On Tuesday evening the BBC reported the latest example of how not
to run a country.
The report said “Russia is trying to clamp down on beer, which
it says is a deadly addiction sweeping the nation. Russia's Deputy Health
Minister, Gennady Onischenko, has declared war on beer - saying it is
threatening to become a deadly addiction in a country already far too fond of
its drink." “
The BBC report notes
that the thrust of the war will be a ban on beer advertising aimed at young
people, and making high alcohol brands illegal. As it is, beer is not classed
as alcohol, so even children can buy it.
These days Russia needs no encouragement to drink beer - even
President Vladimir Putin is believed to prefer it to vodka.
Reuters
recently reported that beer-loving Australians have taken up home brewing in a
big way after “hotel beer” prices jumped following the introduction of a 10
percent consumption tax nine months ago.
"We've had huge sales of home
brew kits in the last eight months," Alec Hill of Pacific Brewing Pty Ltd
told Reuters on Friday.
Australia's largest grocer
Woolworth’s says the sale of home beer brewing kits has risen 55 percent since
the introduction of the goods and services tax last July, according to local
media.
A home brewing kit costs US$35 and
makes 22 liters (five gallons) of beer or 60 small bottles called
"stubbies" in Australia. But refills cost only A$11.50 for 60 bottles
compared with A$25 for a case of 24 bottles in a hotel -- a saving of close to
A$50 for beer-swilling Australians.
The Australian Hotels Association
said there has been a sharp decline in over-the-counter beer sales since the
consumption tax hiked the price of on-tap beer by nine percent.
Australia is one of the world's
biggest beer drinking nations with 99 liters (22 gallons) per head being downed
each year.
“Brigid
the Brewer”, most famous for her discovery that hops added shelf-life to
monastic beer, was also a poet, painter and well known for her religious
musical compositions. Presented FYI the following was found recently on
Beliefnet:
A
Lake of Beer for God
I'd
like to give a lake of beer to God.
I'd love the Heavenly
Host to be tippling there
For all eternity.
…
I'd sit with the men, the women of God
There by the lake of beer
We'd be drinking good health forever
And every drop would be a prayer.
EVENTS
======
Slow Food U.S.A., Brooklyn
Brewery and Niman Ranch bring real BBQ to Brooklyn for a Pig-Fest
Jim
“Trim” Tabb’s vast experience in judging and cooking fine barbecue has taken
him to Bangkok, Canada, Ireland, Italy and all over the United States. On May
12th, Jim will add Brooklyn to the list. Slow Food U.S.A., Brooklyn
Brewery, and Niman Ranch are proud to announce The Brooklyn Pig-Fest, a daylong
celebration of this great American tradition. Jim says there are two times you
“have” to move fast when cooking BBQ: when you burn your hand and when you run
out of beer.
Tabb believes that to do BBQ right one
needs to use only the highest quality pork and cook the meat for at least 24
hours. Jim calls his cooking technique “slow and low.”
Tabb is the organizer for the North
Carolina State Barbecue Championship in Tyron, North Carolina and has attended
both the Memphis in May and Kansas City Barbecue Society judging schools. Jim
will lead a five-person team consisting of his wife Kathleen; Bill Eason, Kevin
Cowan and his wife Valerie; who will drive up from North Carolina with three
cookers in tow.
The Pig-Fest will take place on
Saturday May 12th, 2001, from 1pm to 5pm at the Brooklyn Brewery, 79
North 11th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 – Directions can be found at www.brooklynbrewery.com . Tickets are $40 each
(limited to 400 – just over 100 sold at press time) and are available by
calling Patrick Martins at 212.988.5146
Celebrator Beer News 13th
Anniversary Party/Concert
Wednesday, April 4, 2001 -- 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Portland, Oregon
A Beer Industry Happening!
(Hint: Wear something tie-dyed)
$10 per person includes a souvenir glass, a beer and music!
Call 800-430-BEER for tickets or e-mail tdalldorf@celebrator.com.
Join the Celebrator Beer News staff as we celebrate
13 years of
publishing in Portland to kick off the National Craft Brewers Conference
April 4, 2001. Our friends at the Horse Brass Pub have made it possible to
gather at the historic Crystal Ballroom in Portland, where the local
"Dead-head-inspired" Buds of May and the beer industry-staffed
Rolling Boil
Blues Band will play from the same stage where the Grateful Dead, Blue
Cheer, Buffalo Springfield, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson
Airplane and many others jammed during the era of Psychedelic Rock and
where James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner and other greats played.
Gary Regan chairs Bartender Seminar series
Gary Regan [gary@ardentspirits.com]
of the Ardent Spirits newsletter is offering an “Ardent Bartender 303” – three
two-day seminars in bartending. Three 2 1/2 hour fun-filled seminars covering
the history of cocktails, classic methodology, the lot of the bartender, and
hands-on drink preparation.
Class 1: April 28 - April 29
(Saturday/Sunday).
Class 2: May 1 - May 2
(Tuesday/Wednesday)
Class 3: May 8 - May 9
(Tuesday/Wednesday)
“Scholarships” are currently being
offered by the following corporate sponsors: B&B Liqueur, Campari Martini
& Rossi Vermouth, Rain Vodka, Tanqueray No. 10 Gin, Tuaca Liqueur, and Wild
Turkey Bourbon. (The package includes: round-trip transportation from and to
Manhattan - Luxury overnight accommodation at Painter's Tavern,
Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York - all meals, including a 4-course cocktail dinner,
prepared by Executive Chef Donna Hammond, a graduate of the Culinary Institute
and chef at Painters for the past 6 years.)
To apply for an Ardent Bartender
Scholarship:
1. You must be 21 years old or
older--I.D. will be checked upon arrival--and
you must state that you are at
least 21 years old in your submission.
2. Write, in 100 words or less,
your reasons for wanting to learn how to mix
drinks like a pro, and send it to
gary@ardentspirits.com or by fax to
1-845-534-4398.
3. Include your name, phone number,
e-mail address, and mailing address.
4. Clearly state which class you
are interested in attending.
The choices are:
Class 1: April 28 - April 29
(Saturday/Sunday).
Class 2: May 1 - May 2
(Tuesday/Wednesday)
Class 3: May 8 - May 9 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Prices for this course start at
$635 with discounts available for mid-week
courses, double occupancy, etc. For
more details, call Gary Regan at 845 534
4299, or write to
gary@ardentspirits.com
PS: AB Endows Chair at Howard
Howard
University President H. Patrick Swygert announced the endowment of the
Anheuser-Busch/John E. Jacob Chair in The Howard University School of
Business. The endowed chair was made
possible by a $1 million gift from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation.
Jacob has served as executive vice
president and chief communications officer of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
since 1994, although he was actively involved in the company as a member of its
Board of Directors since 1990
Born in Louisiana and reared in
Houston, Jacob received the bachelor's degree in economics and the master's
degree in social work from Howard University.
He received the doctor of laws degree honoris causa from Howard in 1990.
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