Dowd's Brews Notebook

NY seeking a comeback for hops growers

2012-01-19T14:02:00.001-08:00

ALBANY, NY -- A bill to help resuscitate the hops growing industry in New York has passed an important step in committee.

S.5078, a bill sponsored by State Senator David Valesky (D-Oneida), on Wednesday made it through the New York State Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business.

The bill requires that a large percentage of the hops and other ingredients used to brew beer at a farm brewery be purchased within the state. At one time, that was a given practice since in the late 19th Century abut 90% of the nation's supply of domestic hops was grown in New York. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee for further review. A companion bill is carried by Agriculture Committee Chairman Bill Magee in the State Assembly.

A sharp increase in recent years in the number of small breweries in New York, with even more in the process of development n such places as Saratoga and Schoharie counties, has given rise to a call for more locally-grown hops. A tangible piece of evidence of that demand came when the Northeast Hop Alliance held its convention and seminar in Troy,NY, back in November.

According to the New York Farm Bureau, the agriculture and beer industries in New York already are major job creating engines, contributing more than $4.7 and $1.2 billion into our economy each year, respectively.

“This bill represents a true win-win,” said Julie Suarez, director of public policy for New York Farm Bureau. “The licensing provisions will allow a farm brewer to bottle and sell their products on or off premises and in the wholesale or retail markets. This opens up new and exciting opportunities for farmers to enter the craft beer business and to increase farm related tourism. At the same time, the provisions that require farm brewers to use an escalating percentage of locally grown hops, will stimulate new opportunities for growers. Hop barns once dotted New York’s landscape, and if this bill is enacted, they will again.”

"This legislation is a real victory for the agricultural community and small businesses. In addition to providing new opportunities for farmers through increasing demand for local products used in beer production, it will stimulate agri-tourism much like we’ve seen with farm wineries in New York, and has the potential to create new jobs," said Valesky, the Senate sponsor.

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Fueling up has new meaning at Sunoco

2012-01-19T13:26:00.001-08:00

Sunoco is in the process of expanding its "Craft Beer Exchange" program at its APlus convenience stores across the state.

I first reported on the program last summer back when it began as a pilot program in the Buffalo market. (Details here.) Now, it has been expanded to the Albany, Syracuse and Rochester markets.

It offers a rotating selection of up to 12 craft beers available to-go in 64-ounce growlers. Customers also can create their own six-packs from a range of 12-ounce single bottles for $9.99. Selections change seasonally and include beers from such microbreweries as Long Trail, Ithaca, Victory, Flying Bison, Troegs, Red Hook, Smuttynose and Brooklyn.

A complete tap list for all the 50 or so locations across the state is available online.

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Happy birthday, dear Guinness ...

2011-12-31T12:41:00.000-08:00

Arthur Guinness

Pssst. See that guy over there on the right? He's responsible for the Irish government's major income stream, something more important than ever now that the economic chaos that has roiled around the world has hit Ireland a rollicking good thwack.

Today is the 252nd anniversary of the founding of the iconic Guinness Brewery at St. James's Gate in Dublin by that fella, a man by the name of Arthur Guinness. At one time, it was the largest brewery in the world.

Guinness Brewery
(Travelpod photo)

Guinness leased the property for a term of up to 9,000 (no kidding) years at an annual rent of £45 per year. That means the lease will come up for renewal in the year 10759 A.D.

The adjacent Guinness Storehouse is Dublin's No. 1 tourist attraction. The converted brewing factory is a seven-story Guinness museum, the topmost of which is home to the Gravity Bar, where visitors can get a free pint of "the black stuff," as the dark Guinness stout is known.

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Even in death, Grandpa was a good host

2011-12-30T13:32:00.001-08:00

A drawing of St. Ansegisel

I've been researching and writing my family history off and on for several decades. As more and records, documents, church archives and the like are put online, it has become less tedious to reach back many generations to see my roots.

I recently discovered that one Saint Ansegisel, the Bishop of Metz, France, was my 30th great grandfather on my mother's side of the family tree. He lived from 582 to 641 A.D. He also was known as Arnulf, or Arnold in English.

He earned a mention in this column because of one of the legends/miracles attributed to him, "The Legend of the Beer Mug." The story goes that on an extremely hot day in July 642, after Arnold died at the Abbey of Remiremont where he moved after his retirement, the parishioners from Metz showed up to claim his remains.

"They had little to drink and the terrain was inhospitable," says the story. "At the point when the exhausted procession was about to leave ... one of the parishioners, Duc Notto, prayed, 'By his powerful intercession the Blessed Arnold will bring us what we lack.' Immediately the small remnant of beer at the bottom of a pot multiplied in such amounts that the pilgrims' thirst was quenched and they had enough to enjoy the next evening when they arrived in Metz."

And, that's why he became a patron saint of brewers. Not a bad miracle to have in the family archives.

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Study: Draw one, mix one for health

2011-12-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

We've been trying to keep up with the regular stream of studies suggesting wine has all sorts of magical, mystical medicinal properties that will lead to better health, longer life, etc. Now, brews and spirits are getting some extra support.

A two-decade study published in the January issue of The Journal of Studies On Alcohol and Drugs reports on connections between the moderate consumption of all types of alcohol and increased longevity.

It also supports the findings of prior studies that wine has more beneficial effects than any other alcoholic drinks. However, in a twist that always seems to pop up in any study, researchers said that may because the people who choose wine tend to be more naturally healthy anyway. Go figure.

The study of 802 men and women ages 55 to 65. Of that number, 281 "low wine drinkers" consumed less than one-third of their alcohol intake from wine, 176 "high wine drinkers" consumed two-thirds or more as wine, and 345 abstainers. The drinkers had one to two drinks per day, and researchers followed them for 20 years.

Among the findings: Wine drinkers lived longer than abstainers, and high-wine drinkers lived longer than low-wine drinkers.

Charles Holahan, a psychologist at the University of Texas and lead author of the article, said there may be benefits for older moderate drinkers no matter what kind of alcohol they consume. But, he cautioned, "The study does not encourage initiating wine consumption as a pathway to better health."

Ya gotta love those disclaimers.

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Barrel-aged beers gaining in Canada

2011-12-16T09:42:00.000-08:00

• From the Montreal Gazette

MONTREAL, Canada -- On the short list of things that get better with age, beer is not generally included. But with all the talk of oak-aging, vintages and grand crus in the brewery scene these days, it’s starting to sound a lot like wine or whisky. Beer that’s designed to be aged -- whether for months in bourbon barrels or for years in the bottle -- is in high demand this holiday season.

With the rise of the craft movement, sophistication among beer consumers has been growing, and with it the market for artisanal production. In the last few years, brewers around the world have begun taking a page from history, and experimenting with premium products aged in barrels.

Examples range from Innis & Gunn in Scotland, which uses Highland scotch, rum and Irish whiskey casks for its line, to Belgium’s formidable Cantillon brewery, which produces a rare and traditional oak-aged lambic called Bruocsella Grand Cru, to Sam Adams, the Boston-based label, which launched its Barrel Room collection a couple of years ago. With its active microbrewery scene, Quebec is right in the thick of things, reaping awards for innovative beers that make use of barrels that once contained Kentucky bourbon, white wine and apple brandy.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Some funny beer commercials

2011-12-15T13:03:00.001-08:00

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Schumer pushes 'I Love NY Brew' campaign

2011-12-15T11:41:00.000-08:00

Schumer at Brown's Brewing in Troy in February.
(Archival photo)

Earlier this year, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer toured a series of Upstate New York breweries to display his support of the industry. On Wednesday, he took the lead role in announcing creation of his “I Love NY Brew” campaign.

The campaign was created, says Schumer, to place more locally-brewed beer in restaurants, bars and store shelves around the state.

In a letter to the National Association of Convenience Stores and Fuel Retailing and to the New York State Restaurant Association, Schumer urged both associations to offer more beer brewed at the 77 micro-breweries, regional craft breweries, and brewpubs across the state that supports what the senator says is "nearly 60,000 New York jobs."

“Craft breweries have catapulted New York to the top shelf of beer states," the statement said, "and our beers are more than ready for prime time. Whether you are searching for a six-pack at your local 7-Eleven or grabbing Buffalo wings with a beer after work, you should have a wide assortment of locally brewed beers to choose from. I’m strongly urging New York restaurants, bars and convenience stores alike across the state to take a close look at New York’s beers, and consider putting them on their shelves or on their menu. It would be a win-win, both for those selling the beer, and for the breweries making it.”

David Katleski, president of the New York State Brewers Association, chimed in, noting, “The growth of the craft brewing industry in New York State is tremendous. Continued growth will greatly contribute to the number of jobs, tax dollars, and economic benefit to New York. Of all the beer sold in New York State, New York craft beer currently represents a 7.5% market share. One can only imagine the economic impact to our state if craft beer sales here reflected that of craft beer sales in Oregon, where they’re 30%.”

Schumer is asking the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) to encourage member restaurants to offer locally-brewed beer on their menu. In addition to getting more beers into restaurants close to where it is brewed, Schumer will be pushing the New York City members of the NYSRA to consider offering beers brewed across Upstate New York and Long Island. While some beers like Genesee and Saranac have gained popularity in the downstate market, Schumer and New York brewers believe this market is vastly underutilized and represents the chance to dramatically grow craft brewing across the state.

Here is Schumer’s breakdown of local brewing businesses and their production levels by region:

• In the Capital Region, six breweries brewed 4,922 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open two new breweries.

• In Central New York, six breweries brewed 287,883 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open three new breweries.

• In the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region, four breweries brewed 511,063 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open three new breweries.

• In the Southern Tier, 11 breweries brewed 42,279 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open seven new breweries.

• In Western New York, four breweries brewed 31,349 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open two new breweries.

• In the Hudson Valley, seven breweries brewed 11,895 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open seven new breweries.

• In the North Country, five breweries brewed 8,728 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open at least one new brewery.

• In the New York City, five breweries brewed 132,073 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open nine new breweries.

• On Long Island, 10 breweries brewed 54,122 barrels of beer last year, and there are plans to open five new breweries.

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Smuttynose Brewery expanding in NH

2011-12-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

• From seacoastonline.com

HAMPTON, NH -- The moving of an old farmhouse this week on a 14-acre property on Towle Farm Road signaled the official start to the construction of a new $16 million Smuttynose Brewery and restaurant.

Smuttynose owner Peter Egelston said the farmhouse is being moved 40 yards east to make room for the new 42,000-square-foot brewing facility. Building will begin in spring 2012.

"We will be jumping into this full force in the spring time, and we hope to be moving into a new brewery by the summer of 2013," Egelston said. "What we are doing now is getting a little bit of a head start before the winter sets in, as we all know it will."

Crews are working this week to jack up the farmhouse, raise it from its foundation and roll it to its new location.

[Go here for the full story and photos.]

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Texas brewmaster headed back to PA

2011-11-21T12:56:00.000-08:00

Jaime Jurado
(William M. Dowd photo)

JENKINS TOWNSHIP, PA -- Jaime Jurado is headed back to Pennsylvania.

Jurado, who had been the master brewer at the Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre from 1985-91, is joining the startup Susquehanna Brewing Company, located at 635 South Main Street in this community northeast of Wilkes-Barre.

The site is the former warehouse of United Beverage, the wholesale beer distributor.

Since his Wilkes-Barre days, Jurado has developed a reputation as one of the nation's top brewmasters while he plied his trade in San Antonio, TX, where I first met him, with the Gambrinus Company. (See "Beer Dinner in the Texas Hill Country.")

Jurado has been director of brewing operations at Gambrinus since 1997. His new gig becomes official on January 1, 2012, as operations manager and master brewer.

Gambrinus is the sixth-largest beer company in the nation. Its portfolio includes the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX, the Bridgeport Brewing Company in Portland, OR, and Trumer Brauerei of Berkeley, CA.

The new Susquehanna brewery was founded by Ed Maier, great-great-grandson of Pennsylvania brewing icon Charles Stegmaier, son Fred Maier and partner Mark Nobile. Their initial investment in the craft brewery will be $8 million to $10 million, they said. The German firm BraKon GmbH is the designer and builder of the brewhouse. Plans are to produce four or five year-round beer brands as well as seasonal beers.

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Resurgent Genesee eyes restaurant next

2011-11-20T11:51:00.000-08:00

A vintage print ad.

ROCHESTER, NY -- The Genesee Brewing Company has a long and storied history. It also has received a $20 million investment in upgrades over the past two years by its comparatively new owner, North American Breweries.

So, what next? How about a place to dine?

The company, established in 1878, has decided to convert one unused building on its manufacturing to a two-story bar/restaurant and visitors center to be called the Genesee Brew House.

The $2.6 million project would also see demolition of a cluster of two other unused buildings at the St. Paul Street site, according to a report from WHEC-TV.

Rich Lozyniak, CEO of North American Breweries, said that while North American has invested heavily in the once-struggling brewery, that spending has largely been on efficiency and product quality upgrades and the Genesee Brew House project would be the first "serious investment in connection with our consumers."

Under North American, Genesee has returned to its roots with its iconic “glass can,” the stubby bottle it made famous decades ago.

It recently released the Genesee Heritage Collection, a limited-edition pack featuring Genesee Beer, Genesee Cream Ale and 12 Horse Ale. The latter is the brewery’s most requested legacy beer. It was first brewed in 1933 after the repeal of Prohibition. It has not been brewed for years.

“We’re seeing all generations responding to the nostalgia and tradition,” said Janine Schoos, brand manager. “Genesee is taking off all over the country. We hope to be where we were back in the ‘80s when we were synonymous with good times and great American traditions.”

Genesee Cream Ale, also in the Heritage Collection, was first brewed in 1960 and has won numerous awards, including two gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival. All three beers in the Heritage Collection are embossed with a signature letter “G” for Genesee, and adorned with classic labels reminiscent of the packaging used at the height of the beers’ popularity.

The Genesee family of beers has the highest growth rate among the Top 10 selling brand families in its category between 2010 and 2011.

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Insider research: Spirits are kicking beer's butt

2011-11-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

Frank Coleman, vice president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS), passed along this article from Beer Business Daily -- and, given his affiliation, who could blame him?

Spirits Taking Us for a Ride More Than You Think

"Wine and particularly spirits have been kicking our tails. And they have done it by a systematic strategy of increasing its availability in accounts, by investing much more as a percentage of revenue than beer has in its marketing, in growing all of their price segments, in consistently and constantly coming out with new flavors, brands, and packages, and in creating a cocktail culture that appeals to a very broad base.

"That was the intuitive findings of Heineken USA (HUSA) chief Dolf van den Brink at the California Beer and Beverage Distributors annual convention yesterday.

"Dolf had sobering news for beer guys: Through HUSA's proprietary internal research, which he was good enough to share, he showed that we as an industry simply haven't kept up with wine and spirits, particularly when it comes to young Millenials, ethnics, and women. And until we rectify this disparity, it will be difficult to get beer growing no matter what the economy is doing.

"First, Dolf showed that wine and spirits' growth has come almost entirely through getting new drinkers entering the market at the 21-29 age. Over the last seven years, spirits has gained 4.1% of consumer penetration points in the 21-29 age group, coming ominously close to beer's penetration. But the really scary metric is the 2001-2011 percent change in the preferred drink:

"For Millenials, beer is down 14% and spirits is up 13%. In other words, spirits have picked up nearly all of beer's slack. It's a direct trade off.

"Beer lost drinkers in all other age groups to spirits and wine as well, but it was most pronounced in young people. Since in the past young people drink beer and then switch to wine and spirits as they get older, this doesn't bode well, since they are already starting with cocktails. And don't get me started with African Americans. Beer penetration has lost 15 points of penetration while spirits has gained 15%.

"In the general market, beer has lost 8 points while spirits has gained 6. As for gender, beer has lost 13 points for males while spirits has gained 9, and with females spirits has gained 4 points while beer has lost 4 points. This metric, as Dolf said, is very indicative of "intent to purchase" and so is very distressing to see.

"Across occasions, beer is now only the preferred drink in one occasion: pub/dining with food. In all other occasions, wine or spirits is the preferred drink. What's the world coming to?"

There's a lot more, but you get the idea.

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Tweeting office beer machine a hit

2011-11-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

Ordering a beer from Arnie.

BOSTON -- The advertising agency Arnold Worldwide has an employee perk a lot of people would like to have in their workplace.

It's called Barnold, an in-house bar where employees can socialize and share ideas.

Recently, several employees decided to build on that idea by creating a beer vending machine stocked with agency-brewed and -themed beers that staffers 21 and older can access with a swipe of their key fobs.

They call the machine Arnie, and have given him a touchscreen interface, temperature awareness and a Soundtube speaker.

Arnie also talks, addressing the user by name recognized when the key fob swipe is made. Arnie's touchscreen also handles Twitter communication -- Arnie can tweet you -- and data such as how much beer was consumed each day of the week.

In addition, there’s an "Alepedia" that provides information about six different beers the agency has created, including Arnold Pilsner. According to a spokesperson, the agency "also has experimented with a variety of ale styles, and will be able to brew beer styles specific to seasons, events, people and even clients."

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NE Hop Alliance gathering in Troy

2011-11-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

Tending hop vines.

TROY, NY -- Things will be hopping at Brown’s Brewing Company this Saturday. That is when members of the Northeast Hop Alliance (NeHA) will gather for their annual meeting and fall conference in Revolution Hall.

The conference, which will begin with a "Hoppy Hour," is for current and prospective hop growers. It will focus on re-establishing commercial specialty hops production in New York State and other parts of the Northeast. according to Gregg Stacy, Brown's director of marketing and sales.

Topics will include planting, growing and harvesting as well as financial and scientific resources to support growers and local craft brewers like Brown’s who grow some of their own hops.

NeHA’s overall mission is to enhance the cultural heritage of hop production through education, agritourism, and architectural preservation.

Speakers include hop researchers from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Oregon State University, the University of Vermont Extension, and Cornell Co-op Extension as well as hop growers and craft brewers interested in expanding the use of locally-grown hops.

Western New York was the largest hop producing region in the world until the early 1900s when a mold and aphid blight destroyed the crop and hop growing. Growing in the U.S. moved to the Pacific Northwest thereafter. NeHA is dedicated to the rebirth of this profitable agricultural segment that thrived in this area for nearly 150 years.

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Worst NFL beer price: Redskins' FedEx Field

2011-10-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

Save On Brew logo.

Prices on most things always go up, but at National Football League stadiums this season, the hike hasn't been too bad.

SaveOnBrew.Com has just released its 2011 beer price findings for all 31 NFL stadiums. The average increase across all teams was just 4%. However, as the website notes, when prices start at $5 for a 16-ounce serving, any increase hurts.

Here's the rest of the report:

"The lowest price to grab a cup of suds was at a Cleveland Browns home game ($5) while the stadium that commands the most expensive brew was Edward Jones Dome, home of the St. Louis Rams, at $9 per 20-ounce serving.

"It's not all bad news, though. Three stadiums actually serve beer for less this year than last. You'll save a few pennies while watching an Atlanta, Kansas City, and Oakland home game.

"While nine bucks per 20-ounce serving in St. Louis is pretty shocking (that works out to 45 cents per ounce), it's not the worst deal in the league. That badge falls squarely on the wide shoulders of FedEx Field, home of the the Washington Redskins, who serve 12 ounces for $7. That's 58 cents per ounce.

"To put that in perspective, at 58 cents per ounce, a six pack would set you back $42."

Here's the chart.

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Chowder fest conjures images of ... beer

2011-10-15T12:40:00.001-07:00

THE RUBBLE OF A CHOWDER COMPETITION.
(Photo by William M. Dowd)

TROY, NY -- After sampling two dozen different entries as a judge in the 6th annual Troy Chowder Fest competition this afternoon, my thoughts turned to beverages. Only natural, considering food and drink are my mainstay topics.

But, what does one imbibe with such a wide variety of creations -- from classic New England clam chowders to such exotica as Guinness scented hickory smoked corn and ancho chilis chowder, jerk chicken, autumn pear and smoked Reuben chowders, varieties that drew several thousand people to the riverside event behind Brown's Brewing despite overcast, rainy skies?

Beer, of course, and that thought comes to mind not only because we were doing the judging inside the brewpub's Revolution Hall event space. Yes, a bold pinot noir, or a tangy malbec or even a citrus-tinged seyval blanc might work if you insist on wine. But, only beer has the tasty edge, the cleansing carbonation to cut through all the creams and hot peppers and mixed spices the chefs used to concoct their chowders. Even if you're not a regular beer drinker -- which seems to be a growing number of the population, according to all sales statistics -- beer will do the trick.

There may be something to the theory that because beer was the drink of the common man and chowder originated as a meal cooked by the lower economic classes, our DNA's palate is hard-wired to pair the two.

Fish chowders were the ancestors of clam chowder. Some of the chowders I sampled today were topped with a bit of puff pastry or a crisp crouton, mimicking the practice of our early settlers who usually broke ship's biscuits into their seafood chowders to help thicken them.

The Oxford English Dictionary says the very word "chowder" can be traced to fishing villages along the coast of France, as well as in southwestern England and Brittany which flank the English Channel. It was the practice in the 16th and 17th centuries to have a large cauldron -- a "chaudiere" -- ready to cook some of the catch when the fishing boats returned to port and celebrations ensued.

There may have been some in the festival crowd here today who were there to escape financial worries for a few hours, but they no doubt were in the minority. That is very unlike the populace of such places as Brighton, England, in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Chowder-centric revelry probably was helpful in letting the locals forget for the moment the miserable economic and hygiene conditions in which many of them lived. Writing in 1860 in "Brighton As It Is," one J.G. Bishop described the hardscrabble fishing village this way:

"The houses of the poor in Brighton, which are situated in narrow streets and courts, are for the most part ill-ventilated, badly drained, if at all. The numbers which are huddled together in them render decency and decorum next to impossible. Many of them being built with inferior bricks and mortar made of sea-sand are wretchedly damp so that even the walls are covered with lichens, and the miserable tenants, unable to endure the depression of spirits which is the necessary result, try to drown their uneasy sensations in the neighbouring beer shops."

So, count your blessings, cook your chowder and chill your beer. All in all, I’m sure we’d rather be here than in Brighton.

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Brewing loopholes remain a taxing topic

2011-10-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

• From The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Plenty of lawmakers are against tax breaks and so-called loopholes. Unless, of course, they personally helped create them. ...

Senator John Kerry, D-MA, says he ... wants to eliminate such breaks, except when it comes to beer. He is one of the main supporters of a proposal that would cut taxes for small beer makers like the Samuel Adams Brewery in Boston.

And Representative Paul D. Ryan, R-WI, who leads the House Budget Committee, has privately assured one beer industry group that he would support a second proposed tax break for brewers, even as he has distanced himself publicly from the measure, the beer group’s chief operating officer said in an interview.

The disconnect between the lawmakers’ words and deeds reflects the political hurdles that Congress and the White House face as they look to cut at least $1.2 trillion from the national debt.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Spike TV renews 'Bar Rescue' series

2011-09-15T12:45:00.001-07:00

Consultant Jon Taffer

Gordon Ramsey had a great idea for "reality" programming when he came up with "Kitchen Nightmares." Take a failing restaurant business, give it a good shake, and, in most instances, make it a success.

The trouble is, Gordon Ramsey. The volatile, foul-mouthed celebrity chef relies too much on screams, insults, put-downs and manufactured drama to push his show along. Luckily, there is an alternative: "Restaurant Impossible," hosted by a pumped-up Brit named Robert Irvine.

While he is forceful with the owners and staff of the failing restaurants, he is rarely demeaning to them, and never foul mouthed. He's much more entertaining, his show more realistic -- except for the cliche of made-up pressure concerning deadlines -- and you don't feel as if you need a shower when you're finished watching an episode.

Now, along comes Jon Taffer with "Bar Rescue." The show, which has just been picked up by Spike TV for a 10-episode second season, started off well for a cable show and has steadily gained audience. Last Sunday, against televised NFL competition, it drew 1.3 million viewers, nearly doubling the July 17 premiere viewership of 742,000.

"Bar Rescue" is a bit of a misnomer. What Taffer, a noted New York hospitality industry guru, deals with is full-service eating-and-drinking establishments. And, his shows deal with the food as well as the drinks, along with service, decor and marketing. His on-camera persona is alternately gruff, encouraging, teaching and, ultimately, decisive. Another altogether satisfactory alternative to Ramsay.

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UK distiller, brewer make a new drink

2011-09-14T13:18:00.001-07:00

NORFOLK, England -- Those frugal folks at St. George's Distillery, home of The English Whisky Co., are putting some used material to good use.

They've teamed up with St. Peters's Brewery to create The Saints Whisky Beer, made using the same peated malt that is used at the distillery.

Once the beer is fermented, a portion of Chapter 9 Whisky is added to it, resulting in a peated beer with smoky overtones.

Andrew Nelstrop, managing director of the English Whisky Co., the first English distillery in the country for more than a century, said, "With St. Peter’s penetration in worldwide export markets, we are hoping this product will also introduce consumers to the English Whisky co. and our range of whisky products both abroad as well as in the UK."

The beer has an ABV of 4.8% and is packaged in the distinctive St. Peter’s oval bottles. It will initially be sold on-premises only in the UK, although available from both companies' websites.

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English whisky begins in a brewery

2011-09-01T11:37:00.001-07:00

• From Harpers Wine and Spirits Trade Reviews

CORNWALL, England -- Two Cornish drinks producers have teamed up to create what they claim is the first whiskey to be produced in Cornwall in over 300 years and the oldest whiskey to be launched in England for more than a century.

The limited edition Hicks & Healey Cornish Single Malt 7 Year Old Whiskey is the brainchild of St. Austell Brewery and Healey's Cyder Farm.

Made with Maris Otter barley grown in Trerulefoot, southeast Cornwall, and spring water, the wash was mixed at St. Austell Brewery's traditional Victorian brewhouse, before being transferred to Healey's Farm and passed through a double distillation in a traditional copper pot still. The best cut was then collected and filled into American bourbon charred casks.

"It's taken 300 years to craft Cornwall's first premium whiskey and seven years to age it," said David Healey from Healey's Cyder Farm. "In Cornwall we like to take our time in order to get things right -- and it's well worth the wait."

"We are all delighted with the results which help consolidate Cornwall's position as a leader in the UK drinks sector," added James Staughton, St. Austell Brewery's managing director and great-great grandson of the brewery's founder Walter Hicks.

The whiskey has been bottled unfiltered at a cask strength of 61.3% abv. It is available in 50cl bottles in a wooden presentation box with two glasses, priced at £150 (US$243).

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Final days for whiskey book discount

2011-08-31T11:51:00.001-07:00

My new book, "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots," will officially be released on September 6.

The retail price then will be $18.95, but you can get a hefty 33% pre-release discount from Amazon.com by going here.

It is a collection I co-wrote and edited with essays from numerous writers famous in the field, from F. Paul Pacult to David Wondrich to Tom Wolfe.

You'll discover the spread of whiskey throughout the world and how it helped build countries. Read profiles of some of the most famous giants of the industry as Jack Daniel, George Smith and the Beam family.

Plus, go behind the scenes of Prohibition to check out the legendary gangsters, small-time rumrunners, a famous NASCAR champion who made his mark as a moonshine runner. And, you'll get insiders' looks at legitimate whiskey-making in such diverse spots as Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., South Africa, India and Japan.

Ommegang weighs in on hydro-fracking

2011-08-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

Brewery Ommegang facility.

COOPERSTOWN, NY -- The controversy over "hydro-fracking" has moved into the recreational drinking arena.

The procedure, which involves hydraulically fracturing underground shale beds to release natural gas, has become a bitterly controversial topic in New York, which is criss-crossed by at least two major shale beds. The possibility of despoiling farmland and drinking water sources is the biggest worry among anti-hydro-fracking forces,

Now, Brewery Ommegang, maker of such beers as Aphrodite Ale and Hennepin Farmhouse Saison, says the water it draws from aquifers beneath this Central New York village is at risk of pollution.

"Even our strongest beer is 90% water, and all of our water comes off the property," Larry Bennett, a spokesman for the brewery, said in an interview with the Bloomberg News Service. "If you contaminate an aquifer, it’s done. There’s nothing you can do about it."

The brewery is a unit of Duvel Moortgat NV of Belgium. It contends it would face a "material threat" from a leak of fluid used in fracking.

[You can read the entire Bloomberg story here.]

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Hefty pre-release discount on my whiskey book

2011-08-18T13:49:00.001-07:00

My new book, "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots," is coming out in September.

The retail price then will be $18.95, but you can get a hefty 32% pre-release discount from Amazon.com by going here ASAP.

I selected and edited all the pieces in the anthology, contributing several pieces of my own as well. Many of the original illustrations done for the book are based on photos I took during my whiskey-related travels.

The book covers the giants of the whiskey industry (such as George Smith, Jim Beam and Jack Daniel), scenes from Prohibition, whiskey-making in such diverse spots as Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., South Africa, India and Japan, stories on the effects whiskey-making had on the development of several nations, and much more.

Among the other authors are the likes of Tom Wolfe, F. Paul Paccult, David Wondrich and Jim Murray.

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Molson Coors' new beer sounds flat

2011-08-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

Marketing alcoholic beverages to women usually contains elements of fun, glamor and even sophistication.

Molson Coors has come up with a different angle: bloating.

Animée, described as a "bloat-resistant” beer aimed at women, will be released this fall in the United Kingdom.

Prediction? It will quickly lose its fizz among women who don't like being condescended to.

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'Trends' that make you say 'Huh?'

2011-08-13T14:29:00.001-07:00

OK, so what are the "experts" telling you that you'll be drinking for at least the next year?

The Food Channel, CultureWaves and the Mintel research firm teamed up to create the TV channel's annual "Top 10 Beverage Trends" list released this week.

Kay Logsdon, editor-in-chief of The Food Channel, said the list confirmed what the network has seen in the marketplace.

"It indicated we're drinking more water these days, although we like to dress it up a little. And, it told us that coupons have little or no influence on whether we purchase a beverage at a fast-food restaurant."

Here are the "trends," in the words of the great seers.

1. D.I.Y. Flavor: Many of us are taking flavor matters into our own hands.

2. Parental Discretion Advised: We're still seeing lots of buzz around beverages and kids.

3. Iced Coffee Is Scalding Hot: Consumption of this cold caffeinated beverage has heated up.

4. For Medicinal Purposes Only: There's certainly no shortage of ways to "drink to your health."

5. Sipping Seasonally and Simply: In much the same way we're eating local and choosing foods when they're in season, we're making a more conscious effort to drink that way, too.

6. Fast Food Beyond the Fizz: There are changes happening here, too, with specialty drinks getting as much play as burgers and fries.

7. Craft Beers: The Buzz Is Back: While overall beer sales are flat these days, sales of craft brews are seeing double-digit increases.

8. Bourbon Booming: The retro revival of the classic cocktail has hip, young consumers bellying up to the bar for whiskey.

9. Show Biz: While the food generally takes center stage in restaurant exhibitionism, beverages are being offered more starring roles.

10. Drinking Ourselves Thin: We want to enjoy our drinks without drinking in the extra calories."

If most of these 10 "trends" leave you saying "Huh?," you're not alone.

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Louisville brewer teams with four Roses

2011-08-13T14:06:00.001-07:00

The new loft space. (WHAS11 photo)

LOUISVILLE, KY -- Many a local and visitor has spent time at the Maker's Mark Bourbon House & Lounge downtown. Now, Four Roses is getting in on the branding act.

Bluegrass Brewing Company this week held a grand opening for its new Four Roses Bourbon Barrel Loft. It is located on the third floor of BBC's downtown location at 3rd and Main streets, opposite KFC Yum! Center.

Jim Rutledge, Four Roses' master distiller, said "We supply [Bluegrass Brewing] with a number of barrels, a minimum of 14 a month, to age their beers. And they'll age them up to a couple of months. It gives them really nice flavorful beers. And that was the beginning of the relationship."

The loft can accommodate up to 150 for a seated dinner or 175 for a cocktail or beer tasting event.

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MA craft brewers: We're being treatened

2011-08-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

• From The Boston Globe

A rule change at the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission could hurt 25 craft breweries in Massachusetts, and some smaller beer makers say it could even put them out of business.

Brewers such as Samuel Adams beer maker Boston Beer Co., Mayflower Brewing Co., Ipswich Ale Brewery, and others that operate under what is called a farmer-brewery license would be affected by the change, which has caused a buzz in the industry since it (recently) was disclosed in a commission advisory. The change still has to be finalized, state officials said.

The new rule would require brewers under that license to grow at least half the hops and grains they use, or get them from a domestic source -- which many said would be difficult in Massachusetts. Without that license, breweries could not operate on-site tastings, and, beer makers fear, would be forced to pay distributors to deliver their beer to retail outlets rather than save money by doing it themselves.

At Cape Ann Brewing Co. in Gloucester, owner Jeremy Goldberg said that the loss of his farmer-brewer status would likely put his entire operation out of business. At the least, he said, he’d be forced to close his new brew pub, in which he invested about $1 million, and lay off 30 employees.

"We would have a brewery that couldn’t serve [beer] on the premises," said Goldberg, who said it could be very hard to get the local liquor license he would need to operate in Gloucester without his farmer-brewery license. "It is going to kill my business."

State officials say the change is meant to clarify regulations defining a farmer-brewer, or someone who grows cereal grains or hops to produce a malt beverage. The law is designed to promote farming in Massachusetts.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Miller drops MGD 64 lemonade beer

2011-07-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

You know that lemonade version of MGD 64 Light Beer that MillerCoors introduced a few months ago?

No? You're not alone. The brewer has discontinued the product due to consumer apathy.

"Winning in beer requires testing the bounds of the market with innovation," a company official wrote earlier this week in an e-mail to MillerCoors distributors. "With that commitment, however, comes a recognition that not every innovation will succeed. That is the case with MGD 64 Lemonade, so we have decided to discontinue this line extension."

Miller plans to buy back whatever existing retail stock it can.

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'Craft Beer Exchange' at convenience stores

2011-07-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

Fill 'er up, please.

• From Convenience Store News

BUFFALO, NY -- Sunoco Inc. has tapped 12 of its APlus convenience stores in western New York State to test its pilot program, the Craft Beer Exchange.

Under the new program, "beer-filling stations" were installed at convenience stores that are allowed to sell draft beer in growlers (glass jugs that are typically 64 ounces), according to a report on CNBC.com.

"Buffalo is a good testing location because there is a critical mass of Sunoco retail locations," spokesman Thomas Golembeski explained. "There is a large beer-loving community and a strong group of microbreweries in the area."

Now in the second month of a three-month test phase, Sunoco is working with area beer distributors to choose the beers on tap and will seek customer feedback through suggestion boxes and customer service representatives. In addition, Sunoco APlus employees visited a local distributor to train on safety and sanitation, and also went to Plying Bison Brewery to practice filling jugs, the news outlet reported.

"The feedback has been very positive," Golembeski said. "During the first month, it has been a success just by word-of-mouth alone. It's very clear there is an interest in it."

Sunoco operates more than 600 APlus convenience stores in 24 states along the East Coast and as far west as Ohio.

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NYC beer bar cultivating its hops

2011-07-19T14:05:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK -- The Stag’s Head, voted one of the "30 Best Beer Bars in America" by Paste magazine, isn't resting on its laurels. In fact, the gastropub is cultivating an entirely different plant -- its own hops.

The tavern, located at 252 East 51st Street in Midtown East, has planted Sunbeam hops in its rooftop garden. Sunbeam is a 21-year-old variety derived from the Saaz hop, a traditional pilsner hop. The plants already have hit the 15-foot mark and may get even higher since some examples of the variety reach as much as 30 feet in height.

These hops are females, so they will start to flower any time from late July to September. The tavern will be adding a fresh-hopped beer, also known as wet-hopped, to its rotation of craft beer in late August to September. The staff also will use the hops as garnishes for IPAs, and hoppy pale ales and pilsners.

In addition, Chef Bruce Dillon plans to experiment with the hops on his summer menu.

[Go here for the state-by-state selections for the "30 Best" list.]

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Study: Binge drinking harms young brains

2011-06-30T11:00:00.001-07:00

New research says young binge drinkers may be seriously damaging their brains.

Researcher Tim McQueeny, a doctoral student in the University of Cincinnati Department of Psychology, will present his findings in Atlanta this week at the 34th annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism.

In his study, high-resolution brain scans on a sample of 29 weekend binge drinkers aged 18 to 25 found that binge-drinking –- defined as consuming four or more drinks in one incident for females and five or more drinks for males -– was linked to cortical-thinning of the pre-frontal cortex, the section of the brain related to such "executive functions" as paying attention, planning and making decisions, processing emotions and controlling impulses leading to irrational behavior. McQueeny examined the gray matter -- parts of brain cells that do the thinking, receiving and transmitting of messages.

“We have seen evidence that binge drinking is associated with reduced integrity in the white matter, the brain’s highways that communicate neuron messaging, but alcohol may affect the gray matter differently than the white matter,” he says.

Researchers could see a relationship between gray matter thickness and binge drinking among college-aged young adults. They found that greater number of drinks per binge is associated with cortical thinning. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says 42% of young Americans ages 18 to 25 have engaged in binge drinking.

“Alcohol might be neurotoxic to the neuron cells, or, since the brain is developing in one’s 20s, it could be interacting with developmental factors and possibly altering the ways in which the brain is still growing,” he says.

The research was supported by a $300,000 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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Another good use for a cup of beer

2011-06-29T10:02:00.001-07:00

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Some good numbers to win a bar bet

2011-06-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

Q: What state has the highest per-capita sales of beer?

A: New Hampshire.

The Granite State, which has 17 breweries, last year sold an average of 32.7 gallons of beer per drinking-age resident, equal to about 350 12-ounce cans. That number comes from the Beer Institute. The overall rate for the rest of the country was 20.7 gallons.

New Hampshire folks don't have such frills as a sales tax to keep them from buying freely, and that fact helps boost the numbers since many people from neighboring states make it a practice to cross the border in search of lower-priced alcohol.

That absence of tax also has made New Hampshire the highest per-capita user of alcohol, with the equivalent of 63.1% of the population imbibing compared to the overall U.S. rate of 51.4%. But, once again, that can be misleading since so much of the purchasing and consumption is by out-of-staters.

The rest of the top five in sales per capita:

2 -- Montana, 30.5 gallons
3 -- North Dakota, 29.8 gallons
4 -- South Dakota, 27.5 gallons
5 -- Nevada at 26.8 gallons

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Esquire picks the healthiest beers on Earth

2011-06-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

"We don't usually judge a brew by its nutrition label, but if you're going to anyway, these are your best (and best-tasting) options rated on our beer expert's quasi-scientific pint scale, from not terrible for you to actually pretty good. Bottoms up."

So writes Evan S. Benn in an Esquire magazine online report rating the healthiest beers in the world.

Some are available only regionally, of course, but there should be enough to get you into the subject and encourage you to read the nutrition labels on what you've been drinking.

Samuel Adams Light was deemed the healthiest of them all. Full details are available, but for those with short attention spans here's the list of 14 itself:

Sam Adams Light
I.C. Light
He'Brew Rejewvenator '10
Guinness Draught
Three Floyds Gumballhead
Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus
Stone/Ishii/Baird Japanese Green Tea IPA
Left Hand Good Juju
O'Fallon Black Hemp Black Ale
Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat
Short's Spruce Pilsner
Porterhouse Oyster Stout
Lambrucha
Upland Blackberry Lambic

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Finger Lakes brewer has grape expectations

2011-06-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

GENEVA, NY -- Can't make up your mind between having a beer or a glass of wine?

How about both in one ... sort of?

War Horse Brewing Company, an offshoot of Three Brothers Wineries & Estates in this Finger Lakes community, has developed a Riesling ale it says is the first of its kind.

The brewers blend pure New York State Riesling grape juice with an American wheat beer. The result is a grapey, spicy product with a light amber color and fruity aroma.

It is brewed with Pale, Wheat, and CaraPils malts, and hopped with Centennial and Mt. Hood. The alcohol level is 4.5% by volume.

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The (modest) return of NY hops

2011-06-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

• From the Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard

Steve Miller wants to make hops, a key ingredient in beer, a cash crop in New York State once again.

And with the re-emergence of hops, he wants to make New York State beer as big a tourist attraction as New York State wine has become in the last 35 years.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County hired Miller as the state’s first hops specialist this year.

"My role is to work with the growers to get the information they need to produce a quality product and make money at it," he said. "I don’t work with growers just in Madison County, I work with all of New York State.

"On the West Coast, you’re looking at 29,000 acres of hops. In New York, it’s 50 acres," Miller added. "Less than 10 acres are in Madison County" -- once a nationally recognized hop center.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Rheingold on trail of ex-New Yorkers

2011-06-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

A vintage ad, with a popular actress of the day.

As a kid on Long Island, one of my favorite neighbors was my next-door neighbor, Marty. He was a burly, red-faced, Irishman who drove a delivery truck for Rheingold, a New York City beer company.

Marty was the kind of guy who could scare away wiseguys with a scary scowl, or make us laugh with one of his jokes.

He also owned the first power mower on the block and, when I was sweating while pushing our rusty old hand mower, somehow managed to "over-mow" his property and cut my work in half.

Marty is long gone, and Rheingold as a brand faded away as well. However, last year the beverage developer/marketer Drinks Americas Holdings Ltd. relaunched Rheingold and it now is sold in 12 states and is expanding distribution rapidly.

Its latest market is Florida, home to a lot of transplanted New Yorkers.

"It is a great milestone to be selling Rheingold ... throughout Florida," said Joe Belli, Rheingold's national sales manager. "The great taste of Rheingold, New York's Beer, is now available in a state where many transplanted New Yorkers live who are very familiar with the beer's great history."

Rheingold is available in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles and 12-pack cans.

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Canadian brewer enters U.S. market

2011-06-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

BALDWINSVILLE, NY — A Nova Scotia brewery that has been around for 191 years finally has entered the United States, via New York.

Alexander Keith’s is sending its brews to more than 20 U.S. markets — Nova Scotia Style Lager, Nova Scotia Style Pale Ale and Nova Scotia Style Brown Ale.

They are brewed with traditional two-row malt. The pale ale also includes a fruity, spicy, citrusy hop nose.

Alexander Keith’s was founded in Nova Scotia in 1820 by a native of Scotland. The brewery is operated under Graham Kendall, brewmaster emeritus.

The three new beers are brewed in this community, just northwest of Syracuse on the eastern shore of Onondaga Lake. The original beers continue to be brewed in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Ontario.

The new brews will be available in New York and the New England states as well as in California, Arizona, Colorado, Washington DC, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland. Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin.

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Belgian Beer Festival set for NYC

2011-06-02T13:39:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK -- To many beer fans, Belgium is the motherland of brewing. For them, and others interested in the genre, the inaugural Belgian Beer Festival will be a go-to event.

Get Real NY, an event production company, will present the two-day festival on Friday and Saturday, July 8-9, at the historic Altman Building.

It will include all-you-care-to-consume Belgian-style brews and homebrews, live music, interactive tasting panels and Belgian food. It will feature more than 100 brews from domestic and foreign craft breweries at home and abroad -- Lambics, Sours, Trappists, Dubbels, Tripels, Quads and Gueuze.

General admission is $85, which includes a souvenir glass, unlimited tasting pours, a fest beer guide, unlimited food sampling, live music and tasting panels. VIP tickets at $115 will include that plus one-hour early access to the festival, admission to a VIP tasting room featuring several rare and hard-to-find beers and access to brewery tasting panels and discussions.

The beer and food lineup will be continually updated on the festival website. The Altman building, located at 135 West 18th Street, is a special events space that long housed the now-defunct B. Altman department store.

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' O'bama' wows 'em on the Ould Sod

2011-05-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

The President quaffing a pint at a local.

MONEYGALL, Ireland -- Following the tradition of so many of his predecessors, President Barack Obama today paid a visit to the Irish town from where an ancestor hailed.

In this instance, his great-great-great-grandfather, Falmouth Kearney left this village of 300 or so to seek a better life in America in the mid-1800s.

For those keeping track of such things, Moneygall sits astride the border between Tipperary and Offally counties, between Dublin and Limerick.

During a trip to a local pub, the President downed a Guinness in four gulps, which earned him a round of applause from the locals.

Fittingly, the name Moneygall is derived from the Gaelic phrase muine gall, meaning "foreigners' thicket."

As far back as John F. Kennedy, whose family also came from County Tipperary, U.S. presidents with Irish roots have made the trip. Since then, the list has included Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Before the JFK pilgrimage, other presidents who claimed Irish roots began with George Washington and extended through James Madison, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. That is exactly 50% of all presidents.

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Maryland hikes taxes on all alcohol

2011-05-21T13:23:00.001-07:00

• From The Washington Post

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- In a budget season filled with controversies over taxes, deficits and cuts across the country, Maryland just took a historic step: The General Assembly passed and Gov. Martin O’Malley signed the first increase in beer and wine taxes in 38 years, and the first increase in distilled spirits taxes in 55 years.

The case for the new alcohol tax -- a 3-percentage-point addition to the state’s 6 percent sales tax -- was strong. It will save lives, prevent crime and help to avert thousands of cases of alcohol abuse or dependence. It will also raise at least $85 million in revenue a year. In the first year, these funds will be used to restore much-needed services for people with developmental disabilities, shore up school budgets and support school maintenance and repairs. In future years, the funds can be used to support expanded access to health care; services for people with developmental disabilities or mental health needs; alcohol, tobacco and other drug-use prevention and treatment, and health-care worker training.

Every year, numerous states try to raise their alcohol taxes, and few succeed. Efforts were made in at least 23 states in 2010; none succeeded.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Brewery restaurant chain entering NYS

2011-05-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

BUFFALO, NY -- A Tennessee-based restaurant chain will open its first New York State location in the fall.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant plans to open in the Walden Galleria in Buffalo in October. The original opened in 1988 in Palo Alto, CA. It was acquired by the Big River Brewing Company in 1999 and since has expanded to 29 restaurants across the country and three locations in Taiwan.

The chain brews its own German-style lagers. Its seafood dishes include seared tuna, cedar plank salmon and lobster-and-shrimp mac 'n' cheese. Its menu also includes steak frites, lobster-and-shrimp tacos, and sweet-and-spicy cashew chicken stir fry.

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NYC beer crawl a very home-y affair

2011-05-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Beer crawls can be short or long. Seldom are they intimate. That's why this posting on the Beer Menus website struck me as so interesting:

"Despite New York’s gnat-size apartments, NYC homebrewers refuse to let space limitations detract them from their mission: crafting some of the city’s tastiest beer. On this tour, you’ll venture inside the homes of three of Manhattan and Brooklyn’s finest amateur brewers, who will display their set-ups, discuss their craft and, most importantly, open up their stash of superlative beer. There will be several stops throughout the afternoon. Bring a Metrocard. And eat a big lunch. Your guide is NYC beer journalist Joshua M. Bernstein."

Tickets are available online.

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Rochester becoming microbrewer central

2011-05-09T15:55:00.001-07:00

Al Rogers

• From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

ROCHESTER, NY -- The first sip from a fresh pint of Rogers Pale Ale hits the back of the tongue with a strong, hoppy punch.

A beer aficionado working in sales for CAR Engineering and Manufacturing, a Victor tool and die company, Al Rogers (right) went into the beer business with his wife, Lauren, in late 2010.

Their pale ale is permanently on tap at Lento Restaurant at Village Gate and has made rotations of taps at a variety of establishments around the Rochester region.

"I wanted my own business, and I love beer," said Rogers, 31, of Penfield.

And the Rochester region is seemingly learning to love local craft beers. Recent months have seen numerous locally made beer options bubble up -- from Three Heads Brewing of Brighton introducing its line of beers to various establishments in December around Rochester; to Ontario County microbrewery Naked Dove Brewing Co. and Steuben County microbrewery Finger Lakes Beer Co. both opening in November.

Another microbrewery, Roc Brewing Co. LLC, expects to start operation in Rochester later this year.

Those new offerings join what already had been a wide array of regional beers, including those made by Steuben County's Keuka Brewing Co., which opened in 2008; Ogden brewpub Rohrbach Brewing Co., which in 2008 expanded its capacity by moving its brewing operation to a building in northeast Rochester; and by microbrewery Custom Brewcrafters, which in 2008 opened its $1 million facility Honeoye Falls with a bottling line and more than double the brewing capacity of its previous facility.

And all of this is happening in the shadow of once-struggling Genesee Brewing Co., which has seen sizable investment and rebound since its 2009 purchase by private equity firm KPS Capital Partners.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Poll: 30% drink weekly, and beer is preferred

2011-05-09T15:47:00.001-07:00

Thirty percent of Americans 21 and older say they drink alcohol at least once a week, with 5% drinking daily and 10% drinking several times a week.

Those are among the findings of the just-released Harris Poll of 2,379 adults surveyed online between March 7 and 14 by Harris Interactive. Among other results:

• 22% of Americans say they never drink alcohol.

• Men are more frequent drinkers than women, with 38% of men saying say they drink at least once a week compared to 21% of women.

• Among those who drink at least several times a year, beer is the top choice: 63% say they drink beer and 54% drink domestic wine; 41% drink vodka; 34% drink rum; 28% drink tequila; 28% drink foreign wine; 20% drink various types of whiskies such as Irish or Canadian.

• Further down the list of preferred alcoholic beverages are champagne (17%), cordials and liqueurs (17%), bourbon (15%), gin (14%), scotch (11%), cognac (8%) and brandy/Armagnac (7%).

The survey was accompanied by variety of tables showing both general and specific categories of drinking. (Double click on images to enlarge.)

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Q: What's smaller than a micro-brewery?

2011-05-09T15:44:00.001-07:00

We knew of large commercial breweries, then small commercial breweries, then even-smaller ones called craft breweries, and even-smaller ones called micro-breweries. But, nano-breweries?

Says Ethan Cox, co-owner and co-founder of the Community Beer Works in Buffalo, NY, which describes itself as a nano facility:

“There’s not a definitive answer for what a nanobrewery is, just that it’s smaller. We’re going to be putting out 1.5 barrel batches, or about 47 gallons, which is really small. Most guys in the industry have agreed, if you’re three barrels or less, you’re pretty much nano, but even that’s a wide range. You have guys rocking the same system they were home brewers on; they’ve just applied for license.”

He was quoted in an interview by Julia Burke, beer editor of the online New York Cork Report, reporting on the new phenomenon. You can get the full story here.

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Newcomers sweep TAP NY competition

2011-05-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

HUNTER, NY -- A pair of comparatively new breweries swept the major cup awards at this weekend's 14th annual TAP NY Brewer's Festival competition.

Barrier Brewing of Oceanside, Long Island, which was founded in 2009, earned the F.X. Matt Memorial Cup, emblematic of "Best Brewery in New York State" status. The micro operation is run by Evan Klein and Craig Frymark.

Crossroads Brewing of Athens, Greene County, which was founded in 2010, won the Matthew Vassar Brewers' Cup as "Best Brewery in the Hudson Valley." In addition, it won the new John Calen memorial Award for "Best English Style Pale Ale." The company was founded by Ken Landin and Janine Bennett.

Barrier Brewing is located at 3595 Lawson Boulevard, Oceanside. Phone: (516) 316-4429.
Crossroads Brewing is located at 1 Second Street, Athens. Phone: (518) 945-2337.

Brown’s Whiskey Porter, made by Brown's Brewing Co. of Troy, was named "Best Beer in New York State" for the second consecutive year after earning a silver medal in 2008.

Other award winners:

• New York State category: Silver: Cortland Brewing Flight Level 410 Olde Ale; Bronze: C.H. Evans Hefeweizen.

• Hudson Valley category: Gold: High Point Brewing Double Platinum Hefeweizen; Silver: Brown's Brewing, Whiskey Barrel Porter; Bronze: Crossroads Brewing Outrage IPA.

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George Washington's beer coming back to life

2011-05-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

DOCUMENT IMAGE COURTESY OF THE N.Y. PUBLIC LIBRARY

NEW YORK -- First we had the re-creation of George Washington's rye whiskey from his own recipe. Now we're about to have his beer formula brought back to life.

The New York Public Library, which owns the beer recipe, announced today it is teaming up with the Coney Island Brewing Company in Brooklyn to make 25 gallons to celebrate the library's centennial this year. It will be called "Fortitude's Founding Father Brew."

Unfortunately for fans of craft brews, it will not be commercially available. Fortunately, members of the public will be able to sample it on the beer on Wednesday, May 18, at Rattle 'N' Hum, a Manhattan bar, and at the library's 100th birthday gala on Monday, May 23.

The handwritten recipe is part of a collection of Washington documents housed at the library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue.

"We are thrilled to transform Washington's recipe into an even more complex and flavorful robust porter using a delicious array of the best small batch dark malts and hop varieties to produce a truly spectacular celebration for the contemporary beer connoisseur," said Jeremy Cowan, founder of Shmaltz Brewing Company, the parent of Coney Island Brewing Company.

Here's the first president's recipe "To Make Small Beer" (letters in parentheses have been added for clarity):

Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses (sic) into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank[et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask—leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working—Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed."

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First Albany Craft Beer Festival on tap

2011-05-09T15:31:00.001-07:00

ALBANY, NY -- With the Albany Craft Beer Festival less than a week away, here's a lineup of the promised labels available, according to the event producers.

The inaugural event will be held at The Armory Sports & Convention Arena (Washington Avenue Armory) next Saturday, May 14. In addition to 15 tasting tickets per admission and a souvenir glass, food tastings will available and several brewers will conduct seminars. Designated drivers will be admitted at no charge.

Tickets for the beerfest are available online or by calling the Armory Box Office. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 day of event. Designated driver tickets are $5.00 and available at the door. Beer friendly food will be available, a la carte, from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Bayou Café and Armory Caterers.

The participating breweries:

Samuel Adams
Blue Moon
Saranac
Sierra Nevada
Magic Hat
Harpoon
Long Trail
Woodchuck Ciders
Peak Organic
Anchor Brewery
Brewery Ommegang
Otter Creek
Lake Placid Brewery
Olde Saratoga Brewing Co/Mendocino
Adirondack Brewery
Switchback
Ithaca Beer
Boulder Beer
Dundees Ales and Lagers
Blue Point
Brown's
Butternuts
Clipper City
Dogfish Head
Full Sail
Keegan Ales
Lagunitas
McNeill's
Sly Fox
Smuttynose
Southern Tier
Stone
Three Heads
Troegs
Clown Shoes
Brooklyn Brewery
Blue Moon

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Friday's adds craft beers, beer dishes

2011-05-09T15:15:00.001-07:00

Guinness Stout ice cream soda.

T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants are introducing a lineup of craft beers as well as several new dishes, including dessert, inspired by the microbrew movement.

The summer menu will be offering craft beers that vary by state, including such regional favorites as Magic Hat, Fat Tire, Harpoon, Goose Island and Shipyard.

The beer-inspried foods:

• Black Angus Brew House Steak: An 8-ounce flatiron steak marinated in a brine of beer and citrus then grilled and served with a craft beer sauce, potato salad and green beans.

• Parmesan-Crusted Crab Flounder: Pan-seared fish fillets are flavored with beer, topped with deviled crabmeat and Parmesan breadcrumbs and served with sides of jasmine rice pilaf and green beans.

• Ale House Baby Back Ribs: Baby back pork ribs are grilled with beer, glazed with a Jack Daniel's barbecue sauce and served with sides of potato salad and green beans.

• Dijon-Crusted Beer Chicken: Chicken fillets are marinated in craft beer and lightly breaded with seasoned breadcrumbs. The dish is served with a tossed salad of mixed greens and grape tomatoes drizzled with a Caesar vinaigrette.

• Ale House Shrimp and Chips Appetizer: Beer-battered broccoli, sliced red peppers and Cajun-spiced shrimp are served on home-style potato chips with cucumber-wasabi ranch dip and a stout-beer remoulade sauce.

• Guinness Stout: A Guinness Stout beer is blended with chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream, for adults.

• Mandarin Dreamsicle: Orange liqueur is added to an orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream shake that’s topped with mandarin oranges and whipped cream, for adults.

• Ice Cream Strawberry Shortcake: The non-alcoholic dessert is topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

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Brewers’ new buzz word: Sessionability

2011-05-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

• From Advertising Age

Redhook was not the first craft brewer in America, but it was certainly among the pioneers when it poured its first brew in Seattle in 1982, a spicy Belgian ale. And in the nearly 30 years since then, it and other craft brewers went on to find great success with fuller-bodied, more complex beers than your average Bud or Miller Lite.

Today Redhook is on the leading edge of what looks to be another trend, adding a pilsner beer to its full-time portfolio -- a style more known for its refreshment than its punch. "It's the kind of beer that you can sit back with and have friends over for a barbecue," said brand manager Robert Rentsch. It also has just 5.3% alcohol by volume compared with the 5.8% of its flagship amber ale. You can "have four or five of these … and get a lot of enjoyment out of the beer and not be overstuffed," he said.

While so much of the buzz around craft beer these days is about exotic, extreme ales -- including some with soaring alcohol content -- there also is a growing recognition that these blends must be balanced by easier-drinking brews. In the trade it's called "sessionability," which basically means you can drink more than a couple and not be stumbling drunk or so full that you're looking for the nearest couch. And there's a business side effect of so-called session beers: More people will drink them.

"A lot of the breweries are coming out with really sessionable beers … because I think they are recognizing that if they want to grow their share, if they do want to double it or triple it, they are going to have to make those 'bridgeway' beers to bring more drinkers into the fold," said Jennifer Litz, editor of Craft Business Daily.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Seagram's adds to flavored malt beverage line

2011-03-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

ROCHESTER, NY -- North American Breweries has added a pair of flavored malt beverages to its Seagram's Escapes portfolio.

The flavors, mango and sangria, are made to be consumed as-is or mixed in a drink recipe. The sangria has a red wine flavor infused with orange, apple and peach fruits.

Both flavors are available in 11.2-ounce bottles, sold in four-pack carriers and 24-pack cartons.

Seagram's Escapes now offers 12 varieties of flavored malt beverage coolers: Bahama Mama, Black Cherry Fizz, Calypso Colada, Fuzzy Navel, Jamaican Me Happy, Lime Melonade, Margarita, Strawberry Daiquiri and Wild Berries as well as the seasonal Pink Punch and the new infusions.

The drinks are produced at The Genesee Brewery here.

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What is cask-conditioned ale, really?

2011-02-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

George di Piro

Sometimes you have to go beyond your own resources to adequately explain certain aspects of the adult beverage world.

Take brewing. While I have visited many a brewery and quaffed many a brew, I'm not nearly as familiar with the processes and intricacies of the field as I am about spirits and wine, which I have written about and judged in statewide, regional and international competitions for years.

That is why I found a "Beer Nut" blog post by George de Piro on cask-conditioned ales so interesting. De Piro, a former chemist for a pharmaceutical company, has been the brewmaster at C.H. Evans Brewing Company/Albany Pump Station in Albany, NY, since its founding in May 1999. He holds a degree in biology, with a concentration in biochemistry, from Syracuse University and has completed brewing courses at the Siebel Institute. So, he has the credentials to write about such things. For example:

The term "cask ale," a/k/a "cask-conditioned ale," refers to the yeast used to ferment the beer, the method of carbonation, and the package the beer is served from. Ale yeast are most often used in the production of cask beers, hence the "ale" part of the appellation. One could make cask-conditioned lager beers, and indeed these were standard in the days before pressurized maturation vessel, but are now rarely seen.

"Conditioned" is brewer’s parlance for "carbonated." If a beer is said to be cask- or bottle-conditioned, that means it was allowed to develop carbonation naturally in the final package. This is most frequently done by mixing a calculated amount of yeast food (fresh wort or some form of sugar) into young beer and then sealing it in the cask or bottle."

In just two paragraphs I learned a lot. You can, too. Here's the link to the entire posting.

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Bill's eMailbox: Is my Stroh's box worth anything?

2010-08-11T09:01:00.001-07:00

Q: I have a Stroh's Beer box. I think cans came in it. It says "Owen-Illinois" and "test carton" on the back. Is this worth keeping? (My dad worked at Stroh's from 1939-1970).

-- Beverly Fulkerson

A: Judging by what I've seen at auctions, antique shows, on eBay and everywhere else, the best advice always is, "Never throw anything away." The trick is finding people who specialize in what you have.

To ascertain the possible value of your Stroh's box, I'd suggest checking two places: (1.) The Museum of Beer & Brewing, and e-mail the president here, (2.) The Beer Can Museum, and e-mail its curator here.

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Poll: Drinking moves from bars to homes

2010-08-05T13:10:00.001-07:00

• From TIME magazine

When the going gets tough, the tough, um, go drinking. That's the word from a new Gallup poll showing that 67% of Americans are hitting the bottle, the most since 1985. Another sign of challenging economic times: more and more of those rounds are happening in the kitchen, not at the corner pub.

A new report by Mintel International, a market-research firm, shows that a growing number of Americans are guzzling down wine and spirits at home as opposed to in bars and restaurants, and many are trading down to cheaper brands as they seek fiscally conscious ways to party in a sluggish economy.

[Go here for the full story.]

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NY brewer targets VT's Magic Hat

2010-08-03T14:51:00.001-07:00

Vermont's largest craft brewer may become a New York-owned entity.

Several industry sources say a deal for the ownership of Magic Hat Brewing Company to be taken on by North American Breweries of Rochester should be completed in the next few days. North American makes Genesee beer.

Magic Hat CEO Alan Newman had no comment. His company was founded in Burlington, VT, in 1994 and has become a popular craft brew, particularly throughout the Northeast, although its products are sold in 26 states.

Speaking to WCAX.com, Steve Miller of the Vermont Brewers Association, said, "Magic Hat has always had a great presence in the industry. Alan Newman, the founder, has always been an incredible industry leader, has always worked well with the Association, and we really hope if this transaction is completed, that we'll see that same kind of leadership and quality from the new owners."

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Ithaca Beer plans expansion, restaurant

2010-06-11T15:43:00.001-07:00

ITHACA, NY -- A brewery, brew pub and restaurant are included in a development proposal submitted to the Town of Ithaca.

The town planning committee last night voted to recommend that the town board give approval to Dan Mitchell, Ithaca Beer Company president and founder, for a planned development zone proposal for a site on Route 13.

Mitchell told the planning committee he wants to build the facilities on about 10 acres of the 82-acre property, and use the rest for agriculture. He said he hopes to eventually expand the brew pub into a full-fledged restaurant.

Ithaca Beer Company began coming into fruition in December 1997 when Mitchell purchased a brewing system from a Texas brewer. After renovating a structure at 606 Elmira Road, the brewery officially opened in December 1998.

The company now sells beer throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Ohio.

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American Craft Beer Week gearing up

2010-04-26T09:14:00.001-07:00

Chances are your favorite craft beer palace will be offering some specials next month. That's when the national celebration of American Craft Beer Week takes place, May 17-23.

The event will involve beer lovers, craft brewers, homebrewers, distributors and retailers in a celebration of all things beer conceived by the Brewers Association.

Participating breweries are encouraging beer enthusiasts to sign the Declaration of Beer Independence (as seen above), an official declaration to support America's small and independent craft brewers.

It is available on the American Craft Beer Week website and Facebook page. And, both breweries and homebrewers alike will brew a special recipe called American Craft Beer Wheat to celebrate.

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Michigan brewer now a busy distiller

2010-04-26T08:18:00.001-07:00

• From MLive.com

HOLLAND, MI -- Something new is brewing at the New Holland Brewing Co. The 14-year-old Michigan craft beer producer has started distilling malt whiskey, rum, vodka, gin and a new tequila-like drink called hopquila at its brewpub in downtown Holland.

"Right now, I'm a one-man distillery using a handmade, 60-gallon still the owner built," said chief distiller Dennis Downing (above right), who started in the business seven months ago after a 23-year career as a chemist. "We're small but our little still is turning out some very interesting craft spirits."

New Holland Brewery is one of 14 Michigan companies taking up the challenge of producing 80- to 110-proof distilled spirits since a change in the state law became effective in 2008.

[Go here for the full story.]

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LSU considers on-campus brewery

2010-03-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Beer and colleges go hand in hand. At Louisiana State University, that situation might become even more hands-on if a proposal to build a micro-brewery ON CAMPUS goes through.

LSU Chancellor Michael Martin, whose school regularly is named one of the nation's top party schools in campus polls, has unveiled a proposal to build a microbrewery to serve as a laboratory for food science students and a training center for aspiring brewers.

The plans are in a preliminary stage, as legal and logistical matters are studied, including how to make the beer available for sale on campus.

“I’m not even familiar with the different types, light and dark,” said Charlie Roberts, president and CEO of the LSU Alumni Association, “but we joked and said we’d make a purple-and-gold beer” — LSU’s school colors.

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A celebri-quote: Claudia Schiffer

2010-03-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

• Supermodel Claudia Schiffer, 39, and her husband, the director Matthew Vaughn, are expecting a baby girl in May. They have two children, Clementine, 5, and Caspar, 7. Claudia discussed her pre-natal nutrition with the UK's Daily Mirror newspaper.

"I'd love a beer. That's all I've been craving.

"I didn't even like it before I was pregnant. Alcohol's bad for you when you're pregnant, but I just want beer."

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Indiana eases alcohol restrictions

2010-03-21T11:52:00.001-07:00

Indiana has become the latest state to loosen some restrictions on its alcoholic beverage sales.

Under legislation overwhelmingly passed in the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Mitch Daniels, the state's bars, restaurants, microbreweries and liquor stores will, as of July 1:

• Be allowed to extend Sunday drinking hours to 3 a.m.
• Sell alcohol on Election Day.
• Conduct Sunday carryout sales at microbreweries.

The legislation, known as Senate Enrolled Act 75, also requires any establishments that have carryout sales to card all customers who appear younger than 50.

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Oklahoma's home brewers now legal

2010-03-04T10:08:00.001-08:00

Oklahomans, who already were allowed to make wine and cider for personal use, may add beer to that list.

House Bill 2348, sponsored by Rep. Colby Schwartz, was passed yesterday, allowing Oklahomans to brew up to 200 gallons, or about 80 cases, a year.

They must obtain a permit from the state liquor agency, as home wine- and beer-makers do now. Beer made for personal use would not be taxed.

A similar bill advanced in the Alabama legislature last month.

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Alabama nears OK for homemade beer, wine

2010-02-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

The Alabama Senate on Tuesday approved legislation legalizing the making of beer and wine at home for personal use. The bill now goes to the House for a vote.

The 13-6 Senate vote passed the bill sponsored by Sen. Larry Dixon, R-Montgomery.

The bill also would permit homemade wine and beer to be transported to organized tasting and judging events, although there would be a 20-gallon limit.

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Minnesota's basement brewers can rejoice

2010-02-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

Right now, it is illegal in Minnesota to make or bottle beverages in basements.

However, on Monday the state House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Monday that would allow brewing beverages commercially in the basements of buildings.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Mindy Greiling, who called the present law obsolete, probably stemming from Prohibiton days.

She said the bill came about when a constituent who was trying to lease out a space told a potential tenant it was prohibited to brew even tea in the kitchen basement of the building. That ended the potential deal.

As in most states, it already is legal in Minnesota for home brewers to brew beer for personal use.

For a look at how creative such basement brewers can be, go to the Northern Brewer forum for some examples. The image above is one of the setups, submitted by a Westchester County, NY, homebrewer.

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BarBot 2010 mixes drinks, devices

2010-02-20T12:35:00.001-08:00

You may not be able to get advice or a sympathetic ear from them, because they neither talk nor have ears. But the devices some enterprising young inventors for BarBot 2010, held at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco this week sure could crank out the drinks.

The event was put on by the same folks behind the RoboGames (formerly the RoboOlympics) extravaganza, which will be held in San Francisco in April.

I like to call this one "A Slow Pour." You can find several more on YouTube.com.

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Subway plans beer and wine in Colorado

2010-02-19T14:14:00.001-08:00

GRAND JUNCTION, CO -- Burger King, which recently opened in Miami the chain's first burger-and-beer bar, has nothing on Subway.

The sandwich shop chain will be offering both beer and wine at a new Subway sandwich shop under construction at the Grand Junction Regional Airport.

The Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority this week approved the franchise store's plans to serve alcohol when it opens on the airport terminal's second floor in May or April.

Kevin Kane, spokesman for Subway in its Milford, CT, headquarters, said alcohol is not served at stores that have street access, but there are exceptions when it's part of the lease agreement with the landlord. The airport will hold the liquor license.

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PA legislator pushes broader beer sales

2010-02-17T16:35:00.001-08:00

Buying alcoholic beverages in Pennsylvania can be a pain in the neck. So, State Sen. John C. Rafferty, R-Montgomery, wants to overhaul the state's beer laws.

Speaking at a rally attended by several hundred people at the Capitol building in Harrisburg today, Rafferty said, "This is about consumer choice. That's what we're trying to do by opening up the market."

Rafferty is pushing a bill that would allow beer distributors, supermarkets, convenience stores, and bars and taverns to sell everything from a six-pack to a case of beer. Presently, consumers are restricted to purchasing up to four six-packs only at distributors.

The bill also would require what Rafferty called "100% carding," under which consumers would always have to show identification when buying beer, no matter their age.

Establishments seeking a beer license would be required to pay a first-time $25,000 fee and an annual $2,500 renewal fee.

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Midwest craft brewer debuts rye-on-rye

2010-02-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

The Midwest's largest craft brewer has released the latest in its line of barrel-aged beers.

Boulevard Brewing Co. of Kansas City, MO, on Tuesday announced its Rye-on-Rye, the fourth in a series of limited release offerings in the Smokestack Series of artisanal beers.

The word "limited" is accurate, given that production is being limited to just 10,000 750ml bottles. It is expected to be on the market later this month.

The aging barrels were acquired last year from the Templeton Rye distillery. Two kinds of malted rye are used to make the beer, which then was aged for nearly a year in the rye barrels. It is being bottled at 11% alcohol by volume.

Boulevard Brewing's seasonal and year-round are available in 12 Midwestern states, with selected offerings sold in nine other states.

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Making ultra-strong beer, because they can

2010-02-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

A brewer in Aberdeen, Scotland, has launched what is believed to be the strongest commercial beer on the planet.

BrewDog's Sink the Bismarck ale has just been released at 41% alcohol by volume (82 proof) mere weeks after the German brewer Schorschbrau debuted a 40% abv brew called Schorschbock 40.

The new IPA costs £40 for a 330ml bottle, the equivalent of $63 US for an 11-ounce bottle.

Sink The Bismarck! will be sold only through BrewDog's website.

BrewDog is the same company that last year took flak from some corners when it unveiled its 32% abv beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin.

The company opened on Scotland's rugged northeast side in 2007. It has brews named Chaos, Rip, Dogma, Paradox, Hardcore, Punk and Trashy, giving you some insight into the collective mindset.

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Beer/wine-in-markets: OK in WA, No in OK

2010-02-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

While politicians and market forces are slugging out the matter of selling wine in New York supermarkets, a measure that would have allowed grocery stores in Oklahoma to sell wine and high-alcohol beer has failed.

The Senate Business and Labor Committee killed Senate Joint Resolution 62a measure on Monday. If it had passed, it would have gone to a public vote.

Meanwhile, in Washington state the House passed a measure Saturday night, 72-22, to allow grocery stores to offer wine- and beer-tasting events. The bill now goes to the Senate, which passed a similar measure earlier in the day. A pilot project for such tastings expired last September.

The bill passed Saturday allows grocery stores to continue to offer the tastings. Under the measure, wineries and breweries can conduct pouring, bottle signing, and other similar activities in conjunction with a tasting.

In Oklahoma, the measure was introduced by Sen. Andrew Rice of Oklahoma City, the Senate Democratic minority leader-designate. He cited the potential for economic development.

He said Oklahoma's liquor laws are antiquated and predicted his bill would have been passed in a public vote. Because the measure was killed in committee, it cannot be inserted into another measure.

Sen. Dan Newberry, R-Tulsa, said the measure had a number of problems, among them a potential increase in young people's access to alcohol. Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, said the measure was discriminatory because it was limited to Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. But, he said, he would have voted against it even if that had beem remedied.

So far, so good for new beer mag

2010-02-15T12:28:00.001-08:00

So far so good for the Beer Connoisseur Magazine.

The majority of startup magazines quickly go out of business, some after just their inaugural issue. Beer Connoisseur has announced its second edition, dated Spring 2010, nationwide on March 9, three months after its debut.

The quarterly magazine is produced in Atlanta.

Lynn Davis, founder and publisher, said, "We’ve seen an unbelievable amount of interest from beer fans far and wide since the debut issue came out. It’s obvious that The Beer Connoisseur has struck a chord, and we can’t wait to get our new issue into readers’ hands."

The spring issue will include articles by such well-known beer writers as Stephen Beaumont, Evan Rail, Bob Townsend, Carolyn Smagalski and Martyn Cornell. Among the articles will be a profile of Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery; a search for the heart of the Czech Republic’s old beer culture; accounts of beer’s recent forays into the world of fine dining, and tours of such breweries as Dogfish Head in Milton, DE, Full Sail in Hood River, OR, and Left Hand in Longmont, CO.

Along with its print edition, The Beer Connoisseur operates a website it launched last summer.

Issue No. 2 will be available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million stores around the country.

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Beer and bones, marriage in a bottle

2010-02-12T09:23:00.001-08:00

[Photo illustration by William M. Dowd]

Country singer-songwriter John Michael Montgomery knew the connection early. In his song "Beer & Bones" he lamented:

"I ain't nothin' but beer and bones
Honey since I lost you.
I ain't ate a bite
Since the night
That you said we're through."

Now comes scientific word of the connection between beer and bones, from the Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of California-Davis, no less, which suggests beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density.

Researchers studied commercial beer production to determine the relationship between those methods and the resulting silicon content. They then concluded that beer is a rich source of dietary silicon. The study also tested 100 commercial beers for silicon content.

Pardon me while I go technical on you for a moment, or skip the next paragraph.

As I understand it, silicon is present in beer in the soluble form of orthosilicic acid (OSA) which makes beer a major contributor to silicon intake in the average Western diet. Dietary silicon, in the form of soluble OSA, may be important for the growth and development of bone and connective tissue, and beer appears to be a major contributor to its intake, according to earlier research by the National Institutes of Health. Based on this, there is growing scientific agreement that moderate beer consumption may help fight osteoporosis.

"The factors in brewing that influence silicon levels in beer have not been extensively studied," said lead author Charles Bamforth. "We have examined a wide range of beer styles for their silicon content and have also studied the impact of raw materials and the brewing process on the quantities of silicon that enter wort and beer."

The researchers found little change in the silicon content of barley during the malting process. The majority of the silicon in barley is in the husk, which is not affected greatly during malting. The malts with the higher silicon contents are pale colored because they have less heat stress during the malting process. The darker products, such as the chocolate, roasted barley and black malt, all have substantial roasting and much lower silicon contents than the other malts for reasons that are not yet known.

Details of the study are contained in the February issue of The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

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NY gets its first Hops Institute

2010-02-06T16:01:00.001-08:00

The bulk of news about locally-made alcoholic beverages in New York usually deals with wine. Now, the sudsy side of the equation has something to talk about.

A coalition of forces has created the state's first Hops Institute which will hold an ongoing series of courses aimed at educating anyone involved in the grewing industry.

The Institute's first course, "Hops 101: An introduction to growing, processing and marketing hops in News York State," is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Saranac Brewery, 830 Varick Street, Utica. It is expected to be attended by current and prospective hop growers, commercial brewers, home brewers, government or agricultural extension agents and hops enthusiasts.

The Institute came about after state Assemblyman Bill Magee, D-11th District (parts of Madison, Oneida and Otsego counties), last year steered funding to the Madison County Agricultural Economic Development Program to purchase a hops harvester and start the Hops Institute. The Northeast Hops Alliance, New York State Brewers Association and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County are working with the Institute.

“I am pleased to be a part of hops returning to upstate New York," Magee said. “We have a terrific opportunity in this historic hops growing region to produce hops for local micro-breweries. I believe this initiative will be an asset to the agricultural community, leading to economic development and job creation throughout Central NewYork.”

"Hops 101" will be led by Gorst Valley Hops of Wisconsin. Gorst Valley offers knowledge and services in the growth and processing of hops to all Midwest farmers, including providing drying, pelletizing and packaging capabilities for any regional hop grower. Gorst is working to re-introduce hops to the Midwest as a viable alternative crop to help ensure their region’s brewing heritage. In addition, "Hops" 101 will feature New York hops growers and commercial brewer panels.

The course costs $75 for Northeast Hops Alliance members and $95 for non-members. The fee will cover course materials, lunch, and pizza and beer after the course. Registration is limited.

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SF Beer Week promises big stuff

2010-01-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

The annual San Francisco Beer Week is scheduled to begin next Friday, February 5, and run through Valetine's Day, Sunday the 14th.

An estimated 60 rare, limited-release beers will be popping up, along with a host of activities at multiple venues. Herewith, a small sampling:

• A music concert, live comedy, and a dozen breweries at a "Beer-In for Charity" at Cobb's Comedy Club.

• A dinner with barrel-aged beer pairings by Beer & Nosh's Jesse Friedman, with celebrity chef Jen Biesty, at Scala's Bistro.

• Nightly food pairings with Drake's Brewing Co. new Belgian Trippel at The Front Porch.

• "Beer to Breakers" bike ride with breaks at breweries in San Francisco.

• Such new beer releases as Triple Rock's Keyser Soze Imperial Stout, Gordon Biersch's Rauchbier, Special Bock and Barrel-aged Dunkles, Russian River's Pliny the Younger, Schmaltz's Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah, and Speakeasy's new collaborative beer with Whole Foods.

• "Meet the Brewers Nights" with Black Diamond, Sudwerk, Trumer, Allagash, Marin, Ballast Point, Moylan's, Triple Rock, Bear Republic, and the San Francisco Brewers Guild.

• A Peninsula pub crawl on CalTRain with Wet Your Whistles.

You can get the full rundown on the interactive events map on the website, along with details on ticketsm lodging and the like.

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German beer sales hit 20-year low

2010-01-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

Germany has long been regarded as a beer country, but that image is slipping badly.

Domestic sales last year dropped to their lowest level since 1989, according to official statistics published Thursday.

Sales of German beer dropped to just under 2.2 billion gallons in 2009, a fall of 2.8% from the prior year.

Overall, the German economy, regarded as Europe's strongest, contracted by 5% in 2009, its worst since the end of World War II.

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F.X. Matt may buy struggling microbrewery

2010-01-25T10:42:00.001-08:00

From The Buffalo, NY, News:

Almost 10 years after rolling out its first kegs, a beloved Buffalo brewery is working to save itself from extinction.

Tucked into Buffalo’s Black Rock neighborhood on Ontario Street, the tiny Flying Bison Brewing Co. has been struggling lately to stay in business. ...

Flying Bison, ... hatched in 1995 by a small group of friends, has grown into a beloved local brand that flows through more than 100 bar and restaurant taps and has seen wide distribution to grocery and convenience stores. ... But, two years ago, the price of ingredients brewers rely on started to spike. Malt prices quickly doubled. Hops tripled, then quadrupled in cost. And a marketplace of newly cost-conscious consumers meant Flying Bison couldn’t raise its own price tags to make up the difference.

Three months ago, the brewery stopped bottling the beer it had widely sold through Try-It Distributing and since then has only shipped kegs. In the meantime, [Utica's F.X.] Matt Brewing Co. has made an offer to buy Flying Bison for $100,000 plus a partial assumption of the company’s debts.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Beer, whisky and survival

2010-01-25T10:12:00.001-08:00

From The Guardian, London:

On Tuesday 12 January, Wismond Exantus was at work in the ground-floor shop of the four-storey Napoli Inn in Port-au-Prince. At 4.53pm, when the magnitude 7.0 quake hit, the 24-year-old cashier had the presence of mind to squirrel himself under a desk as the building tumbled down around him.

By Saturday, 11 days later and hours after the government declared search and rescue operations to be officially over, he was pulled alive from the rubble. The story of Exantus – the last known survivor to emerge from Haiti's shattered ruins – is a remarkable tale of crisps, beer, whisky, Twitter, a riot and a diminutive Scottish woman rescuer.

[For the rest of the remarkable story of survival, go here.]

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Have a cold one your way

2010-01-24T09:29:00.000-08:00

Burger King likes to refer to itself these days as BK. Now, the B can stand for beer with your burger.

If you're in Miami, that is. That's where the fast-food chain has opened its first "burger bar" where it is selling beer to drinking-age patrons.

The Whopper Bar South Beach is offering Whopper sandwich with Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors brews. With fries, the combo costs $7.99. A beer alone, served in special aluminum cans made for BK, costs $4.25.

This restaurant is the company's pilot project. If successful, it plans to introduce the concept in other tourist markets such as Las Vegas, ,New York and Los Angeles, according to Chuck Fallon, president of Burger King North America.

Can a wine list be far behind?

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Belgian beer blockade lifted

2010-01-24T09:22:00.001-08:00

Let the Stella flow!

Disgruntled union workers have lifted their two-week-long blockade at the Anheuser-Busch InBev brewery in Leuven, Belgium.

The stoppage, in retaliation for the corporation's announcement that it plans to lay off 10% of its workforce in Europe, affected the distribution of Stella Artois and other premium beers.

"After the blockade is lifted, the unions and management will start from scratch with meetings of the works council that will deal with problems site by site," union representative Tangui Cornu told Agence France Presse.

[Go here for the earlier explainer.]

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He'Brew broadens its market for 2 brews

2010-01-18T11:28:00.001-08:00

One of the difficulties of discovering a fine craft beer is that too often you can't find it after sampling it at a competition or other special event.

One such is Coney Island Human Blockhead, from the whimsical and marketing-savvy folks at Shmaltz Brewing Company in New York where they turn out what they call "He'Brew, The Chosen Beer."

Human Blockhead was awarded the grand prize in the "Loose Lager" category at the U.S. Tasting Championship last July 2009, and it took second place in the "Strong Lager" category at the 2009 Manitou Springs Craft Lager Festival in Manitou Springs, CO, in August.

After that, demand grew for the beer, but supply wasn't yet there to meet it. However, it will be made available nationwide from this month through May 2010.

Schmaltz brewers use eight specialty malts of barley, wheat, rye, and oats to create Human Blockhead, along with six hop varieties from European Noble roots to American Pacific Northwest new school flavors, and a proprietary lager yeast. The finished product comes in at 10% alcohol.

Schmaltz also likes to name some of its products for prominent Jewish personalities, such as satirical comic Lenny Bruce. To commemorating the 40th anniversary of the caustic-tongued icon's death, the company is re-issuing Lenny's R.I.P.A. "brewed with an obscene amount of malts and hops." It is being offered in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles as a new year-round product beginning this month.

For those not up on their amusement park history, Coney Island has been part of Brooklyn legend as a vacation spot and then amusement center since the 1830s. One of its most enduring attractions for generations was the carnival area with its sideshows and rides.

Schmaltz Brewing uses some of the more bizarre sideshow personalities that have appeared there over the years as the title characters in its lineup of brews: Sword Swallower Steel Hop Lager, Albino Python white lager with spices, and so on.

The Human Blockhead was a performer who pounded nails into his head -- or at least appeared to do so -- to the horrified amusement of all who paid to see him. The first to have the role was magician Melvin Burkhardt, who had it for 25 years, and the act continues to this day as performed by the quaintly named Donny Vomit.

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A new drama is brewing: Stella!

2010-01-15T08:28:00.000-08:00

If you're headed for Europe and plan to quaff a Stella Artois or two, think again. Supplies of the premium Belgian beer are running dangerously low and, one might project, the problem may hit the U.S. market as well.

A labor dispute over planned layoffs by Stella's manufacturer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, has resulted in workers blockading the brewery in Leuven, Belgium, for the past week to prevent beer from being shipped out.

The unions are protesting the company's plans to cut more than 250 of 2,700 jobs in Belgium.

Anheuser-Busch InBev announced this week a plan to cut 800 jobs across western Europe, 10% of its 8,000 workforce in the region. Stella Artois lager is one of the firm's biggest-selling brands

The company said its decision was a result of declining beer sales, with the layoffs spread across Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, was formed in 2008 when Belgium-based InBev bought Anheuser-Busch, the owner of Budweiser, and the largest brewer in the U.S. InBev itself was formed in 2004 when Belgian Interbrew merged with Brazil's AmBev.

[See the preceding post for an update on the global beer market.]

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What happens when the bubbles burst

2010-01-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

Here are a few excerpts from this week's news stories about the latest trials and tribulations in the global beer market:

BRUSSELS, Belgium (Dow Jones) -- Anheuser-Busch InBev said Thursday it may lay off 263 workers in Belgium because Belgians are drinking less and less beer. The world's largest brewer, based in Leuven, Belgium, said the changes were necessary to ...

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- U.S. wine and spirits maker Constellation Brands Inc. reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday as it cut costs, but investors remained concerned by the disappointing results of a joint venture with Mexico's leading brewer. The company, whose wine brands include Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois and Ravenswood, said sales of its branded wines and the beers it imports had fallen in North America. The company's sales and profit margins have suffered as many consumers seek out lower-priced drinks in the economic downturn.

LONDON (The Telegraph) -- As the recession continues, many of the country's biggest brewers have unveiled a fresh round of increases in the cost of popular beers, reports suggested. Guinness producer Diageo warned that the recommended retail price of a pint would rise 10 pence to £3.03 on February 1.

BRUSSELS, Belgium (The Telegraph) -- Brewing giant InBev has announced it will increase the wholesale price of all its drinks products by an average of 4 pence a pint from February 1. The company, whose brands include Stella Artois, Beck's, Budweiser, Staropramen and Leffe, said that the rises were "within the context of continuing difficult market conditions and a challenging economic climate."

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Long Island to be flooded by beer

2010-01-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

The 4th annual Spring Craft Beer Festival, a highlight of the beer events calendar for Long Island, NY, has been scheduled for March 27.

The event, held at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Nassau County, will draw more than 50 craft brewers from around the country, pouring samples of more than 100 brews.

The 60,000 square foot exhibit hall once again will include a beer garden with a great menu of craft beer-infused fare.

The pay-one-price admission includes a 6-ounce souvenir tasting glass. Further details and reservations are available online.

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Colorado town getting another micro-brewery

2009-12-30T12:12:00.001-08:00

Alaska once was regarded as the wild frontier of America where the entrepreneurial spirit could thrive. Colin and Shannon Westcott have reversed that trend.

When they moved to Fort Collins, CO, from Anchorage in 2005, they established Hops & Berries, a homebrew shop catering to beer and wine makers. But, that hasn't been enough for them.

Colin, who once was the head brewer at Kettlehouse Brewing Co. in Missoula, MT, is working on another project called the Equinox Brewing Co. It will operate next door to Hops & Berries at 125 Remington Street, with an April 1, 2010, target opening date. There already are several small breweries in the northern Colorado town, but Westcott plans less of a competitive venture than one that will continue to encourage homebrewers by supplying recipes with each beer it serves.

The plan is to serve British-style ales on six taps -- porter, India pale ale, red ale, golden ale and one more style to be decided.

The micro-brewery, which will not offer food, will work initially off a small production system that will brew 8½ barrels -- about 270 gallons -- at a time.

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Cape Cod Beer expands again

2009-12-30T11:50:00.001-08:00

As many brewers cut back in the face of an ongoing global economic malaise, Cape Cod Beer keeps growing.

Four new tanks were installled today at the Phinney's Lane facility in Hyannis, MA. The expansion is only natural since the brewery nearly ran out of supply in July and August.

This year, the brewery produced approximately 3,000 barrels -- about 744,000 pints -- of beer. The expansion will increase capacity by 45%, according to owners Todd and beth Marcus.

In the fall of 2006, Heavy tourism areas usually have their own food or drink that people remember year-round and can't wait to have during the next visit.

Cape Cod Beer opened in March 2006 with the motto "A Vacation In Every Pint." It almost immediately found demand outstripping supply. That fall, three new fermentation vessels were installed, doubling the facility's original production capacity.

The company, which distributes mostly in the immediate area, has added a third expression to its year-round line. Beach Blonde, a light-bodied ale, was added to Cape Cod Red and Cape Cod IPA in September.

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Japanese Space Beer finally on the market

2009-12-07T15:55:00.001-08:00

I've been updating you since 2008 on the experiment to grow barley in space, then use it to make beer. Now it can be reported: Sapporo has gone to market with the new product.

The Japanese brewer had been working with Okayama University and the Russian Academy of Science during the five-month growing project on the International Space Station to grow the barley.

The beer is selling for about $110 U.S. per six-pack.

Before you take a look at the video above, take a look at my earlier stories to help set the scene. In chronological order:

• Beers in space (5/27/2008)
• Space beer a reality (12/2/2008)

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Beer Connoisseur Magazine to debut

2009-12-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

Magazines may be going belly-up in many categories while the eocnomy stumbles along, but that isn't stopping Lynn Davis.

The founder and editor of Beer Connoisseur Magazine will see the new title debut on newsstands nationwide on Tuesday, December 8.

The quarterly magazine, published in Atlanta, is being billed as a beer guide for both novices and experts. The debut issue already has been mailed to charter subscribers.

The magazine, says Managing Editor Nick Kaye, will focus on the marriage of beer and food, with articles in the first issue on the rise of the gastropub trend, beer and cheese pairing, and other topics such as domestic and international travel. It also profiles individuals in the industry and reviews of various brews.

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Powerful Scottish beer banned in UK

2009-12-05T13:19:00.001-08:00

"Everything in moderation, including moderation itself. What logically follows is that you must, from time, have excess. This beer is for those times."

If you put that statement on your label, it should be no surprise it will anger many people.

That's what happened to BrewDog's Tokyo*, the strongest beer sold in the United Kingdom. Yesterday (December 4), it was banned from sale yesterday for promoting excessive drinking.

Tokyo* has an alcoholic content of 18.2%, roughly quadruple that of the average beers sold in the UK.

The Portman Group, the alcohol industry watchdog, said the beer breached its code on alcohol packaging. Chief Executive David Poley said: "It's obviously unwise for any company to urge consumers to drink to excess. We won't allow irresponsible marketing whether it's for a big brand or a niche product."

And Charity Alcohol Focus Scotland complained about the message on the label as well as its alcohol level.

BrewDog is located in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Its oak-aged imperial stout has been on sale since July at £10 (about $16 US) for each 330ml bottle. Only 3,000 bottles were produced.

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Boston Beer pushes higher alcohol content

2009-11-30T11:08:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you do things because they need doing. Sometimes you do them simply because you can.

In the case of the Boston Beer Co., maker of the Samuel Adams brand ... well, you make the call.

The brewer has released an updated version of its biennial beer Utopias, at $150 a bottle and 27% alcohol. It is the highest-alcohol beer on the market, and is banned in 13 states.

Go here for the Associated Press report on the controversy.

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Oh, the humanity -- and the beer!

2009-11-16T11:06:00.000-08:00

The fiery May 6, 1937, crash of the German zeppelin Hindenburg in Lakewood, NJ, is an iconic tragedy.

Most people have seen footage of the Hindenburg being engulfed in flames and being burnt to cinders in mere moments. Few people, however, known that not everything on the trans-Atlantic airship was destroyed.

A bottle of beer said to have been rescued from the crash has sold at auction in Wiltshire, England, for just over $16,000. It was one of several items picked up at the scene by Lakewood Fire Chief Leroy Smith at the time of the disaster.

Reports from people who have investigated the provenance of items say Smith found a half-dozen scorched bottles and a pitcher, which he hid for a while, then passed out to colleagues. The only other bottle still definitely known to exist was donated by Smith to the Lowenbrau brewery in 1977.

The bottle of beer, which still contains a liquid, was sold by the British auction house Henry Aldridge & Sons which specializes in disaster relics. It has been a major auctioner of Titanic artifacts.

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Maine seeks fix for tasting law glitch

2009-11-10T12:15:00.001-08:00

Picture this.

You're in Maine with a group of friends or family and want to sample a couple of beers or spirits before making your purchase.

No problem, you think. The state legislature earlier this year passed a bill authorizing stores that sell beer or liquor to hold up to a dozen public tastings a year.

Ah, but there is a problem. A last-minute amendment to that law says tastings “must be conducted in a manner that precludes the possibility of observation by children.” It has caused all sorts of complaints from stores.

As a result, Rep. Stacey Fitts, R-Pittsfield, has introduced legislation aimed at addressing the problems, a proposal that has received the unanimous support of the Legislative Council, which reviews all bills proposed for the legislative session that begins in January.

The intent of the new law was to give sellers of spirits and specialty brews the same marketing tool that has helped Maine wine shops draw additional customers. But, since it went into effect in September, vendors have gone through all sorts of machinations to keep children from seeing any tasting activities.

For example, Leslie Thistle of Bangor Wine & Cheese Co. told the Bangor Daily News she has to cover her front and back door windows with black and drape a sheet across the large storefront windows, giving her shop the feel of a speakeasy during her monthly tastings.

"The law also means that she could be found in violation if a parent with children in tow comes into her shop to purchase a bottle of wine during a tasting event," the newspaper said. "She also pointed out that there are no laws shielding children from the sight of people drinking alcohol while seated on a restaurant’s outdoor patio."

Other wine and beer shops have taken similar steps to cover their windows or discourage minors from seeing inside during an event.

“Many stores that traditionally never had a problem conducting wine tastings are being hurt by this onerous requirement,” Fitts said in a statement. “My bill would instead mandate that a sign be placed at the entrance to an establishment when an event is being held, so all patrons are aware of the taste-testing.”

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PC-compatible humidifier can be yours

2009-11-10T11:01:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but if I were in the market for a humidifier I doubt one of the criteria for choosing it would be that it looked like a beer can.

I also wouldn't be looking for it to be USB-compatible with my computer.

So, I suspect, Green-House of Japan didn't have me in mind when it designed such a device, fitted out to look like a can of German-brewed beer.

The company is charging the equivalent of $64 US for its new humidifier that simply requires you to insert a filter, fill with water and plug it into your PC via the USB port.

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Brooklyn Brewery gets boost from state

2009-11-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

A New York State economic development grant to the Brooklyn Brewery will result in a lot more of its beer hitting the market.

The current output of 8,000 barrels a year is expected to rise to as much as 50,000.

The $800,000 grant will be used as part of a planned $6.5 million project in Brooklyn's Williamsburg section. The company plans to convert 13,500 square feet of now-vacant distribution space into a beer fermentation facility. In addition, despite the high-priced real estate in the neighborhood, the continuing financial climate has driven lease prices down and the brewery just signed a 15-year lease .

Steve Hindy, brewery founder, told The New York Times, “When the recession hit in, like, August or September last year, all of a sudden the landlords here in Williamsburg were looking much more favorably on us as a long-term tenant."

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The suds aren't all in the glass

2009-10-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Beer lovers often complain they can't get enough of their favorite quaff. A Chicago microbrewery has taken a big step toward satisfying that thirst.

The Half Acre Beer Company is selling a soap at its brewery store that lists beer as a major ingredient. It better be, for $6 a bar.

The soap was invented by Jim Gregory, 22, a college student who says "macronutrients" in the beer are good for the skin and hair.

Gregory, whose company is called Grandma Gee's, said the soap also contains lavender, bergamot and menthol. None of that beery smell.

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Sacramento brewer cuts it short

2009-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

When Peter Hoey, brewmaster at the Sacramento (CA) Brewing Company, decided to close the doors on the establishment, he didn't linger over his goodbyes.

A sign posted on the door read simply: "Closed Due to the Economy."

And, on his blog, he posted this brief message: "I'll keep this blog short. Just wanted to thank everyone for all their support over the last 15 years. Some amazing friends have been made and great times have been had at Sacramento Brewing. As of today, we have closed the doors for good. PLEASE support your local breweries, the numbers are dwindling in Sacramento as we have lost three breweries in the last year alone and not for lack of quality. We have multiple Great American Beer Festival award winning breweries making world class beer right in your back yard, please think of them the next time you are buying beer at the grocery store or deciding where to have a pint."

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State bellys up for brooklyn Brewery

2009-10-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

New York State, or rather its taxpayers, are handing over $800,000 to the Brooklyn Brewery to assist the company's $6.5 million expansion project.

The money, according to founder Steve Hindy, will be used to help convert 13,500 square feet of currently vacant distribution space into a fermentation facility.

That should help the company increase production from 8,000 to 50,000 barrels a year.

The grant is part of the state's Downstate Revitalization Fund.

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U.S./German brew on the drawing board

2009-10-26T14:49:00.001-07:00

Boston's Samuel Adams and Germany's Weihenstephan Brewery are teaming up to jointly create a new style of beer next spring.

Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams beers, said in an announcement:

"The Weihenstephan Brewery is a mecca for brewers and people around the world who are passionate about beer and brewing. No brewer can stand at the site of this brewery without feeling a sense of reverence for what has been done here. It is a great honor to work together on this mission to explore the limits of the Reinheitsgebot and to brew a beer that represents the platinum standard in the art of brewing."

Josef Schradler, managing director of Weihenstephan, took a shot at topping that hyperbolic statement by saying:

"This journey we've embarked on with Samuel Adams is unprecedented in the beer world. We are making history with Jim and his team of brewers; turning our traditional brewing techniques on their head will result in an innovative beer that is ground breaking, delicious and unique."

Whatever they come up with is to be introduced in the U.S. and Germany next spring in cork-finished bottles. The champagne-like beer will be about 10% alcohol by volume.

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A celebri-quote: George Wendt

2009-10-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

• Actor George Wendt, who gained TV fame as Norm the beer drinker on the sit-com "Cheers," has a new book out called “Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional’s Guide to Beer." He's been making the rounds of TV and radio talk shows as well as print outlets. Here's one of his stock quips.

“Beer has been very good to me.

“I wanted to give something back, so this is for the children. You don’t want them to learn how to shotgun from their peers. You want them to learn it from a responsible adult in a book.”

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Party animal caught in a cooler

2009-10-18T20:50:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just gotta have a cool one.

In Hayward, WI, the other day the beer-seeker was a 125-pound black bear that wandered into a grocery store via the automatic doors, climbed 12 feet up on a shelf in the beer cooler, and sat there for about an hour.

Eventually staff from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources showed up and tranquilized the bear so it could be hauled away.

Store employees said the well-behaved bear did not consume any beer.

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