May 10th, 2008
The Washington Post ran a clever piece they called beer madness, which pitted 32 American beers against one another in a blind tasting test. That’s not so unusual, what is unusual is that they ran the tests in pairs, creating a “bracket” of beer contests. The eventual winner was somewhat surprising to me - Brooklyn Lager - as were some of the results from the match-ups. Brooklyn Lager certainly had an easy start of it, being pitted against Coors in the first round, and I’m not sure how Saranac Pale Ale bested DogFish Head.
In any case, it’s an interesting way to taste test beers.
Tags: beer, bracket, Brooklyn Lager, NCAAShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 9th, 2008
I did a search for a Mother’s Day beer recommendation and I didn’t find a whole lot. What I did find was actually a little surprising - an Oregon brewery which has designated it’s newest doppelbock a mother’s day beer. Without being all too sexist about it, I don’t really think of a mother when I think doppelbock, in fact I think of large Bavarian men in Lederhosen. I also think of March or April, since that’s the traditional time of year for these strong, high alcohol beers. Finally, my wife (and resident mother) doesn’t care for them, which is probably the most important reason of all.
Here are my five Mother’s Day beer choices, for no particular reason:
1. Ephémére, an ale brewed with a hint of apple
2. Harp, because my wife likes it
3. Chimay white label
4. Stoudt’s Scarlet Lady Ale
5. Left Hand’s Milk Stout
Magic Hat’s Mother Lager is now discontinued, so it can’t make the list. What is your favorite mother drinking for Mother’s Day?
Tags: beer, mother's dayShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 9th, 2008
So, does anyone really think Rob Riggle drinks Bud? For more on the silliness of the major breweries’ ad campaigns, check out this post from Philly’s own Joe Sixpack.
Tags: beer, budweiser, Rob RiggleShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 8th, 2008
So, if you were interested in the recent post I did on Pabst blue ribbon, you may well be interested in this as well, although it’s rather long. It’s an interesting look into the dynamics of Pabst’s products and marketing today, which doesn’t necessarily paint the most rosy of pictures for the venerable brewer. In fact, according to the article, “brewer” isn’t even the right word any more, since PBR contracts out all of its brewing. If that’s the case, PBR is more a holding company for some aged brands, some valuable, some not, combined with a marketing (or anti-marketing) arm to sell the stuff. Interesting turnaround for what was once one of the world’s largest breweries.
image from www.sudswineandspirits.com
Tags: beer, Brewery, Brewing, pabstShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 7th, 2008
Since yesterday was a primary, I somehow have politics on my mind, so I thought I’d try to figure out whether any of these candidates have earned the vote of the craft brew drinker.
Apparently, Obama purports to be a beer guy, at least according to this post. That’s not to say he has good taste - the jury’s still out on that, since he was careful to check that Yuengling wasn’t a “designer beer” before downing one in a Pennsylvania bar. Of course, there is a beer named after him, sort of anyway, but no word on whether it’s any good.
Meanwhile, Hilary is either a Crown Royal drinker or she’s pandering - what, a presidential hopeful pandering? She did chase it down with a beer, although I haven’t seen any reports telling which brewery, so that’s not much help either.
Of course, John McCain’s political fortunes have been funded largely by beer, given that his wife is hieress to a multi-million dollar Anheuser Busch distributor in Arizona, McCain’s adopted home state. Anheuser Busch has apparently also thrown some cash into the kitty as well, but the beers are unfortunately still pretty lame.
In any event, it appears that beer has played a starring role in this election, whether behind the scenes or in front of the camera, but there’s no indication that it’s good beer. Anyone out there know whether any of our candidates are worthy, at least from a beer perspective?
Tags: Barack Obama, beer, election, Hilary Clinton, John McCain, politics, president, primaryShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 6th, 2008
For those who didn’t notice, the Pabst Blue Ribbon brand, long a mainstay of the lunchbox-toting working class, has made a comeback in the last few years, becoming the beer of choice for the anti-establishment wannabes in many urban settings. Trading on a sense of nostalgia and simplicity, they’ve managed to make a mediocre beer quite trendy. Here’s an interesting take on that success, which may well be waning at this point.
Interesting to me is that Pabst is clearly trying to build on it with the other brands it has picked up over the years, including the venerable Schlitz, Blatz, and Philly’s own Schmidt’s. Check this out.
Tags: beer, pabstShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 5th, 2008
So this priest walks into a bar … #4
I have often been struck by the similar roles played by priests and bartenders. In many ways our jobs are the same. We both listen to people talk about their problems, we both offer advice and mediate disputes and we both try to give folks a sense of comfort. It is not at all uncommon for someone in a bar, upon learning about my vocation to begin unburdening their soul to me.
It is worth noting that this pattern of behavior is not limited to bars, it happens in the park, at the grocery store and waiting in line at the DMV too. Once, a car salesman all but abandoned his efforts to sell me a car in favor of telling me about his pain and longing to be a musician.
Anyway, the bar/confessional scenario happens frequently enough that I have to wonder if we wouldn’t get a higher participation rate if we just pulled the confessional out of church and set it up next to the jukebox instead. But onto the story that inspired me to write this…
The other night I was enjoying a few beers and ran into someone that I knew but hadn’t seen in some time. After alternating catching up and discussing the various craft beers that were available (Hook and Ladder, Oskar Blues, Erie and Brooklyn- in case you care I liked the Brooklyn 1 and the H&L Backdraft Brown). But then out of the blue my friend said, “I gotta tell you, I almost blew it last night.” I asked what they meant. Apparently they were at a party and ran into an old flame. This is significant because they are soon to be married and moreover, their fiance was out of town.
According to the story this was not just a meeting… as it turns out, the old flame came on hot and heavy. My friend was tempted but did not succumb. I must confess that I was surprised… not because my friend was tempted but rather because this is never the kind of confession I get to hear. In fact, it is really gratifying to be pleasantly surprised by one of these impromptu confessions.
Much more often, they end up making me sad and tired and just generally detracting from the enjoyment that I hoped to get out of my trip to the tavern. That doesn’t mean that I resent hearing them or will refuse to hear them in future… it goes along with the job, even when I am off the clock. People will always need to get stuff off their chest and sometimes the bar is just the place to do it. I know it won’t be long till the next time someone tells me their sins or troubles over a pint.
Tags: bar, beer, confession, priestShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 4th, 2008
I recently stumbled across this webpage from the Wisconsin Historical Society profiling an original Schotz brewery smock from the Laverne and Shirley show, a 70’s sitcom hit set in Milwaukee. For those who don’t recall, the show revolved around two bottle-cappers from the fictional Shotz brewery, Laverne and Shirley, and their two foils, Lenny and “Squiggy.” Lenny and Squiggy are also employed by the brewery, as truck drivers.
My beerSmarts triva cards state that the Milwaukee brewery Blatz was the inspiration for the brewery, whereas the Wikipedia entry on Laverne and Shirley (more credibly, in my mind) suggests that it was Schlitz, noting that the women lived on a real street in Milwaukee not far from the Schlitz brewery. Of course, for all I know that’s actually close to the Blatz brewery as well.
The funny thing is, given the way our sense of morals has swung of late, I’m not sure the American public would accept such a beer-centric family program today. Instead, beer is typically the object of satire, as is the case with the Simpsons Duff beer or Drew Carey’s Buzz.
I don’t watch all that much TV any more, so tell me if I’m wrong, please.
image courtesy of Wikipedia, © 2006 Sulfur
Tags: beer, blatz, Brewery, duff, Laverne and Shirley, milwaukee, schlitz, shotz, The SimpsonsShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
May 3rd, 2008
Shopping yesterday at Wegmans, I saw a Yuengling Lager Hot Sauce. I decided to check it out online before buying a bottle and - nothing. Not a mention on Yuengling’s site, or Wegman’s either.
Has anyone tried this?
Tags: beer, hot, lager, sauce, yuenglingShare This
By Chris -- 2 comments
May 2nd, 2008
Naming conventions for beer are a little peculiar to say the least. The Märzen, or March beer, is brewed in March but drunk in fall of the next year. The Maibock, or May bock, is a strong, malty lager beer which is also brewed in March (or earlier these days) but drunk in May. Michael Jackson’s beerhunter site has more on the origin of that particular tradition here.
Lighter than the Lenten Doppelbocks (known as Starkbier in the south), the Maibock still has some kick at 6 plus percent alcohol. It’s nice beer to welcome in spring. The traditional Maibock is that from Einbeck, in the north of Germany, but US microbreweries are also brewing fine Maibocks for the season. Two which come to mind are Stoudt’s and Smuttynose, although there are many others to choose from.
Check out your local Maibock and let us know what you think.
Tags: beer, bock, einbeck, Germany, maibockShare This
By Chris -- 0 comments
Recent Comments