Noodling around the internet for ideas the other day I came across this reference to an unfamiliar form of inn the book Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy:

Rolliver's inn, the single alehouse at this end of the long and broken village, could only boast of an off-licence; hence, as nobody could legally drink on the premises, the amount of overt accommodation for consumers was strictly limited to a little board about six inches wide and two yards long, fixed to the garden palings by pieces of wire, so as to form a ledge. On this board thirsty strangers deposited their cups as they stood in the road and drank, and threw the dregs on the dusty ground to the pattern of Polynesia, and wished they could have a restful seat inside.

The novel in question is published in 1891 but is set in an economic depression almost twenty years earlier. The whole text can be found here. It's as odd a set up as I can imagine and, while it initially seems a bit shabby, is recommended as having a superior ale on tap... or rather "in tap"... compared to another establishment in the fictional village.

The prospect of a lane way inn would certainly increase my interest in going for an evening walk. There is a suggestion of what the serving hedge outside the inn might have looked like at this website. The former Stonch now known as Jeff posted a photo today with something of a far less successful variant witnessed recently in London. The fact is one of the most exotic things one suggest to an Ontario based beer fan is the idea of unbridled and unfenced outdoor public drinking. It is the closest we actually have to a notion of sin. The nearest one can easily get to is the locally licensed area of a spot like the Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse, as illustrated above. But that is urban and all biker style. Oh, to be able to walk down a country land, grab a quart of ale at the hedge side and move on for a few miles to the next stop.

Have you heard of such a thing? Is there any place that this sort of thing can be done now?

Long writing is something that has nagged at me for much of my adult life. Unlike what you see on TV, most of what most people who, like me, work in the law spend most of the day reading and writing, searching for a more coherent argument or a weak point in the authority being relied upon. And it carries over. If you search most of the hard drives or floppy disks I have had access to over the last thirty years, you may find notes for a more script, a plan for a TV series on beer or essays on any number of things. All half baked or less. Heck, I have written haiku about a certain sort of fast food saving a pal's life.

One of the more successful strategies for me for getting ideas past an early block has been collaborating. Right now I have three or four things on the go two of which relate to beer. Max has posted an update on what might be provisionally called "A Unified Theory of Beer Culture As Told In Song and Dance, Sarcasm and Footnotes":

...the topics that have been, or are being, discussed are: styles, health, tasting, language, micro marketing, extreme and experimental beers, collaborations. In the pipeline are value/price, myths, beer writing and blogs, evangelism, industrial vs craft and likely some more. The book has already taken to what appears to be a neighbourhood hospoda, Alan's kitchen, a tavern in 80's Canada, a Spanish bar, a Bavarian beer garden, a sensory isolation chamber, an abandoned ship, an examination room (much to my chagrin) and a lecture hall. Among all this we have met someone who might or might have not been a younger version of Alan's wife, and an irritated and vehement Ron Pattinson. God knows where else we'll be and who else we'll come across...

It is an interesting process. I had no idea Ron was going to show up. One trigger of the start of a new chapter is setting the scene. See, it is all set up as a dialogue between fiction Max and fiction me. Next up, a walk we will take from pubs in one village to the next, likely set on the path a couple hundred yards behind the poet John Milton moping along on one of his daily walks. Max will likely chuck stones and shout at the guy, telling him to lighten up. I had no idea a man could blissfully be so sweary Mary as Max - yet still make such keen observations, not always in line with mine.

Less experimental in format is the writing I am doing with Craig on Albany Ale. We've been invited to draft an article which has led to a plan for a series which might then form the basis of a book. As Albany, NY nears its 400th anniversary of brewing its not unreasonable for a work of some small heft to be in the plans. Stan has picked up the head scratch related to one aspect of the puzzle. Something that nags at the back of my mind is that the hop Cluster shows joint American and European ancestors and that it originated in the Hudson valley of NY, site of a joint American and European colonial enterprise in the 1600s. Not sure how wild crossing, traditional husbandry or more formal breeding might be at play. An email from OCB wiki contributor Jess Kidden added a twist: hops may have been a controlled product to be bought by 1600s Dutch colonists on the east coast of America rather than growing their own. So was the intercontinental melding that makes a hop that, in the 1840s, mastered the world, planned or inadvertent? Or did it happen at all. No idea.

I had wondered what might come of the new reality but all might be well. Just wish I had thought to shamelessly self promote the apparently appropriate breaking of that "off the shelf" story. But, then again, taking the proper time to do the job might avoid the need to do an anonymous "we" back stroke later on. Did a committee draft that comment post? Sad.

Time will tell. Things are progressing well and I hope will inspire getting other things off the floppy disk at the back of the desk drawer or even out of the junk box of the mind.

The good people of Alley Kat Brewing forwarded me this sample a few days ago. The brewery was named as Canada's best for 2012 by Mr. B a few weeks ago and I can't disagree from what samples I am fortunate enough to receive. See, under our system in Canada, it is easier to get a can of Euro-lager-gak from Lithuania or Mongolia than it is to get most beers from other provinces.

This beer, their St. Portersburg Baltic Porter released on 30 January, does one of my favorite things for this type of beer - it offers licorice. More Sinebrychoff than Carnegie if my notes can be relied upon. The colour of tarred cola, there is plenty of licorice, pumpernickel, gruity herb, espresso grind and dark chocolate. As it flows about the gums, there is all that, a sweetish cream texture and maybe some dark date hints as well. The pleasant nip of the carbonation gives structure to each swallow.

A confidently managed beer that sets out its constituent flavours with deft balance. A beer I would buy regularly if my overlords allowed me such things. Solid BAer support.

An interesting legal ruling out of the Canadian Federal Trial Division yesterday. Well, interesting if you like beer, horses or trademark law... and fascinating if you like all three. Let's just skip to the pithy nub of the case found at paragraph 39:

The Board did not consider that what it was doing was, in effect, granting to Molson a trade-mark monopoly over the word HORSE of any colour (green, golden, brown, blue, etc.) in relation to beer. The breadth of that monopoly is unreasonable.

See, the owner of the beer of the horse that is black wanted the court to rule that the beer of the horse that is red could confuse people looking for beer of the horse that is black. The court disagreed, noting as stated above that there is no monopoly in beers named for horses of any colours. Got it? Make sense? Good. I was struck how many horse beers there are in Canada - Black Horse, Red Horse, Dark Horse, Iron Horse and Cheval Blanc as well as Golden Horseshoe are named by the court. There's another horse word for a lot of other beer in Canada. Best bit from the ruling, however, is this yuk-fest from the Honourable Mr. Justice Phelan found in paragraph 2:

The potential for the use of phrases such as “this is a horse of a different colour” or equine and beer jokes jump out at one. The Court will refrain from such frivolities for this is a case about beer and a case of beer is a serious matter.

Please. Someone. Tape up my ribs. Judge is making funny fun. It is to laugh.

To the left, the Riedel O-Riedel Series Red+White glass: seven inches high, holds seventeen and one quarter US ounces of fluid. To the right, the Spiegelau IPA glass, seven and one third inches high and holds nineteen US ounces of fluid. Riedel and Spiegelau are closely related companies or perhaps even two brands of the same international firm. In the rush to question, mock or ignore the alleged new Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada thingie, only one comment maker at Time magazine website's story on the glass has bothered to suggest the relative lack of innovation which could be at play. Amazon reviews of the object associated with wine go back a few years. So, when a source like Fast Company magazine states:

In April, the Bavarian glassmaker Spiegelau will release the world’s first glass designed specifically for India Pale Ales, whose hops-heavy brewing process gives them an especially pungent, fruity aroma. Designed in collaboration with Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada--two craft brewers known for their IPAs--the unusual glass features wave-like ridges toward the bottom that help bring out the beer’s flavor...

...where do the uses of the words "designed" or "specifically" or "in collaboration" or "unusual" come from? Still, it sure broadens the utility, no? Makes it more of a multi-purpose glass. Perhaps call it the "Red and white as well as bunch of shades of brown" glass... perhaps?

I has no idea that Joe Stange, the Thirsty Pilgrim, had a crush on the Thinking Monkey, as illustrated, but today on Twitter we read this:

Would rule "don't be absurd" be violation of itself? [insert Alan's thinking monkey]

And also this:

He must be on sabbatical. Had to go 10 pages deep to find him...

I point this out for a couple of reasons. First, it's easy blog fodder on a slow night and, second, I hadn't ever really thought of the Thinking Monkey... or really the Thinking Chimp... as an independent character. I presumed it illustrated the impression I might think a reader might have of me based on the point I was making. I am, in that respect, the Thinking Chimp. But I like this idea. That there is an independent Thinking Chimp with a life of its own that judges me - and you perhaps - according to its own unspoken standards. One can only guess what his de Gaulle like chin rub might mean. Like my posts. I can live with that.

But it does raise the question of what other expectations you may have picked up from hanging around this place too much. Do you read secretly slipped in implications into my choice of bullet points, say, whether an arrow (⇒) or a diamond (♦)? Or have you a pet name for Mr. Drunk Junket over there to the left?

What is it about good beer that makes people layer ridiculous claims over it, against it or in its favour. What did beer do to deserve this? It's just a fluid of simple natural ingredients that offers a little intoxication and a little nutrition. I had a Korea tea today made of green tea and brown rice. Something like this. Simple. Tasty. Like beer without the buzz. Why can't beer be happy to be like that Korean tea? Here's a few of the beer claims which have passed by in recent days:

⇒ Beer goes not cause weight gain: Again, with the magic of beer. Advocates of this silliness need to rely on the "guns don't kill people, people do" argument as it is clear that beer has a significant number of calories and if you do not reduce your other caloric intake or begin to run daily, yes, beer will make you fatter. Unless you drink it in daily 100 ml doses. And if you swap out food for beer - what other nutrients are you losing? Note: it's "industry-sponsored research" produced for the British Beer and Pub Association. Crystal Luxmore has a far more balanced view which includes a pragmatic warning to craft beer nerds.

⇒ You need to buy the glass: Advanced marketing science in the hands of US big craft have brought us the next thing - an IPA specific glass. Tragically, there is no double IPA version. Mr. B makes the point that the glass itself is harmless but, as with so many things related to good beer, much effort is being made to manufacture need. Me, I swirl the beer in whatever glass by - ready for it - slow movement of my hand. Experiment if you dare taking on unbranded responsibility.

⇒ Valentine's means beer with chocolate: Brave is the man who tries this without giving warning. Sam Adams Boston Lager? Let me know how the relationship weathers that one, will you? Beers with chocolate flavour added? Safer but I'd still recommend giving fair warning. Days ahead. Likely too late now already. Perhaps plan for 2014 now. Or take Jordan's advice and do something that's self-evidently slightly nuts and may well actually taste good.

⇒ Beer innovation drives opportunity: Fun following along with the hashtag #beerinnovation today as marketing and PR placed adjectives like "passionate," "inspiring," "brilliant" and "excellent" before nouns like "networking" and "growth" and "future"! Hey, I didn't type that exclamation mark!! Or those!!! Clearly, the computer is getting excited about inspring growth and a brilliant networking future. Best of all, it was a summit which is great because summits are brilliant.

Can we live without these things? Are we better off without them? Is beer? Imagine a world where people respect beer as an energy powerhouse, drank from normal glassware, gave loved ones treats the loved ones liked and passed on the saving from not layering marketing costs on to your beer. Simpler, cheaper, better balanced and happier. Like hyeonmi nokcha. Or yesterday's parsnip soup. Who wouldn't want that?

Long before beer blogs and long before either BeerAdvocate or RateBeer (and their lack of spacing between adjectives and nouns) there was Home Brew Digest. I am on the email list for the digest but I have to admit I have not read one for longer than I can remember. So I was a bit shocked when I read this notice this early Sunday morning

Financial Projection as of 25 January 2013
*** Condition: Cautiously Optimistic ***
501(c)3 status rescinded. Refiled 1023 for retroactive status 25 June 2012. Per the IRS, our case must be assigned to an agent. IRS is currently assigning applications received in March 2012. Ours was received in late June. To current financials, HBD is officially bankrupt in July. Due to recent developments, HBD.org will likely have to be dissolved per the bylaws once funding runs out.
Projected 2012 Budget $3,145.01
Expended against projection $ 85.95
Unplanned expenditures $ 0.00
Projected Excess/(Shortfall) ($1,194.50)

As always, donors and donations are publicly acknowledged and accounted for on the HBD web page. Thank you.

I feel quite badly about this, not having been aware of this. When I was a fledgling home brewer starting a decade and a half ago, HBD.org was the first place and in many cases the only place one could go to find information in a Web 1.0 or maybe even 0.5 world. As you can see, the sums involved are modest so it would be good to see this source of brewing wisdom saved.

And here is the thing. It is not that it is like some old beer can that once had a purpose so now is deemed to be worth thousands. Two features alone are worth not only supporting HBD.org but relying on it. First, the Beer Recipator is a free and complex tool to design and describe home brew recipes. The real gem, however, are the discussion forums and digital archives going back to 1986 which contain every consideration about beer and brewing you may have thought of and about 57 times more that you have never heard of. Here are twenty years of discussion on gruit. Here is a 1986 review of Michael Jackson's new Pocket Guide to Beer. And here is Jeff Renner explaining to me what a botch I made of my first Irish Moss experiment in 2001. Here is a search tool for the archives.

It is worth saving. Donations can be sent to HBD Server Fund, PO Box 871054, Canton, MI 48187-6054. You can also email Patrick Babcock, the head janitor, at patrick.babcock at gmail.com for more information. I have sent an email to see if there is a PayPal account set up.

Rather good of The New York Times to take on the question of "what New York City beer can is considered the most valuable as a collectible?" in today's paper. Results included:

Liebmann’s Beer, a flat-top can from the 1930s from Liebmann Breweries in Brooklyn, the brewer of Rheingold Beer. A recent asking price was $7,000.

Pilsers’s Bock Beer, a flat-top can from 1950 (Metropolis Brewery, New York). A recent asking price was $12,000. “Bock beer was a seasonal brew that was sold only during the spring,” Mr. Arnold wrote, adding: “Most brewers only sold this type of beer in bottles or on draft.”

Asking price, eh? I suppose any group can frame value by making exchanges but this does seem to speak to quelles que choses des end times. Yet... $12,000?!?! I guess there is materialism and waste materialism.

But it does beg the question of what it is that we value about in particular in our beer nerdism. In the '90s when "clone brewing" was a thing, I found it a bit odd that people were spending hundreds of dollars on technically advanced home brewing equipment to make a beer that otherwise cost hundreds of pennies. Isn't this is up there? Or... is there an integrity in the nature of these sorts of artifacts that make you see the point of these valuations?