October 2006
A Good Beer Blog Photo Contest
Posted by on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 in - 2 comments
Thanks to the good folks at Harcourt Publishing, I have two review copies of the new history of brewing in America by Maureen Ogle entitled Ambitious Brew. And you can get one of them in the mail. To your house. Sure I have yet to actually get the CDs from the last contest in the mail yet but … read more »
Mill Street Brewpub, Toronto, Ontario
Posted by on Monday, October 30, 2006 in - 8 comments
The picture above is the best of this set. We visited the Mill Street Brewery's new brewpub which has just opened last week in Toronto's Distillery District and were very impressed, first of all with the facility - one of the nicest laid out bars I have been in. It was pretty dark so the photos … read more »
Tap Handles As Art
Posted by on Sunday, October 29, 2006 in - 5 comments
Here is an interesting story about the growth of tap handle art concurrent to the growth in US craft beer sales: • “Breweries have tried for decades to attract attention by making tap handles larger and more colorful, but the microbrewery movement has brought a proliferation of artsy and exotic …
My To Do List
Posted by on Friday, October 27, 2006 in - 3 comments
I have a bunch of work to do around here. Man-o-man. It is tough getting to the point that you realize there is too much going on to actually just sip and review outstanding craft beers. • First, books! I still have to do a proper review of Pete Brown's outstanding Three Sheets to the Wind but …
Manly Crime
Posted by on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 in - leave a comment
I trust the tip was something more than "I think men were involved" as the crime pretty much speaks for itself in that regard: • “Authorities in Waupaca County have arrested four men in connection with a burglary that had all the makings of a giant tailgate party. Deputies say the four were …
Scotland: Kelpie, Heather Ale Ltd., Strathaven
Posted by on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 in - 3 comments
Seaweed Ale. I eat seaweed in the form of dulse for chewing, nori for sushi rolls, irish moss in my ice cream and tooth paste and no doubt in a a bunch other forms. I have had four other beers by this brewer in the Historic Ales of Scotland four pack that the LCBO has most Christmas times and … read more »
One Thousand Ways To Open A Beer
Posted by on Sunday, October 22, 2006 in - 2 comments
This German language site is a resource for us all to treasure. In #1000, a beer is opened with a slice of bread. Fabulous. A big hat tip to Darcey.
Northwest North Country Beer Update
Posted by on Saturday, October 21, 2006 in - 8 comments
I headed over to Canton New York yesterday and popped in a few shops to make sure I have Baby Ruth Halloween bars and I was quite pleased to note an advance in beer availability in the North Country. • First, at the Alex Bay Mart on highway 12 near the main cross roads there were Ithaca and … read more »
Book Review: <i>The Football and Real Ale Guides</i>
Posted by on Thursday, October 19, 2006 in - 2 comments
The other week I got an interesting email: • “My name is Glyn Watkins and I am the Cultural Editor, and the bloke doing the press stuff, for a set of books called the Stedders Football and Real Ale Guides 2006-07. these are published by a friend called Richard Stedman, who gave up teaching to …
Quick Note: Acme Brown Ale, North Coast, Fort Bragg, CA, USA
Posted by on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 in - 2 comments
Is this the greatest brown ever or just the greatest for mid-October when the first nights of frost are here? • Tight tiny tan cream foam and rim over fairly active chestnut ale. Luscious on the nose - grape juice and cocoa powder. Raisin, date and fig in the malt with a fresh fruit juice core …
Reason #17 As To Why We Need Sponsorships
Posted by on Monday, October 16, 2006 in - 6 comments
This is what I am talking about. I would love to get a copy of this book but - wow! - one hundred and fifty-four clams. Don't get me wrong. A History of Brewing in Holland 900-1900: Economy, Technology and the State by Richard W. Unger (2001) would fit very nicely beside his next following text …
An Evening Of Beer Tasting
Posted by on Sunday, October 15, 2006 in - leave a comment
Scanning the news these days for something to note about beer culture there are the inevitable beerfest (slash) Octoberfest (slash) tailgater tales as well as crime notes on a guy called Clevus busting into the house or the head of another guy called Clevus so as to acquire the case of beer …
Belgium: The Week of Nine Whites
Posted by on Friday, October 13, 2006 in - 3 comments
I've hardly let the Week of Schoune pass into history and I am already asking you to accept that we are in a new era. But if you look at this selection, you will agree these need a bit of time and reflection. These are not all new. Blork has reviewed three and Donavan another one of them. I've … read more »
Beer And Politics In South America
Posted by on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 in - 2 comments
Not being fixated on events in South America, I was a bit surprised to read this in the paper: • “"As of today, I want the National Guard to stop the beer trucks and take them to the nearest command post. No more trucks," he said in a televised speech. Chavez was speaking before participants in … read more »
Quick Note: Organic Lager, Mill St Brewery, Toronto, Canada
Posted by on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 in - 7 comments
I need to tell this story backwards. • Twenty or so years ago at my first Mexican restaurant in Chicago, friends all ordered Coronas, which I thought was bland. I got the beer in the cool red can with a lime, Tecate, and ever since, although I will try ANY Mex food (veg, anyway), I always have …
The Week of Schoune
Posted by on Monday, October 9, 2006 in - 5 comments
Another week is upon us and this week we come back to the west of the Atlantic to the Canadian province of Quebec and the brewery called Schoune. I picked up a mixed six of Schoune's beer along with another of their white, Blanche du Quebec, that Blork has already reviewed (which will be reviewed …
Book Review: Three More Books For The Library
Posted by on Sunday, October 8, 2006 in - leave a comment
While we continue to work on the advertising opportunities around here, I am pleased to state that publishers are the keenest participants in the expansion of A Good Beer Blog Nation through their supply of review copies of books. And these three are fantastic additions to any library that I can …
Contest Results
Posted by on Saturday, October 7, 2006 in - 2 comments
Well, it has taken a week to get the ballots all back in and counted for the beer blog's contest sponsored by Rock Ridge music. At stake are three copies of the CD We Couldn't Think of a Title by the band Psychostick featuring their single entitled "Beer". We thank all the contestants who took up …
Beer From Romania
Posted by on Thursday, October 5, 2006 in - 25 comments
As you know, we love piggybacking on the travels of others to find more about beer and this planet of our. Recently I have been working with Steven Hales of the Department of Philosophy at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania on his collection of essays Beer and Philosophy which is to be … read more »
Wet Hop Beer
Posted by on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 in - 4 comments
I planted some hops the year before I moved here with the plan of making a home-brew filled up with fresh-picked green hops. I never made it and I really didn't think it up at all but it sure has taken off as a style in the last few years: • “First there was Beaujolais nouveau. Now comes beer …
Another Case Of Anti-Beer Activism?
Posted by on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 in - 7 comments
Is this part of a trend? • “About 4 percent of America's hops have gone up in flames. Most of America's hops are grown in the Yakima Valley in Washington state, where a 40,000-foot warehouse storing hops burned down yesterday...The cause of the fire is not known. Nor is the effect on beer and …
Belgium: The Week of De Regenboog
Posted by on Monday, October 2, 2006 in - 3 comments
I hadn't planned on doing Belgian weeks back to back but years from now no one will care so here we go. I bought these at Tully's in Maine in the summer. I had the blond as well as the double and went back for more based on their strength. Not a cheap range as each 11.2 oz beer went for between …
Quick Note: Harbor Lighthouse Ale, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
Posted by on Sunday, October 1, 2006 in - leave a comment
When rooting around the fridge at my folks I came across this and an Atlantic Brewing Company Auld Ale that I left in there since the spring. • This one is the sibling to two of Bar Harbor Brewing's other beers that I reviewed in the spring of 2005. This is their mild. One thing I have to hand … read more »
Middle Ages Brewing By Shoe Cam
Posted by on Sunday, October 1, 2006 in - 3 comments
Gary on the shoe cam • We had a bit of a beer blog break through as Gary and I met at Middle Ages Brewing in Syracuse NY as part of his day of two tailgates and my introduction to NCAA football. It was a perfect place to meet to start the day. Gary filled in when my camera's memory card let it … read more »
