local guys are another story.<br />
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Four thousand breweries is a lot ... but we'll get to 5,000. Bet on it.Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-73570518241461024042015-09-28T19:00:00.000-04:002015-09-28T18:06:26.164-04:00Tipping my hat to Anchor Brewing<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tk83nBJpHAaNFl0LJC4-YSmEeNnffqGm7As_ZbkQdldre-lfBwbGNme3ZQxQyHuV6xfhUAjEtjup0DeBC9TwPR8k7x6da08V7PBCQD7rOtVwcJIJLlKmO9406vSIY3NKce7dTUtC2YI/s1600/Anchor+Steam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tk83nBJpHAaNFl0LJC4-YSmEeNnffqGm7As_ZbkQdldre-lfBwbGNme3ZQxQyHuV6xfhUAjEtjup0DeBC9TwPR8k7x6da08V7PBCQD7rOtVwcJIJLlKmO9406vSIY3NKce7dTUtC2YI/s1600/Anchor+Steam.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anchor Steam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you can't appreciate Anchor Steam, you're no beer friend of mine.<br />
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Anchor Steam is one of the grandaddies of craft beer in America. It's just one beer from the excellence-filled Anchor lineup, but this one is something special. It's a landmark. It's a mainstay. It's a bottle of <i>history</i>.<br />
<br />
Oh, and it holds up wonderfully, too. Many who are new to craft beer scoff at Anchor Steam. After all, it doesn't feature any crazy ingredients or style-busting flavors. Nope, it's just a damn good beer. Not going to blow your mind, not going to take you to new beer places, not going to push the boundaries of taste. Just going to provide a good, basic, "this is a good <i>drinking </i>beer" experience ideal for friends, food and conversation.<br />
<br />
For some reason, that kind of thing is rejected by many of today's crop of craft crazies. That's too bad. There is a lot to be said for a beer that aspires to be nothing more than an excellent, impeccably crafted-yet-simple beer.<br />
<br />
Beyond Anchor Steam, anyone and everyone who enjoys craft beer in America owes a small debt to Anchor Brewing. They were among the pioneers who helped get the movement started.<br />
<br />
By now the story is legend. The brewery had been around since 1896 or so, quietly churning out beers, with their "steam beer," a uniquely American style now referred to as a California Common, being their mainstay. (A California Common is essentially a lager brewed at ale temperatures, giving it the smoothness of a lager with the fruity bite of an ale.) By the 1960s, though, they weren't going very well. Fritz Maytag, great grandson of THE Maytag, however, really loved their beer, so he did what any filthy rich beer lover would do: he bought the place.<br />
<br />
Maytag prompted Anchor to reinvent themselves. They improved their processes and brought back traditional styles that had been all but forgotten in America, among them porters and barleywines. By the mid-1970s, they were probably the best brewers in America.<br />
<br />
Even more important, they inspired a slew of others to follow in their footsteps and begin brewing craft beer. You wouldn't be enjoying your <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/search/label/stone" target="_blank">Stone</a> and <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/search/label/dogfish%20head" target="_blank">Dogfish Head</a> and Bruery and New Belgium and Samuel Adams and Lost Abbey <i>and on and on and on</i> if it weren't for folks like Anchor Steam, New Albion, Sierra Nevada (who themselves credit Anchor and <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2013/11/quick-sips-samuel-adams-new-albion-ale.html" target="_blank">New Albion</a> as major influences), and a very small (<i>very </i>small) handful of others.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyzSl9gxcM6I3cmQm5gWzX4_3sLQFzj6HK5KS5_2mUprl9eyiEHmg3qViyzL6shwj3d0NQghemxiyuVtG3hUZmCQQmRxscvtCoVgv8uHHbj7cKyUd9qCovk78w6WWXYJ4GetlXITK64g/s1600/Anchor+-+Brekle%2527s+Brown.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyzSl9gxcM6I3cmQm5gWzX4_3sLQFzj6HK5KS5_2mUprl9eyiEHmg3qViyzL6shwj3d0NQghemxiyuVtG3hUZmCQQmRxscvtCoVgv8uHHbj7cKyUd9qCovk78w6WWXYJ4GetlXITK64g/s320/Anchor+-+Brekle%2527s+Brown.JPG" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anchor Brekle's Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Steam isn't their only beer worth drinking, either. Their Old Foghorn barleywine may not impress those who like today's hopped-up barleywines, but if you like them traditional this is a classic. Their lager is good. They do a great summer ale. Love their brown. And oh, did I mention the porter?<br />
<br />
If you haven't had Anchor Porter in a while, or at all, give it a try. Many decades after it was first made -- it was first brewed in 1972, waaaaay before almost every other porter on the market -- it's still one of the best classic porters made in the States.<br />
<br />
Consider that for a moment. This is a beer that can go head-to-head with any American porter being brewed today. It's a definitive example of the style. Set it next to some of today's best, like <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/Founders-Porter-PWs-50-Beer-Countdown-to-Philly-Beer-Week-Day-41-207890051.html" target="_blank">Founder's</a> and <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2011/10/quick-sips-bells-porter.html" target="_blank">Bell's</a>, and it is their equal or better.<br />
<br />
And this beer was hitting shelves 40 years ago, during a time when light lagers were pretty much the only game in town! That's astonishing. That was back when good, robust beer was all but dead in America. And here you have Anchor putting out this inky black stuff that was all body and flavor. Talk about ahead of their time.<br />
<br />
Loving Anchor isn't all about celebrating the past. All these years later, they're still a fantastic brewery and a model on how to do it <i>right</i>.<br />
<br />
I will always, always tip my glass to Anchor. And you should, too.Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-38695263171734019432015-09-22T16:32:00.001-04:002015-09-22T16:32:44.727-04:00I've been gone too long. Time to get some beer on!It feels like forever since I blogged about beer.<br />
<br />
It's not that I haven't been <i>writing </i>about beer. I write a <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/philly-beer-week/" target="_blank">weekly beer column for the Philly Weekly</a>, which appears online in a slightly different, daily-dose form and which gives me my regular fix when it comes to waxing poetic about suds. I've written about the <a href="http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/food_and_drink/brewing-up-a-new-image/article_147f8503-ab4c-5657-955b-461727bdc2b0.html" target="_blank">beer scene in Atlantic City</a> and <a href="http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/food_and_drink/the-snappiest-meat-the-happiest-drink/article_5e61922b-6563-5d6a-af64-e3d7fae6e445.html" target="_blank">bacon and beer</a> coming together, too, among other things.<br />
<br />
But blogging?<br />
<br />
I've barely touched <a href="http://shoegaze99.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">my main blog</a>. Small chance I'd be on top of this one, too.<br />
<br />
I do miss it sometimes, though. There are things worth saying that aren't a good fit for my column. A lot of it is grumpy old man stuff about how much the current craft beer scene frustrates me, but a lot of it is the usual upbeat, beer-positive stuff I prefer to focus on, too.<br />
<br />
Reviews? Probably not so much. Everyone and their dog does beer reviews -- you can't spit at a Google server without frying a dozen beer review blogs, podcasts and Youtube channels -- and frankly, how much purpose do they really serve? It all comes down to "is this good or is this bad," and tastes vary so wildly the distinction can be all but meaningless.<br />
<br />
But maybe some commentary. And pictures. Or something.<br />
<br />
Because hey, beer is awesome. Writing is awesome. They're like my chocolate and peanut butter.<br />
<br />
And I love me the hell out of some peanut butter cups. So let's do this thing (at least until I get tired of it).Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-51702220807211109502014-05-05T10:00:00.000-04:002016-03-05T14:49:29.000-05:00The Ugly Truth About Craft Beer<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Craft beer in America is exploding. As of 2013, there were <a href="http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/business-tools/craft-brewing-statistics/facts" target="_blank">over 2,388 breweries</a> that had or where operating in the United States, with literally hundreds more in the
process of opening. (UPDATE: As of 2016, there are now <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2015/09/us-now-has-over-4000-beweries-how-many.html">over 4,000 breweries in the United States</a>!)<br />
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Craft brewers are making tremendous strides in converting
people to the idea that the pursuit of flavor is a damn good thing. While the
big beers continue to lose market share, the craft segment is growing. It’s no
longer unusual to see excellent craft beers on tap in even the most generic of chain restaurant or dive bars. The fact that I recently had <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/drink/year-of-beer/PWs-Year-of-Beer-Ommegang-Game-of-Thrones-Fire--Blood-254567531.html" target="_blank">Ommegang’s Fire & Blood</a> at
an Applebee’s, of all places, is astonishing.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But craft beer has a dirty little secret: most of it is
mediocre at best.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Not only is most of it pretty mediocre, when it comes to the dozens of new breweries we see every week, a lot of it is
actually pretty <i>bad</i>.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BJoSgPwuKUWBwgwXAxRMNYW8A0gPLpgTryWUDigo-yW5lq8K2ncU65WV8rzNQazbBqQddER0O__REDXn8t2Xv10x_UfIvpNAjRZjBE7OUTRge1Dxuw1Y_OXfT8RaaSXI2F1b2hNjsTU/s1600/beer+sucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BJoSgPwuKUWBwgwXAxRMNYW8A0gPLpgTryWUDigo-yW5lq8K2ncU65WV8rzNQazbBqQddER0O__REDXn8t2Xv10x_UfIvpNAjRZjBE7OUTRge1Dxuw1Y_OXfT8RaaSXI2F1b2hNjsTU/s1600/beer+sucks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We don’t like to talk about this truth. We craft beer
enthusiasts are focused on spreading the gospel of good beer. On swaying people
away from tasteless mass-produced lagers. On finding the next great beer to
celebrate.</div>
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<br /></div>
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There is nothing wrong with any of that, either. It’s all a
part of what makes getting into better beer so much fun. It’s a joy to
explore new beers and introduce others to beers they will come to love.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The fact is, though, most of those thousands of new
breweries just aren’t very good. They're being launched by well meaning people who made homebrew
their friends loved, and based on that decided they were ready to go pro. They're young guys who are
only a few years removed from their Steel Reserve days ready to show the world
how it’s done because they have some clever ideas, brewers who saw how <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/search/label/dogfish%20head" target="_blank">Sam Caligione</a> broke the rules and figure they can do it, too, and so on.</div>
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It’s not that easy, though. As a <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/search/label/homebrewing" target="_blank">homebrewer</a> myself (and a decidedly average one at that), I know
the daydream. I know about fantasizing about beer ideas and everyone loving
them and all that.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The reality of brewing is much different.</div>
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The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rah rah rah!</i> your
friends give you should never be taken to heart. Just like writers should never
take the praise of friends and family too seriously, neither should
brewers. If you are not your own worst critic, you are doing something wrong.<br />
<br />
Sadly, many of these drinkable-but-not-particularly-<i>good </i>homebrewers are now vying for shelf space in the pro world, making the chase for good new beers a crapshoot for the adventurous drinker.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RKQ-siH9h3Q8NZ8XaAzZULYS65DB4xFKk1DTpRCzl1kcMz-S4mehhfxxgyz6oAf0gEWk7Ef41YjGlQpD3WRXkpz1HRQtorcEQwh0FHSioCbXpn8t_oPtARlHPuLYmNJPAKsywFarnP8/s1600/obama_beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RKQ-siH9h3Q8NZ8XaAzZULYS65DB4xFKk1DTpRCzl1kcMz-S4mehhfxxgyz6oAf0gEWk7Ef41YjGlQpD3WRXkpz1HRQtorcEQwh0FHSioCbXpn8t_oPtARlHPuLYmNJPAKsywFarnP8/s320/obama_beer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
If you are exploring craft beer and stick to better known
names, it’s hard to go wrong. There is so much good beer out there it's
impossible to keep up. The folks who have earned a reputation have done
so by earning the trust of drinkers over the years. Few big name craft brewers
don’t actually deserve their reputation – I’m looking at you, Rogue, and your
overpraised, overpriced swill – but what about the thousands of new brewers we
have seen spring up in the last five years or so?</div>
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<br /></div>
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There is a reason why few have ended up on your radar, and
it ain’t marketing.</div>
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It’s because they are bland.</div>
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I hate to say it, because I LOVE supporting the new guy, the
little guy, the local guy. I tried to champion them in my Year of Beer
series for the Philadelphia Weekly. Thing is, most of the stuff I explore from
the newer breweries just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isn’t very good</i>. It's drinkable, and that's it.</div>
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That's the truth.</div>
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And it’s a truth too few of us craft beer enthusiasts are talking
about. We’re so intent on <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2015/10/busting-5-more-persistent-beer-myths.html">carrying the anti-big brewer flag</a> we forget that being a cheerleader for craft is
not enough. We have to demand that these new brewers make a quality product. These small breweries need to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> if the craft movement is going to grow beyond a mere niche (and rest assured, it's <a href="http://celebratethesuds.blogspot.com/2015/12/if-you-cant-beat-them-buy-them-craft.html">still a niche</a>), and we need to be willing to call them out when they're producing mediocre product.</div>
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Because too many of them are.</div>
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<i>PS -- if it seems like I pointedly avoided naming names in this post, it's true, I did. I don't want to trash anyone in particular, though I did have a number of newer craft breweries in mind when writing this. </i></div>
Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138597259634630652.post-61179500036289467122014-03-30T15:02:00.003-04:002014-03-30T15:02:47.274-04:00White IPAs Do Not Impress MeOn paper, the white IPA is a great idea. Take the smooth unfiltered goodness of a wheat beer, boost the potency a touch, then add a massive amount of American style hopping. Boom, now you've got a white IPA.<br />
<br />
And what a concoction that should be! Sounds like something that will drink in the refreshing way wheat beers drink, but with the lovely citrus aromas and bitterness of an IPA - a match made in heaven, really.<br />
<br />
But no. Not even when done by people who know their IPAs...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qr-agH0wNAoOiJEL_Ip43_M10gAucwH18Kle4_f3rGac6NGr4YAy7UnEjTiQi8FIctPHIRwZXJd-yn2uerdSh_enK8aT502QH4h8Gmp3tUzOwWD4DTOQv_kHBhQTnAoK6UdxlTxxCEU/s1600/Sierra+Nevada+Snow+Wit+White+IPA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qr-agH0wNAoOiJEL_Ip43_M10gAucwH18Kle4_f3rGac6NGr4YAy7UnEjTiQi8FIctPHIRwZXJd-yn2uerdSh_enK8aT502QH4h8Gmp3tUzOwWD4DTOQv_kHBhQTnAoK6UdxlTxxCEU/s1600/Sierra+Nevada+Snow+Wit+White+IPA.JPG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
... I can't quite figure out why the style has yet to click for me, despite having sampled more than a half-dozen white IPAs so far. Granted, it's a <i>new </i>style. Brewers are still working out the kinks and trying to nail down what makes a good white IPA work. Pretty much no one has a ton of experience with them.<br />
<br />
Thing is, I just don't think anyone has gotten there yet.<br />
<br />
And maybe no one ever will.<br />
<br />
A great American-style IPA works in part thanks to having a fairly simple malt bill designed to support the hops, allowing them to do all the heavy lifting as far as taste goes. The malts serve as balance so you're not assaulted with off-putting bitterness, but rare is the American IPA that offers much in the way of <i>complexity </i>in the malt bill - and that's fine, because the point is to provide a platform for those lemon-and-grapefruit-tinged, pine-scented hops to do their thing.<br />
<br />
Wheat beers don't play that way. They have an Earthy softness with touches of spice and grain and the feeling of a warm spring day. They are usually unfiltered, and the yeast imparts musty, dusty aromas, occasionally with hints of black pepper or bread or banana. All of this is imparted by the malt and yeast. The hops are generally only there to balance out the malt sweetness. They maybe provide some herbal or lemon-tinged aromas, but they are not the star of the show.<br />
<br />
Two totally different approaches to beery goodness.<br />
<br />
Two totally different philosophies.<br />
<br />
Is it any wonder that I've yet to encounter a white IPA that made me want to go back for seconds?Eric San Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450197869602271721noreply@blogger.com0