Dowd's Brews Notebook

Colorado town getting another micro-brewery

2009-12-30T12:12:00.001-08:00

Alaska once was regarded as the wild frontier of America where the entrepreneurial spirit could thrive. Colin and Shannon Westcott have reversed that trend.

When they moved to Fort Collins, CO, from Anchorage in 2005, they established Hops & Berries, a homebrew shop catering to beer and wine makers. But, that hasn't been enough for them.

Colin, who once was the head brewer at Kettlehouse Brewing Co. in Missoula, MT, is working on another project called the Equinox Brewing Co. It will operate next door to Hops & Berries at 125 Remington Street, with an April 1, 2010, target opening date. There already are several small breweries in the northern Colorado town, but Westcott plans less of a competitive venture than one that will continue to encourage homebrewers by supplying recipes with each beer it serves.

The plan is to serve British-style ales on six taps -- porter, India pale ale, red ale, golden ale and one more style to be decided.

The micro-brewery, which will not offer food, will work initially off a small production system that will brew 8½ barrels -- about 270 gallons -- at a time.

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Cape Cod Beer expands again

2009-12-30T11:50:00.001-08:00

As many brewers cut back in the face of an ongoing global economic malaise, Cape Cod Beer keeps growing.

Four new tanks were installled today at the Phinney's Lane facility in Hyannis, MA. The expansion is only natural since the brewery nearly ran out of supply in July and August.

This year, the brewery produced approximately 3,000 barrels -- about 744,000 pints -- of beer. The expansion will increase capacity by 45%, according to owners Todd and beth Marcus.

In the fall of 2006, Heavy tourism areas usually have their own food or drink that people remember year-round and can't wait to have during the next visit.

Cape Cod Beer opened in March 2006 with the motto "A Vacation In Every Pint." It almost immediately found demand outstripping supply. That fall, three new fermentation vessels were installed, doubling the facility's original production capacity.

The company, which distributes mostly in the immediate area, has added a third expression to its year-round line. Beach Blonde, a light-bodied ale, was added to Cape Cod Red and Cape Cod IPA in September.

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Japanese Space Beer finally on the market

2009-12-07T15:55:00.001-08:00

I've been updating you since 2008 on the experiment to grow barley in space, then use it to make beer. Now it can be reported: Sapporo has gone to market with the new product.

The Japanese brewer had been working with Okayama University and the Russian Academy of Science during the five-month growing project on the International Space Station to grow the barley.

The beer is selling for about $110 U.S. per six-pack.

Before you take a look at the video above, take a look at my earlier stories to help set the scene. In chronological order:

• Beers in space (5/27/2008)
• Space beer a reality (12/2/2008)

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Beer Connoisseur Magazine to debut

2009-12-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

Magazines may be going belly-up in many categories while the eocnomy stumbles along, but that isn't stopping Lynn Davis.

The founder and editor of Beer Connoisseur Magazine will see the new title debut on newsstands nationwide on Tuesday, December 8.

The quarterly magazine, published in Atlanta, is being billed as a beer guide for both novices and experts. The debut issue already has been mailed to charter subscribers.

The magazine, says Managing Editor Nick Kaye, will focus on the marriage of beer and food, with articles in the first issue on the rise of the gastropub trend, beer and cheese pairing, and other topics such as domestic and international travel. It also profiles individuals in the industry and reviews of various brews.

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Powerful Scottish beer banned in UK

2009-12-05T13:19:00.001-08:00

"Everything in moderation, including moderation itself. What logically follows is that you must, from time, have excess. This beer is for those times."

If you put that statement on your label, it should be no surprise it will anger many people.

That's what happened to BrewDog's Tokyo*, the strongest beer sold in the United Kingdom. Yesterday (December 4), it was banned from sale yesterday for promoting excessive drinking.

Tokyo* has an alcoholic content of 18.2%, roughly quadruple that of the average beers sold in the UK.

The Portman Group, the alcohol industry watchdog, said the beer breached its code on alcohol packaging. Chief Executive David Poley said: "It's obviously unwise for any company to urge consumers to drink to excess. We won't allow irresponsible marketing whether it's for a big brand or a niche product."

And Charity Alcohol Focus Scotland complained about the message on the label as well as its alcohol level.

BrewDog is located in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Its oak-aged imperial stout has been on sale since July at £10 (about $16 US) for each 330ml bottle. Only 3,000 bottles were produced.

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Boston Beer pushes higher alcohol content

2009-11-30T11:08:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you do things because they need doing. Sometimes you do them simply because you can.

In the case of the Boston Beer Co., maker of the Samuel Adams brand ... well, you make the call.

The brewer has released an updated version of its biennial beer Utopias, at $150 a bottle and 27% alcohol. It is the highest-alcohol beer on the market, and is banned in 13 states.

Go here for the Associated Press report on the controversy.

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Oh, the humanity -- and the beer!

2009-11-16T11:06:00.000-08:00

The fiery May 6, 1937, crash of the German zeppelin Hindenburg in Lakewood, NJ, is an iconic tragedy.

Most people have seen footage of the Hindenburg being engulfed in flames and being burnt to cinders in mere moments. Few people, however, known that not everything on the trans-Atlantic airship was destroyed.

A bottle of beer said to have been rescued from the crash has sold at auction in Wiltshire, England, for just over $16,000. It was one of several items picked up at the scene by Lakewood Fire Chief Leroy Smith at the time of the disaster.

Reports from people who have investigated the provenance of items say Smith found a half-dozen scorched bottles and a pitcher, which he hid for a while, then passed out to colleagues. The only other bottle still definitely known to exist was donated by Smith to the Lowenbrau brewery in 1977.

The bottle of beer, which still contains a liquid, was sold by the British auction house Henry Aldridge & Sons which specializes in disaster relics. It has been a major auctioner of Titanic artifacts.

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Maine seeks fix for tasting law glitch

2009-11-10T12:15:00.001-08:00

Picture this.

You're in Maine with a group of friends or family and want to sample a couple of beers or spirits before making your purchase.

No problem, you think. The state legislature earlier this year passed a bill authorizing stores that sell beer or liquor to hold up to a dozen public tastings a year.

Ah, but there is a problem. A last-minute amendment to that law says tastings “must be conducted in a manner that precludes the possibility of observation by children.” It has caused all sorts of complaints from stores.

As a result, Rep. Stacey Fitts, R-Pittsfield, has introduced legislation aimed at addressing the problems, a proposal that has received the unanimous support of the Legislative Council, which reviews all bills proposed for the legislative session that begins in January.

The intent of the new law was to give sellers of spirits and specialty brews the same marketing tool that has helped Maine wine shops draw additional customers. But, since it went into effect in September, vendors have gone through all sorts of machinations to keep children from seeing any tasting activities.

For example, Leslie Thistle of Bangor Wine & Cheese Co. told the Bangor Daily News she has to cover her front and back door windows with black and drape a sheet across the large storefront windows, giving her shop the feel of a speakeasy during her monthly tastings.

"The law also means that she could be found in violation if a parent with children in tow comes into her shop to purchase a bottle of wine during a tasting event," the newspaper said. "She also pointed out that there are no laws shielding children from the sight of people drinking alcohol while seated on a restaurant’s outdoor patio."

Other wine and beer shops have taken similar steps to cover their windows or discourage minors from seeing inside during an event.

“Many stores that traditionally never had a problem conducting wine tastings are being hurt by this onerous requirement,” Fitts said in a statement. “My bill would instead mandate that a sign be placed at the entrance to an establishment when an event is being held, so all patrons are aware of the taste-testing.”

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PC-compatible humidifier can be yours

2009-11-10T11:01:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but if I were in the market for a humidifier I doubt one of the criteria for choosing it would be that it looked like a beer can.

I also wouldn't be looking for it to be USB-compatible with my computer.

So, I suspect, Green-House of Japan didn't have me in mind when it designed such a device, fitted out to look like a can of German-brewed beer.

The company is charging the equivalent of $64 US for its new humidifier that simply requires you to insert a filter, fill with water and plug it into your PC via the USB port.

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Brooklyn Brewery gets boost from state

2009-11-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

A New York State economic development grant to the Brooklyn Brewery will result in a lot more of its beer hitting the market.

The current output of 8,000 barrels a year is expected to rise to as much as 50,000.

The $800,000 grant will be used as part of a planned $6.5 million project in Brooklyn's Williamsburg section. The company plans to convert 13,500 square feet of now-vacant distribution space into a beer fermentation facility. In addition, despite the high-priced real estate in the neighborhood, the continuing financial climate has driven lease prices down and the brewery just signed a 15-year lease .

Steve Hindy, brewery founder, told The New York Times, “When the recession hit in, like, August or September last year, all of a sudden the landlords here in Williamsburg were looking much more favorably on us as a long-term tenant."

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The suds aren't all in the glass

2009-10-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Beer lovers often complain they can't get enough of their favorite quaff. A Chicago microbrewery has taken a big step toward satisfying that thirst.

The Half Acre Beer Company is selling a soap at its brewery store that lists beer as a major ingredient. It better be, for $6 a bar.

The soap was invented by Jim Gregory, 22, a college student who says "macronutrients" in the beer are good for the skin and hair.

Gregory, whose company is called Grandma Gee's, said the soap also contains lavender, bergamot and menthol. None of that beery smell.

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Sacramento brewer cuts it short

2009-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

When Peter Hoey, brewmaster at the Sacramento (CA) Brewing Company, decided to close the doors on the establishment, he didn't linger over his goodbyes.

A sign posted on the door read simply: "Closed Due to the Economy."

And, on his blog, he posted this brief message: "I'll keep this blog short. Just wanted to thank everyone for all their support over the last 15 years. Some amazing friends have been made and great times have been had at Sacramento Brewing. As of today, we have closed the doors for good. PLEASE support your local breweries, the numbers are dwindling in Sacramento as we have lost three breweries in the last year alone and not for lack of quality. We have multiple Great American Beer Festival award winning breweries making world class beer right in your back yard, please think of them the next time you are buying beer at the grocery store or deciding where to have a pint."

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State bellys up for brooklyn Brewery

2009-10-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

New York State, or rather its taxpayers, are handing over $800,000 to the Brooklyn Brewery to assist the company's $6.5 million expansion project.

The money, according to founder Steve Hindy, will be used to help convert 13,500 square feet of currently vacant distribution space into a fermentation facility.

That should help the company increase production from 8,000 to 50,000 barrels a year.

The grant is part of the state's Downstate Revitalization Fund.

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U.S./German brew on the drawing board

2009-10-26T14:49:00.001-07:00

Boston's Samuel Adams and Germany's Weihenstephan Brewery are teaming up to jointly create a new style of beer next spring.

Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams beers, said in an announcement:

"The Weihenstephan Brewery is a mecca for brewers and people around the world who are passionate about beer and brewing. No brewer can stand at the site of this brewery without feeling a sense of reverence for what has been done here. It is a great honor to work together on this mission to explore the limits of the Reinheitsgebot and to brew a beer that represents the platinum standard in the art of brewing."

Josef Schradler, managing director of Weihenstephan, took a shot at topping that hyperbolic statement by saying:

"This journey we've embarked on with Samuel Adams is unprecedented in the beer world. We are making history with Jim and his team of brewers; turning our traditional brewing techniques on their head will result in an innovative beer that is ground breaking, delicious and unique."

Whatever they come up with is to be introduced in the U.S. and Germany next spring in cork-finished bottles. The champagne-like beer will be about 10% alcohol by volume.

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A celebri-quote: George Wendt

2009-10-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

• Actor George Wendt, who gained TV fame as Norm the beer drinker on the sit-com "Cheers," has a new book out called “Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional’s Guide to Beer." He's been making the rounds of TV and radio talk shows as well as print outlets. Here's one of his stock quips.

“Beer has been very good to me.

“I wanted to give something back, so this is for the children. You don’t want them to learn how to shotgun from their peers. You want them to learn it from a responsible adult in a book.”

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Party animal caught in a cooler

2009-10-18T20:50:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just gotta have a cool one.

In Hayward, WI, the other day the beer-seeker was a 125-pound black bear that wandered into a grocery store via the automatic doors, climbed 12 feet up on a shelf in the beer cooler, and sat there for about an hour.

Eventually staff from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources showed up and tranquilized the bear so it could be hauled away.

Store employees said the well-behaved bear did not consume any beer.

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Great American honors list finalized

2009-10-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

DENVER, CO -- The results from the Great American Beer Festival Competition now are official, and a "hometown" company emerged as the top award winner.

Coors Brewing Co. of Golden, CO, was named top "Large Brewing Company" and "Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year."

In other overall awards:

• Flying Dog Brewery of Frederick, MD, won top "Mid-Size Brewing Company" and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year" honors.

• Dry Rock Brewing Co. of Aurora, CO, won the "Small Brewing Company" and "Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year" honors.

• Pizza Port of Carlsbad, CA, won "Large Brewpub" and "Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year" honors.

• Chuckanut Brewery of Bellingham, WA, won "Small Brewpub" and "Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year" honors.

• The Chama River Brewing Co. of Albuquerque, NM, won the "Pro-Am Competition" gold medal with its Herbal Joe’s Columbarillo IPA.

Entries were divided into 72 categories. Go here to view a complete list of medal winners.

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Report slams NY liquor authority

2009-10-01T14:11:00.001-07:00

The official word is out concerning the embattled State Liquor Authority, a bumbling bureaucracy that has been assailed on many fronts. Not surprisingly, it reinforces most of the long-standing criticisms of the authority.

The first part of the New York State Law Revision Commission's two-part report on findings and recommendations notes:

The SLA's current nine-month backlog of license applications reflects a failure in the licensing process, jeopardizes public health and safety, and exacerbates the economic crisis currently plaguing New York. Small business owners, and some large ones as well, are forced to suffer ever-mounting expenses for months on end without the income generated from having these licenses. The situation deprives the state of new revenues from sales and income taxes, and it depresses the growth of new jobs in local communities.

Despite that sweeping condemnation, apparently the SLA was not found guilty of The Great Train Robbery, the hanging-chad controversy in George Bush's election, or the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.

The SLA itself was not alone in being chastised by the Commission. In a slap at some in other branches of state government, the Commission said:

"Some people, including those quite familiar with the SLA's budget, have remarked about the backlog: 'What's the big deal, the state has already banked the license fees, the applicants can wait.' This shortsighted view, to be kind, is nothing less than foolish. The 'What's the big deal‚' advocates both in and out of government basically view the SLA as a 'cash cow‚' and care little about the importance of an expeditious, careful and fair licensing process dedicated to the well-being of New York's citizenry and the State itself. ... A New York County [Manhattan] grand jury is in the midst of concluding a criminal investigation into the bribery of SLA licensing examiners by corrupt 'expediters' that is expected to be completed by the end of October. The State Inspector General is also expected to issue a report in the near future detailing the corruption and other problems in the agency."

Among recommendations made by the Commission:

• The SLA should have the authority to declare a moratorium when it deems that the backlog of licenses has ended.
• Give the SLA the needed number of employees to allow it to carry out its mission.
• The SLA should create two positions of regional manager (one for New York City, and one for Albany, Syracuse and Rochester) to oversee daily administration ... including customer service.
• Develop policies that ensure that enforcement focuses on serious violations with an impact on public safety, and more closely monitor businesses with a history of complaints and violations.
• Investigate non-economic incentives such as those adopted by other State agencies to motivate and reward staff and alter the negative agency culture that has evolved over time."
• Owners of restaurants that have a wine, beer or full liquor license pending should be eligible to secure a BYOB (bring your own bottle) permit.

You can go here to read or download Part 1 of the report. The Commission said it "will evaluate the current structure of the SLA in Part 2 of its report."

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'Sample NY Beer Festival' in Finger Lakes

2009-09-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

If you want an extra excuse to look at autumn foliage in the Finger Lakes, the first-ever "Sample NY Beer Festival" will take place this Friday and Saturday at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua.

The event is intended to highlight craft beers from local breweries and brewpubs.

Visitors will be able to participate in the “Taster’s Choice Award” which will be presented at the end of the evening. Each participant will receive a tasting glass bearing a commemorative logo.

The opening event, "NY On Tap," will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and will include food cooked by the Center's kitchen staff.

The second event, the "Beer Garden," will run from noon to 5 p.m. It will include a variety of beer-themed classes -- seasonal pairings, craft beer pairings, and a classic sausage, cabbage, and beer pairing class.

Tickets to "NY on Tap" are $45 per person or $75 per couple. Class prices range from $20 to $65. Participants who bring their Friday night beer glass to the Saturday event will receive free admission. Pre-registration is required for many of the festival's events, including Friday's "NY on Tap." That can be done online.

The NYWCC facility is located at 800 South Main Street on the lakefront.

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A celebri-quote: Matt Damon

2009-09-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

• Matt Damon packed on more than 30 pounds for his latest movie role, in "The Informant." How did he do it? asked OK Magazine.

"I think people have a natural range of weight that they’re in, and I probably went outside mine so it was probably easier to lose the weight

"The gaining weight was alarmingly easy. That was just drinking beer and eating pizza.”

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Anheuser-Busch dabbling in exotica

2009-09-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

• From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

... If your eye espies a Michelob sampler 6-pack at a grocery story in the next few months, take a close look. It may contain a rye IPA, or India Pale Ale.

For Anheuser-Busch, the beer’s creator, it’s another example of dabbling in fairly exotic styles under the Michelob umbrella.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Canned craft beer getting its showcase

2009-09-08T09:39:00.001-07:00

CANFEST, the first international craft beer judging and tasting for canned beer, is being readied for Reno, NV.

The Buckbean Brewing Company, Nevada’s largest production microbrewery, will host the event at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino on October 23. Proceeds will benefit The Nature Conservancy and the Great Basin Bird Observatory.

Other brewers scheduled to participate include the Big Sky Brewing Company, Oskar Blues, Ukiah Brewing Company, Maui Brewing Company, Surly Brewing Company, New Belgium Brewing Company, Uncommon Brewers, and Rochester Mills Brewing Company. Others may be added before the event judging.

Judging will take place prior to the public tasting, based on categories to be determined. Beer seminars, beer and food pairings and a forum of brewers who can beer are planned.

Ticket prices are $35 per person and room packages will be available for attendees.

Buckbean produces its two signature beers, Original Orange Blossom Ale and Black Noddy Lager, in 16-ounce, environmentally-friendly cans.

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World's oldest bartender retiring

2009-08-28T11:57:00.001-07:00

• From the Associated Press

WEST VIEW, Pa. — Only minutes after Prohibition died in 1933, Angelo Cammarata, 19, served a 10-cent bottle of Fort Pitt beer to a customer in his father's neighborhood grocery.

Ever since, except for a 30-month hitch during World War II, the son of Italian immigrants has been tending bar and serving drinks. Guinness World Records dubbed him the longest-serving bartender a decade ago, and he's earned induction into Jim Beam's Bartender Hall of Fame and numerous other honors.

Now 95, he's calling it quits.

[Go here for the full story.]

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I was fired today ...

2009-08-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

... reads the subject line on the e-mail this photo was attached to. The rest of the note explains, "I was in charge of ordering cups for the company picnic."

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A beer cocktail for m'lady?

2009-08-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

• From Digital City

Forget for a moment the stereotyped idea that drinking beer is primarily a male pastime. In reality, more women are drinking beer than ever before. And with pretty beer cocktails adorning drink menus across the nation, guzzling down a cold brew can hardly be called unladylike.

Classic beer cocktails include lager and lime, the snakebite (half beer and half cider) and the black velvet (half stout and half champagne). Now, with the increased popularity of 'booze brews,' bars and restaurants are getting even more creative. Bartenders are mixing up concoctions of beer and raspberry liqueur, wheat beer and Blue Curaçao, and even beer and Kahlua.

[Go here for the full story.]

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