July 2009
Ontario: Kellerbier, Creemore Springs, Creemore
Posted by on Thursday, July 30, 2009 in - leave a comment
Soon Obama will be having his moment of beer. People are arguing about whether it is good for a President to have beer and question which beer he chose. As a Canadian, I really don't care. Our problem is that we have the first Prime Minister in years who might not like beer. For a Canadian …
"Odour That Is Instinctively Repellent To Women"?
Posted by on Wednesday, July 29, 2009 in - 3 comments
It is good to be a fan of good beer and promote it and all but we still do say silly things some times as this article about a conversation with British beer writer Melissa Cole illustrates: • ...we start with a bottle of Coney Island, by an American brewer called Schmaltz (which also makes …
Stan Inadvertently Declares Attack The Stash Day!
Posted by on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 in - 6 comments
It's not me. No. It was Stan's post about the limited utility of the concept of a "rare" beer and I suggested "special" is about as dopey. Then Mr. Beaumont did the right thing and announced that in honour of Stan's observation he was going to open a bottle he saved for some special day. He opened …
BrewDog Now Attracting The Mathematically Challenged
Posted by on Monday, July 27, 2009 in - leave a comment
Tokyo beer has over 18%. Scotch whisky has over 40%. Let me try that again. Tokyo beer has over 18%. Scotch whisky has over 40%. Funny. The way you would read this quotation from BBC Scotland today would make you think that 18 is more than 40: • ...Alcohol Focus Scotland chief executive Jack Law …
Review: TAPS Magazine, Summer 2009 Issue
Posted by on Sunday, July 26, 2009 in - 1 comment
Last January, I reviewed the winter issue of Canada's beer quarterly, TAPS magazine. I had some advice and, happily, little complaint but after Troy like any good worker beer announced the next incarnation I thought I should have another look. • TAPS is advancing by leaps as bounds with every …
Brown Boasts Beer Builds Buddy Bridges
Posted by on Saturday, July 25, 2009 in - leave a comment
Alliteration? It has come to alliteration? Good Lord. Anyway, Pete Brown has pointed out that Obama is turning out to be beer's best buddy: • Why would Obama invite both men for "a beer here in the White House" rather than simply invite them to get round a table and discuss it without … read more »
What A Niche Within A Clique Made Up Of Nerds!
Posted by on Thursday, July 23, 2009 in - 2 comments
You know, Andy Crouch has been on fire lately. Well, maybe not. You really can't be a blog on fire and post four times since June. But he is making some good points. Like: • "...the beer geek addiction to alcohol, hop, and barrel bombs is not only disturbing but I just can’t bring myself to even …
BBADD: So What Now? Surely Not A Manifesto!
Posted by on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 in - 2 comments
The reaction has been interesting to the idea of BBADD. From those in the trade, there's a reluctance to look anything like MADD or to discuss the negatives related to craft beer. That makes sense. No one, at least as a first reaction, wants the product they depend on for a living to be associated …
BBADD: Beer Bloggers Against Drunk Driving
Posted by on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 in - 4 comments
I was thinking the other day about scare-dee cats. While good beer for fans is fun, easy, relaxing and genial for others it can be another nail in the coffin of the moral and secure society we all grew up with or supposedly wished we did. There is something about this dichotomy that makes no sense …
Is A Ban On Beer Marketing Bad Taste Coming in Russia?
Posted by on Monday, July 20, 2009 in - leave a comment
Apparently there is a lot of pop culture cracking down going on under the direction of the Kremlin. And it is not restricted to music as beer ads are coming under the careful if sub-totalitarian eye according to the Moscow News: • TV campaigns like "Tri Medvedi" - which depicts a racy picnic …
Big Beer Business Blabber Befuddles
Posted by on Saturday, July 18, 2009 in - 2 comments
I suppose I should not care. My interest in good beer and industrial brewing simply don't align. Yet reading this stuff in the business section of the Globe and Mail just seems sad: • Mr. Scott says discounting has become a big factor in the Canadian beer market, and this is “a huge challenge … read more »
Germany: Hopfen-Weisse Ale, Schneider Brooklyner
Posted by on Friday, July 17, 2009 in - leave a comment
I thought I had missed the sweet spot in this one. I was sure it must have sat too long. Then I noticed it was 8.2%. The collaboration beer between the venerable Schneider Weissebier Brewery and The Brooklyn Brewery. Neat idea? Sure. Franken-brew? Maybe. • This is the German expression of the …
Geographical Challenges To Blueberriness Claim
Posted by on Thursday, July 16, 2009 in - 4 comments
It is odd how sometimes the Canadian drinks press fails to recognize the rather large neighbo(u)r to the south. In 2007, we learned through the Globe and Mail that pumpkin ales were "another classic" which deserved the revival that an Ontario brewery brought to the style even though there were 150 …
Star Island Single, Smuttynose Brewing, New Hampshire
Posted by on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 in - leave a comment
Smuttynose calls this an eminently sessionable, abbey-style ale. Which may make it Belgianesque, I suppose. The colour of aged pine with white froth and rim. The aroma is more grainy than spiced which makes me worry a bit about FBS - false Belgian syndrome. There is, however, comfort in the …
How Can We Bear Any More Funny Beer Associations?
Posted by on Monday, July 13, 2009 in - 1 comment
Humourlessness. That is often the best claim made against those who are against beer labels and the associated images of, you know, fun stuff. Can't have Santa on a beer bottle because the four year olds who like Santa will expect a Bud or a Belgian under the tree. Can't have a bunny on the label …
One Day Left On The Road And What Did I Learn?
Posted by on Saturday, July 11, 2009 in - 5 comments
Some years, these summer road trips to the sea seem like beer tours and sometimes holidays from thinking too much about beer. This one has turned out to be something of both. I did get a bit of a haul at both Tully's and Allagash with some sweet snabs like new to me Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien biere …
A Glimpse Into What The Beer Blogger Is Likely Not
Posted by on Friday, July 10, 2009 in - 3 comments
As you may have guessed, I like to think about my relationship to beer and the brewing trade. That is, at this moment, really my prime motivation for this blog. It is not so much that I need to chronical my time with beer. And it is certainly not that I think that I have any right to suggest I …
Alberta Faces The New Politics Of Cold Beer
Posted by on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 in - leave a comment
Here is a weird one for you. After new got out that Alberta, Canada's home to free enterprise and low taxation, has the inordinately high booze costs the provincial government has decided to take the bold step of reducing the tax on alcohol... that, you know, they introduced themselves a few … read more »
Beer And Food: Fish Tacos Go With Anything
Posted by on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 in - 9 comments
As if to make the point, I made fish tacos as well as burgers for about 12 last night over at a pal's house. The fridge had Allagash White, Utica Club, Hennepin, Local 1, Insanity and a bunch of other sippables and not one person spoke up about disappointment as to the pairings. Everyone just had … read more »
Gas Station Saison, Utica Club And Fireworks
Posted by on Sunday, July 5, 2009 in - 2 comments
Apparently wherever I go I pack an extra 5 kilopascals or whatever atmospheric pressure is measured in. The weather has cracked from a month of wet to sunny and dry. Ran into a pal on a CNY backroad gas station three hours from either of our homes and was inspired to grab a 7 puck twelve pack of …
Session #29: Traveling For Beer And Other Things
Posted by on Thursday, July 2, 2009 in - 6 comments
An early entry for tomorrow's version of The Session as I am preparing to go on a special assignment. The Session is a monthly mass blog-in where folks around the globe face the same beery question and come up with a vast range of answers. The question this time as posed by Beer by Bart is … read more »
