LOOKIN' FOR ADVENTURE?

Get out on the highway. The online highway, that is. Just click here and go to the list of the latest events involving your favorite beverages.

Top spots to try before you die

Did your favorite beer place make the list?

All About Beer Magazine has come up with a list of "125 Places to Have a Beer Before You Die."

Here's the top 10 from the global tally:

1. Great American Beer Festival, Denver, CO
2. Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium
3. U Fleku, Prague, Czech Republic
4. Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London, England
5. Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
6. Augustiner Keller, Munich, Germany
7. Abbaye de Notre-Dame d’Orval, Orval, Belgium
8. The Gravity Bar, Guinness St. James Gate Brewery, Dublin, Ireland
9. Monk’s Café, Philadelphia, PA
10. The Great Canadian Beer Festival, Vancouver, BC

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

This could be a dream job

From the Times of London:

Scores applied for the position and after a series of interviews, two men were found to be up to the job of having a pint with Jack Hammond, a genial elderly gentleman in need of a regular drinking partner.

A retired doctor and a former military man have stepped into the breach and will now accompany Mr. Hammond, 88, to the Compass Inn several nights a week, to discuss current affairs and military history.

It never appeared that there would be any difficulty filling the vacancy, after Mr Hammond’s son Mike advertised in a local post office in Hampshire for a man to take his father to the pub. He offered £7 an hour, plus expenses.

Here's the rest of the story.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

VT’s Magic Hat buying West Coast group

The Magic Hat Brewing Co. and Performing Arts Center Inc. of South Burlington, VT, is expanding, in several ways.

In addition to an expansion of its facility that is to be unveiled to the public after Memorial Day, the company is purchasing Seattle's Pyramid Brewers. The new, single company will maintain the two brand names and distribute both lines of beer coast-to-coast. Both will maintain their separate brand names.

The two companies already signed a letter of intent, the first step in the acquisition process. The $25 million deal should be finalized by the end of August, following financial and legal review, said Pyramid CEO Scott Barnum.

Magic Hat, which is a private company, will purchase all of Pyramid's stocks. Privatizing Pyramid an estimated $1 million annually in costs associated with being a publicly traded company, Barnum said, noting, "You improve the company's profitablity overnight."

The Vermont company, founded in 1994, is one of the largest craft brewers on the East Coast and sells its beers from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Illinois. 

Pyramid owns two alehouse restaurants adjacent to its production breweries under the Pyramid Alehouse and MacTarnahan's Taproom brand names in Berkeley, CA, and Portland, OR, respectively, and three alehouse restaurants in Walnut Creek and Sacramento, CA, and Seattle. 

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Dept. of Never Throw Anything Away

An extremely rare El-Bart Dry Gin tin advertising sign (right), made in 1905 for the Wilson Distilling Co. Kaufmann & Strauss Co., Lithographers, of New York, sold for $60,500 at the sale of The George Cross Collection in Ann Arbor, MI.

“This was one of the finest collections of its kind in the United States,” said Mike Eckles of Showtime Auction Services. “Nearly everything Mr. Cross owned was in mint or near-mint condition. It was a treasure trove for serious collectors who were attracted to the high quality merchandise and the fact that every lot was sold without minimums or reserves. Everything went, regardless of price.”

Cross, who died several weeks before the auction, had a huge collection that included advertising and country store collectibles, Old West memorabilia, etc. By the end of the weekend, about 1,880 lots had changed hands.

The El-Bart Dry Gin sign, still housed in its original gesso frame, was the sale’s top lot. About 500 people made it to the event, in addition to the nearly 2,000 registered online bidders through eBay Live and iCollector.com. Also, more than 1,000 phone bids and about 1,500 absentee were recorded. The sale grossed about $2.7 million.

Other alcoholic-beverage-related highlights from the sale:

• A Buffalo Brewing Co. tin charger (right) in a gold gesso frame and in near-mint condition, was expected to bring about $12,000, but soared to $57,750.

• A rare Buffalo Brewing Co. reverse glass sign (for Buffalo Beer), near-mint and in a gold leaf gesso frame, brought $50,850.

• An H. Guggenheimer & Co., reverse glass sign (Distillers of Fine Whiskies, Cincinnati, OH; Napoleon Wine Co., Napoleon, OH), possibly a one-of-a-kind and in near-mint condition, with a sepia-tone image of a nude at a dressing table, brought $38,500.

• A rare Henry Hunter Fine Old Rye Whiskey tin sign, titled “East Meets West” (A. Hirschman& Co., Proprietors, St. Paul, MN.; Tuscarora Advertising Co. Lithographers, Coshocton, OH), brought $38,500.

• A Days of 49 Whiskey paper sign (Meyerfield, Mitchell & Co., San Francisco), 43” x 30” overall, in its original frame and in excellent condition, brought $33,000.

• A Cyrus Noble Whiskey paper gambling scene sign titled “Bucking the Tiger” — framed under glass in a period oak frame – went for $28,600.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

World Beer Cup has some surprises

And a female brewer shall lead them. Well, a lot of them, anyway.

Tonya Cornett (below) of Bend Brewing Co. became the first woman to win “Champion Brewer” honors in the bi-annual Brewers Association World Beer Cup competition just completed in Boulder, CO.

Her entries earned two gold medals to earn the title in the “Small Brewpub” category. The head brewmaster at the Oregon facility is a 2001 graduate of the World Brewing Academy, a partnership between Siebel Institute of Chicago and Doemans Institute of Munich, Germany, and holds an international diploma in brewing technology.

Overall, 644 breweries from 58 countries and 45 U.S. states were up for awards with 2,864 beers entered in 91 beer style categories. The top three entries in each category won gold, silver and bronze medals. In addition the competition gives “Champion Brewery” and “Champion Brewer” awards in each of five brewery categories based on the medals won by each brewery. Brewers from the United States won 185 of the 268 style category awards and four of the five Champion Brewery/Brewer awards.

The major awards:

Champion Brewery and Brewer Awards

• Champion Brewery and Brewmaster / Large Brewing Company: Blue Moon Brewing Co., Warren Quilliam.
• Champion Brewery and Brewmaster / Mid-Size Brewing Company: Privatbrauerei Hoepfner GmbH, Peter Bucher.
• Champion Brewery and Brewmaster / Small Brewing Company: Port Brewing Co. and The Lost Abbey, Tomme Arthur.
• Champion Brewery and Brewmaster / Large Brewpub: Pelican Pub & Brewery, Darren R. S. Welch.
• Champion Brewery and Brewmaster / Small Brewpub: Bend Brewing Co., Tonya Cornett.

Gold-Medal Beer Awards

• Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage: Radegast Birell, Plzenský Prazdroj a.s. Pilsen, Czech Republic.
• American-Style Cream Ale or Lager: Special Export, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL.
• American-Style Wheat Beer: Crystal Wheat Ale, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA.
• American-Style Hefeweizen: Widmer Hefeweizen, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR.
• Rye Beer: Rockchuck Rye, Snake River Brewing Lander, Jackson, WY.
• Fruit and Vegetable Beer: Redoak Framboise Froment, Redoak, Sydney, Australia.
• Herb and Spice Beer: Avatar Jasmine IPA, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA.
• Coffee Flavored Beer, Java The Hut, CB Potts Restaurant & Brewery, Flatirons, Broomfield, CO.
• Specialty Beer: Morimoto Soba Ale, Rogue Ales, Newport, OR.
• Specialty Honey Lager or Ale: Blue Moon Honey Moon, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO.
• Other Low Strength Ale or Lager: Firestone Extra Pale Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA.
• Other Strong Ale or Lager: Dark Horizon, Nøgne Ø, Grimstad, Norway.
• Experimental Beer (Lager or Ale): Ichabod, Alpine Beer Co., Alpine, CA.
• Gluten Free Beer: Deschutes Brewery Sorghum Beer, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR.
• Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer: Red Brick Barrel Select, Atlanta Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA.
• Wood- and Barrel-aged Strong Beer: Paradox Grain, BrewDog, Fraserburgh, United Kingdom.
• Wood- and Barrel-aged Sour Beer: Cuvee de Tomme, Port Brewing Co. and The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA.
• Aged Beer (Ale or Lager): Vintage AleSmith, Old Numbskull, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA.
• Cellar or Unfiltered Beer: Hoepfner Kräusen, Privatbrauerei Hoepfner GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany.
• Smoke-Flavored Beer: Alaskan Smoked Porter 2007, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK.
• European-Style Low-Alcohol Lager/German-Style Leicht(bier): Waldhaus Light Line, Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH, Weilheim/Waldhaus, Germany.
• German-Style Pilsener: Trumer Pils, Trumer Brauerei Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
• Bohemian-Style Pilsener: James Squire Pilsener, Malt Shovel Brewery Pty Limited, The Camperdown, Australia.
• Münchner (Munich)-Style Helles: Urtyp Hell, Engelbráu Rettenberg, Rettenberg, Germany.
• Dortmunder/European Style Export or German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesen (Meadow): Luksus, JSC Aldaris, Riga, Latvia.
• Vienna-Style Lager: Vienna Lager, Covey Restaurant & Brewery, Fort Worth, TX.
• German-Style Märzen: Goss Märzen, Brauerei Goss, Deuerling, Germany.
• European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel: Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel, Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg GmbH, Kelheim, Germany.
• German-Style Schwarzbier: Shounan Liebe. Kumazawa Brewing Co., Kanagawa, Japan.
• Traditional German-Style Bock: Bock Lager, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA.
• German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock: Hoepfner Maibock, Privatbrauerei Hoepfner GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany.
• German-Style Strong Bock: Freudenberger Märkator, Brauerei Märkl, Freudenberg, Germany.
• American-Style Light Lager: Old Milwaukee Light, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL.
• American-Style Lager: Tooheys Extra Dry, Tooheys Pty Limited, Lidcombe, Australia.
• American-Style Specialty Lager: Steel Reserve, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI.
• American-Style Amber Lager: Orlio Organic Common Ale, Orlio Organic Beer Co., South Burlington, VT.
• American-Style Dark Lager: Black Diamond Lager, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR.
• Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lager: Anchor Ice, Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd., Singapore.
• International-Style Lager: Ursus Premium, Ursus Breweries, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
• Baltic-Style Porter: Amnesia, Grumpy Troll Restaurant & Brewery, Mount Horeb, WI.
• Belgian-Style White (or Wit)/Belgian-Style Wheat: Hoegaarden, InBev Belgium N.V./S.A., Jupille-sur-Meuse, Belgium.
• Belgian- and French-Style Ale: Brugse Zot Blond, Brouwerij De Halve Maan, Brugge, Belgium.
• Belgian-Style Pale Ale: No gold awarded.
• Belgian-Style Sour Ale: Geuze Boon, Boon Brouwerij N.V., Lembeek, Belgium.
• Belgian-Style Flanders/Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale: No gold awarded.
• Belgian-Style Dubbel: Allagash Dubbel, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME.
• Belgian-Style Tripel: Affligem Tripel, Affligem Brewery, Opwijk, Belgium.
• Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale: La Fin du Monde, La Brasserie Unibroue, Chambly, Canada.
• Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale: Salvation, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA.
• Other Belgian-Style Ale: Upstream Grand Cru, Upstream Brewing Co., Omaha, NE.
• English-Style Summer Ale : Gold Rooster's Yorkshire Pale Ale, Rooster's Brewing Co. Ltd.,, Knaresborough, United Kingdom.
• Classic English-Style Pale Ale: MacTarnahan's Amber Ale, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA.
• English-Style India Pale Ale: Wild Goose IPA, Wild Goose Brewery, Frederick, MD.
• Ordinary Bitter: Cutthroat, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT.
• Special Bitter or Best Bitter: Snake River Pale Ale, Snake River Brewing, Jackson, WY.
• Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter: Standing Wave Pale Ale, Kannah Creek Brewing Co., Grand Junction, CO.
• Scottish-Style Ale: McGarveys Scottish Ale, Oggi's / Left Coast Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA.
• English-Style Mild Ale: Crusader Dark Mild Ale, Dragonmead Microbrewery, Warren, MI.
• English-Style Brown Ale: BridgePort Beertown Brown, BridgePort Brewery, Portland, OR.
• Brown Porter: Porter, Bell's Brewery Inc., Galesburg, MI.
• Robust Porter, People's Porter, Foothills Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC.
• Sweet Stout: Left Hand Brewing Co. Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO.
• Oatmeal Stout: Sless' Stimulating Stout, Iron Springs Pub & Brewery, Fairbax, CA.
• Strong Scotch Ale: Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 4, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX.
• British-Style Imperial Stout: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, The Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY.
• Old Ale: AleSmith Decadence, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA.
• Strong Ale: Outback X, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR.
• Barley Wine-Style Ale: Old Diablo, Schooner's Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA.
• German-Style Kölsch/Köln-Style Kölsch: Wind Blown Blonde, Stewarts Brewing Co., Bear, DE.
• German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style Altbier: Alt and in the Way, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT.
• South German-Style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier: Freudenberger Hefe Weizen, Brauerei Märkl, Freudenberg, Germany.
• German-Style Pale Wheat Ale: Distelhäuser Kristallweizen, Distelhäuser Brauerei Ernst Bauer GmbH, Tauberbischofsheim, Germany.
• German-Style Dark Wheat Ale: Schneider Weisse Original, Schneider Weisse, Kelheim, Germany.
• South German-Style Weizenbock/Weissbock: Plank Heller Weizenbock, Brauerei Michael Plank, Laaber, Germany.
• Irish-Style Red Ale: Samuel Adams Irish Red, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA.
• Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout: Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout, Third Street AleWorks, Santa Rosa, CA.
• Foreign (Export)-Style Stout: Zonker Stout, Snake River Brewing, Jackson, WY.
• Golden or Blonde Ale: Alaskan Summer Ale,Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK.
• American-Style Pale Ale: Widmer Pale Ale, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR.
• American-Style Strong Pale Ale: Organic IPA, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR.
• American-Style India Pale Ale: IPA, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO.
• Imperial or Double India Pale Ale: Hopnotic IPA, San Diego Brewing Co., San Diego, CA.
• American-Style Amber/Red Ale: Hop Head Red, Green Flash Brewing Co., Vista, CA.
• Imperial or Double Red Ale: Behemoth, Three Floyds Brewing Co., Munster, IN.
• American-Style Brown Ale: Doryman's Dark Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR.
• American-Style Sour Ale: No gold awarded.
• American-Style Stout: Terminal Stout, Rock Bottom Brewery, Chicago, IL.
• American-Style Wheat Wine Ale: Winter Wheatwine, Rubicon Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA.
• American-Style Imperial Stout: Gonzo Imperial Porter, Flying Dog Brewery, Denver, CO.
• International Pale Ale: Winter Storm, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD.
• American-Style Stout: State Pen Porter, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Santa Fe, NM.

The complete list of all medal winners in all categories is available online here.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Sam Adams beer recalled

Check the code on the bottom of your Samuel Adams beer before you chug.

The Boston Beer Co. has recalled some bottles because they could be contaminated with pieces of glass. It says its inspectors found a problem with 12-ounce bottles at the Cincinnati brewery, however it said there have been no reports of injury.

The serial code is the letter "N" followed by the number 35 and the letters "OI."

Owens-Illinois Inc. has gotten involved in the recall, pulling back the glass involved because of alleged defects in the bottles.

O-I said its investigation found the bottles met its usual standards, but it said it would continue the look into the probelm. The bottles are believed to come from from O-I's Auburn, NY, plant, which supplies about 25% of Boston Beer’s bottles.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Extreme beers getting really ... extreme

"Extreme" craft beers are popping up all over the place.

Some have higher alcohol content than the mainstream. Some have unusual ingredients. All have a lot of attitude.

Think not? How about beers aged in toasted oak barrels? Beers cointaining Jim Beam bourbon? Or blueberries? Or adorned with unrepentently cringe-making names?

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an update on the trend here.

In it, says writer Jeremiah McWilliams:

"Like genius, extreme beers defy easy classification, but you know them when you see them: barley wines ranging above 10 percent alcohol by volume, ultra-hopped ales and wood-aged beers — the traditional turf of wine and whiskey. Although "extreme" beers often have been linked to strong alcohol content, brewers say the label also applies to offbeat ingredients and zany brewing and aging processes."

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

If it's Gluek, it has to be ... changed

The largest brewery in Minnesota is located in Cold Spring, not in Gluek.

So, the Gluek Brewing Co. has changed its name to Cold Spring Brewing Co. Why?

Said CEO John Lenore in a statement, "The new name better reflects our company's strong connection to the Cold Spring community and our new line of craft beers under the same name."

The brewery, founded in 1874, also produces non-alcoholic beverages and energy drinks, and is releasing a craft beer line including ebony wheat and honey almond weiss.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

The ultimate 'carding'

From the Canadian Press:

EDINBURGH, Scotland — An Internet campaign to ban Britain's treasury chief from the country's pubs seems to be striking a chord.

Earlier this month, treasury chief Alistair Darling (seen at right) raised taxes on cars and cigarettes. But it is his new alcohol duties -- which raised the price of a pint of beer -- that have Britons' backs up.

So, when a pub landlord here in Darling's hometown barred the chancellor from his establishment, drinking holes across the country followed suit. Many are posting pictures of the white-haired, bespectacled treasurer above the big red word "barred."

Bar manger Andrew Little at the Utopia pub, which kicked off the campaign, says the poster is "tongue in cheek." But, he says, it seems to have "touched a nerve."

Hundreds have joined Internet groups devoted to running Darling out of every pub in the country, and establishments from the Tap & Spile in the north England town of Lincoln to the Plough Inn in Finstock, near Oxford, said Darling would not allowed to partake of their booze.

The government has raised taxes on alcohol by 6% above the rate of inflation, which translates to an extra four pence (about eight cents Canadian) for a pint of beer, 13 pence (around 26 cents) for a bottle of wine and 55 pence (around $1.12) a bottle for spirits such as whisky.

The duties are scheduled to rise by another 2% above inflation in each of the next four years.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Michelob moves into a new role

Anheuser-Busch is doing more with Michelob than simply brewing it.

The St. Louis brewing giant has created a separate entity -- Michelob Brewing Co. -- to combine creative activity with marketing in an effort to improve sales of the brand, including its original Michelob, Michelob Porter and AmberBock plus some yet-to-be-created beers.

Michelob, created in 1896 as a "draught beer for connoisseurs," is "a beer that's been around forever, but it's always sort of taken a back seat," said Doug Muhleman, vice president of brewing operations and technology at A-B's domestic beer unit, in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Michelob's sales to retailers fell by "low single digit" percentages last year, despite Michelob Ultra's growth. Nevertheless, Muhleman said, A-B feels the Michelob nameplate is a solid platform for a "mega-branding" strategy — selling a variety of new beers under the Michelob umbrella.

One such brand about to be rolled out to the market is Michelob Dunkel Weisse, a "dark wheat" Bavarian-style beer, and Michelob Pale Ale will be expanded from a seasonal to a year-round offering.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

MGD 64 is not a spray lubricant

MGD 64 may not exactly rank up there with the catchy names of other brewed products, but it's working on it.

Miller Brewing Co. released the 64-calorie version of its Miller Genuine Draft Light last year as a test in the Madison, WI, area. This month, it is launching it in several Midwestern markets as well as testing it in San Diego and Sacramento, CA, and Arizona.

MGD 64 will replace Miller Genuine Draft Light, which has 110 calories, in those markets.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Obama beer, when you're having more than one

When Jimmy Carter occupied the White House, his n'er-do-well brother, Billy, took advantage of his nearness to greatness to come up with his own beverage, a little something called "Billy Beer."

With Barack Hussein Obama getting close to snaring the Democratic Party nod to make the same leap as Jimmy Carter, a Brooklyn brewery is using his nearness to greatness to peddle "Hop Obama" ale in both New York and Massachusetts.

Sixpoint Craft Ales has just begun distributing the limited-edition beer. The 30-keg supply is estimated to be large enough to last only through the rest of the Democratic primary activities, which run through April 22.

Sixpoint brewmaster Shane Welch said that, in keeping with the Illinois senator's unifying theme, the "Hop Obama" is an indefinable ale that doesn't adhere to traditional style guidelines. The 5.2% ABV creation contains five different kinds of European crystal malt and three different kinds of Pacific Northwest Hops. It also includes a Scottish yeast strain for fermentation.

"Although we do not intend this beer to be a direct Sixpoint endorsement of Obama," Welch said, "we believe the delicious and refreshing quality it represents reminds us of the senator's successful grassroots campaign that positively blossoms each and every day."

The Brooklyn brew no doubt will be merely a tiny footnote in brewing and political history -- unless, of course, Obama becomes president and Sixpoint continues making the brew.

Billy Carter became a tiny footnote when his beer venture went bust, he had to sell his house to pay off back taxes, and he went public with his alcoholism before dying of pancreatic cancer in 1988 at the age of 51.

Meanwhile, in Kenya, the ancestral land of Obama's father, sales and consumption of something called "Senator" beer are hitting records.

The brew, named for Obama after his visit to the African nation and his success in a string of U.S. primaries, is being downed at victory parties and in taverns all across the land.

Here's a CNN report on the African "Senator" beer phenomenon:

---

What of Obama opponent Hilary Rodham Clinton when it comes to alcoholic products? More of a sweet tooth thing, as I reported on my "Taste for Travel" site a year ago.

---

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

'Bama beer battle hits legislature

In most states there is no restriction on the types of beers consumers can enjoy. "Most" being the key word.

In Alabama, for example, it is illegal to drink beer containing more than 6% alcohol. Violators face a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail.

However, a bill in the state legislature would more than double the allowable alcohol content in beer. And legislators were recently treated to a beer tasting in Montgomery that offered numerous foreign and domestic beers well above the alcohol limit.

Stuart Carter, a Scotsman who heads a beer advocacy group called Free the Hops, says: "To people in Alabama it looks like there's a huge range of beers in the store already. They're saying, 'Wow, there's 300 beers.' From my perspective, being someone who came into Alabama more recently, I see 300 beers and think, 'Where's the beer?' "

National Public Radio has an interesting report on the topic. Go here to access it.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Budweiser American Ale due out in October

It only took 11 years.

Back in 1997, Anheuser-Busch reportedly was considering creating a new brew called "Budweiser American Ale." Now, the country's largest beermaker has received label approval from the U.S. Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for a beverage using that name.

The product launch date is October 6. The ale is to have 5.1% alcohol by volume, about the same as standard Budweiser, according to label filings. A-B, ever attuned to market trends, apparently is jumping on the bandwagon of strong recent growth in the ale niche usually dominated by small craft brewers.

Curiously, the development was unveiled on Brewblog.com, a site run by rival Miller Brewing Co. That forced A-B to begin fielding questions about the new product before it planned to do so. In February, Miller began test marketing its three-label Miller Lite Brewers Collection of craft-style beers.

Marlene Coulis, A-B's vice president for consumer strategy and innovation, told Advertising Age the new ale will be a darker, richer brew than Budweiser lager.

Coulis said A-B's Michelob brand family, which has been spinning off new craft styles for more than a decade, was the real model for the new brew.

"Michelob was a perfect model for this," she said. "Obviously seeing the growth that's occurred in craft and micros, it's a perfect opportunity for us."

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

The world needed a bottle opener/USB stick

Interested in combining beer or soda and a flash drive? Who isn't?

The Trekstor USB Bottle Opener offers precisely that with a new gadget you can out on the chain with your house and car keys -- an 8GB flash drive unit plus a bottle opener feature.

Trekstor is a German design firm specializing in electronic storage and audio devices. It already has won several awards for developing the USB stick.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

May I recommend the Beanz With Balls?

Over the years I've written about sommeliers in a variety of fields. Wine, of course. Beer, water, even hot chocolate. But beans?

Ever vigilant to promote its products, the mavens at Heinz have begun a marketing campaign in the UK utilizing the pairing of beer and beans to promote their “Saucy Beanz” range.

The Pittsburgh-based food giant is using top beer connoisseurs to recommend brews that best complemented their new range, including spicy meatballs, sausages and lamb meatballs (called Beanz with Balls, as shown in the accompanying photo). Other ranges are called Red Hot Balls and Big Saucy Bangers.

So, what sorts of combinations are the beans sommelier recommending? Beers dark in color with a light malty texture to complement the heartier bean products; a dark brown ale for the red-hot beans, and a standard brown ale that will complement rather than overpower the chili seasonings in another product.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Brit pubs on endangered list

The iconic image of pubs as a part of England that will always endure is in trouble.

The number of pub closings last year hit a rate 14 times higher than the prior year, according to a new report just released by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).

The BBPA says 1,409 pubs closed in 2007, a rate of 27 per week.

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has published its own survey showing a slightly slower pace -- 57 a month -- but notes that 31% of those closed are being demolished, 36% are converted to shops, cafes and restaurants and 33% are converted to some other use, mostly residential.

It is this changeover that is concerning people who want to preserve the country's pub structure. CAMRA is pushing for changes to planning laws to prevent pub demolitions and change of use without planning permission.

So, what is causing the phenomenon?

BBPA Chief Executive Rob Hayward said he blames rising costs, falling sales and the impact of the smoking ban.

“These figures show the reality of the pub trade today," he said, "in contrast to the hype surrounding the myth of '24 hour drinking'."

BBPA statistics say beer sales in pubs are at their lowest level since the Depression in the 1930s. Today's pubs are selling 14 million fewer pints a day than they did when sales were at their peak in 1979.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

When is a pint not a pint?

If you've ever traveled in the United Kingdom and wondered whether the pint drawn for you at one pub was a different sized "pint" than at another, you're not alone.

Paul Rowen, a member of Parliament (MP) from Roichdale is demanding pubs serve full pints of beer and stop short changing customers. In fact, he has signed a Parliamentary motion expressing concern that bar staff are legally permitted to sell a glass containing as little as 95% liquid as a full pint.

The early day motion claims the practice of selling short measures, whether intentionally or accidentally, costs drinkers £400 million every year.

The motion, signed by more than 40 MPs, supports a drive by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to push the government to legislate for a pint to be defined as 100% liquid.

CAMRA estimates short pours cost consumers more than $2 million US on a daily basis.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Another 'green' brewery, another way

OK, I promise this is The Last One.

I've been reporting on breweries in the U.S. and U.K. going "green" (here, here and here).

Now comes word from Australia that the Fosters brewery making Cascade Green beer is following the same path but doing it by dint of paperwork.

The company says all the greenhouse gases produced through the life of a Cascade Green, from the picking of the hops to the empty bottle landing in the recycling bin, have been offset by purchasing certified carbon offsets from the government--accredited Hobart Landfill Flare Facility, which captures and recycles gases, on the island of Tasmania, where the Fosters-owned Cascade brewery is based.

Ben Summons, Cascade Green's marketing manager, said all of the carbon offset costs of the new beer will be absorbed by the company and will not be passed on to consumers.

The beer, which is also low carbohydrate and is classified as a "premium" beer, will sell for $17 US for a six-pack of 330ml bottles.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Brewer trying for energy self-sufficiency

I've posted several reports (here, here and here) of U.S. breweries working to become "greener" facilities.

Now, an English brewer is going them one better, according to this report on the Energy Current news site:

Beer waste can power brewery

A U.K. brewery has taken a major step towards being self-sufficient in energy. Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) will be the first in the world to produce both electric and heat from spent grain, a by-product of the brewing process.

Wartsila has been awarded two contracts to supply and install equipment for two biomass-fuelled combined heat and power plants (CHP) at premises in Manchester. The CHP plants will each have a thermal output of 7.4 MWth and an electrical output of 3.1 MWe.

The plants, which will burn a mixture of spent grain and wood chips from local sources, are due to start operations in the first and second quarters of 2009, producing steam and electricity for the breweries' processes and exporting excess electricity to the local electricity network.

S&N will earn Renewable Obligation Certificates for its production of renewable electricity. These BioPower plants will help the UK meet its target of having renewables power 10 percent of the country's electric supply by 2010.

S&N Project Manager Andrew McMurtrie said, "We believe the investments make good commercial sense, providing some protection from the volatility of the energy markets, as well offering additional security of supply."

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Braille and beer mix well in Japan

Using Braille markings to help blind people read or navigate such things as elevator keypads and street crossings is fairly common around the world. But, in Japan blind beer drinkers are getting an extra aid.

Japanese brewers have begun stamping patterns of raised dots on top of their beer cans so consumers can differentiate between beer and non-alcoholic drinks in cans. In Braille, the dots read "alcohol." Kirin Brewery, however, has gone a step farther by spelling out "Kirin Beer" in Braille.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Heineken BeerTender finally hits the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Heineken

Well, today is the day.

Some time ago I posted information on the Heineken BeerTender some people were anxiously waiting for to hit the U.S. consumer market.

It did. Today. Online at BeerTender.com and in Williams-Sonoma stores at a suggested retail price of $400. That will drop to about $299 on April 1 when the device will become more widely available.

The BeerTender is a special home tap setup that holds four-liter Heineken DraughtKegs and dispenses via the tap. The BeerTenders come with a five-pack of special tubes for the non-BeerTender-compatible DraughtKegs. You also can get them online.

The Dutch brewer says it will modify its Heineken and Heineken Light DraughtKegs with the larger pressure container to make them compatible with the new device.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Letters: Drinks list for a new restaurant

Bill:

I am opening a "global" themed restaurant North of Boston in two months and am attempting a beverage/whiskey list that represents accordingly, and strays from the norm of same ol' menu selections.

Any direction you could provide would be appreciated. Thank you.

-- Scott Plath, Lowell, MA

Dear Scott:

I'd suggest keeping really "up" on what is going on in emerging markets such as the tequilas of Mexico, the sochus of Korea, the caçhascas of Brazil and neighboring lands.

Each can do wonders for cocktail recipes when used with always-fresh ingredients (fruits, herbs, the occasional veggie like cucumber) and creating such a list not only would pair nicely with global cuisine, but would be a great selling point in getting noticed.

In addition, for the non-cocktail portion of your drinks list, I'd strongly suggest getting into a wide range of teas. They're becoming extremely popular all over the U.S. and wildly popular in many European and Asian markets.

Good luck with your project.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Specialty beer part of a shell game

Beer and seafood usually go well together, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy the special beverage brewed up for a scallop festival in Kent, England.

The beer, called Scallop Stout, is shellfish flavored.

Stewart Martin, representing the Shepherd Neame brewery, the nation's oldest, said, "There's a hint of smokiness and a slight taste of the sea, but no fishiness."

The 3.7 per cent Guinness-like stout is made using traditional methods. The extra kick comes from a handful of scallops thrown in for an hour.

Shepherd Neame was founded in 1698 in Faversham. It has a wide range of beer brands that do not include seafood, including Spitfire, Kingsfisher and Bishops Finger and the UK run of foreign brands such as Samuel Adams, Asahi and Oranjeboom.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

States probing brewers' energy drinks

From Advertising Age magazine:

Attorneys general from New York, Maine, Maryland, Iowa and Arizona are asking Miller Brewing Co. and Anheuser-Busch for internal documents related to their marketing of alcoholic energy drinks.

They are looking into what they say are misleading marketing claims made by products such as Miller's Sparks and A-B's Bud Extra.

The AGs first challenged the marketers over these products last August when they wrote a letter to the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau -- which approves product labels -- asking it to investigate misleading marketing claims made by products such as Miller's Sparks and A-B's Bud Extra.

In their letter, the attorneys general singled out Sparks and Bud Extra, as well as a third company, Charge Beverages, for having "taken advantage of the youth appeal by engaging in aggressive marketing campaigns ... (that) claim that such beverages increase a person's stamina or energy level. However, they do not mention the potentially severe, adverse consequences of mixing caffeine with alcohol."

---

Go here for the full story.

---

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Wine startup takes tips from beer world

Excerpted from the online Fog City Journal:

The MAS Wine Co., which brews its red and white wines MAS Vino and MAS Vino Blanco at the Jepson Winery in Hopland, CA, is seeking to spread the word about its unusual products.

MAS distributes nearly all its wines in something near and dear to the beer brewers' and lovers' hearts -- stainless steel kegs, a far cry from cork and bottle and screw tops in the wine domain. ...

"Through our colleagues in the beer industry, we've placed our red and white kegs in stores and restaurants in all of the Bay Area's nine counties, Eureka, Mendocino and Sacramento County. We're off to a great start," said MAS President Andy Woehl.

MAS is an 18-month-old startup with officers and investors based in San Francisco, Sacramento and Sonoma County. The company has a Web site and a mailing address in Cloverdale where its winemaker and production chief live.

"No bricks and mortar. Just wine," Woehl says.

The company's airtight, 15-liter kegs hold 20 bottles of wine and keep wine fresh for 60 days. The company is also introducing 11-liter kegs that hold 15 bottles of wine. The kegs are manufactured in Germany and reduce energy consumption and waste associated with packaging, delivering and storing glass bottles. The kegs are delivered in a just-in-time distribution system. The wines are blended with grapes grown in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

"We went to the beer industry because they are the people who know all there is to know about selling beverages in kegs to a large customer base," Woehl said.

The company's main product is wine by the glass from kegs directed at a target audience of young professionals 25-40 years old who are educated, interested in wine and eat out several times a week. The kegs are at two-dozen restaurants, hotels and other eating and drinking establishments in the Bay Area.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Beersicle battle heats up in VA

At any given moment, somewhere in the world someone is trying to create a new product containing alcohol.

At this particular moment, let me direct your attention to the Commonwealth of Virginia. There, General Assembly House Billl 1075 is a hot topic because, if passed, bars and restaurants will be free to serve beer popsicles and other alcohol-laden foods.

The bill states that the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) cannot prohibit the sale of food products containing alcohol, as long as those products are being sold to persons over the age of 21.

It's in response to the ABC attempt to prohibit the sale of beer popsicles -- called "hopsicles" in some accounts -- at a Northern Virginia restaurant. The ABC said such items violated current law that requires alcohol be served in its original container, or be poured from a tap.

Some supporters of the bill -- which on Friday was passed by the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services -- worry that a law outlawing beer pops would ban other popular food items such as tiramisu and rum balls.

The bill is here "to make it possible to serve desserts with alcohol in them," says Delegate Adam P. Ebbin, D-Arlington, a co-sponsor of the bill.

Beersicles do exist. In fact, there are a number of online sites describing how to make them (as the fellow above is doing). Here's one such.

Fans of the beer-centric TV sitcom "The Drew Carey Show" may remember one episode in which the topic of beersicles came up.

Drew: "This is it, the world's first beersicle ... Doesn't look very good ... Looks like something your older brother would tell you is a popsicle ... (Oswald and Lewis taste it.) ... I don't want to overstate this, but it's almost as if all of human history has been building to this one moment ... IT'S NOT BAD ... Mmmm, tasty, now if we could just put nicotine in this and wrap it in a Lotto ticket, everyone in the world would want one!"

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

NY brewery gets grant for 'green' project

Brewery Ommegang, located in the small Central New York town of Milford, has been awarded a $4,000 grant to help plan an environmentally responsible expansion project.

The money, awarded by the Southern Tier Regional Planning and Development Board and the local soil and water district, will be used to minimize the project's environmental impact. The expansion will incorporate a water-permeable parking lot and a sod, or "green'' roof to minimize runoff. The roof also will conserve energy, and an on-site power plant that uses brewing byproducts will help reduce the use of other fuels.

As I reported in earlier postings, the green movement is growing among breweries, such as in Oregon and Massachusetts.

The Ommegang microbrewery was opened in the fall of 1997 five miles south of Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and near Oneonta, home of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Its architecture is based on traditional Belgian farmhouse architecture, and set on a former hop farm. The company brews five Belgian-style ales.

The facility is open to the public year-round, for daily tours and tastings. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day, and noon to 5 p.m. otherwise.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Canadian brewery owner trying to regain control

From the Toronto Star:

Frank D'Angelo, whose former juice and beer companies collapsed under more than $120 million in debt, is buying back the assets of one of them.

A judge has approved a deal whereby (an) Ontario company owned by D'Angelo's family will purchase D'Angelo Brands, which is currently shut down and under court protection from creditors. ... Meanwhile, the future of the other insolvent company, Steelback Breweries, remains uncertain. Court filings show management has temporarily ceased operations and is looking at options. ...

The two companies have acknowledged revenues didn't meet projections; advertising and marketing costs did not reflect sales; production was inefficient and expenses too high and a strong Canadian dollar slashed margins on packing agreements with U.S. customers.

Steelback, brewer of 11 brands, decided to close its small Tiverton brewery in central Ontario until the end of March because inventories can meet demand. It has cut more than 20 jobs there.

(The full story can be read here.)

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

A-B joins Miller in chill-ing out

Imitation definitely is the sincerest form of flattery in the beverage industry. It means you're on top of a fad and a competitor wants to join you before the next fad comes along.

The latest proof of that is Anheuser-Busch's announcement that it is sending Bud Light Lime to the market. It's a natural lime-infused beer similar to the Miller Chill product rival Miller Brewing Co. took national last year, selling 450,000 barrels so far of its lime-and-salt beer.

"Our extensive consumer research indicates that the Bud Light Lime concept and taste are off the charts with today's consumers," said a company memo. "This insight will allow us to take Bud Light to the next level."

The memo said the brand's "consumer target" were light-beer drinkers ages 25 to 54 who prefer a "sweeter" beer.

Should you wonder about the use of the term "chill," it's a derivation of the Spanish chelada, meaning beer with salt and lime.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Drink calorie listing nears in NYC

Food calories have been getting most of the coverage in news about New York City's new regulation requiring chain restaurants to display calorie information. However, the rule includes cocktails, sodas and other beverages that appear on menus as well.

The law is scheduled to go into effect March 31, in place of a different version that was struck down last year by a judge.

However, the New York State Restaurant Association has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the latest regulation which would require restaurants with more than 15 outlets across the country to be in compliance.

Giving consumers information about the calories in what they're drinking can help them make better choices, Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told Business Week.

"We've gotten to the point in our food culture where people expect to have a sweetened beverage with their meal," she said. "People end up drinking a lot more calories than they think."

An 8-ounce margarita on the rocks has 290 calories. That size is the equivalent of a cup, but in many restaurants, drinks come in much larger sizes.

"It's really a shock to see a drink is 500, 600 calories," Nonas said. "That's almost a third of what you should eat for the day."

New York City, which banned trans-fat-laden cooking oils from all restaurants last year, is the first U.S. city to enact a regulation requiring calories on menus.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Cheers awards go to top chains

Fourteen awards were handed out as part of the 2008 Cheers Awards for Beverage Excellence, sponsored by the industry magazine Cheers, at its recent annual beverage conference in Miami.

Twelve program awards and two individual awards were presented by editor Donna Hood Crecca. They were:

Best Chain Beverage Menu: Outback Steakhouse
Best Chain Beverage Merchandising: Hard Rock Café
Best Chain Drink Program: Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Best Chain Signature Drink: Walt Disney World Resort
Best Chain Adult Non-Alcohol Drink Program: ESPN Zone
Best Chain Spirits Program: Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern
Best Chain Beer Program: Buffalo Wild Wings
Best Chain Wine Program: Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Best Chain Hotel Beverage Program: Hilton Hotels
Best Chain Multi-Concept Beverage Program: Back Bay Restaurant Group
Best Chain Overall Program: Walt Disney World Resort
Best Chain Responsible Alcohol Service Training Program: Applebee’s International
Raising the Bar: Patrick Henry, Patrick Henry Creative Promotions
Industry Innovator of the Year: Ann Rogers Tuennerman, Tales of the Cocktail

They were selected from a field of 110 entries from 47 restaurant chains. The competition was open to all chain restaurants, defined as an operation with five or more locations in two or more markets. The chain must be in existence for at least three years. Awards criteria include the program’s creativity, originality and impact on the sales and profitability of a full-service restaurant operation. Other factors considered are the level of marketing support, staff training and overall operator commitment to the initiative that lead to its success.

The entries were evaluated by a judging panel that included previous Cheers Awards for Beverage Excellence winners and other leading operators.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook