The wind along the Bay shore is ripping the tops off the waves as we race across the Sandy Hook Bay on our way to Lower Manhattan. Inside the passenger compartment of the Seastreak Highlands we are warm and dry. The windows are sheathed with salt slush and the only view to be had is through the stern glazing...35 minutes later safely ensconced at my desk overlooking Water Street I ponder the season and the sights and smells of the holidays. My last posting struck a somber tone as our economy started its nose-dive seemingly to oblivion. Now, I am cautiously optimistic or 2009 and beyond.
In my mind I had formulated a rather lengthy pumpkin ale based post and a holiday ale based one as well. Alas, the season got away from me and both posts will be merged. After all they are more, or less, variations on the same theme.
Let's start with the brewers "homage" to the mighty gourd. That orange globe that is at once heroic in size and decidedly bland in palate. Pumpkin is an ingredient but not a star performer, it is canvas and not paint. It has some earthy qualities but it needs to be flavored to be noticed. Looking at some of the examples that are out there consider there is Dogfish Head "Punkin" a 7% behemoth with a palate of cloves and Cinnamon, perhaps some mace painted on an earthy yeasty background. Not an everyday drinking beer but pleasant enough and very approachable as a warmer for a cool October evening. Nothing overpowering in this one, nicely balanced, the hops and malty sweetness are paired and balanced with the spice mix and a whiff of boozy alcohol. Punkin is somewhere on the extreme end of the palate. Of more normal proportions are the offerings from Brooklyn (5% ABV "Post Road Pumpkin") and Smuttynose 's "Pumpkin Ale." Both are caramel colored subtle mixtures of holiday spice and sweet malt. Reviewer's often claim that "pumpkin taste" is discernable. My palate is not sensitive enough to pick out the earthiness of the mighty gourd - but the cognoscenti say they are there. Both are drinkable and subtle enough to make these offerings drinkable over the course of an evening. If variety is the spice of life these brews are significantly different enough to be a nice diversion for an otherwise jaded palate.
Consider pairing these with poultry and beef as well as that staple holiday dessert - pumpkin pie - of course. I might be inclined to enjoy one of these with a mild after dinner cigar as well.
On to the holiday ales. Often a boozy, frequently spicy and alcoholic style that is, to me, the brewer's version of of "comfort food." Some have spices and some do not, some are rather heavy and others are more moderate in dimension. Colors range from caramel to pitch black. Some are so full flavored and spicy they can stand up to being warmed or mulled and others may make a suitable marinade for beef , venison or pork. Around the holidays this style proliferates. Being called interchangeably "holiday ale", "winter warmers", "Christmas Ale" or other "seasonally appropriate" appellations. Consider the humorously named "Bad Elf", "Seriously Bad Elf" and "Criminally Bad Elf" as typical - if extreme - examples.
Any purchase of these ales may warrant some advanced research or at least careful shopping. If the idea of a "spiced" ale does not appeal to you, read the label to be sure your purchase includes no spices. If you are looking for a "warmer" check the ABV often located on the six-pack carrier if not on the individual bottles.
On the spicy end of the spectrum Sam Adam's "Old Fezziwig" seems to have quite a following, I fall squarely in the non-spiced camp with Berkshire's "Cabin Fever" (6.3% ABV) my preferred tipple. Malty with a balanced, hoppy finish Cabin Fever rewards the contemplative imbiber with a rich palate of flavors.
The Pumpkin and Holiday Ales afford the beer drinker the opportunity to enjoy a seasonally inspired and robust warming beverage on these bitter cold Bay shore nights. As we count down to 2009 consider your drinking options carefully. Might I also suggest, if your New Years Eve plan's include a glass or two, you consider staying home and spending the money you will save on some truly outstanding and flavorful ales?
Happy New Years to all.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Stretching Your Beer Drinking Buck
Times are tough. You now need a home equity line to fill up the gas tank of your Suburban. Your home mortgage lender is likely insolvent. Feeding your children requires a second job. Worse than that, Anheuser-Busch just announced it's packing up and moving to
All is not lost sports fans – despite soaring grain and hop prices, not to mention shipping costs - you can still drink well and for not a lot of money (Okay, Okay -- yeah you the morally outraged one in the third row -- lets just dispense with the whole “why are you buying beer when you can’t afford food shock and outrage” this is a BEER COLUMN not a guide to healthy responsible living… Phew got that out of my system, must be the heat or the pending $700 a month ferry price. The weather is hot, the economy is cooling and tempers are flaring -- a properly cooled ale or lager on the front porch – under the new ceiling fans (Thanks Al) is what I need.
Point 1 – Craft Beer is still not a Bad Deal!
You can still buy world-class craft beers for around $8- $10 a six pack for home consumption. Drink three of bottles of a craft brew for just $5 bucks. Aside from a Bottle of “Three Buck Chuck” at Trader Joe’s try and find a single bottle of decent wine at that price?
Point 2 -It’s About the Taste Stupid!
But it's not just about the price. You want good value and taste for your hard earned coin. We are not at the
When bargain hunting you should look at a brews ABV - alcohol by volume - the higher the alcohol by volume, the more malt needed to get there. More malt usually means more hops to offset the sweetness with the end result being a more complex flavor. More ingredients usually mean a higher price, too. I say usually as there is a whole market segment devoted to high alcohol low taste brews like “Steel Reserve” and “Mickey’s Big Mouth” these brews use corn and other flavorless adjuncts to boost ABV without adding anything to the palate – except a nice “Corny” taste. Blecch!
For price/ABV comparison consider Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (9 percent ABV), at $10 a four pack as compared to Dogfish’s 60 Minute IPA (6 percent ABV) for $8 or $9 for a six-pack. Less ingredients = lower price. Dale’s TenFidy Imperial Russian Stout (10%ABV) $11.99 for a four pack of 12 ounce cans vs. $16 for a twelve pack of Dale’s Pale Ale at 6.8% ABV. Thusly forearmed, you can now seek out some very tasty bargains.
Dale’s Pale Ale a robust and flavorful IPA with a blistering hop kick at 6.8% ABV $9.00 a six pack (of cans) at Spirits Unlimited in Red Bank.
Dales TenFidy an incredibly well balanced brew that has a nice hop profile, strong notes of espresso and bittersweet chocolate. 10% ABV $11.00 for a four pack at Spirits in Red Bank.
Stoudt's Fat Dog, an exceptionally smooth, easy-drinking imperial oatmeal stout with huge chocolate notes, 9%ABV. Look for it at Spirits Unlimited in
Paulaner Salvator:$7.99 a sixer 7.2 percent ABV. A double bock from
Saranac Black and Tan (and others): 5.4 percent ABV. Usually $6 -7 for a sixer. For fans of the style this one's an easy sipper with a sweet finish. Most Saranc brews are a good value (Note- JW Dundee products come from the same brewery and go for even less…)
Troegs Sunshine Pils: $7.99 a six-pack. 5.3 percent ABV. A crisp, light Czech style pilsner for less than a buck and a half a bottle?
Or how about a blend? Mix 2 ounces of Dogfish Head Burton Baton $3.49 a 12 ounce bottle (10% ABV) with a 12 ounce CAN (NOT THE BOTTLES PLEASE!!!) of Ballentine Ale (5.3% ABV) $4.50 for six cans and enjoy a rare and flavorful treat. Ballentine is an American Classic and the Burton Baton adds an oaken and spicy hop dimension and a rich amber tint to an inexpensive “frat house” brew.
Can't find these brands? Look for any of the brews from Troegs, Victory,
These are some places to start. If you have another suggestions drop me a line…
Coldest Beer in Town
This has been a pretty typical morning for the Bayshore. Hazy blue skies, gulls screaming and a gentle breeze from the North. Last night we watched from our porch as several groups of teens walked down the street toward
So, tonight as I walk home I will collect the wrappers and cans and dispose or recycle as needed. And someday these lads, somewhat older and wiser, will hopefully do the same thing…
As I round the corner I am treated to a near miss between two drivers youthful too focused on their cell phones to drive carefully, and exchange greetings with a school custodian. We just smile and shake our heads at what we have just seen. Moving on down
This is a beer column so at some point I have to get around to writing something beer related.
So today let’s talk temperature. The late Michael Jackson author of several books on Scotch and Beer once said that the saddest four words in the English language were “Coldest Beer in Town.” As a Brit one might expect this type of comment but what was he really trying to say? As a young lad I was a Boy Scout and spent many a summer evening around a roaring fire listening to the leaders and parents compare stories of their military service during the Second World War. There was always a comment like the English and the Germans like their beer warm. This was usually uttered as a derisive comment as if any nation that did not ice down their beer was somehow a lesser nation. Well there are two sides to the coin and we are becoming a culture that is taking a closer look at what we eat and drink. Websites like Beer Advocate, Rate Beer and Chow.com look at beer as not just a drink but as a companion to fine food. With wines we are told to serve some wines chilled, some cooled and some at room temperature to allow the wine to express itself properly. With Scotch we are told to add some water to “open up” the nose and flavor. So too with serving beer - temperature is important. Ales which are top fermented at warmer temperatures and then cellared to mature, taste better cooled to cellar temp. In some styles such as English Bitter this warmer temperature (warmer but still cooled) will allow the subtle flavors of malt and fruity yeast to compete with the fragrant and floral Kents, Fuggles and Goldings hops typically used in the style. Other ale styles such as the American Pale Ales are highly hopped and can stand up to colder temperatures - but you will miss something – balance. For example take Sierra Nevada Pale Ale which is a typical American Pale Ale. Serve it icy cold in a chilled glass and all you will taste is the hops. - grapefruit, citrus and the other sharp tastes associated with Cascades,
Lager beers are another story. They are fermented at cooler temperatures over a period of weeks not days like the typical ale so they have a crisp flavor profile that will stand up better to a cooler serving temperature. As they warm you will notice some sweetness but there is very little there. Lager styles, especially the pale ones, use lightly toasted malts so the color will be very pale and there will be little in the way of un-fermentable sugars. Darker lagers such as Bocks and Double Bocks, while still lager styles, will have a malty sweet profile and will taste better a little warmer.
Do I ever drink ice cold beer? You bet. Industrial Beers like Budweiser, Miller and Coors (in all their variations light, lime , select, ultra etc.) are, in my opinion, best enjoyed at palate numbing temperatures. The same goes for the clear bottle beers of
So serving temperature is important but there is no right or wrong here, there is just personal preference. So next time, as you sip a cold beer take note of how the beer changes as it warms. You decide what is the best temperature for you for that beer.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Waiter - There is Fruit in My Beer
Waiter there’s fruit in my beer…
Usually I do not like to adulterate my beer. I don’t usually care for lemon in my hefeweizen, nor do I generally care for orange in my Blue Moon or Hoegaarden (both Belgian Wit styled brews). I will however take lime in the “cheaper” Mexican beers (note “cheap” refers to quality, not price as Corona is not all that cheap). In fact, I feel no guilt whatsoever in adulterating these bland brews from south of the border. While it seems the lime is ubiquitous around the Bay Shore as an accompaniment to Mexican light lagers, what is less common is the addition of salt as a glass “rimmer” as one finds in Texas and the arid South West. Presumably the salt helps the drinker retain water to offset the diuretic effects of the alcohol. Over the years the concept of adding to the flavor of a beer (so called “beer cocktails”) got me thinking and experimenting. So here are some of my less zany combinations.
Lime and Beer - I like lots of lime flavor so I rub the edge of my glass with a lime wedge. I then rim the glass with a mix of salt and a little chili powder or smoked paprika. A gentle touch here may be appropriate. I then squeeze the lime wedge into the glass, pour in the beer (Corona/Modelo/Sol or Tecate) preferably from a can as clear bottles tend to be have skunky brews and enjoy. This combo is refreshing and easy. It also imparts big flavor to an otherwise bland brew. You can pack the ingredients to go for a day at the Beach.
In Kansas City, where we lived for a few years, folks sometimes drank “Red Beer” this is a mixture of light lager beer such as Bud/Miller/Coors (BMC) and tomato juice. To this combo I substituted V-8 and added fresh lime juice, a dash of Tabasco and a salt and black pepper rim. Why the name “Red Beer?” I am guessing it had something to do with the “Big Red” that are the one and only “Nebraska Cornhuskers.” As Kansas City is a barbecue town and barbecuing in 95 degree weather is hot work, a person partaking in the manly art of ‘cue’ needs to stay hydrated and somewhat sober. My version of Red Beer fits the bill nicely, its light bodied, boldly flavored and high in sodium and vitamins. You might try using Clamato and a cooked shrimp, as a garnish, for a “Bay Shore” twist.
Gin and beer - okay this is definitely one for the historically inclined. Imagine a night in the 1800’s. You are a sailor and your ship is docked in Hamburg after delivering a cargo of Baltic Fir. The local spirits are Korn, Steinhager Gin or Genever Gin and the beer of choice is a light pale German lager such as Hansa or Dortmund Pils. In Northern Europe Juniper is a common flavor in food and spirits, and in some countries’, such as Finland, Juniper and Spruce can be found in the beer as well… So try this, add a splash of your favorite Gin (I like Plymouth) to a light pilsner to add some floral notes to the nose and some spicy botanicals to the palate. Not for everyone, but it works for me. A gentle touch here is best, as with Gin, a little goes a long way… you can always add more. You can pair this with stinky cheese, onions, dark bread, smoked meats and pickled fish if you really want to be authentic. Brawling and debauchery are optional…
The Chelada or Michelada. This one comes from south of the Border and incorporates aspects of Beer and Lime and “Red Beer.” While everyone has their own preferences I tend to start by wetting the rim of a glass with lime and rimming it with a mix of chipotle powder or chili powder and kosher salt. Then into the glass I add the juice of half a lime, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, a splash of Tabasco (more or less to taste) and a splash of Maggi or Soy Sauce, you can top this of with 12 ounces of any Mexican Light Lager. If you want more flavors you can increase the quantities of lime juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco and Maggi as needed. Ice is optional. Garnish with a lime wedge.
You can premix the liquids and put them in a plastic bottle to add to your beer when you arrive at your destination. Mix up your rimmer in a shallow, wide mouthed, lidded plastic container as well. Some lime wedges, a well stocked picnic hamper, a cooler and it’s off you go.
Other possible beer pairings include Lemonade and lemon-lime soda im the UK this is called a “Shandy” and in Germany a “Radler” or “Cyclist”. You get the idea; your only limits are your imagination and you thirst.
Usually I do not like to adulterate my beer. I don’t usually care for lemon in my hefeweizen, nor do I generally care for orange in my Blue Moon or Hoegaarden (both Belgian Wit styled brews). I will however take lime in the “cheaper” Mexican beers (note “cheap” refers to quality, not price as Corona is not all that cheap). In fact, I feel no guilt whatsoever in adulterating these bland brews from south of the border. While it seems the lime is ubiquitous around the Bay Shore as an accompaniment to Mexican light lagers, what is less common is the addition of salt as a glass “rimmer” as one finds in Texas and the arid South West. Presumably the salt helps the drinker retain water to offset the diuretic effects of the alcohol. Over the years the concept of adding to the flavor of a beer (so called “beer cocktails”) got me thinking and experimenting. So here are some of my less zany combinations.
Lime and Beer - I like lots of lime flavor so I rub the edge of my glass with a lime wedge. I then rim the glass with a mix of salt and a little chili powder or smoked paprika. A gentle touch here may be appropriate. I then squeeze the lime wedge into the glass, pour in the beer (Corona/Modelo/Sol or Tecate) preferably from a can as clear bottles tend to be have skunky brews and enjoy. This combo is refreshing and easy. It also imparts big flavor to an otherwise bland brew. You can pack the ingredients to go for a day at the Beach.
In Kansas City, where we lived for a few years, folks sometimes drank “Red Beer” this is a mixture of light lager beer such as Bud/Miller/Coors (BMC) and tomato juice. To this combo I substituted V-8 and added fresh lime juice, a dash of Tabasco and a salt and black pepper rim. Why the name “Red Beer?” I am guessing it had something to do with the “Big Red” that are the one and only “Nebraska Cornhuskers.” As Kansas City is a barbecue town and barbecuing in 95 degree weather is hot work, a person partaking in the manly art of ‘cue’ needs to stay hydrated and somewhat sober. My version of Red Beer fits the bill nicely, its light bodied, boldly flavored and high in sodium and vitamins. You might try using Clamato and a cooked shrimp, as a garnish, for a “Bay Shore” twist.
Gin and beer - okay this is definitely one for the historically inclined. Imagine a night in the 1800’s. You are a sailor and your ship is docked in Hamburg after delivering a cargo of Baltic Fir. The local spirits are Korn, Steinhager Gin or Genever Gin and the beer of choice is a light pale German lager such as Hansa or Dortmund Pils. In Northern Europe Juniper is a common flavor in food and spirits, and in some countries’, such as Finland, Juniper and Spruce can be found in the beer as well… So try this, add a splash of your favorite Gin (I like Plymouth) to a light pilsner to add some floral notes to the nose and some spicy botanicals to the palate. Not for everyone, but it works for me. A gentle touch here is best, as with Gin, a little goes a long way… you can always add more. You can pair this with stinky cheese, onions, dark bread, smoked meats and pickled fish if you really want to be authentic. Brawling and debauchery are optional…
The Chelada or Michelada. This one comes from south of the Border and incorporates aspects of Beer and Lime and “Red Beer.” While everyone has their own preferences I tend to start by wetting the rim of a glass with lime and rimming it with a mix of chipotle powder or chili powder and kosher salt. Then into the glass I add the juice of half a lime, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, a splash of Tabasco (more or less to taste) and a splash of Maggi or Soy Sauce, you can top this of with 12 ounces of any Mexican Light Lager. If you want more flavors you can increase the quantities of lime juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco and Maggi as needed. Ice is optional. Garnish with a lime wedge.
You can premix the liquids and put them in a plastic bottle to add to your beer when you arrive at your destination. Mix up your rimmer in a shallow, wide mouthed, lidded plastic container as well. Some lime wedges, a well stocked picnic hamper, a cooler and it’s off you go.
Other possible beer pairings include Lemonade and lemon-lime soda im the UK this is called a “Shandy” and in Germany a “Radler” or “Cyclist”. You get the idea; your only limits are your imagination and you thirst.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Are You Going to San Francisco…
(Continued from last week) …I attended a reception at “Annabelles” across from the San Francisco Marriot. At 7:00 p.m. I linked up with my fellow “beer hunters” and the four of us hopped in a cab for Haight-Ashbury and the “Magnolia.”
At first glance Magnolia has a Psychedelic Logo painted on the façade that belies the traditional pub-like interior. Inside is austere -- water stained walls, high ceilings, dark wood with some booths and both common and separate tables. The bar runs the length of the building and has about eight taps serving traditional keg beer with CO2 and four ales on “Cask.” Our server was both cheerful and well informed as to the nuances of each beer. I dove right into the Cask offerings I started with the Bluebird Bitter (fabulously refreshing with a wonderful mouth feel, a delicate natural carbonation and a pleasing, mildly hoppy aroma) and I asked our server for samples of their Mild and their Brown Ales - both were superb. I elected to order a pint of the Brown (Crisp, lightly carbonated and not at all sweet like the common brown ales that are available in our area). The Brown Ale paired rather nicely with the Quail and spring carrots that I chose for my entrée. In a moment of quiet reverie I silently toasted John Thaw of “Inspector Morse” fame and reflected on the virtues of the often overlooked style that is the “English Brown.” Morse was clearly on to something…
Our repast complete and a busy Monday ahead, we paid our tab and went out into the now quite chilly San Francisco night. One of my companions’s started humming the melody of the song that is the title of this week’s column. We passed a few moments waiting for a cab trying to remember who sang the song in question. Alas, it eluded us all and we arrived at the hotel resolved to look it up prior to turning in.
All things considered it had been a great visit so far, but the best was yet to come.
As an aside some might wonder what exactly is the difference between “tap or draught” beer and “cask” beer. Ingredient wise they are similar it is the delivery system and the source of carbonation that vary. In traditional “draws” such as one might find at the local establishments, CO2 is used to propel the beer from a keg to the tap and thence to the glass. With Cask no CO2 is involved -- gravity or a hand pump provides the means of transport. With cask beers the only carbonation is that which occurs naturally as a byproduct of a secondary fermentation in the “cask.”
Monday dawned with an impossibly blue sky and warm sunshine. I had a few more meetings and a 2”O’clock appointment to tour the Anchor Brewery…
In a word the Anchor Brewery tour was awesome. Our guide, Lindsay, a Jersey Girl, shepherded us through the brewing room with its massive copper kettles and immaculate tile flooring… In the process she explained the history of Anchor Brewing and possible origins of the unique San Francisco styled “steam beer.” Visits to the hop room the traditional flat cooling trays and bottling room followed.
Anchor brews 500,000 barrels a year. Approximately 70% of that total is their signature Steam Beer the rest being divided up amongst their 3 other regular brews (Anchor Porter, Liberty Pale Ale and Old Foghorn Barley Wine) 2 seasonal styles (Anchor Bock and Anchor Summer) and 2 specialty brews (Anchor Small Beer and Christmas Ale). They brew five batches per day, five days a week. Anchor has 60 employees and has no present intention of moving or growing. They prefer to stay small and local and follow their current model. Bit of trivia – Anchor is owned and operated by Fritz Maytag, a member of the Iowa Maytag clan who decided Appliances and Blue Cheese were not for him and became a brewer instead. Fritz first enjoyed Anchor as a graduate student studying Japanese History and Literature and when he found out the Brewery was in financial trouble he made an investment and became a half owner. A few years later he bought his partners out and the rest is history. Anchor was a pioneer in the craft brewing movement and remains a well thought of brewery with a reputation for quality and taste.
Anchor has so-far avoided the “extreme” beer craze and I cannot say this is a bad thing. At the end of the tour we sampled most of the current Anchor brews with the exception of the “Small” and the “Christmas.” The Summer Ale is a 50% Wheat brew that is crisp, light on the palate and very refreshing. Pair this summer quencher with a warm bay shore evening on the front porch and some good friends – you get the idea. We worked our way through the rest of the line-up savoring the nuances of each style. At the end of the tasting I was ready to stock up on Anchor for the rest of the summer. I settled for some coasters, a baseball hat and a set of glasses…
At first glance Magnolia has a Psychedelic Logo painted on the façade that belies the traditional pub-like interior. Inside is austere -- water stained walls, high ceilings, dark wood with some booths and both common and separate tables. The bar runs the length of the building and has about eight taps serving traditional keg beer with CO2 and four ales on “Cask.” Our server was both cheerful and well informed as to the nuances of each beer. I dove right into the Cask offerings I started with the Bluebird Bitter (fabulously refreshing with a wonderful mouth feel, a delicate natural carbonation and a pleasing, mildly hoppy aroma) and I asked our server for samples of their Mild and their Brown Ales - both were superb. I elected to order a pint of the Brown (Crisp, lightly carbonated and not at all sweet like the common brown ales that are available in our area). The Brown Ale paired rather nicely with the Quail and spring carrots that I chose for my entrée. In a moment of quiet reverie I silently toasted John Thaw of “Inspector Morse” fame and reflected on the virtues of the often overlooked style that is the “English Brown.” Morse was clearly on to something…
Our repast complete and a busy Monday ahead, we paid our tab and went out into the now quite chilly San Francisco night. One of my companions’s started humming the melody of the song that is the title of this week’s column. We passed a few moments waiting for a cab trying to remember who sang the song in question. Alas, it eluded us all and we arrived at the hotel resolved to look it up prior to turning in.
All things considered it had been a great visit so far, but the best was yet to come.
As an aside some might wonder what exactly is the difference between “tap or draught” beer and “cask” beer. Ingredient wise they are similar it is the delivery system and the source of carbonation that vary. In traditional “draws” such as one might find at the local establishments, CO2 is used to propel the beer from a keg to the tap and thence to the glass. With Cask no CO2 is involved -- gravity or a hand pump provides the means of transport. With cask beers the only carbonation is that which occurs naturally as a byproduct of a secondary fermentation in the “cask.”
Monday dawned with an impossibly blue sky and warm sunshine. I had a few more meetings and a 2”O’clock appointment to tour the Anchor Brewery…
In a word the Anchor Brewery tour was awesome. Our guide, Lindsay, a Jersey Girl, shepherded us through the brewing room with its massive copper kettles and immaculate tile flooring… In the process she explained the history of Anchor Brewing and possible origins of the unique San Francisco styled “steam beer.” Visits to the hop room the traditional flat cooling trays and bottling room followed.
Anchor brews 500,000 barrels a year. Approximately 70% of that total is their signature Steam Beer the rest being divided up amongst their 3 other regular brews (Anchor Porter, Liberty Pale Ale and Old Foghorn Barley Wine) 2 seasonal styles (Anchor Bock and Anchor Summer) and 2 specialty brews (Anchor Small Beer and Christmas Ale). They brew five batches per day, five days a week. Anchor has 60 employees and has no present intention of moving or growing. They prefer to stay small and local and follow their current model. Bit of trivia – Anchor is owned and operated by Fritz Maytag, a member of the Iowa Maytag clan who decided Appliances and Blue Cheese were not for him and became a brewer instead. Fritz first enjoyed Anchor as a graduate student studying Japanese History and Literature and when he found out the Brewery was in financial trouble he made an investment and became a half owner. A few years later he bought his partners out and the rest is history. Anchor was a pioneer in the craft brewing movement and remains a well thought of brewery with a reputation for quality and taste.
Anchor has so-far avoided the “extreme” beer craze and I cannot say this is a bad thing. At the end of the tour we sampled most of the current Anchor brews with the exception of the “Small” and the “Christmas.” The Summer Ale is a 50% Wheat brew that is crisp, light on the palate and very refreshing. Pair this summer quencher with a warm bay shore evening on the front porch and some good friends – you get the idea. We worked our way through the rest of the line-up savoring the nuances of each style. At the end of the tasting I was ready to stock up on Anchor for the rest of the summer. I settled for some coasters, a baseball hat and a set of glasses…
Thursday, June 05, 2008
I Left My Glass in San Francisco
Apologies to Tony Bennett… as many of you know, this past week I traveled to San Francisco to attend a regulatory conference on behalf of my employer. Such trips present many opportunities including chances to interact with domestic and foreign regulatory officials and their staffs, catch up with friends and industry colleagues and last but not least what I like to call “Brew Tourism.” As I am confident you really have no interest in the regulations governing domestic and foreign reinsurers I will focus exclusively on the Brew Tourism aspect.
San Francisco, unlike Orlando, Florida and Grapevine, Texas presents the imbiber with an abundance of options. This past visit I arrived safely at my hotel and had a few hours to kill before my first meeting. This allowed my usual visit to World Beer on Folsom between 7th and 8th Streets. World Beer is an unassuming place with a few tables a few taps and a nice selection of bottled brews. As I had no time to imbibe I purchased three bottles brewed by Russian River (Three Belgian Style ales branded Perdition, Damnation and Salvation respectively) had a nice chat with the owner and then made my way back to the hotel to review my notes and prepare for my meetings.
Saturday was a long grind, numerous meetings a business breakfast and working lunch -- by dinner time I was numb and ready to enjoy a nice brew -- but where to go? Decisions, decisions… fortunately I have help. There is a small dedicated cadre of craft beer supporters that I have fallen in with. We met and decided to head across the Bay to Oakland for a beer and some dinner. First stop, The Trappist, a charming, impossibly narrow venue, with about 18 Belgian and Belgian styled beers on tap and several hundred more available in bottles. All beers were served in the proper style glass at an appropriate temperature for the style. We sampled and shared a Belgian Wit, a Trappist Quadrupel, a Belgian Brown, a Strong Golden and a Belgian Pale Ale. All were pronounced tasty and worthy of further exploration. The group decided we needed to grab a bite so it was on to another venue (The Trappist only having light cheese and fruit plates to offer).
Our next stop, just a short block away, was the Pacific Coast Brewing Company. A traditional Brew Pub with a standard pub fare on the menu. I had the Fish and Chips paired with their English Bitter which was on cask. Others enjoyed burgers and paired them with Pale Ales and Stouts. The Pacific Coast brews were solid and well crafted. Nobody was disappointed with their meal and we left satisfied and ready to hop on the BART and get back to the hotel.
Sunday started with an 8:00 a.m. meeting and several more that occupied my time until noon. The rest of my day was open until 5:00 so I headed ‘up country’ along route 101 to Santa Rosa and the Russian River Brewing Company. An hour and a half later I settled into a table with a nice glass of their Belgian Wit Beer paired with a Caesar Salad topped with Smoked Salmon. Russian River is a highly acclaimed brewery that brews traditional ales and stouts as well as a line of “Belgians.” Being pressed for time, I purchased a Growler of their “Blind Pig” IPA to share with the group and a bottle of “Supplication,” their homage to the spontaneously fermented brews of Belgium, to bring home, perhaps, more on this in another column.
I attended the reception at 5:00 hooked up with my colleagues and four of us hopped in a cab for Haight Ashbury and the “Magnolia.” At first glance Magnolia has a Psychedelic Logo painted on the façade that belies the traditional pub-like interior. Inside is austere, dark wood with some booths and both common and separate tables. The bar runs the length of the building and has about eight taps serving traditional keg beer with CO2 and four ales on “Cask.” Our server was both cheerful and well informed as to the nuances of each beer. I dove right into the Cask offerings I started with the Bluebird Bitter (fabulously refreshing with a wonderful mouth feel, a delicate natural carbonation and a pleasing, mildly hoppy aroma) and I also tasted their Mild and their Brown both were superrb. I elected to order a pint of the Brown and it paired rather nicely with the Quail and Spring carrots that I chose for my entrée.
All things considered it was a great visit so far, but the best was yet to come.
San Francisco, unlike Orlando, Florida and Grapevine, Texas presents the imbiber with an abundance of options. This past visit I arrived safely at my hotel and had a few hours to kill before my first meeting. This allowed my usual visit to World Beer on Folsom between 7th and 8th Streets. World Beer is an unassuming place with a few tables a few taps and a nice selection of bottled brews. As I had no time to imbibe I purchased three bottles brewed by Russian River (Three Belgian Style ales branded Perdition, Damnation and Salvation respectively) had a nice chat with the owner and then made my way back to the hotel to review my notes and prepare for my meetings.
Saturday was a long grind, numerous meetings a business breakfast and working lunch -- by dinner time I was numb and ready to enjoy a nice brew -- but where to go? Decisions, decisions… fortunately I have help. There is a small dedicated cadre of craft beer supporters that I have fallen in with. We met and decided to head across the Bay to Oakland for a beer and some dinner. First stop, The Trappist, a charming, impossibly narrow venue, with about 18 Belgian and Belgian styled beers on tap and several hundred more available in bottles. All beers were served in the proper style glass at an appropriate temperature for the style. We sampled and shared a Belgian Wit, a Trappist Quadrupel, a Belgian Brown, a Strong Golden and a Belgian Pale Ale. All were pronounced tasty and worthy of further exploration. The group decided we needed to grab a bite so it was on to another venue (The Trappist only having light cheese and fruit plates to offer).
Our next stop, just a short block away, was the Pacific Coast Brewing Company. A traditional Brew Pub with a standard pub fare on the menu. I had the Fish and Chips paired with their English Bitter which was on cask. Others enjoyed burgers and paired them with Pale Ales and Stouts. The Pacific Coast brews were solid and well crafted. Nobody was disappointed with their meal and we left satisfied and ready to hop on the BART and get back to the hotel.
Sunday started with an 8:00 a.m. meeting and several more that occupied my time until noon. The rest of my day was open until 5:00 so I headed ‘up country’ along route 101 to Santa Rosa and the Russian River Brewing Company. An hour and a half later I settled into a table with a nice glass of their Belgian Wit Beer paired with a Caesar Salad topped with Smoked Salmon. Russian River is a highly acclaimed brewery that brews traditional ales and stouts as well as a line of “Belgians.” Being pressed for time, I purchased a Growler of their “Blind Pig” IPA to share with the group and a bottle of “Supplication,” their homage to the spontaneously fermented brews of Belgium, to bring home, perhaps, more on this in another column.
I attended the reception at 5:00 hooked up with my colleagues and four of us hopped in a cab for Haight Ashbury and the “Magnolia.” At first glance Magnolia has a Psychedelic Logo painted on the façade that belies the traditional pub-like interior. Inside is austere, dark wood with some booths and both common and separate tables. The bar runs the length of the building and has about eight taps serving traditional keg beer with CO2 and four ales on “Cask.” Our server was both cheerful and well informed as to the nuances of each beer. I dove right into the Cask offerings I started with the Bluebird Bitter (fabulously refreshing with a wonderful mouth feel, a delicate natural carbonation and a pleasing, mildly hoppy aroma) and I also tasted their Mild and their Brown both were superrb. I elected to order a pint of the Brown and it paired rather nicely with the Quail and Spring carrots that I chose for my entrée.
All things considered it was a great visit so far, but the best was yet to come.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A pint of bitter please...
In 1983 I was a young intern at the eminently restrained Lloyd's Broker "Hogg, Robinson, Gardner & Mountain Ltd. " lodged on Crutched Friars, London England. The title of this article hearkens back to those salad days... London was hot that year, I recall the envious looks of my co-workers as they marvelled at my lightweight, American made, worsted wool suits. Their eminently respectable British wool was thick and heavy, more like my Citadel Dress Grays than the international uniform of reinsurance and commerce. On the way to the 'tube' or on a Saturday after touring the city, a pint of bitter was just the ticket to wet your whistle and sharpen ones appetite.
The "bitters" in London are served "cooled to cellar temp" not warm, nor icy cold, just cooled. They were "pulled" by hand pump from a cask in the cellar into a delightful and easy grip pint "jar" or a dimpled mug --and were not at all bitter. They were gently carbonated, deliciously malty with a floral hop nose. What they weren't is "bitter." Not sure at all where the name comes from but the style of beer that is the English Bitter is an easy drinking beer that does not overwhelm the palate and does not bloat you with carbonation.
Eric Azimov wrote a great column for today's New York Times (Wed 5/28/08) that goes into more detail and includes tasting notes. Rather than replicate that here I point you in that direction for further and more detailed info on the style and tasting notes.
As we transition from a wet cool spring to a warm summer on the bay shore many of you will reach for a Corona or another pale, fizzy, lager beer. Sometimes with a piece of citrus perched on it other times without. I say "hold the lager mate and give me a pint of bitter. " Great beers are just a short jaunt away...
Our local Vingo here in Atlantic Highlands has a few bitters on hand even as I type this. Consider sampling Fuller's London Pride or Fullers ESB from England or Brooklyn's Pennant Ale from Brooklyn Brewing. while touring the British Isles, also at Vingo are Theakston Brewing's "Old Peculier" (not a typo) a delightful Yorkshire Ale that has profile similar to a true "bitter" and further north to the land of the Kilt and the Claymore are Belhaven's Scotch Ale and Long Trail's Hibernator, nothing like a bitter but a a nice, gently warming, malty, smoky, study in contrasts from the "bitters" of the South.
The "bitters" in London are served "cooled to cellar temp" not warm, nor icy cold, just cooled. They were "pulled" by hand pump from a cask in the cellar into a delightful and easy grip pint "jar" or a dimpled mug --and were not at all bitter. They were gently carbonated, deliciously malty with a floral hop nose. What they weren't is "bitter." Not sure at all where the name comes from but the style of beer that is the English Bitter is an easy drinking beer that does not overwhelm the palate and does not bloat you with carbonation.
Eric Azimov wrote a great column for today's New York Times (Wed 5/28/08) that goes into more detail and includes tasting notes. Rather than replicate that here I point you in that direction for further and more detailed info on the style and tasting notes.
As we transition from a wet cool spring to a warm summer on the bay shore many of you will reach for a Corona or another pale, fizzy, lager beer. Sometimes with a piece of citrus perched on it other times without. I say "hold the lager mate and give me a pint of bitter. " Great beers are just a short jaunt away...
Our local Vingo here in Atlantic Highlands has a few bitters on hand even as I type this. Consider sampling Fuller's London Pride or Fullers ESB from England or Brooklyn's Pennant Ale from Brooklyn Brewing. while touring the British Isles, also at Vingo are Theakston Brewing's "Old Peculier" (not a typo) a delightful Yorkshire Ale that has profile similar to a true "bitter" and further north to the land of the Kilt and the Claymore are Belhaven's Scotch Ale and Long Trail's Hibernator, nothing like a bitter but a a nice, gently warming, malty, smoky, study in contrasts from the "bitters" of the South.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Real Men drink from a Glass
It never ceases to amaze me that there are folks out there that believe that drinking beer from a glass is elitist and something for the weak willed. Alas, nothing could be further from the truth.
Now listen up all you working stiffs, I'll put this in very simple terms. You work hard all day, and the fruit of your labors is something you take pride in, be it an automobile, a widget, a well tallied spreadsheet, a nicely drafted contract-- or whatever . You want the end-user to appreciate your craft and treat it with dignity and respect the amount of work that you put into it. So too with brewers, they take pride in their product and want you to enjoy it at its best. They want it served fresh, at an appropriate temperature and from a clean glass so that you can marvel at the color and carbonation, allow the brew to form a proper head, smell the roasted malt and hop notes and taste it and enjoy as they intend you to. Just as you hate to see your hard work discarded, unused and unappreciated, watching someone slug down a well crafted beer straight from the can or bottle is an insult to the hard working men and women that made that marvel of nature that you are enjoying possible. Show some respect for the folks that labored hard for you -- be they union, non-union and/or self-employed. Show them you appreciate what they do and next time you're out ask your server for a glass. You will find you enjoy your beer more and you will be sending your brewer a message - the right message - I appreciate what you do.
Now listen up all you working stiffs, I'll put this in very simple terms. You work hard all day, and the fruit of your labors is something you take pride in, be it an automobile, a widget, a well tallied spreadsheet, a nicely drafted contract-- or whatever . You want the end-user to appreciate your craft and treat it with dignity and respect the amount of work that you put into it. So too with brewers, they take pride in their product and want you to enjoy it at its best. They want it served fresh, at an appropriate temperature and from a clean glass so that you can marvel at the color and carbonation, allow the brew to form a proper head, smell the roasted malt and hop notes and taste it and enjoy as they intend you to. Just as you hate to see your hard work discarded, unused and unappreciated, watching someone slug down a well crafted beer straight from the can or bottle is an insult to the hard working men and women that made that marvel of nature that you are enjoying possible. Show some respect for the folks that labored hard for you -- be they union, non-union and/or self-employed. Show them you appreciate what they do and next time you're out ask your server for a glass. You will find you enjoy your beer more and you will be sending your brewer a message - the right message - I appreciate what you do.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Small Beer and Small Town Politics.
Both are not for the unitiated. Small beer is a brew that is generally low in alcohol and fermented from the second mashing of batch of grain. The only domestic brewer that still offers small beer (that I know of that is) is Anchor Brewing of San Francisco. They brew a Barleywine called "Old Foghorn" and then ferment the mash a second time to make their "Small Beer". I found it an acquired taste. Likewise with small town politics. As most of the locals know my wife and I try to give something back. We participate in many local activities. My wife serves on the School Board, I serve on the Planning Board and we both volunteer our time and/or treasure to many local organizations. We also encourage our kids to do likewise. In a small town this gets you two things. Appreciation from the folks that appreciate what you do and scorn from folks that think you should "shaddup and moind your own ... &*$%^ newcomers" You learn to live with this though it seldom makes you happy...
Small beer anyone?
Small beer anyone?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Pairing Food and Food.
Here is a link to an interview with a master of the art of pairing food with great beer, Garrett Oliver, the brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery. Nuff said.
http://dcist.com/2008/05/13/chewing_the_fat_2.php
http://dcist.com/2008/05/13/chewing_the_fat_2.php
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Extreme Beer and the Craft Beer Renaissance
My friend Gene and I occasionally walk up to New Beer Distributors here in Manhattan to grab a bottle or two of something especially tasty that we have tried previously and sometimes we each grab something that appears unusual or intriguing. In today’s craft brewing renaissance this usually translates into what is sometimes referred to as an “extreme beer.” Just what is an extreme beer? Well that depends on who you ask. Some say it refers to highly hopped or high alcohol brews. Others say it refers to a departure from accepted styles such as adding fruit or spices to a traditional beer such as a Pomegranate Wheat Beer or a Chipotle Smoked Porter. Whatever definition suits you I think we can agree that some of these brews are exciting and others… well just plain wrong.
Gene is prone to saying that to him it seems that craft brewers are brewing some of these extreme beers for no other reason than “because they can.” I am inclined to agree with him. Nonetheless, beer is food and I have come around to thinking of it as an ingredient in cooking as well as a beverage. I can see the merits of adding a robust brew to flavor soups and stews. Sometimes a particular beer may add another layer of flavor to a pot of chile for example. The aforementioned chipotle smoked porter would be a prime candidate for this type of endeavor.
Other extreme beers make complex “sippers” that can take the bite out a chilly spring evening here on the Bay Shore. I have been enjoying a canned Imperial Stout with the improbable name of “Ten Fidy” as my evening warmer. Yes, I said canned as in aluminum cans. Brewed by Oskar Blues of Lyons Colorado and weighing in at an impressive 10% alcohol by volume, Ten Fidy is smooth and roasty like a stout should be without the cloying sweetness that pervades many other imperial stouts. At $10.50 for four 12 ounce cans it is a bit pricier than a traditional stout but well worth the additional expense.
While on the topic of extreme beer we cannot neglect the current trend/concept of “barrel aging.” Dogfish Head has its oak aged “Burton Baton”, There is Bourbon Barrel Stout from Goose Island and “Oaked Arrogant Bastard” from Stone Brewing. But these all pale with the apparent audacity of the folks at Iron Hill. Here is an excerpt from their latest press release:
“WILMINGTON, DE – Your Dad doesn’t have to love Johnny Cash to embrace Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant’s spicy Father’s Day treat: on Sunday, June 15, they will premier “Ring of Fire Porter,” an assertive brew sure to light Dad’s fire.
Crafted from Iron Hill’s own Pig Iron Porter, then aged and finished in a TABASCO® pepper mash oak barrel, this is a libation that will please beer and barbecue lovers alike. Better still, it arrives just in time for grilling season. Ring of Fire will be available in 375 ml bottles for $9 at all Iron Hill locations for dine-in and carry-out.
As the beer ages inside the oak Tabasco barrels, the heat and the pepper character mix with the roastiness and subtle chocolate notes of the porter, making this a steak-friendly beer with 5% alcohol that’s sure to be a summertime favorite for its sweet, smoky character and flavorful punch…”
I do not want to think about where the name “Ring of Fire” originates, though perhaps the morning after a few of these you may have a revelation … nevertheless I might try this as a marinade or a base for a homemade sauce or in a pot of chile.
Well whatever your preferences these days there is an extreme beer for you. And while Garrett Oliver may not be thrilled with this moniker I think the term “Extreme beer” is firmly entrenched in the brewing lexicon.
Gene is prone to saying that to him it seems that craft brewers are brewing some of these extreme beers for no other reason than “because they can.” I am inclined to agree with him. Nonetheless, beer is food and I have come around to thinking of it as an ingredient in cooking as well as a beverage. I can see the merits of adding a robust brew to flavor soups and stews. Sometimes a particular beer may add another layer of flavor to a pot of chile for example. The aforementioned chipotle smoked porter would be a prime candidate for this type of endeavor.
Other extreme beers make complex “sippers” that can take the bite out a chilly spring evening here on the Bay Shore. I have been enjoying a canned Imperial Stout with the improbable name of “Ten Fidy” as my evening warmer. Yes, I said canned as in aluminum cans. Brewed by Oskar Blues of Lyons Colorado and weighing in at an impressive 10% alcohol by volume, Ten Fidy is smooth and roasty like a stout should be without the cloying sweetness that pervades many other imperial stouts. At $10.50 for four 12 ounce cans it is a bit pricier than a traditional stout but well worth the additional expense.
While on the topic of extreme beer we cannot neglect the current trend/concept of “barrel aging.” Dogfish Head has its oak aged “Burton Baton”, There is Bourbon Barrel Stout from Goose Island and “Oaked Arrogant Bastard” from Stone Brewing. But these all pale with the apparent audacity of the folks at Iron Hill. Here is an excerpt from their latest press release:
“WILMINGTON, DE – Your Dad doesn’t have to love Johnny Cash to embrace Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant’s spicy Father’s Day treat: on Sunday, June 15, they will premier “Ring of Fire Porter,” an assertive brew sure to light Dad’s fire.
Crafted from Iron Hill’s own Pig Iron Porter, then aged and finished in a TABASCO® pepper mash oak barrel, this is a libation that will please beer and barbecue lovers alike. Better still, it arrives just in time for grilling season. Ring of Fire will be available in 375 ml bottles for $9 at all Iron Hill locations for dine-in and carry-out.
As the beer ages inside the oak Tabasco barrels, the heat and the pepper character mix with the roastiness and subtle chocolate notes of the porter, making this a steak-friendly beer with 5% alcohol that’s sure to be a summertime favorite for its sweet, smoky character and flavorful punch…”
I do not want to think about where the name “Ring of Fire” originates, though perhaps the morning after a few of these you may have a revelation … nevertheless I might try this as a marinade or a base for a homemade sauce or in a pot of chile.
Well whatever your preferences these days there is an extreme beer for you. And while Garrett Oliver may not be thrilled with this moniker I think the term “Extreme beer” is firmly entrenched in the brewing lexicon.
Another Reason to Like Sam Adam's...
I read about this in several places on the web including a blog calle "Fabrichorse" where I nicked the above photo...
Apart from their Double Bock and Scotch Ale what is so good about Jim Koch and Samuel Adam's? Lot's apparently. For quite some time now people have brewed beer using barley, yeast, water and hops. These ingredients were happily plentiful and many made merry with modestly priced beer. Then, sports fans the hop regions suffered a drought and the hop vines that did not dry up and die outright fell victim to disease. The harvest was small. The brewers took comfort and solace in the old saw, "Well, one year won't kill us." With so many hops in the bank (warehouses), they might get a little more expensive.... " Did I say warehouse ... you all recall reading about a tragic fire in a major hops warehouse?? It even made it to the local papers. That fire consumed much of the nation's strategic hop reserve. Hops, that noble vine and key ingrdient in American craft beer-making (think IPA, Double IPA, Imperial IPA yada yada) became scarce. A scramble to find Hops was on, at least among the America's craft brewers. Distributors began to raise their prices, from $3 a pound to upwards of $30 a pound, and brewers began to worry. Just as a signficant diversity in American beer was settling in, marking a new "Golden Age of Brewing" on this side of the ocean, the microbrew industry faced an uncertain hopless future ... spruce tips anyone??? Ouch!!!
Most of the market's remaining hops were already contracted to huge breweries who could afford to finance a producer's entire hop crop. Craft brewries were calling their suppliers to no avail... Add to this the cost of Barley going up as more acres switched over to corn for ethanol and the future looked bleak indeed.
As this story sounds like something from the "Perils of Pauline" we need a white knight. And so it we have one in the unlikely form of Jim Koch and his Boston Brewing Company ("BBC") BBC has become part of the major leagues, if they brew craft brewed beers its clearly on a macro brew scale. They are a major national brewery whose beers are almost everywhere, but they still cling to the spirit of craft brewing. They brew some edgy beers such as their"Imperial Pilsner" and "Utopias". Every year in advance of the Great American Beer festival, they sponsor a homebrew competition and produce a mix-six of the top three brews (called "Longshot"). These practices keep them on the craft side of the Macro vs. Micro American Beer divide. When Koch heard about the impact of the hop shortage on small brewers, he set aside 20,000 pounds of BBC's own hops for small brewers to purchase at cost their cost which was-- far below market prices (apparently $6 a pound). Apparently a brewery could request up to 528 pounds each and brewers were asked to apply only if they really needed hops and not because they'd merely save money. Nearly 350 microbreweries applied for them, which is nearly a quarter of American brewers and the the lot of them were raffled off in a lottery. Way to go Mr. Koch.
In the meantime, beerlovers are hoping the next two harvests will be than the last. Hats off to BBC and their fine example. This is also fairly shrewd on BBC's part. Keeping the craft beer movement vibrant will only serve to strengthen BBC's standing with todays discriminating beer drinkers.
Most of the market's remaining hops were already contracted to huge breweries who could afford to finance a producer's entire hop crop. Craft brewries were calling their suppliers to no avail... Add to this the cost of Barley going up as more acres switched over to corn for ethanol and the future looked bleak indeed.
As this story sounds like something from the "Perils of Pauline" we need a white knight. And so it we have one in the unlikely form of Jim Koch and his Boston Brewing Company ("BBC") BBC has become part of the major leagues, if they brew craft brewed beers its clearly on a macro brew scale. They are a major national brewery whose beers are almost everywhere, but they still cling to the spirit of craft brewing. They brew some edgy beers such as their"Imperial Pilsner" and "Utopias". Every year in advance of the Great American Beer festival, they sponsor a homebrew competition and produce a mix-six of the top three brews (called "Longshot"). These practices keep them on the craft side of the Macro vs. Micro American Beer divide. When Koch heard about the impact of the hop shortage on small brewers, he set aside 20,000 pounds of BBC's own hops for small brewers to purchase at cost their cost which was-- far below market prices (apparently $6 a pound). Apparently a brewery could request up to 528 pounds each and brewers were asked to apply only if they really needed hops and not because they'd merely save money. Nearly 350 microbreweries applied for them, which is nearly a quarter of American brewers and the the lot of them were raffled off in a lottery. Way to go Mr. Koch.
In the meantime, beerlovers are hoping the next two harvests will be than the last. Hats off to BBC and their fine example. This is also fairly shrewd on BBC's part. Keeping the craft beer movement vibrant will only serve to strengthen BBC's standing with todays discriminating beer drinkers.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
The Price of Beer
Here is a great article from Jim Zebora that tries to explain the dramatically increasing price of beer. From the hop Shortage to the petroleum crunch its all there... A perfect storm of economics that does not bode well for craft brewing.
If barley is the heart of beer, hops are its soul. They contribute flavor, aroma, bitterness, body and so much more to a brew.
But these days they also contribute to beer's increased cost.
It may not be the worst of the world's crises, but the rising price of hops, delicate flowers that grow on a tall vine, certainly adds to the pain in the wallet caused by $4 gas and $5 milk.
Try finding a quality craft brew on a package store shelf for less than $8.99; it's almost impossible. Even budget beers that were selling for $12 per 30-pack a few months ago are three or four bucks higher today, though not all of that increase can be blamed on hop prices.
The reasons for hop inflation are myriad, but all pretty much within the bounds of an Economics 101 class. After several years of oversupply, when growers often had to sell their hop crop below cost, the opposite is now true.
Hops have had a couple of lousy years in the field, with crop yields well below normal. In addition, many hop farmers curtailed production rather than sell below cost and did not ramp up their growing as prices increased.
In some cases, they devoted their fields to more profitable crops and have not gone back to the Fuggles, Cascades, Saaz, Goldings and Northern Brewer varieties that make beer so fine to drink.
The result is that hop prices have at least doubled, and at the extreme hops can cost five or six times what they did a few years ago.
Big commercial brewers have been somewhat
insulated from the rise in hop prices. Companies such as Anheuser-Busch Inc. get a big percentage of the hops they use from their own farms in the Pacific Northwest and so are not competing on the open market for limited hop supplies.
The big brewers also tend to use fewer hops per barrel than smaller brewers, for recipe and scientific reasons, so their cost per barrel is less affected by hop prices. Budweiser hasn't seen the same percentage price increase at retail as have microbrews, for example.
The real casualties are microbrewers specializing in very hoppy beers - those with names such as Hop Devil, Hop Trip, Big Hop Harvest Ale, Hop Heaven, etc. - who can use three or four times the amount of hops per barrel as the big kids.
This is partly because they are seeking to give their customers the hoppiest experience they can, and partly because hop utilization - a measure of the alpha acids and other components they release into the brew as it is boiled - increases with the size of the batch.
Large breweries make beer in vats roughly the size of small oil tankers, but I've seen one very tiny micro whose brewing vat was barely bigger than a turkey fryer.
As a homebrewer, I quickly learned that hops varied in price depending on the variety, the preparation and the packaging. Noble hops such as Kent Goldings (used in pale ales) and Saaz (used in pilsners) could cost twice as much as varieties with more bitterness but less aroma and flavor.
The hop flowers are sometimes used in original form, but processing them into pellets gives greater yield, and also makes them easier to ship and store.
Back in the years of plenty, I could sometimes buy a pound of bittering hops for $8, and noble hops could be as low as $1 per ounce. Today, homebrewers are seeing three- and fourfold price increases in this essential ingredient.
Of course, hops aren't the only reason that beer is costing more. Cereal grain prices are also rising due to the diversion of much corn production to ethanol, and energy prices for brewing, conditioning and delivery are also boosting the bill.
Like oil, gasoline, bread and so many other staples of modern life, beer is simply getting more expensive. And we beer lovers just have to suck it up while we're guzzling it down.
*
Jim Zebora, managing editor of Greenwich Time, is a dedicated homebrewer and a contributor to Zymurgy, the magazine of the American Homebrewers Association. His column appears once a month. His e-mail address is jim.zebora@scni.com.
If barley is the heart of beer, hops are its soul. They contribute flavor, aroma, bitterness, body and so much more to a brew.
But these days they also contribute to beer's increased cost.
It may not be the worst of the world's crises, but the rising price of hops, delicate flowers that grow on a tall vine, certainly adds to the pain in the wallet caused by $4 gas and $5 milk.
Try finding a quality craft brew on a package store shelf for less than $8.99; it's almost impossible. Even budget beers that were selling for $12 per 30-pack a few months ago are three or four bucks higher today, though not all of that increase can be blamed on hop prices.
The reasons for hop inflation are myriad, but all pretty much within the bounds of an Economics 101 class. After several years of oversupply, when growers often had to sell their hop crop below cost, the opposite is now true.
Hops have had a couple of lousy years in the field, with crop yields well below normal. In addition, many hop farmers curtailed production rather than sell below cost and did not ramp up their growing as prices increased.
In some cases, they devoted their fields to more profitable crops and have not gone back to the Fuggles, Cascades, Saaz, Goldings and Northern Brewer varieties that make beer so fine to drink.
The result is that hop prices have at least doubled, and at the extreme hops can cost five or six times what they did a few years ago.
Big commercial brewers have been somewhat
insulated from the rise in hop prices. Companies such as Anheuser-Busch Inc. get a big percentage of the hops they use from their own farms in the Pacific Northwest and so are not competing on the open market for limited hop supplies.
The big brewers also tend to use fewer hops per barrel than smaller brewers, for recipe and scientific reasons, so their cost per barrel is less affected by hop prices. Budweiser hasn't seen the same percentage price increase at retail as have microbrews, for example.
The real casualties are microbrewers specializing in very hoppy beers - those with names such as Hop Devil, Hop Trip, Big Hop Harvest Ale, Hop Heaven, etc. - who can use three or four times the amount of hops per barrel as the big kids.
This is partly because they are seeking to give their customers the hoppiest experience they can, and partly because hop utilization - a measure of the alpha acids and other components they release into the brew as it is boiled - increases with the size of the batch.
Large breweries make beer in vats roughly the size of small oil tankers, but I've seen one very tiny micro whose brewing vat was barely bigger than a turkey fryer.
As a homebrewer, I quickly learned that hops varied in price depending on the variety, the preparation and the packaging. Noble hops such as Kent Goldings (used in pale ales) and Saaz (used in pilsners) could cost twice as much as varieties with more bitterness but less aroma and flavor.
The hop flowers are sometimes used in original form, but processing them into pellets gives greater yield, and also makes them easier to ship and store.
Back in the years of plenty, I could sometimes buy a pound of bittering hops for $8, and noble hops could be as low as $1 per ounce. Today, homebrewers are seeing three- and fourfold price increases in this essential ingredient.
Of course, hops aren't the only reason that beer is costing more. Cereal grain prices are also rising due to the diversion of much corn production to ethanol, and energy prices for brewing, conditioning and delivery are also boosting the bill.
Like oil, gasoline, bread and so many other staples of modern life, beer is simply getting more expensive. And we beer lovers just have to suck it up while we're guzzling it down.
*
Jim Zebora, managing editor of Greenwich Time, is a dedicated homebrewer and a contributor to Zymurgy, the magazine of the American Homebrewers Association. His column appears once a month. His e-mail address is jim.zebora@scni.com.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Beer in a Box
This is something really cool...
Beer in a box by John Holl/Star-Ledger Staff
In a novel approach to the way freshly brewed beer can be carried home, a Hunterdon County brewery has decided to go the route long used by wine and more recently by coffee and soda purveyors. The Ship Inn Brew Pub in Milford now gives its customers the chance to buy its beer in a box.
“There really isn’t much of a learning curve,” said Tim Hall, the brewer. “There aren’t a lot of people doing this.”
Since it opened in 1995, patrons to the brewery have been able to take the brewed-on-premises beer home in half gallon jugs called growlers, that can be refilled multiple times, but Hall said a lot of the decision to switch to a cube was economical and environmental.
The boxes are inexpensive and biodegradable and are a favorable alternative to glass bottles. Hall, who has spent a lot of time abroad as both a student and tourist said that he was unaware of the stigma that boxed adult beverages have in the states.
“In Europe, it’s really good,” said Hall standing behind the dark wood bar on a chilly morning. “At first, I was getting strange looks from customers.”
Sideways glances did not last long however. The Ship Inn began to test the five and 10 quart boxes in the fall of 2006 and by last summer had made them a staple of the pub. The idea has caught on and they are now selling about an extra 100 gallons of beer each week.
A brew pub is defined as a restaurant that brews small batches of beer on premises. State law prohibits the pubs from selling their suds through distributors. A micro brewery is traditionally defined as one that produces up to 15,000 barrels per year. A barrel holds roughly 31 gallons.
Currently the Ship Inn has three of their homemade beers on tap. There is an English Bitter Style Ale, a cask conditioned -unfiltered and low carbonation beer served from a hand pump - ale and Golden Wheat beer that Hall calls more of a “lawn mower” beer, designed for people who still might be leery of craft brews.
Of the nearly two dozen brew pubs and micro breweries in the Garden State, the Ship Inn is the only one currently pouring into boxes, according to the state brewer’s guild.
Hall said he researched the idea for a few years and had to reconfigure the pub’s taps to accommodate the new system. In the spirit of fresh beer, they are only filled when ordered.
“You won’t find them sitting on a shelf or cooler,” he said.
There are a handful of brew pubs across the country that are also boxing their beer, including Rubicon Brewing in Sacramento, CA which has been offering gallon boxes for the last few years.
But in large, the idea of boxing beer is a new thing.
Julia Herz, a spokeswoman for the Brewers Association, a nonprofit group devoted to professional brewers, said that while “alternative packaging” has become a trend in craft brewing, she and others at the association had not heard of the cardboard contraptions.
“From a cost perspective it’s probably a helpful decision,” she said in a telephone interview from Colorado.
She noted that many craft brewers are also returning to the idea of cans - a container that can also carry a negative image - saying that in 2007 at least 25,000 barrels of suds wound up in aluminum cylinders. Micro brewers who are using cans said it is cheaper than bottles, it better helps retain flavor and helps their product stand out on shelves that are becoming more and more crowded with craft beers.
Dan Soboti Jr., who brews at the Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant in South Orange said that they would likely stick with glass growlers for the foreseeable future.
“We talked about it, but we decided that it wasn’t going to work for us,” he said.
Hall said that he sells between 30 and 40 boxes and growlers per week and once a cube is filled, the beer stays carbonated for 2-3 weeks. The five quart box sells for $18 and the 10 quart for $28. Each comes with a reusable plastic tap that can be screwed onto the spigot and reused by return visitors. The box itself isn’t built for more than one use, though the brewer said it’s possible to get a second round out of it. When the box is emptied, drinkers can break it down and toss it in with the recycling.
Customers to the Ship Inn, like Richard Kroth of Milford, like the box because they last longer than growlers. And with a young child at home, he’s not able to get to the pub as often as he’d like.
“It’s just really easy,” he said.
Looking forward, Hall says he hopes to add some new beers to the rotation that are “full of flavor but have a low alcohol content.”
In doing so, he hopes to bring new drinkers to the craft brew bar, and see them leave with a box tucked under their arm
Link to article.
Beer in a box by John Holl/Star-Ledger Staff
In a novel approach to the way freshly brewed beer can be carried home, a Hunterdon County brewery has decided to go the route long used by wine and more recently by coffee and soda purveyors. The Ship Inn Brew Pub in Milford now gives its customers the chance to buy its beer in a box.
“There really isn’t much of a learning curve,” said Tim Hall, the brewer. “There aren’t a lot of people doing this.”
Since it opened in 1995, patrons to the brewery have been able to take the brewed-on-premises beer home in half gallon jugs called growlers, that can be refilled multiple times, but Hall said a lot of the decision to switch to a cube was economical and environmental.
The boxes are inexpensive and biodegradable and are a favorable alternative to glass bottles. Hall, who has spent a lot of time abroad as both a student and tourist said that he was unaware of the stigma that boxed adult beverages have in the states.
“In Europe, it’s really good,” said Hall standing behind the dark wood bar on a chilly morning. “At first, I was getting strange looks from customers.”
Sideways glances did not last long however. The Ship Inn began to test the five and 10 quart boxes in the fall of 2006 and by last summer had made them a staple of the pub. The idea has caught on and they are now selling about an extra 100 gallons of beer each week.
A brew pub is defined as a restaurant that brews small batches of beer on premises. State law prohibits the pubs from selling their suds through distributors. A micro brewery is traditionally defined as one that produces up to 15,000 barrels per year. A barrel holds roughly 31 gallons.
Currently the Ship Inn has three of their homemade beers on tap. There is an English Bitter Style Ale, a cask conditioned -unfiltered and low carbonation beer served from a hand pump - ale and Golden Wheat beer that Hall calls more of a “lawn mower” beer, designed for people who still might be leery of craft brews.
Of the nearly two dozen brew pubs and micro breweries in the Garden State, the Ship Inn is the only one currently pouring into boxes, according to the state brewer’s guild.
Hall said he researched the idea for a few years and had to reconfigure the pub’s taps to accommodate the new system. In the spirit of fresh beer, they are only filled when ordered.
“You won’t find them sitting on a shelf or cooler,” he said.
There are a handful of brew pubs across the country that are also boxing their beer, including Rubicon Brewing in Sacramento, CA which has been offering gallon boxes for the last few years.
But in large, the idea of boxing beer is a new thing.
Julia Herz, a spokeswoman for the Brewers Association, a nonprofit group devoted to professional brewers, said that while “alternative packaging” has become a trend in craft brewing, she and others at the association had not heard of the cardboard contraptions.
“From a cost perspective it’s probably a helpful decision,” she said in a telephone interview from Colorado.
She noted that many craft brewers are also returning to the idea of cans - a container that can also carry a negative image - saying that in 2007 at least 25,000 barrels of suds wound up in aluminum cylinders. Micro brewers who are using cans said it is cheaper than bottles, it better helps retain flavor and helps their product stand out on shelves that are becoming more and more crowded with craft beers.
Dan Soboti Jr., who brews at the Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant in South Orange said that they would likely stick with glass growlers for the foreseeable future.
“We talked about it, but we decided that it wasn’t going to work for us,” he said.
Hall said that he sells between 30 and 40 boxes and growlers per week and once a cube is filled, the beer stays carbonated for 2-3 weeks. The five quart box sells for $18 and the 10 quart for $28. Each comes with a reusable plastic tap that can be screwed onto the spigot and reused by return visitors. The box itself isn’t built for more than one use, though the brewer said it’s possible to get a second round out of it. When the box is emptied, drinkers can break it down and toss it in with the recycling.
Customers to the Ship Inn, like Richard Kroth of Milford, like the box because they last longer than growlers. And with a young child at home, he’s not able to get to the pub as often as he’d like.
“It’s just really easy,” he said.
Looking forward, Hall says he hopes to add some new beers to the rotation that are “full of flavor but have a low alcohol content.”
In doing so, he hopes to bring new drinkers to the craft brew bar, and see them leave with a box tucked under their arm
Link to article.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Magic Hat and Pyramid to Merge
Well, a sign of the times. Brewpub becomes micro, micro becomes regional, becomes macro, becomes mainstream.
SEATTLE & SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (April 2008) - Pyramid Breweries Inc. (NASDAQ: PMID) ("Pyramid") and Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc. ("Magic Hat") today announced the execution of a Letter of Intent ("Letter of Intent"), which contemplates a transaction by which Magic Hat will acquire Pyramid, through an agreed all-cash tender offer and subsequent merger, at $2.75 per share of Pyramid common stock on a fully-diluted basis.The proposed transaction is subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive merger agreement. The merger agreement will provide for a first-step tender offer for outstanding Pyramid shares by an acquisition entity wholly owned by Magic Hat, to be conditioned upon the acquisition of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding shares of Pyramid. The tender offer, if consummated, will be followed by a merger of Magic Hat's acquisition entity with and into Pyramid. The proposed transaction is also subject to the satisfactory completion of a due diligence review by Magic Hat of the business, financial and legal affairs of Pyramid, and receipt of necessary consents and approvals of regulatory agencies and third parties.The Letter of Intent provides for the payment of a break-up fee payable by Pyramid to Magic Hat in specified circumstances, and also for the payment of Magic Hat's reasonable expenses in specified circumstances, each involving the failure to consummate the proposed transaction.Certain shareholders of Pyramid holding approximately 29% of the outstanding Pyramid common stock have, concurrently with Pyramid's execution of the Letter of Intent, entered into a Tender and Support Agreement (the "Tender Agreement") with Magic Hat, pursuant to which they have agreed to tender the shares owned by them in the Magic Hat tender offer and have granted Magic Hat an irrevocable proxy with respect to such shares. The portion of the shares subject to the Tender Agreement in excess of 19.9% of the outstanding shares of Pyramid common stock may be released from the provisions of the Tender Agreement in specified circumstances in connection with the receipt by Pyramid of unsolicited superior offers as defined in the Tender Agreement.The closing of the proposed transaction, subject to the conditions referred to above, is anticipated to occur not later than August 31, 2008.The board of directors of Pyramid has approved the transactions contemplated by the Letter of Intent."The combination of these two well established, high profile craft breweries will be very complementary given our respective brand portfolios and the geographies in which we predominantly operate. Additionally, there will be a number of important benefits for Pyramid to be part of a private company versus continuing to operate as a stand alone public entity. This consolidation makes both good strategic and financial sense and is well timed, particularly as the beer industry's competitive dynamics continue to intensify," said Pyramid CEO Scott Barnum. "The Company will continue to have offices in Seattle, its historical home, and will seek opportunities to capitalize on the enhanced assets and capabilities of the new combined entity," he added.Martin Kelly, CEO of Magic Hat said, "We have a great deal of respect for Pyramid's brand heritage, award-winning beers and its dedicated employees, and look forward to consummating this transaction, which provides both strategic and financial benefits both to Pyramid's and Magic Hat's stakeholders."Important NoticeThe tender offer for the outstanding common stock of Pyramid contemplated by the Letter of Intent has not commenced, and will only commence pursuant to the terms of a definitive merger agreement, as described above. This document is neither an offer to purchase nor solicitation of an offer to sell securities. At the time the tender offer is commenced an affiliate of Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc. will file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The tender offer statement (including an offer to purchase, a related letter of transmittal and other offer documents) and the solicitation/recommendation statement will contain important information that should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the tender offer. Those materials will be made available to Pyramid's shareholders at no expense to them. In addition, all of those materials (and all other offer documents filed with the SEC) will be available at no charge on the SEC's web site: www.sec.gov.About Pyramid Breweries Inc.Pyramid Breweries Inc. is a leading brewer of specialty, full-flavored beers produced mainly under the Pyramid and MacTarnahan's brand names. Pyramid's family of unfiltered wheat beers continue to be honored by beer drinkers and judges, earning the most craft beer medals in the last decade at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival ("GABF"). Pyramid has received a total of 34 medals at the GABF. The brewery has also received a total of eleven medals in international competition at the World Beer Cup.Pyramid owns two alehouse restaurants adjacent to its full production breweries under the Pyramid Alehouse and MacTarnahan's Taproom brand names in Berkeley, California and Portland, Oregon, respectively, and three alehouse restaurants in Walnut Creek and Sacramento, California and Seattle, Washington. For more information, visit www.PyramidBrew.com.About Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc.Founded in 1994, Magic Hat has become one of the largest craft brewers on the east coast, and ranks among the fastest growing companies in the category nationwide. The company has methodically expanded its reach, and today sells its beers from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Illinois. Magic Hat is known for its distinctively flavorful offerings and imaginative recipes that combine ancient brewing traditions with the miracles of modern science. Created in the company's unique brewery and Artifactory, Magic Hat's family of fermentations includes three year-round beers (#9®, Circus Boy®, and Lucky Kat®) a full line of seasonal ales, and a variety of special single-batch "Odd Notions." Magic Hat has been hailed by the appreciative palates and grateful connoisseurs everywhere who enjoy the brewer's pours more than any they've explored before. For more information, visit http://www.magichat.net. Note Regarding Forward Looking StatementsThis news release contains certain "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). This statement is included for the express purpose of availing Pyramid of the protections of the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA. The forward looking statements contained in this new release are subject to factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Important factors that might cause such a material difference include, but are not limited to, the inability of Pyramid and Magic Hat to negotiate and execute a definitive merger agreement; Magic Hat's possible determination not to proceed with the transaction based on its due diligence review of Pyramid's business, financial and legal affairs; a material adverse change in Pyramid's business or financial affairs; failure to obtain required regulatory approvals or third party consents; the tender of less than 66 2/3% of Pyramid's outstanding shares in the first-step tender offer described above; and similar matters. If the proposed acquisition does not close, Pyramid's stock price may significantly decrease, and Pyramid's business may be materially impacted. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward looking statements. Pyramid undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update these forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this news release, except as may be required by law.
SEATTLE & SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (April 2008) - Pyramid Breweries Inc. (NASDAQ: PMID) ("Pyramid") and Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc. ("Magic Hat") today announced the execution of a Letter of Intent ("Letter of Intent"), which contemplates a transaction by which Magic Hat will acquire Pyramid, through an agreed all-cash tender offer and subsequent merger, at $2.75 per share of Pyramid common stock on a fully-diluted basis.The proposed transaction is subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive merger agreement. The merger agreement will provide for a first-step tender offer for outstanding Pyramid shares by an acquisition entity wholly owned by Magic Hat, to be conditioned upon the acquisition of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding shares of Pyramid. The tender offer, if consummated, will be followed by a merger of Magic Hat's acquisition entity with and into Pyramid. The proposed transaction is also subject to the satisfactory completion of a due diligence review by Magic Hat of the business, financial and legal affairs of Pyramid, and receipt of necessary consents and approvals of regulatory agencies and third parties.The Letter of Intent provides for the payment of a break-up fee payable by Pyramid to Magic Hat in specified circumstances, and also for the payment of Magic Hat's reasonable expenses in specified circumstances, each involving the failure to consummate the proposed transaction.Certain shareholders of Pyramid holding approximately 29% of the outstanding Pyramid common stock have, concurrently with Pyramid's execution of the Letter of Intent, entered into a Tender and Support Agreement (the "Tender Agreement") with Magic Hat, pursuant to which they have agreed to tender the shares owned by them in the Magic Hat tender offer and have granted Magic Hat an irrevocable proxy with respect to such shares. The portion of the shares subject to the Tender Agreement in excess of 19.9% of the outstanding shares of Pyramid common stock may be released from the provisions of the Tender Agreement in specified circumstances in connection with the receipt by Pyramid of unsolicited superior offers as defined in the Tender Agreement.The closing of the proposed transaction, subject to the conditions referred to above, is anticipated to occur not later than August 31, 2008.The board of directors of Pyramid has approved the transactions contemplated by the Letter of Intent."The combination of these two well established, high profile craft breweries will be very complementary given our respective brand portfolios and the geographies in which we predominantly operate. Additionally, there will be a number of important benefits for Pyramid to be part of a private company versus continuing to operate as a stand alone public entity. This consolidation makes both good strategic and financial sense and is well timed, particularly as the beer industry's competitive dynamics continue to intensify," said Pyramid CEO Scott Barnum. "The Company will continue to have offices in Seattle, its historical home, and will seek opportunities to capitalize on the enhanced assets and capabilities of the new combined entity," he added.Martin Kelly, CEO of Magic Hat said, "We have a great deal of respect for Pyramid's brand heritage, award-winning beers and its dedicated employees, and look forward to consummating this transaction, which provides both strategic and financial benefits both to Pyramid's and Magic Hat's stakeholders."Important NoticeThe tender offer for the outstanding common stock of Pyramid contemplated by the Letter of Intent has not commenced, and will only commence pursuant to the terms of a definitive merger agreement, as described above. This document is neither an offer to purchase nor solicitation of an offer to sell securities. At the time the tender offer is commenced an affiliate of Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc. will file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The tender offer statement (including an offer to purchase, a related letter of transmittal and other offer documents) and the solicitation/recommendation statement will contain important information that should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the tender offer. Those materials will be made available to Pyramid's shareholders at no expense to them. In addition, all of those materials (and all other offer documents filed with the SEC) will be available at no charge on the SEC's web site: www.sec.gov.About Pyramid Breweries Inc.Pyramid Breweries Inc. is a leading brewer of specialty, full-flavored beers produced mainly under the Pyramid and MacTarnahan's brand names. Pyramid's family of unfiltered wheat beers continue to be honored by beer drinkers and judges, earning the most craft beer medals in the last decade at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival ("GABF"). Pyramid has received a total of 34 medals at the GABF. The brewery has also received a total of eleven medals in international competition at the World Beer Cup.Pyramid owns two alehouse restaurants adjacent to its full production breweries under the Pyramid Alehouse and MacTarnahan's Taproom brand names in Berkeley, California and Portland, Oregon, respectively, and three alehouse restaurants in Walnut Creek and Sacramento, California and Seattle, Washington. For more information, visit www.PyramidBrew.com.About Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc.Founded in 1994, Magic Hat has become one of the largest craft brewers on the east coast, and ranks among the fastest growing companies in the category nationwide. The company has methodically expanded its reach, and today sells its beers from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Illinois. Magic Hat is known for its distinctively flavorful offerings and imaginative recipes that combine ancient brewing traditions with the miracles of modern science. Created in the company's unique brewery and Artifactory, Magic Hat's family of fermentations includes three year-round beers (#9®, Circus Boy®, and Lucky Kat®) a full line of seasonal ales, and a variety of special single-batch "Odd Notions." Magic Hat has been hailed by the appreciative palates and grateful connoisseurs everywhere who enjoy the brewer's pours more than any they've explored before. For more information, visit http://www.magichat.net. Note Regarding Forward Looking StatementsThis news release contains certain "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). This statement is included for the express purpose of availing Pyramid of the protections of the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA. The forward looking statements contained in this new release are subject to factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Important factors that might cause such a material difference include, but are not limited to, the inability of Pyramid and Magic Hat to negotiate and execute a definitive merger agreement; Magic Hat's possible determination not to proceed with the transaction based on its due diligence review of Pyramid's business, financial and legal affairs; a material adverse change in Pyramid's business or financial affairs; failure to obtain required regulatory approvals or third party consents; the tender of less than 66 2/3% of Pyramid's outstanding shares in the first-step tender offer described above; and similar matters. If the proposed acquisition does not close, Pyramid's stock price may significantly decrease, and Pyramid's business may be materially impacted. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward looking statements. Pyramid undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update these forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this news release, except as may be required by law.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Becoming reacquainted with an old friend.
Well it was a busy weekend. Friday evening was "pit night" for Cub Scout Pack 22. We prepared all the cars for the next days races. 8:00 a.m. Saturday found me in Lenape Woods surveying a bridge with an aspiring Eagle Scout and 1:30 found me trying to officiate the actual annual ritual that is the Pinewood Derby. The derby, through the efforts of many dedicated volunteers, went off without a hitch. When the track was packed and the hall cleared I headed for home and a beer. The beer was Fuller's ESB. What a rare treat to my hop-blasted palate. A lovely balanced brew with delicate English hop notes in the nose and palate and an all-to-rare balanced taste. A nice mix of grassy hops and caramel and crystal malts. Sublime. It paired nicely with some good flicks with the kids. Akeela And the Bee and the original Jurrasic Park. --Then Return of the King Disc Two - I love the Siege of Minas Tirth and the Battle of the Pellenor Fields. Sunday found me at Scout Headquarters arranging for Ceremonial Performers at the Pack Cross-over Ceremony at the end of February.
As for the Burns Supper, Alas it was Walkers Shortbread and a wee dram of Balvenie on the Boat home... Nae Haggis - Chieftan O' the Puddin Race... thank heavens.
As for the Burns Supper, Alas it was Walkers Shortbread and a wee dram of Balvenie on the Boat home... Nae Haggis - Chieftan O' the Puddin Race... thank heavens.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Ode to Haggis... Chieftan of Puddings
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,Great chieftain o' the puddin'-race! Aboon them a' ye tak yer place,Painch, tripe, or thairm:Weel are ye wordy o' a graceAs lang's my airm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,Your hurdies like a distant hill,Your pin wad help to mend a millIn time o need, While thro your pores the dews distil Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dicht,An cut you up wi ready slicht,Trenching your gushing entrails bricht,Like onie ditch;And then, Oh what a glorious sicht, Warm-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive: Deil tak the hindmaist, on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums; Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit' hums.
Is there that ower his French ragout,Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew. Wi perfect sconner, Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu viewOn sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him ower his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit:Thro bloody flood or field to dash,Oh how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,The trembling earth resounds his tread,Clap in his wallie nieve a blade, He'll make it whissle;An legs an arms, an heads will sned, Like taps o thrissle.
Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,And dish them out their bill o fare,Auld Scotland wants nae skinking wareThat jaups in luggies:But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,Gie her a Haggis!
For sure fairer words were never spoken and with this as inspiration no less?
Haggis in the words of Robert Burns
Address to a Haggis
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o the puddin' race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy of a grace As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o need, While thro your pores the dews distil Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight, An cut you up wi ready slight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like onie ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm - reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive: Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums; The auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout, Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi perfect sconner, Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit: Thro bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread, Clap in his walie nieve a blade. He'll make it whissle; An legs an arms, an heads will sned, Like taps o thrissle.
Ye Pow`rs, wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies: But, If ye wish her gratefu prayer, Gie her a Haggis!
The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o need, While thro your pores the dews distil Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight, An cut you up wi ready slight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like onie ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm - reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive: Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums; The auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout, Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi perfect sconner, Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit: Thro bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread, Clap in his walie nieve a blade. He'll make it whissle; An legs an arms, an heads will sned, Like taps o thrissle.
Ye Pow`rs, wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies: But, If ye wish her gratefu prayer, Gie her a Haggis!
Meaning of unusual words: sonsie=cheerful Aboon=Above Painch=paunch thairm=guts wordy=worthy hurdies=buttocks pin=skewer dight=wipe slight=skill Trenching=Digging reekin=steaming weel-swall'd kytes=well-swollen bellies belyve=soon Guidman=Head of the household rive=burst staw=sicken sconner=disgust feckless=weak rash=rush nieve a nit=fist a nut sned=trim taps o thrissle= tops of thistle skinking=watery jaups=splashes luggies=wooden bowl with projecting handles
So are you ready for a steaming plate of sheep guts?
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Waiting for Robert Burns
As we approach the 25th of January Scots around the world turn to the works and wisdom of Robert Burns for inspiration. Alas, I remember him for his incomprehensible prose and his ode to Haggis (sheep offal, spices and oats stuffed into a sheep stomach steamed for hours or days). Not sure of the words anyore but it was some sort of litany of virtues about a glistening pile of steaming entrails and its inherent nobility. "Oh Haggis thy King of Puddings" is in there I think - no doubt a sharp lawyer for Anheuser Busch will be in touch with Burn's estate shortly, seeking among other things a "cease and desist order" from such confusing verse. "Your honour the public might confuse the "King of Puddings" moniker as an endorsement by our product, the "King of Beers!" Just imagine that pairing. I'll have the chilled Bud and the steaming Haggis - the pyloric valve if you have it?
This is real food. The sort of cookery one might expect from half-frozen men in kilts. Men with red noses and cheeks. Men who are feeling no pain after toasting every one from the King to the person that polished their Claymore. Manly toasts made with firey Scots Whisky not to mention downing a pint or two of "Wee heavy" (strong scots ale) . Men who are numb from being subjected to the equivalent of Now 27 played on bagpipes (an instrument with an air bladder also made from sheep entrails I might add).
While I too feel some knship to Burns, perhaps a more muted celebration will be in order - a dram of Balvenie on ferry home with the usual suspects perhaps? Memo to self- lay on some Scots ales for the weekend as well.
This is real food. The sort of cookery one might expect from half-frozen men in kilts. Men with red noses and cheeks. Men who are feeling no pain after toasting every one from the King to the person that polished their Claymore. Manly toasts made with firey Scots Whisky not to mention downing a pint or two of "Wee heavy" (strong scots ale) . Men who are numb from being subjected to the equivalent of Now 27 played on bagpipes (an instrument with an air bladder also made from sheep entrails I might add).
While I too feel some knship to Burns, perhaps a more muted celebration will be in order - a dram of Balvenie on ferry home with the usual suspects perhaps? Memo to self- lay on some Scots ales for the weekend as well.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Beer Hunter
Sooo... last night I stayed up too late sipping a bottle of Abbaye Des Rocs Grand Cru and watching two episodes of Michael Jackson's "The Beer Hunter." This was a series that appeared on PBS in the eighties. The episodes I watched were "The Burgundies of Belgium" and "Their Daily Bread." A bit dated attire wise but informative and still current content wise. Well maybe some of the breweries have disappeared or merged but discussions of style and qualities were spot on.
The Grand Cru was sublime. Poured out a nice hazy chestnut with a tightly bubbled tan head. Lacing with every sip, just one issue..."translucent floaties" lots of suspended proteins in this one. Did not affect the taste but made each sip a sensory adventure. Speaking of taste there was some sweet and nutty malt and a delicate hop presence. Hints of raisins and dates. Delicious. Memo to self buy more.
Well back to the salt mines. I have some docs to review and a Klondike Derby sled team to coordinate.
The Grand Cru was sublime. Poured out a nice hazy chestnut with a tightly bubbled tan head. Lacing with every sip, just one issue..."translucent floaties" lots of suspended proteins in this one. Did not affect the taste but made each sip a sensory adventure. Speaking of taste there was some sweet and nutty malt and a delicate hop presence. Hints of raisins and dates. Delicious. Memo to self buy more.
Well back to the salt mines. I have some docs to review and a Klondike Derby sled team to coordinate.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
New Beginnings
Boy it has been awhile since I last posted. So many beers, so many air miles and far too few things that have truly excited my taste buds. The stand-outs are there:
Southern Tier Hop-Sun - A quaffable summer session brew if there ever was one.
Brooklyn 2006 Chocolate Stout - Coffee, toffee, and malted milk - Incredible!
Brooklyn 2007 Chocolate Stout - Coffee, Dark Cocoa a sharp contrast to the 06 that has mllowed with age
Dale's Pale Ale and its "Big Brother" Gordon - hopalicious - citrus, substantial malt backbone in a can.
Avoid:
Avery's "The Kaiser" an Uber-Doppelbock - Boy talk about alcohol in the nose. No subtle hints here but a full throttle nose hair singed burn. Tough to smell anything else ... I expect that in bourbons - not beer.
Well this is a short-post but I will claw my way back to a prolific 2008. Hats off to fellow bloggers AHMuse and Gorky Rises .
Southern Tier Hop-Sun - A quaffable summer session brew if there ever was one.
Brooklyn 2006 Chocolate Stout - Coffee, toffee, and malted milk - Incredible!
Brooklyn 2007 Chocolate Stout - Coffee, Dark Cocoa a sharp contrast to the 06 that has mllowed with age
Dale's Pale Ale and its "Big Brother" Gordon - hopalicious - citrus, substantial malt backbone in a can.
Avoid:
Avery's "The Kaiser" an Uber-Doppelbock - Boy talk about alcohol in the nose. No subtle hints here but a full throttle nose hair singed burn. Tough to smell anything else ... I expect that in bourbons - not beer.
Well this is a short-post but I will claw my way back to a prolific 2008. Hats off to fellow bloggers AHMuse and Gorky Rises .
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