The Return

 

So after rather long hiatus from tending to the Beerattitude blog, I'm now somehow inspired to make a return. When I first began writing about Craft Beer over 14 years ago, the business was a completely different beast. Brewers then were inspired to make their mark in the world by pushing the boundary's of brewing. They wanted to challenge the well established "macro" brewery philosophy of mastering lowest common denominator beer. Beer's that were being produced then were fresh, creative, flavorful and most importantly, brewed from the heart. This was exciting time to be a part of the craft beer business. With popularity, came more craft beer drinkers. With more drinkers came more breweries. And then as it does, "business" reared it's ugly head. More brewers and more breweries all across the country. Craft Beer went from the fringes, to shelves in every grocery store, bodega, bar and restaurant in major cities and backwoods neighborhood bars. The exceptionally high standards for quality beer, soon were replaced by a flood of mediocre marginal quality Ales and Lagers. Over-hopped IPA's that are nothing more than bitter bombs. Completely unbalanced and undrinkable. Then the desire to include myriad of wacky adjunct ingredients, so brewers could try to replicate flavors that have absolutely nothing to to do with beer. Do we really have this burning desire to drink "Cotton Candy", "Fruit Loop", "Slushy" and " Pickle" beers? Come the fuck on. And the repetitive trend of  brewing the same  ridiculous style as the last guy brewed, only because the next brewer thought he could do it better. No need for it! 

Well folk's, in the new incarnation of this blog we'll address that, and more. Completely unbiased and unfiltered. I'm a way too old to care about what ya think on anything related to beer or music. And if I create some mayhem along the way, then maybe, just maybe, I woke someone up to the merits of a true-to-style "Amber Ale". Figuratively speaking of course.  I've always said to new brewers, "If ya get into this business, be ready for someone to call your baby ugly".  ... and  I'm still okay with that.  

Cheers! 

 

Brewed In Chicago Launches Indiegogo Campain

 Ever thought what it would be like to create your own Craft Beer? Not a homebrew, but a beer that would actually be produced in an American craft brewery, by professional brewers. If the folks at "Brewed In Chicago" have a successful Indiegogo campaign, you might have a chance to do just that.

Have a look at their idea, contribute, and you could be the next Great "Arm Chair Craft Brewer"!

2014 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Release

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GOOSE ISLAND AMPS UP BOURBON COUNTY BRANDS BLACK FRIDAY RELEASE

The Chicago-based, Pioneers of Barrel-aged Brewing to Host Epicurean Events in Nine Select Cities

CHICAGO, (Oct. 20, 2014) – On Friday, November 29, Goose Island, Chicago’s famed craft beer company, will release their renown Bourbon Country Brand Stout (BCBS) line up of barrel-aged beers through special beer-centric Black Friday events in nine cities including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Jacksonville, Fla., Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Francisco. Black Friday has become a beer drinker’s holiday and a true reminder that good things come to those that wait (literally). It’s almost that time, the moment beer fans have been waiting an entire year for, the chance to get their hands on this year’s flock of Goose Island’s award-winning barrel-aged beers.

“The magic of our Bourbon County Brand Stout is the time and unpredictable weather conditions our beer experiences in the belly of each hand-picked bourbon barrel,” said Brett Porter, Brewmaster at Goose Island Beer Company. “Our brewers, much like our fans, are passionate about Bourbon County and we’re counting down the days until Black Friday when we can all enjoy the new variants of the Bourbon County family.”

As the pioneer in the art of aging beer in bourbon barrels, the Goose Island barrel program has set the industry standard, swiftly becoming one of the world’s largest barrel-aged beer producers. First crafted in 1992, the brewery continues to push the limits of their lauded Bourbon County Brand through diverse variants, including Coffee, Barleywine, Vanilla Rye and a special release just for Chicago. The Friday after Thanksgiving, beer fanatics can now share in the tradition by enjoying the 2014 batch of Bourbon County. This year’s variants include the following:

• Bourbon County Brand Stout: The Original, a liquid as dark and dense as a black hole. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than an average case of beer. Available nationally in four and 24-packs in 12-ounce bottles.

• Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout: Everyday Goose Island smells the wonderful coffee roasting next to the brewery at Chicago's Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea. This world class roaster puts the same passion and skill into their coffee as Goose Island does with its beer. This excellent stout is made with a different coffee from the friends next door each year. With the change in coffee comes a change in the flavor profile, making each release truly unique from the previous years. The 2014 incarnation features Rwandan coffee. Available in four and 24-packs 12-ounce bottles nationally.

• Bourbon County Brand Barleywine: Aged in the third-use barrels that were once home to Kentucky bourbon and then the renowned Bourbon County Stout, this traditional English-style barleywine possess the subtlety of flavor that only comes from a barrel that’s gone through many seasons of ritual care. The intricacies of the previous barrel denizens – oak, charcoal, hints of tobacco and vanilla, and that signature bourbon heat – are all present in this beer. Hearty and complex, Bourbon County Brand Barleywine is a titan and a timeline; a bold, flavorful journey through the craft of barrel aging. Available in four and 24-packs of 12-ounce bottles.

• Vanilla Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout: First brewed for the legendary festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer in Chicago, drinkers enjoyed this Bourbon County variant so much Goose Island bottled it the next year (2010). People flocked to stores to get their hands on a bottle and have this one of a kind barrel aged stout. Over the years that followed fans express their love for this version so Goose Island is extremely proud to bring it back in 2014. This year’s version features twist of aging the stout in Rye Whiskey barrels instead of bourbon hand-picked from four different distilleries. Each rye barrel features a two pound mix of Mexican and Madagascar vanilla beans. This limited Vanilla Rye will be available nationwide in 22-ounce bottles.

• Proprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout: The second annual release of Proprietor’s is aged in Rye Whiskey barrels and features panela sugar, made into syrup with coconut water, Cassia bark and cocoa nibs. This variant is meant to show Goose Island’s immense gratitude to their neighbors in Chicago – the loyal and adventurous fans whose support helped bring Bourbon County Brand Stout to towering new heights. Each year this release will differ from the previous year; a special variant created for Chicago and unique to the year it was released. Available only in Chicago, in 22-ounce bottles.

This is the fifth year Goose Island is releasing Bourbon County Brands on Black Friday. In 2013, at the release event in Chicago, more than 500 people lined up to experience the Bourbon County phenomena firsthand. In 2014, with special Black Friday events in additional cities featuring unique collaborations with local artisans from coffee roasters to donut makers, the company expects an even greater turnout.

To learn more about Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brands and the Black Friday event locations in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Jacksonville, Fla., Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco; visit www.gooseisland.com, Facebook , Twitter (@GooseIsland) and Instagram (@gooseIslandbeer).

About Goose Island

Founded in Chicago in 1988, Goose Island is one of the most successful craft breweries in the Midwest and produces some of the most popular, and award winning, beers in the U.S. Since 1989, Goose Island beers have won a variety of awards at acclaimed beer events including the World Beer Championships, World Beer Cup, European Beer Star, World Expo of Beer and the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). For more information, visit www.gooseisland.com.

SweetWater Hop Hash

Oh Yeah! Look what's coming.....

Second Line Brewing Co.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Please welcome New Orleans newest Craft Brewery..

Anchor Brewing's Fritz Maytag

 Fritz Maytag left his mark on the craft brewing business, long before it became an industry...

Newcastle Releases "Teaser" For Their UpComing Super Bowl Ad

Not Enough Beer To Go Around?

 So you're absolutely perplexed as to why it's so hard to get that elusive single batch or limited edition beer at your favorite bottle shop. Maybe you've even had to wait hours in line, at the crack of dawn, in the freezing cold, only to get to the front of the line and find out that store was sold out. 

 Retailer's all across the country are faced with the challenge of just how to secure these prized beers for their customers. What makes it more frustrating for them is in states like California, where it is illegal for beer distributors to "allocate" beer products, large chain retailers seem to get more than their fair share, often times completely shutting out the small guy. These larger grocery and liquor chains have ordering systems which allow them to electronically send their order directly to the distributor, thus allowing them access to everything in the distributors portfolio. And yes, that can include limited edition beers as well. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. This story isn't as simple as you may think.

 Although the Macro brewer's are the bread and butter for the distributor they have little control over where the independent craft brewer's beer goes. The Big Boy's have "Chain Account Managers." who specifically call on large grocery chains, box stores and liquor chains. Their main concern is the distribution of their "core brands" i.e. Bud, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light etc. They only influence the distribution and sale of their own craft brands such as Shock Top, Blue Moon, Red Hook, Goose Island etc.

 Larger craft breweries such as Dogfish Head, Rogue, Stone, SweetWater, Boulder Beer and such, may also have Chain Managers, but they as well only influence distribution of their own product. A lot of smaller breweries don't have chain people. For Craft Chain Managers, most of their time is spent making sure they merely have their product on the shelf or are being featured in the weekly ad. They deal directly with the buyers for the chain stores, usually focusing on distribution and placements of their flagship brands. Limited edition and single batch beers rarely are a topic of discussion at this level unless it's a key liquor chain.

Some of the supply issues can be tied to distribution practices. Some can be associated with how much of the beer is actually produced and how much the brewery releases to its distributors So, here's kinda how it works....

Craft brewers sign distribution agreements with local area distributors. These brewers require the distributor to provide the brewery with a projected number of cases of a specific beer they wish to purchase. This number is based on the number of cases the distributor believes they can sell over certain period of time. The Brand Manager for the distributor handles all these projections, for all the brewers flavors. The brewer collects all these forecasts, from each distributor, so they know "about" how much beer to produce. Brewers also hold distributors to the fire to actually purchase their forecasted quantities.

 All quantities received at the distributor are always based on what the brewery calls the "yield". This is the actual volume of beer that was generated during the brewing process. Yes it can very from batch to batch. If the yield was smaller than what the brewery anticipated then the brewery may cut the forecasted number of cases shipped to the distributor. This normally is not an issue with flagship flavors, but can be a major factor when it comes to limited ed., single batch and seasonal beers. The distributors Brand Manager is at the center of decisions made on which and how many cases are made available to retailers. Then it's the distributors sales force who actually places the order for the customer. The Brand Manager also works in conjunction with the distributors Sales Managers and, if they have, their Craft Brand Sales Managers to determine which accounts are eligible to receive the brewers limited ed. and single batch beers.

 Okay, how do you determine eligibility? Well this lies in the customers business relationship with both the distributor and brewer. If a customer is loyal to both parties, meaning they regularly carry all the brewers "focus" flavors; always has that brewery's beer on tap; has a history of purchasing a large number of cases from that brewer each year; and additional has worked with the distributor on features and promotions, then yes they will be top-of-mind to get prized beers.

 Lastly, the distributor is solely responsible for what are called "depletions". The brewery does not take back beer. If the distributor has a surplus of unsold product, they are likely to sell it to higher volume retailers who can move it quickly. 

 This may not seem like a fair system, but it's what we all have to deal with, as a result of the growing popularity of Craft Beer. Some states are not as restricted as others, making the availability of limited and single batch beers more accessible. Some smaller retailers and bottle shops have taken the position that if they can't get enough of these beers to satisfy at least a portion of their consumers, then they'd rather get nothing at all and avoid any negative backlash. 

 We'd like to hear your comments and stories on what you have gone through to get limited edition beers. Was it easy or difficult? Did you get shut out? You can use the comment box below.

 Cheers!
  

BrewDog Releases "Mix 8" & "How to Disappear Completely"

The awesome Mix Tape 8 our amped up, blended, barrel-aged triple IPA & the second outing of our killer imperial mild, How To Disappear Completely.

 An epic fusion of age old Belgian tradition, American new wave brewing and the world of Scotch whisky.

Mix Tape 8 is a blend of two huge oak aged beers – half a hopped up Belgian Tripel, and half a Triple India Pale Ale. These beers have both been aged in single grain whisky barrels for close to two years and finally blended to create a beer that our head brewer Stewart Bowman can most helpfully describe as ‘fucking complex’.

First seen back in 2009, How to Disappear Completely is back – but with a few new moves.

We’ve dubbed this 2.8% beer an ‘imperial mild’ because it’s mild on alcohol but unquestionably imperial on flavour. Dry hopped with Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo this is an ale with a big character that belies its small ABV.

Karl Staruss Set To Release "Oktoberfest"

San Diego, CA – Karl Strauss Oktoberfest is a labor of love created with almost two tons of Vienna, Munich, and Carahell malts hand-milled into each batch to make this award winning seasonal entry.  Unlike most beers that begin with base malt and add specialty malts for flavor, this version is made from 100% specialty malts.  To balance out the richness from the malts, the brewers stayed true to tradition using imported European Hallertau Perle hops for a spicy finish.  The characteristic toasty, nutty flavor has created a cult following in California, where fans eagerly await its annual return.
This year, Karl Strauss is brewing more than 25 batches to keep up with demand.
“People love this beer and to date we’ve already sold more Oktoberfest in Northern California than we anticipated selling this entire season.  We plan on brewing 20% more than we did last year,” says Paul Segura, Brewmaster, Karl Strauss Brewing Company. Weighing in at 5% ABV, this exceptional session lager is a great complement to traditional Oktoberfest fare, including grilled meats, burgers, and of course, sausages.

Karl Strauss Oktoberfest is available in six-packs and on draft across California while supplies last.  Since Oktoberfest is brewed in tribute to the world’s biggest beer party, the company is hosting “Karlfest” at its tasting room, complete with a local food truck and Oktoberfest steins. For more information about Karl Strauss Oktoberfest and Karlfest, visit www.karlstrauss.com/brewery. Share it. Prost.

• Specs:
• 5.0 % ABV
• 15 SRM
• 20 IBU

Label Copy:
We brew Oktoberfest in tribute to the world’s biggest beer party. Vienna and Munich malts produce the deep golden color, nutty undertones, and toasted malt flavors characteristic of this renowned Bavarian beer style. Perle hops imported directly from the Hallertau region of Germany give the beer a smooth balanced finish. This celebratory lager puts the ‘fest’ in the month of October.

Karlfest at the Tasting Room:

• October 5, 2013
• Half Liter commemorative steins – $10 keep the glass, fill with any beer.
• The Dog Shack food truck, featuring “The Rottweiler” – Bratwurst slow-cooked in local craft beer topped with house-made sauerkraut.
• Tasting Room: 5985 Santa Fe Street, San Diego, CA 92109

About Karl Strauss Brewing Company:
Karl Strauss Brewing Company has pioneered the San Diego beer scene since 1989 with innovative beer releases and award-winning favorites like Red Trolley Ale and Tower 10 IPA.  The company took home 23 medals in 2012 and is currently ranked #39 on the list of the country’s top craft breweries with sole distribution in California.  2013 is on pace to be another exciting year of double-digit sales growth, with the brewery now open to the public and a new brewery restaurant slated for this fall.  For more information visit www.karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.  Share it. Cheers.

Press release courtesy of  http://www.karlstrauss.com  9/26/13

 

Hood River Hops Fest 2013

Hood River Hops Fest Goes All Fresh-Hops for 2013

     Hood River, OR—Fresh-hopped beer will be the main attraction at this year’s 10^th annual Hood River Hops Fest on Saturday, September 28, 2013. And this year for the first time all the festival beers will be from fresh hops—with 44 breweries participating, showcasing 65 fresh-hop beers.  (See brewery list here.) An expanded menu of local culinary favorites, a host of arts and crafts vendors, a great selection of Gorge wines, a children’s play area, and a day-long lineup of live music guarantees fun for the entire family.

     The Hood River Hops Fest runs from Noon- 9pm and is situated in downtown Hood River, Oregon between 5^th and 7^th streets and Cascade and Columbia streets. Visitors can supplement their beer tasting with great local cuisine, from wood-fired pizza to American pub fare to vegetarian dishes. This year’s musical lineup features The Poor Sports, Tess Barr Band, Big City Wind Down, and Tony Smiley. 

    Those 21 and over are invited to enter two contests offering VIP passes to the Hood River Hops Fest, along with other goodies. One contest features a recipe sweepstakes and the other is a simple Facebook sign-up to win contest.                                                              

        NEW THIS YEAR, attendees may pre-purchase tickets at Brown Paper Tickets to secure quicker entry into the event. Also new is the VIP TICKET, which allows entry at 11pm for an early preview of the beers. 

      “Hops Fest started as a tribute to the great, fresh-hopped microbrews of the Pacific Northwest, and that still is the reason that thousands of people attend,” said Ashley Huckabee, Event Coordinator of the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the event.

Admission is as follows:

·         21 and over:

o    $10 General Admission includes beer-tasting stein and 4 taste tokens

o    $20 VIP Admission allows early (11am) entry into the event to preview the beers, and includes a beer-tasting stein and 8 taste tokens

o    $1 each for additional taste tokens

·         Wine drinkers and designated drivers: $4.00

·         20 and under: Free and welcome until 5pm

NOTE: Children are welcome throughout the afternoon until 5pm. The venue is open to adults only from 5pm until closing at 9pm.

“Hops Fest in Hood River has become a well-loved annual tradition for beer lovers, both local and from around the world,” said Huckaby. “It’s an event that brings a great group of people to downtown Hood River, and one the Chamber looks forward to every year.”

For information about beer vendors and event updates as they occur, follow the event on the Hood River Hops Fest Facebook page, #HRHops13 on Twitter, or visit the Hood River Hops Fest website.  

The Hood River County Chamber supports economic and tourism development for the region and provides promotional programs to its 430 members. As a county-wide organization, it supports businesses, organizations, and governmental agencies in Cascade Locks, Hood River, Parkdale, Odell, Pine Grove, and Mount Hood-Parkdale.  

Almanac Beer Co. Latest Release Dogpatch Sour

 Almanac Beer Co. is quickly making a name for themselves throughout the Northern California Craft Beer community.  Almanac was founded in 2010 by Jesse Friedman and Damian Fagin. Both began as successful homebrewers who partnered to create a brewery focused on partnerships with Northern California's sustainable farming community. Their motto "Beer Is Agriculture" is in keeping with "Farm to Table" philosophy of creating unique beers using ingredients harvested by locally owned family farms.

"Before brewing ever begins, we collaborate on ideas for interesting, unusual and seasonal beers. Once we’ve settled on that idea, we carefully select our partner farm focusing on small family run operations, just like us. Then we start with the basics.Water, malt, yeast and hops are combined to create a balanced beer with equal parts sweet and bitter. Then the fruit is added, so that the hungry yeast can eat the sugars in the fruit as well.  This creates a beer that has all of the flavors of the fruit, without overbearing sweetness.  All of our base recipes are rooted in, but not limited to, classic beer styles and brewed in very small batches."

Dogpatch Sour was created in the Flanders Red style then aged for eight months in oak wine barrels. The beer is built around a Belgian Red, then locally raised cherries are added. It's yeast is a blend of Belgian and  American. The beer comes in at 7.5% and will be available in 375ml bottles and on draught. Cheers!

For more info visit: Almanac Beer Co.

"Craft Beer" ..a Hopumentary

Widmer Brothers Alchemy Ale

Widmer hits the streets of the Southeast with the release of their newest offering "Alchemy Ale". Categorically this will land under the heading of American Pale Ale. Don't let that throw you, Alchemy Ale is one a great choice for the warm summer months. This is a wonderful rich golden pale ale with a frothy off white head. Strong grassy aromatics with hints of citrus are a result of Widmer's unique blend of Warrior, Millennium and Horizon hops. This beer has a light, crisp and refreshing malt base comprised of Pale, Caramel, Munich and Vienna Extra Special. The malt backbone creates the perfect canvas with the hops providing the pallet color. Widmer's balance of hop and malt is what really makes this beer appealing. At 5.8% ABV Alchemy Ale is just outside my "sessionable" range, but let this not deter you from drinking a really good beer. Cheers!

Beer Culture the Movie

 Beer Culture the Movie tells the story of the hardworking men and women in the Colorado Craft Beer culture as they come together to defeat legislation that could greatly harm the successful craft beer industry within the state.



For more information visit: Crafting A Nation

2013 American Craft Beer Week May 13-19

Sixpoint Launches Downtown Orlando

 Sixpoint Brewery from Brooklyn NY, launches their brands in true Big Apple style with a "16 Tap Takeover" event at Downtown Orlando's Tap & Grind. The event is Tuesday April 30th beginning at 7pm at the Tap & Grind located at 59 W. Central Blvd Orlando, Florida. Sixpoint Brewery founder Shane Welch will also be in attendance to meet fans and discuss his beers. This is an event not to be missed. For more info contact the Tap & Grind at: 407-455-1100. Cheers!

Uncovering the Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Mystery

  In an effort to unravel the social media confusion surrounding Rogue's Voodoo Doughnut beers I would like to point out that Rogue has just released a second beer based on an offering from the Oregon craft doughnut pioneers, Voodoo Doughnut. Okay, this will also be a drinking game. Every time I mention "voodoo" in this article you have to drink a shot of your preferred Rogue distilled spirit. You should be 3 shots in by now (not really but I thought it was funny). Now back to our regularly scheduled program!

 For those of you who may not be that familiar, a few years back Rogue Ales released a beer based on a doughnut. Yes a doughnut. And not just any doughnut mind you, but a Voodoo Doughnut. Voodoo Doughnut is a popular doughnut shop, with various locations throughout the Portland area. Rouge's first beer was "Bacon Maple Porter" which later became "Bacon Maple Ale". The cult popularity of that offering spurned the beer's distribution to other markets outside Oregon.   

 With the success of Bacon Maple Ale, Rogue has gone back to the drawing board to create another beer with a voodoo profile. This time it's "Chocolate, Peanut Butter Banana Ale". This ale has an immense amount of Banana and Chocolate on the nose with a chocolaty nutty roasted malt flavor. It's has hints of bitter sweet chocolate and lingering notes of banana in the aftertaste. I should point out that unlike Bacon Maple Ale it has no "smoke" flavoring. So if you didn't find Bacon Maple appealing, I would suggest giving "Chocolate, Peanut Butter Banana Ale" a try.

 So how can you tell difference between the two bright pink bottles on the shelf at your local bottle shop? Well, here's a few things to look for: First, one says 'Bacon Maple Ale" on the label and the other says "Chocolate, Peanut Butter Banana Ale. Second, one has images of pigs and maple leaves in the background, and the other has images of bananas, chocolate bars and peanut butter jars.  It's just that simple! Now go out an get yourself a Rogue Voodoo Doughnut "Chocolate, Peanut Butter Banana Ale". Cheers!

Looking for info, then visit: ROGUE ALES and VOODOO DOUGHNUT

Fort Collins Brewery Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat

This Sunday sampling takes us to Colorado, Fort Collins to be exact and the home of Fort Collins Brewery. Today's selection was plucked from their variety 12 pack aptly named "Brewers Lunchbox". "Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat Ale" is a twist on the classic American Wheat Ale. Brewed with real pomegranate juice, this filtered wheat beer pours bright gold in color with a traditional white head. It's flavor is tart and tangy, with a fruity sweetness. Major Tom has strategically left any of the common wheat beer characteristics such as banana, clove or coriander sitting on the dock. The beer is crisp, light and refreshing which makes it a perfect choice on those warm sunny days in the Southern Hemisphere. So be sure to book a flight with Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat. Cheers!


For Flight Schedules and Booking Information visit: Fort Collins Brewery

Cigar City Brewpub On The Horizon

  One of Florida's premier breweries, Cigar City, is just days away from opening their first gastropub. The traget date is April 1 (yeah no fool'n). Located at 15491 N Dale Mabry Highway in Northdale, a suburb of Tampa, Cigar City will occupy a newly renovated building once home to a T.G.I. Friday's. The brewpub's menu will be blend of traditional Cuban cuisine with a Floridian twist. And what would a gastropub be without beer? Founder and CEO Joey Redner has assured us that you will be able to find all the Cigar City staples in addition to a selection or beers that are unique and only available at this new location.