June 2005
The <i>New York Times</i> on Summer Ales
Posted by on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 in - 1 comment
Have a look at today's article in the NYT on some ales for your consideration this summer. It amazes me how many columns there are on wine but so few on beer, especially given how big we all know beer is. Check-out the interactive feature, audio with a slide-show, to the left of the Times article.
A Norwegian Travels South-west
Posted by on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 in - leave a comment
I was in London last week, which is pleasant during all seasons, but this has been the hottest July for 30 years, so there is an extra need to refill the body's liquid reserves. • I first visited the splendid Pitfield Beer Shop, which sells both a number of bottle conditioned ales from its own …
Seven Hefeweizens
Posted by on Monday, June 27, 2005 in - 17 comments
Good use of a sideboard - click the images • A real surprise was in store when I hit the LCBO the other day preparing for a dinner party on a stinking hot summer Saturday. They had actually brought in a bunch of extra hefeweizens, southern German wheat ales with a measure of yeast left in …
Belgium: Floris Honey, Brouwerij Huyghe, Melle
Posted by on Sunday, June 26, 2005 in - 1 comment
Sibling to the Floris Chocolate that Myrick ran into in Shanghai, cousin to the Delirium Tremens I had at New Year's, this 4.5% Belgian white ale is what you imagine mead would be like. A white lacey head over pale yellow. Very rich milky yeast with antique sweet green hop melding with profound …
New York: Sackets Harbor Brewing Co., Sackets Harbor
Posted by on Sunday, June 26, 2005 in - leave a comment
We visited the Sackets Harbor Brewing Co. in the North Country of New York State last weekend. Sitting at the eastern end of Lake Ontario in the bay that once saw one-half of the US navy located there around two hundred years ago, the brew pub is in one of the prettiest settings around for a glass …
Protest Beer
Posted by on Sunday, June 26, 2005 in - leave a comment
This is an interesting motive for creating a new beer: • “Protestors hope a new beer will boost their campaign against night flights at Nottingham East Midlands Airport. They have launched a beer from Belvoir Brewery called Nightcap to raise awareness of their concerns. New flight paths were …
Massachusetts: Maibock, Harpoon, Boston
Posted by on Thursday, June 23, 2005 in - leave a comment
Another from the 100 Barrel Series from Harpoon of Boston, this Maibock is a nice malty expression of the bock without a heavy level of hops...and without that nice goat usually found on the label of a bock. The beer pours a nice caramel with a rich thick tan head that leaves an inordinate amount …
Posted by on Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Albeerta?
Posted by on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 in - 8 comments
Although Calgary is home to the world's largest malting company, Canada Malting, makers of masses of the main ingredient in ales and lagers, it has taken a long time for beer to get some respect in Alberta. Like other areas of Canada 15 to 20 years ago, a very limited selection of beer existed …
Pig's Ear Brown, Woodstock Inn Brewery, New Hampshire, USA
Posted by on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 in - 2 comments
People email me. They ask if they can post something to the beer blog. I generally say "Sure!" and then I never hear from them again. I was really looking forward to that Italian writer who knew all the Czech beers. If he is reading this - WHAT'S TAKING YOU?!? • Anyway, kind correspondent Gary … read more »
New York State "Beer Trail"?
Posted by on Monday, June 20, 2005 in - 5 comments
The New York State Legislature is currently considering legislation that would create a New York State Beer Trail. • “"Such a rich history of the brewing industry is here and we ought to be exploiting that if we can," said Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, whose district was the home of original …
Caskival, Vancouver, BC
Posted by on Monday, June 20, 2005 in - 2 comments
I have never been to one of these things, the CAMRA-esque bung-poppers but if you are in the Vancouver Area in early August it might be worth a visit: • “British Columbia is bursting at the seams with great locally-made beer, and • we would like to invite beer fans to explore the newest & best …
Three from Saint-Paulin, Quebec
Posted by on Sunday, June 19, 2005 in - 4 comments
I am constantly amazed at the number of small craft beer operations that keep popping up in Quebec, many of them far from the urban centres of Montreal and Quebec City. This is encouraging, as one often associates a taste for craft beer with a more urban sensibility; assuming that country folk are …
Retro Beers
Posted by on Sunday, June 19, 2005 in - 6 comments
Interesting to see reports on a back to the basics trend in beer buying by young-uns in the US: • “Among the recent bright spots was the quirky story of Pabst, which caught on early this decade with young hipsters in Portland, Ore., and its popularity spread out. Without initial prompting, "PBR" …
Germany: Salvator, Paulaner, Munich, Bavaria
Posted by on Friday, June 17, 2005 in - 6 comments
I say from time to that I do not like lagers but what I am really saying is that I do not like the mass marketed insipid pilsners generally passed off as beer by BulkCo's A, B and C. Lager or rather lagering is really just a reference to a period of cold storage, a central European technique from …
China Blues
Posted by on Thursday, June 16, 2005 in - 1 comment
In case there were any readers wondering why Charles, Joe and I have not been often posting on the wonderful brews of China, I have had to come to terms with a few things about life in China and, while, as well as AsiaPundit, I • maintain a personal blog and contribute to the Good Beer • Blog …
A Norwegian Travels South
Posted by on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 in - 1 comment
Travelling through Europe as a yo-yo for a few weeks, and I must tell you it is much more business than pleasure. But I am accumulating some interesting beers to try out during the summer - I'll just have to find somewhere to store them. First stop was Paris, where I had a very nice bottle of …
Bulgar Beer Bottom?
Posted by on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - leave a comment
For some reason, I come across news about the Bulgarian beer trade more often than I expect. This one I find a bit odd: • “Beer Consumption Reels in Bulgaria Bad Weather • Beer sales traditionally hit a mounting rate in the summer months. The delay in expected rise was caused this year by the …
What is A Good Beer Blog?
Posted by on Sunday, June 12, 2005 in - 6 comments
On the off chance that you find this blog for the first time say...ummm...Monday...for some reason...here are a few tips: • Look around. Here are the archives by date and topic; • As an FYI, I do spell poorly and find I don't much care, though I do share your pain; • I have only recently put …
New York: Variety 12 Pack, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca
Posted by on Thursday, June 9, 2005 in - 2 comments
I reviewed some of Ithaca Beer Co.'s beer last summer but this year's 12 pack, a 4 variety by 3 bottle 12-pack, has two I missed. • It looks like Ithaca is making a go of it. The vaiety box has snazzy multi-coloured branding and the brewery has expanded its facility in the south-end of town …
Beer Filled Baths
Posted by on Thursday, June 9, 2005 in - 4 comments
I am not sure if I am drawn to or repulsed by the idea of getting into a vat of warm beer with strangers as part of my hotel experience.
Poacher IPA, Wensleydale Brewery, Yorkshire, England
Posted by on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 in - leave a comment
Once upon a time there was a very useful brewery in Suffolk called Lidstones. At beer festivals I visited, their beer always stood out as being consistently excellent. Then they upped sticks and moved to Yorkshire remaming itself Wensleydale. Reincarnation. Disaster I thought. Just over a week ago …
Big Hop Bombs: XP Pale Ale, Bear Republic, Healdsburg, California
Posted by on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 in - 1 comment
This brew provides a great education in the timing of hop additions. I know you were sitting there day after day wonder when I was going to mention the importance of the timing of hop additions. Well, this is the day because this brew provides a great education in the timing of hop additions …
Oregon: Chipotle Ale, Rogue, Newport
Posted by on Monday, June 6, 2005 in - leave a comment
More than a few years ago I was in a pub and saw on the chalkboard "Special: liver and onions 12.99". When the waiter arrived I asked what was so special? • I have only disliked one beer so much I was quite confused and frustrated and that was a jalopena beer made long ago - but thankfully no …
New York: Pennant Ale '55, Brooklyn Brewing, Brooklyn
Posted by on Sunday, June 5, 2005 in - leave a comment
Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55 • I knew that the Dodgers win in the 1955 World Series was a big thing but I had no idea how it was celebrated in Brooklyn with a bigger parade than VE Day, due in large part to the dramatics of the catch. This bottling by the Brooklyn Brewery of their Pale Ale … read more »
Two Travelling Tales
Posted by on Friday, June 3, 2005 in - leave a comment
I noticed these two stores in the Google news this morning. The first from Brunei: • “Man Fined Over Undeclared Beer • Bandar Seri Begawan - A 26-year-old Malaysian, who conveyed undeclared beer, was ordered jailed for three months after he failed to pay a $1,500 fine imposed by the Bandar …
Three Whites from Quebec
Posted by on Wednesday, June 1, 2005 in - 4 comments
It's hard to beat a cold white beer on a warm and sunny late afternoon -- the clean, somewhat yeasty flavor and the snow-white lacy head of a good white makes the long day at the office worth the wait. • Here in Quebec, Blanche de Chambly is perhaps the best known of the local white beers, and …
