HOT TRUB/BEERBASICS.COM
A
newsletter of special interest to brewers,
members
of the brewing community, chefs, restaurateurs,
and
members of the media that cover the beverage alcohol business.
Vol. 2
No. 48 --- 12 December 2001
===============================================
Publisher: Peter LaFrance
Editor: Claire Zuckerman
===============================================
THE LATEST NEWS:
Yuengling Making A Move?
Interbrew Fined For Fixing Prices
Vietnam To Privatize Breweries
Becks NA Oktoberfest - Online Award Winner
Inmate Caught After Beer Run
==================================
ASKING THE
PRESS, THE INDUSTRY & YOU:
1) Describe your idea of the perfect holiday fermented malt
beverage.
2) Continued -- What is your favorite "bar-food"?
Respond to: peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com
=================================
NEW PRODUCTS:
(All products provided by breweries.
Tasting notes are done by the publisher in beer-clean 2 oz. straight edged
tasting glasses between 0900-1000 in an
aroma-neutral environment.)
(NO TASTING NOTES THIS ISSUE.)
=================================
PROMOTIONS -
EVENTS - DINNERS - From this issue through one calendar year.
(All are invited to send events to be
included: date, event name, brief description, contact name & phone/web
address.)
===================================
Published
by: Peter LaFrance peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com
Journalist,
covering the beverage alcohol industry since 1985.
Author
of:
Beer
Basics (ISBN 0-471-11936-9)
Cooking
& Eating with Beer (ISBN 0-471-31879-5)
visit www.beerbasics.com
If
you wish to be dropped from this list please respond to this posting to peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com
include the word remove in the Subject:
line.
(The subscriber
list is the sole property of the publisher and will not be sold, given or
otherwise distributed.)
===================================
LATEST NEWS:
===================================
Yuengling Making A Move?
While much of the 921,000 barrels of beer
Yuengling sold in 2000 came from the famous Pottsville brewery,
things are changing.
For years, if you ordered a lager in a downtown
Philadelphia bar you probably got a Yuengling Traditional Lager.
Since 1831 the D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc.
brewery (America’s oldest) in Pottsville, PA has been slaking the
thirst of Pennsylvanians. By the late 1980s, the
old brewery was turning out about 200,000 barrels per year.
The company now has a new $50 million brewery in
Port Carbon, a town near Pottsville. The new plant in
Port Carbon will have a capacity of almost 1.5
million barrels, twice the capacity of the original brewery.
Combined with the former Stroh's plant in
Florida, the company will soon have the ability to produce more
than 3 million barrels of beer.
It looks like Yuengling hopes to be
introducing a lot more folks to their products in the coming year.
=====================================
Interbrew Fined For Fixing Prices
On December 5, 2001 the European Commission
handed out a record-setting 1.5 billion euros in fines.
Belgian brewing giant Interbrew was served a
46.5 million euro fine for price-fixing in its native country.
French food maker Danone, which previously owned
brewer Alken Maes, was fined 44.6 million euros
for fixing the price of beer, also in Belgium.
European
Commission President Romano Prodi said in a statement, "The message to any
companies
which
are playing this game is clear -- the Commission will not tolerate attempts to
cheat the European
public
and undermine the competitiveness of our economy,"
Reuters quoted Interbrew spokesman Corneel Maes
as saying, "It will not happen again. This is completely in the
past."
=====================================
Vietnam To
Privatize Breweries
The Ministry of
Industry (MoI) has announced a four-year plan to spin off up to 70
state-owned
enterprises by 2005. Hanoi Beer and Sai Gon Beer, according to this plan,
will be privatized.
Nguyen Van Viet, a representative of Vietnam Liquor, Beer and
Beverage Corporation
(Vinabeco), said the government was willing to spin off the beer
companies because it
does not have a monopoly on the beer industry. The two companies
account for 30 per
cent of the domestic beer market and make up 90 per
cent of Vinabeco's
output and revenue.
=====================================
Becks NA Oktoberfest - Online Award
Winner
Beck's NA, has announced that Catalano, Lellos
and Silverstein (CL&S) New York
is its interactive agency of record.
CL&S' most recent work for Beck's was its
creation of a branded "advertainment"
micro-site, which was developed in support of
Beck's Oktoberfest Celebration
promotional event. This work was recently awarded
the Best Direct Response
Campaign by @d:tech at the 5th Annual @d:tech
Awards on December 4 in New York City.
Click to view:
http://www.clands.net/
=====================================
Inmate Caught After Beer Run
Associated Press reports from Montpelier, VT
that an inmate who broke out
of jail to go on a beer run was caught when he tried
to sneak back in.
Mark Delude, 39, was reported missing Friday
night from the St. Johnsbury work camp.
Troopers arrived to find him inside the fence
with a 24-pack of beer and a carton of cigarettes.
He apparently crawled under the fence, walked
the mile and a half to the nearest
convenience store, made his purchases and
returned, officials said.
He had been serving an eight- to 30-month
sentence for minor offenses,
but the beer run could get him two more years
behind bars.
=========================================
=================================================
ASKING THE PRESS, THE
INDUSTRY & YOU:
1) What
is a "Holiday Beer"?
2) What is
your favorite "Holiday Beer"?
(Holiday Beer defined in
the broadest sense possible.)
Respond to: peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com
Cheers!
Peter
LaFrance
Publisher
(Responses
posted as received.)
=================================================
Holiday Beer
A
Holiday Beer is one that reminds you of the specific holiday it is reserved
for.
Christmas
and Winter Ales should be full of spicy flavors, rich and full
bodied.
And,
it should be no surprise that I choose the award winning Hale's Winter
Wee Heavy
as
my favorite Winter Holiday Ale.
J. Kipling - Master Brewer - Hale’s Ales Brewery
And Pub
==========================================
Peter - With the weather we've been having
recently, I haven't been sampling too many
holiday beers, but when we do get into the cold
of winter there's nothing like a good spiced
ale with a warming higher alcohol content to get
me in the holiday spirit. One of my
favorites is Samuel Smith's Winter Warmer.
Cheers
Bernie Kilkelly - writer.
==========================================
From: Michael Jackson
beerhunter@compuserve.com
Dear Peter
Michael asked me to pass on to you his
nominations for favourite holiday
beer:
"The
best one I've tasted so far this year was the 2001 Samichlaus (tasting
note on www.beerhunter.com)."
No thoughts on bar food.
Best wishes
Owen
(Michael's PA)
==========================================
From: BrewsGram@aol.com
1) I always think of "holiday beers," as big,
meaty, celebration beers. Of course,
my brother thinks Coors Light is the perfect
holiday beer. I guess you have them
in all families - right?
2) One of my favorite holiday beers, "Scaldis Noel," comes from the
Dubuisson
brewery in Pipaix, Belgium. Dubuisson has been
brewing since 1769, and
Scaldis Noel is their masterpiece - in my humble
opinion. At 12 percent alcohol-by-volume,
it is the strongest beer made in Belgium (?).
This beer is chewy, yet not perceivably heavy.
It is sweet, but not cloying like many holiday
brews, and Scaldis Noel has a dry, spicy,
nutty finish. When you gently warm this elixir
to 68°-70°F before serving it in front of the
fire, the sugars from the three different malts
explode like brilliant fireworks on your tongue
before being brought under control and finally
balanced by incredible roasted nut and spice
notes that dry beautifully in the long
brandy-like finish.
Cheers! - Terry Soloman
Terry
Soloman - publisher - BrewsGram
==========================================
===============================
THE BEST BREWPUB IN THE WORLD
All entries must include
at least three photos of the establishment, and three reasons it should be
visited.
Send
all entries via email to peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com
Nominations will be
posted weekly and an archive will soon be found at beerbasics.com
================
================================
NEW
PRODUCTS:
(All
products provided by breweries.
Tasting
notes are done by the publisher in beer-clean 2 oz.
straight
edged tasting glasses between 0900-1000 in an aroma-neutral environment.)
(NO
TASTING NOTES THIS ISSUE.)
===================================
Pyramid Breweries Awards Distribution
to Black Hills Distributing
Pyramid Breweries Inc. has awarded Black Hills
Distributing distribution rights for
both Pyramid Beer and Thomas Kemper Sodas for
Thurston County, Washington.
"The Thurston County region is a very
important market for Pyramid Breweries Inc.
and we are delighted to have Black Hills on
board," said Gary McGrath, Vice President
of Sales for Pyramid Breweries Inc. Thurston
County is located in western Washington
along the I-5 corridor and includes the state
capital of Olympia.
Pyramid Breweries Inc. produces under the
Pyramid and Thomas Kemper brand names.
Pyramid also operates two local breweries and
restaurants, under the Pyramid Alehouse
name, in Seattle, Washington, and Berkeley,
California. For more information, visit www.PyramidBrew.com
Contact: Pyramid Breweries Inc.
Wayne Drury, 206/682-8322 ext. 214
=========================================
DOUBLE BASTARD ALE DISTRIBUTION LIST
Delivery has started, but Double Bastard ale is
not going to all locations
that carry Stone brews.
The following regions will be getting
deliveries:
Seattle
Arizona (Statewide)
New Mexico (Statewide)
Oregon (Statewide)
Las Vegas
Northern Virginia / Washington D.C.
And these California regions/counties:
East Bay
Sacramento
San Francisco
Sonoma county
Napa county
Marin county
Contra Costa county
Alameda county
San Jose county
San Mateo county
Santa Cruz
Sacramento
Tahoe
Ventura county
Chico
Fresno
Modesto
Stockton
To find the Double Bastard in areas outside of
Southern CA, contact our
distributors for the above regions
http://www.stonebrew.com/about_us/distributors/index.html
===================================
=============================
PROMOTIONS - EVENTS -
DINNERS
* NEW LISTING
===================================
Brouwerij de Leyerth Launches New Brews
In Philadelphia
On December 18, 2001, at Monk’s Café in
Philadelphia the new Belgian brewery
Brouwerij de Leyerth will introduce two new
beers: Urthel Tonicum Finiboldhus
and Urthel Hibernus Quentum Tripel.
Monk’s will be the first place in the New World
to feature them
http://home.mn.rr.com/artisanal/pages/Urthel.html
Artisanal Imports, Inc.
Phone (612) 522-3108
http://home.mn.rr.com/artisanal/
=====================================================
DeGroff and CIA Present BAR ESSENTIALS
Dale DeGroff, in conjunction with the Culinary
Institute of
America, has just completed a two-part bar
training video called BAR
ESSENTIALS, a training resource for professional
bartenders,
managers or owners, as well as anyone who enjoys
the simple pleasures of a
well made cocktail at home.
Tapes are available from the Culinary Institute
of America or directly from DeGroff.
For more info and to view video stream go to:
http://www.kingcocktail.com/LiquidAssets.htm
=====================================================
American Distilling Institute
The American Distilling Institute needs
your support to legalize home distilling.
The home distilling bill (H.R. 3249) introduced
by Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan
is the Ways and Means Committee and should
receive a hearing!
Letters and e-mail to your congressman will help. For more information
contact
Bill Owens/President
American Distilling Institute
800-646-2701 or e-mail ambrew@aol.com
=====================================================
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVENTS:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18-19 January - The 8th Annual Great Alaska Beer
and Barleywine Festival
at the William A. Egan Convention Center,
downtown Anchorage, Alaska.
A Benefit for the American Diabetes Association.
The event is
being coordinated by Aurora Productions. Call:
907-562-9911
======================================================
The Anthony Spinazzola
Foundation Celebrates Friends of Spinazzola Grand Benefit Dinner and
17th Annual Gala Festival of Food and Wine
WHAT:
The Friends of Spinazzola
Grand Benefit Dinner
An intimate dinner featuring celebrity chefs from New York City. Each
course is complimented with specifically chosen fine and rare wines.
The 17th Annual Anthony Spinazzola Foundation Gala Festival of Food and
Wine
A black tie celebration of food and wine, featuring 120 of Greater Boston’s
best restaurants and 90 winemakers from around the world.
DETAILS:
Grand Benefit Dinner
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 6:30 PM
Four Seasons Hotel, Boston
$500 per person
Gala Festival of Food and Wine
Friday, February 1, 2002 from 7:30 PM to Midnight
At the World Trade Center, Boston
$175 per person ($125 is tax-deductible)
PARTICIPATING CELEBRITY CHEFS:
Kirk Avondoglio – Perona Farms, New York, NY
Daniel Boulud – Restaurant Daniel, Café Boulud, New York, NY
Terrance Brennan – Picholine, New York, NY
David Burke – Park Avenue Café, New York, NY
Michael Ginor – Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Great Neck, NY
Charlie Palmer – Aureole, New York, NY
Alfred Portale – Gotham Bar & Grill, New York, NY
Marcus Samuelsson – Aquavit, New York, NY
TICKETS: Call: 781/344-4413
MISSION: The funds raised support the ASF’s
mission to "Feed Hungry Bodies and Minds" through
grants
to
hunger relief agencies, programs for the homeless, and culinary apprenticeships
and scholarships.
The
ASF was founded in 1992 in honor of Anthony Spinazzola, the much respected Boston
Globe food and wine writer.
ASF’s
work is distinguished by its flexible approach in addressing community needs,
and ASF is proud of its
commitment
to reinvest funds in the community. For each dollar raised, $.88 goes directly
to support ASF programs,
keeping
administrative and operating costs at only 12%.
###
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CALENDAR:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECEMBER
10 -- Beer Appreciation Night, Christmas and
Winter Holiday Beers: 7:00, $12, Rosen Brewery, 400 South Western Avenue, Los
Angeles, CA, 213-388-0061.
12 -- Blind Tiger Monster Mash - New
York, NY
19 -- Beer Appreciation Night: T. H.
Brewster's, Sheraton Four Points Hotel - LAX, 9750
Airport Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 310-649-7096
2002
JANUARY
5
- Hibernation Brews and Blues, Bear Valley, CA, 209-753-2301, www.bearvalley.com
12
- 3rd Annual Minocqua Ice Cold Beer Fest, Minocqua, WI, 715-358-3040, www.minoquabrewing.co.com
24
– 26 - National Winter Ales Festival, Upper Campfield Market, Manchester,
England, www.camra.org.uk
31 - The Friends of Spinazzola Grand Benefit
Dinner, Four Seasons Hotel, Boston, MA. 781-344-4413
FEBRUARY
1 -- Gala Festival of Food and Wine, from
7:30 PM to Midnight, World Trade Center, Boston, MA. 781-344-4413
9
- Bock Fest, August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN, 800-770-5020, www.schellsbrewery.com
9
- Food & Froth 2001 - A Taste of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Museum,
Milwaukee, WI 414-278-2722, www.foodandfroth.com
9 - 2nd Annual Double IPA Festival, Hayward, CA, 510-886-8525
9 - Valhalla Winter Microbrew Tasting, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 530-542-4166 www.valhalla-tallac.com
10 - CT Real Ale Festival, New Haven, CT, 203-729-5445 or 203-495-8924
10 – 24 -- Belgian Beer Festival, Pasedena, CA, 626-795-0652
16 - 23 -- Toronado Barley Wine
Festival 2002, San Francisco, CA
24
– 26 -- New York Restaurant & Foodservice Show, New York, NY, 888-334-8705,
www.newyorkrestaurantshow.com
28 - March 2 -- Real Ale Festival, Chicago, IL, 773-665-1300, www.realalefestival.com
MARCH
09 -- 2002 7th Annual Kona Brewers Festival,
Kailua-Kona, HI
30 – 2002 Split Thy Brooklyn Skull (barleywine
tasting), Brooklyn, NY, 215-765-8765, www.beerphiladelphia.com/events
APRIL
06 – 6th Classic City Brew Fest, Athens,
GA, 706-254-BREW, www.classiccitybrew.com
10 – 13 -- National Craft Brewers Conference, Cleveland, OH, 303-447-0816, www.beertown.org
12 – 13 -- 6th Annual Okanagan Fest-Of-Ale, Penticton, British Columbia,
250-492-4355, www.fest-of-ale.bc.ca
13 - Reggae on the Mountain Microbrew Tasting Festival, Bear Valley, CA,
209-753-2301, www.bearvalley.com
19 - 21 -- 2002 Spring Beer & Wine Fest, Portland,
OR.
27
– 28 -- Tap New York: 4th Annual Hudson Valley Beer & Food Festival at
Hunter Mountain, Hunter, NY 518-263-4223, www.tapnewyork.com
MAY
04 -- Zymurgist Borealis National Homebrew
Day Celebration - Fairbanks, AK, Scott Stihler - 907- 474-2138, stihlerunits@mosquitonet.com
JULY
26 - 28 -- 2002 Oregon Brewers Festival,
Portland, OR
SEPTEMBER
7
– 8 -- Tavern Days Celebration, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, 800-656-1212 www.belgianexperts.com
26 - Beer 2001, Brussels, Belgium, 32 (0) 2 474 85 38, www.beerexportexhibition.com
21 - October 6 --2002 Oktoberfest Munich,
Munich - Germany
OCTOBER
3 – 5 -- Great American Beer Festival, Denver, CO, 303-447-0816, www.beertown.org
18 – 20 -- MBAA Annual Convention, Austin, TX, 414-774-8558, www.mbaa.com
NOVEMBER
8 – 9 -- The 6th Annual Great Northeast Beer
& Cider Competition/ 9th Annual Great Northeast International Beer Fest,
Providence, RI.
Contact: Competition Director: Gregg
Glaser, 203-834-0800, gregg@yankeebrew.com
Festivals of America: Maury Ryan, 401-272-0980, ryan@lovecraft.com
###