Subject: HOT TRUB@BEER BASICS.COM Vol. 03 No. 05 ---
11 February 2002
HOT TRUB@BEER
BASICS.COM
Vol. 03
No. 05 --- 11 February 2002
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.
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
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otherwise distributed.)
===========================================
Editor: Claire
Zuckerman
==================================================
LATEST NEWS:
Coors Buys Carling for
$1.75 Billion
A-B Fourth Quarter And Full Year 2001 Statistics
AB/Bacardi Join Forces
Full Sail Wins Gold Medal In Anchorage
BrewExpo America 2002
National Homebrew Competition
2002 On The Way
World Beer Cup® 2002 Receives Record Number of Entries
=================================
NEXT WEEK SPECIAL REPORT:
Boston Cooks 2002: Beer Dinner at Jacob Wirth Restaurant
By Peter LaFrance
=================================
ASK THE PRESS:
When was the last time you ordered a beer with dinner at a "white-tablecloth" restaurant?
=================================
NEW PRODUCTS:
Lindemans Lambics —Something Different For
Valentine’s Day
=================================
PROMOTIONS - EVENTS – DINNERS:
(All are invited to send events to be included: date,
event name, brief description, contact name & phone/web address.)
Redbones Stouts and
Porters Brewers Banquet
Boston University Beer
and Thai with Mat Schaffer
Free State Brewery 13th
Anniversary
Tasting event at
Morrey’s of Naples in Long Beach.
Real Ale Feast
The Temecula Rod Run
=================================
I invite your comments and criticism.
Cheers!
Peter LaFrance
Publisher
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
=============================
LATEST NEWS:
=============================
Coors Buys
Carling for $1.75 Billion
The Associated Press reported last Thursday that the Adolph
Coors Co. had inked the papers to purchase the British brewery Carling for
$1.75 billion during a Monday meeting. Coors officials have said the deal,
which will create Coors Brewers Limited, will help the country's No. 3 brewer
gain ground overseas.
Interbrew SA, the Belgian brewer of Stella Artois, Labatt's
and Rolling Rock, had agreed to sell Carling to Coors in December of last year.
This is not the first international deal struck by the
Colorado brewing-giant. In 1994, Coors bought a Spanish brewery and also tied
the knot with a joint venture for a Korean brewery.
On the Net:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A-B Fourth
Quarter And Full Year 2001 Statistics
On Wednesday, Anheuser-Busch announced figures for the
fourth quarter, and full year for 2001.
According to Business Wire, “Led by continued strong growth
in both the company's domestic and international beer segments, Anheuser-Busch
Companies, Inc. achieved higher sales and earnings for the fourth quarter and
full year ended December 31, 2001, it was announced today by August A. Busch
III, Chairman of the Board and President.”
"Anheuser-Busch had another outstanding year in 2001,
selling over 107 million barrels of its beer brands worldwide and delivering 12
percent earnings per share growth," said Mr. Busch.
“Domestic revenue per barrel growth exceeded expectations
throughout 2001, growing 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter and 3.0 percent for
the full year, compared to respective periods last year. This growth reflects
the continued favorable pricing environment and Anheuser-Busch's successful
strategy of balancing pricing increases and market share gains. Revenue per
barrel has now increased by 2 percent or more for thirteen consecutive
quarters, including increases of more than 2.5 percent for the last six
quarters. “
“Wholesaler sales-to-retailers grew 1.8 percent for the full
year 2001, and grew 5 percent for the fourth quarter compared to 2000. The Bud
Family led these increases. The above trend fourth quarter retail demand
reflected unseasonably warm weather and an extra selling day in the quarter,
and strong underlying demand over the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday
period.”
“Domestic beer sales-to-wholesalers volume increased 1.2
percent for full year 2001 compared to prior year, and increased 0.3 percent
for the fourth quarter. Fourth quarter beer shipments growth was significantly
below sales-to-retailers growth due to a reduction in wholesaler inventories to
levels below those at the end of 2000. “
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AB/Bacardi Join Forces
Late last week Jim Salter of the Associated Press reported
that Anheuser-Busch is joining with Bacardi USA to market Bacardi Silver, the
latest entry into the ``malternative'' specialty alcohol market, the combining
of Bud Light and Bacardi.
The clear rum-and-citrus-flavored beverage is aimed at
competing with the likes of Smirnoff Ice, Mike's Hard Lemonade and others. Sold
in clear 12-ounce bottles available in six- and 12-packs, Bacardi Silver will
appear in stores Feb. 18.
A $60 million marketing campaign will include TV, radio,
print and billboard ads, along with a Bacardi Silver Web site to be launched
later this month, targeting an audience of people ages 21 to 27, who make up
just under one-third of the nation's beer/malt beverage sales.
Last month, Miller Brewing Co., the No. 2 beer-maker,
announced plans to team up with Skyy Spirits of San Francisco to launch SKYY
Blue, a malt beverage with citrus flavor and SKYY vodka that will be in stores
by early March.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Full Sail
Wins Gold Medal In Anchorage
The Fifth Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival, held
January 18-19 in
Anchorage, Alaska, awarded its top prize in the Barley Wine
Competition
to Full Sail Brewing Company's 1998 Old Boardhead.
The judging for the competition was comprised of industry
professionals and
BJCP certified judges. Some 25 beers were entered in the
competition and two
preliminary rounds were held before the final round of six judges
considered
the qualities of the six final barley wines.
Third place to Old Guardian, Stone Brewing Company, San
Diego, Calif.; second
place to Old Woody Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine, Glacier
Brewing Company,
Anchorage, Alaska; and first place to 1998 Old Boardhead,
Full Sail Brewing
Company, Hood River, Ore.
A complete listing of Full Sail Brewing Company
awards is available online at www.fullsailbrewing.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BrewExpo
America 2002
More than 250 of the top brewing industry suppliers will be
in Cleveland, Ohio on April 12-13, 2002 at America’s largest craft brewing
marketplace -- BrewExpo AmericaSM 2002.
BrewExpo
America is an opportunity for owners, managers and brewers from brewpubs and
breweries to discover new products and services and purchase-trusted standbys.
Suppliers, including companies from the restaurant industry, will showcase
their wares in exhibition booths during the Expo, forming a vibrant brewing
marketplace.
BrewExpo
America is part of the Craft Brewers Conference, presented by the Institute for
Brewing Studies at the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio April 10–13. The Expo will be open during the conference from 10:30
a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12 and from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. More than 1,600 representatives from breweries
across the globe are expected to attend the Craft Brewers Conference, the
nation’s largest annual gathering of the professional brewing industry.
This year BrewExpo America will feature a Silent Auction to
benefit American Beer Month, which celebrates and recognizes the heritage,
tradition and future of American brewing.
All proceeds go to promoting American Beer Month. Expo attendees can bid on brewery posters,
t-shirts and much more. The Association
of Brewers currently accepting silent auction donations.
The
Craft Brewers Conference is sponsored by:
Cargill Malt Specialty Products Group, Briess Malting Company,
Steinecker Inc., S.S. Steiner Inc., Great Western Malting Company and Great
Lakes Brewing Company.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
National Homebrew Competition 2002 On The Way
The American Homebrewers Association (AHA), worldwide sponsors
and volunteers kick off this year’s National Homebrew Competition (NHC) in
April 2002. First-round NHC entries are
due April 3-12, 2002 at eight regional sites in the
U.S. and Canada.
The competition, which
recognizes the most outstanding beer, mead and cider produced by amateur
brewers in the U.S. and Canada, has evaluated more than 38,817 homebrews during
the 23 years of competition.
In 2001,
more than 300 judges evaluated 2, 674 homebrewed beverages. Approximately 3,000 entries are expected for
the 2002 competition.
First-round
winners will advance to the second round of judging, which will be held at the
AHA’s National Homebrewers Conference in Irving, Texas June 20 – 22, 2002. Awards will be presented at the grand
banquet on Saturday night of the conference.
For more
information on the National Homebrew Competition or the
AHA’s National Homebrewers Conference, contact Gary Glass at
303.447.0816 x 121 or at gary@aob.org.
Thank you
to all 2002 National Homebrew Competition sponsors for your support.
A list of NHC sponsors is on the following page.
2002 National Homebrewers
Competition Sponsors As of 02.05.02
Boston Beer Company Alaskan
Brewing Co.
Coopers Brew Products Alternative
Beverage
Muntons Anchor
Brewing Co.
Redstone Meadery Anderson
Valley Brewing Co.
Austin
Homebrew
Bacchus And Barleycorn
BJ’s Pizza Grill and Brewery
Brewstuff
Brew & Grow
Briess Malting Company
Deschutes Brewery
Homebrew Headquarters
Manneken-Brussel Imports, Inc.
Marin Brewing Co.
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Northwestern Extract
Pyramid Breweries, Inc.
Redhook Ale Brewery
St. Louis Wine & Beer Making
St. Patrick’s of Texas
Steinbart Wholesale
The Beverage People
The Homebrew Shop
Washington Hop Commission
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.
Winemaker Shop
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
World Beer
Cup® 2002 Receives Record Number of Entries
As the World Beer Cup 2002 call for entries ended, the Association of Brewers had cause to
celebrate. A record number of beers, 1172, were entered from 35 countries and
342 breweries or distributors.
The World Beer Cup welcomes 10 new countries to the
competition this year: Chile,
Guyana, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Russia, Slovak Republic, St Kitts and
Turkmenistan. Some of the other countries
represented in the 2002 World Beer Cup are Australia, Belgium, Canada, China,
Germany, Haiti, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, United
Kingdom and the United States.
Held every other year since 1996, the World Beer Cup is a
global competition that evaluates beers from around the world and recognizes
the most outstanding beers produced today.
The last World Beer Cup was held in 2000 and received 1,127 entries from
371 breweries in 39 nations. The first
World Beer Cup was held in Vail, Colorado in 1996. 250 breweries from 25 nations entered 600 beers in the inaugural
competition. The second competition was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1998.
245 breweries from 40 countries submitted 836 entries to the 1998
competition.
The judging for the World Beer Cup 2002 is scheduled for
April 9-10, 2002 at the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo AmericaSM
in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Finalists will
be announced during the Grand Banquet at the Conference on April 13.
World Beer Cup winners will be announced at a Gala Awards
Ceremony and Dinner on June 12, 2002 at the Hotel
Jerome in Aspen Colorado, USA. The top
three winners in each category will be awarded gold, silver or bronze awards.
The Brewmaster and Vice President of Production at the Brooklyn Brewery, Garret
Oliver, will announce the winners and speak on his experience with beer and
food culture. Garret Oliver is a strong believer in traditional brewing, food
compatibility and a solid media presence for craft beer.
The dinner will feature a buffet of award-winning beers and
appetizers and culminate with a beer dinner, featuring awarding-winning beers paired with a delectable four-course
meal. The awards ceremony will kick
off the Aspen Food and Wine Classic, which will start on June 14, 2002 in
Aspen.
Durst Malz, Sahm, and Steinecker BC Automation are the
official sponsors of the World Beer Cup 2002. More World Beer Cup information
can be found at http://www.beertown.org/WBC/wbc.htm.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Notes From The BeerAdvocate
Message from Todd Alstrom [info@beeradvocate.com]
Hey Peter -
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything about ...
North East Brewing Co. = closed
Commonwealth = brewed its last batch
Old Saddleback = closed
Lucknow = closed
There are more I believe ... these are off the top of my
head. New England
beer is in quite a state at the moment ... a sad state. Look
at the next
issues of Ale Street and Yankee Brew for details.
Todd
Todd Alström | http://BeerAdvocate.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SPECIAL REPORT
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Boston
Cooks 2002
Beer
Dinner
at
Jacob Wirth
Restaurant
Boston,
MA
By
Peter
LaFrance
“This weekend is the end… for a while.”
It was almost three o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday 22
January 2002.I was in Boston to as the guest of Chef Phyllis Kaplowitz,
executive chef at Jacob Wirth restaurant, and at the request of Labatt USA,
with the blessing of the folks from Interbrew, as part of the fifth annual
Boston Cooks Dine-Around. I was scheduled to conduct a beer tasting-dinner at
Jacob Wirth restaurant at 7:00pm that evening.
The woman who poured my twenty-ounce pint of India Pale Ale
at the original Brew Moon brewpub in Boston told me that they were closing that
weekend for a month or two of refitting. Then they would be reopening as part
of the Rock Bottom group. It was not a shock in that I noted the press reports
of the demise of Brew Moon in HotTrub@BeerBasics
last year. Nonetheless, as I took a sip of that brew, I watched as an old
friend packed up and got ready to leave. Other than me, the only other folks in
the place were a busboy, the host, the barmaid, a fellow barfly and three stout
men. The three stout men carried rolls of blueprints and thick envelopes in
beefy hands. They were taking inventory of the furnishings, brew-house, bar
stools, and stock.
The India Pale Ale was good beer. The deep, clear
old-copper-penny-colored brew had a sweet malt aroma. There was a fresh crisp
tang of hops in the flavor, less the bitter, chalky undertones often found in
highly hopped brews. Fairly alcoholic, it gave warmth to body and soul. I
enjoyed the crisp French-fried potatoes, sweet and mealy on the inside, and two
good-sized cod fillets steamed inside a crisp beer batter. I was very
comfortable.
I was four hours from explaining the art of appreciating
beer and food pairings to over a dozen members of the Boston food and beverage
press. It would be preaching to the choir. I only had a half-pint of the I.P.A.
for desert.
For those
of you who wish to trade war stories about beer dinners I am always available
to swap lies over a pint or two. For the rest of you I will proceed to the menu
and share the trips and triumphs of working the following pairings, the beers
recalled from memory and dishes explained via email.
Serving the first Stella of the evening.
Members of Boston's Fourth Estate sit down at beer
dinner at Jacob Wirth.
THE DINNER:
After whetting their appetites with glasses of Stella
Artois, the invited guests took seats at a long sturdy wood table in
anticipation of tasting six dishes and twelve beers.
FIRST TASTING:
Stella Artois and Dos Equis Amber were served with a grilled
bratwurst nestled atop German potato salad and traditional sauerkraut, with a
Dos Equis sauce.
The Stella Artois was a good example of the challenge a
lighter lager accepts when used to refresh the pallet. Without a slightly
hearty hop tang the brew becomes refreshing in a simply tactile way. The
sweeter flavors in the Dos Equis helped to soften the acid of the sauerkraut
and the vinegar in the potato salad. The same sweet flavor adds rich undertones
to the sauce and sausage.
SECOND TASTING:
The second tasting dish was a Leffe beer-glazed beef short
ribs served over cheddar white polenta and wild mushroom ragout, paired with
Leffe Blond and Tremont Ale.
I am very fond of beef short ribs. It makes no matter that
they be braised and served in broth, braised with a thick rich reduction, or
served with a glaze, the test is in the fork-tenderness of the meat. This is,
without a doubt a rich dish. The polenta and mushrooms also added distinct and
pronounced flavors. The best pairing is with strong flavors, fairly high alcohol
and a brew that looks like a thick dark kick-butt brew.
This was a set-up for the hefty Leffe (pronounced “left”
without the “t”). The fresh, crisp hop and sweeter finish of Tremont was
reduced to simply liquid refreshment. The Leffe was hearty enough to meet the
richness of the beef. It also had a heat to cut through the forest funk of the
mushrooms and the grain/cheese smooth texture of the polenta.
THIRD TASTING:
Lambic poached pear salad on field greens tossed in vanilla
shallot vinaigrette lavender candied hazelnuts and Stilton cheese.
The two brave beverages were Hoegaarden White and Cider
Jack.
Had I a magic wand to transform the poached pears into fan
sliced fresh ripe pears the pairing (pun) would have been perfect. As it was,
the cider at least danced with the pear and made mad love to the cheese, nuts
and bitter greens. The Hoegaarden would have been perfect with fresh pear, but
it had the legs to tackle the cheese and finish with a slightly spicy chase of
the lavender candied hazelnuts.
FOURTH TASTING:
Tempura Ale Battered New England Cod with cinnamon scented
noodles, wilted baby spinach and ginger soy glaze.
An informal poll has this dish the hit of the evening. It
might have been because at least three of those attending were not carnivores
and were starving.
This was an all-ale set: Bass and Boddington’s Pub Ale
Here the flavors of the spices were dominant. The delicate
cod steamed in the crispy batter found a foodie-friend in both ales with
Boddington’s favored due to the “Pub Ale” widget that makes a difference
whether you want to admit it or not. The smoother flavor of the Boddingtons
surfed the spices on a refreshing slice of tongue tingle. The Bass just didn’t
have the mouth feel to challenge the cinnamon or ginger. I wonder what a
“g-gas” system might do to alter the above results. (G-GAS: A nitrogen/CO2 mix
that many bars use to push the brews that are on tap through the beer lines as
well as assure almost all of the beer is pulled from the keg. The effect on the
flavor of the beer is that there is no oxidation of slower moving brews, and a
denser head and carbonation that is richer than that driven by an air pump.)
FIFTH TASTING:
Are you still with me?
Beer brined grilled pork fillet mignon with cider glaze,
maple sweet potato puree, panchetta braised red cabbage and beer battered fried
apple chip.
The beverages served with this tower of power (you had to
see it) were up against just as much of a challenge as was faced by the Bass,
Boddington’s, Leffe, Hoegaarden White and Cider Jack. The brave souls were
Warsteiner Dunkel and a second appearance by Cider Jack.
The winner was Cider Jack. The sweet fruity sparkling
beverage was able to put the sweet meat, glaze, puree, rich panchetta cabbage
and apple chip in context. The Warsteiner Dunkel just didn’t have the body or
flavor to make a contrasting impression on the sense of tasting flavors. It was
cool and wet but it had too many sweet flavors to compete with.
DESERT:
To those who were still sitting around the table I offered a
toast and my thanks. There were some private chats about the following pairings
but a major deconstruction was not done.
Cream stout gingerbread bundt cake with lemon glaze and
pumpkin pie ice cream. Hoegarrden and Warsteiner made their encores.
When the Warsteiner warmed to cellar temperature it was a
fine complement to the spicy-citric cake. The Hoegarrden was smooth and
enjoyable when paired with the ice cream.
The coffee didn’t have a chance of keeping me awake after
the short ride back to the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel (Where the good folks of
the Boston Cooks organization booked my room.), a double malt whisky, and a
long soak in a hot bath.
###
=============================
ASK THE PRESS:
=============================
ASK THE PRESS…
This week: When was the last time you ordered a beer with dinner
at a "white-tablecloth" restaurant? Include a description of that
dinner, the style/brand of the beer you ordered, and the reaction of the
wait-staff at your request.
From: Jeffrey Pinhey - landdesign@ns.sympatico.ca
I last ordered a beer in a "good restaurant" at
one of the finest Italian Restaurants in Canada,
Da Maurizio, in downtown Halifax. The soup I ordered (some hearty thing) just seemed to me to be
better suited to a hoppy pils, I wanted something to drink before it came, and
the menu said they had Pilsener Urquell.
The beer
came on a tray, accompanied by a crystal pilsener glass, which was
chilled. The waiter poured a bit of the
beer and waited for me to nose it. I even think he indicated that sometimes
they were a bit "sulphurous".
It was fine.
I did order
wine with the next course.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Bob
Paolino" nowgohaveabeer@brewingnews.com
The problem with this question is the difficulty in finding
such a restaurant with a good beer selection.
It's not impossible to find one, but most of them are more likely to
concentrate on a good wine list (if they pay any attention to quality fermented
beverages at all). I will always ask,
but am usually disappointed by the selection and will end up ordering a bottle
of wine (or water ;-) heh-heh ). Keep
in mind that when eating out, I will order draught beer rather than
bottles. Unless it's a bottle of
something really exceptional and/or simply not available at home, my attitude
is that I can drink bottled beer at home; if I'm having a special meal (or even
a not-so-special restaurant meal) I want to have a beer I can't have at home.
An exception to the
no-bottle rule that fits your question was a meal in the Parliamentary dining
room in Quebec City. The only draught
beer they had was one of the big two (probably "Blue... or would that be
"Bleu"? but it could have
been a Molson product rather than Labatt.)
The entree was pan-seared caribou, and I just felt I ought to have a
beer rather than wine (and the wine list wasn't all that impressive), so I had
a Unibroue Raftman (bottled).
But to get back to
the problem of finding a decent beer selection at an elegant restaurant, one
notable exception in that they make a very special effort to have a good beer
selection is (if it is still in business) Tavern in the Town in Libertyville,
Illinois. [If you go back to the days
of _Beer and Tavern Chronicle_, you might find an article I did on the place
(and, consistent with the experiences of others, I never did get paid for all
of the articles I wrote for that publication... but you can delete that remark
for publication :-) ) ] But I don't recall ever actually having
dinner there, perhaps something off a scaled-back late evening menu, but I
can't remember for sure.
Now go have a beer,
Bob Paolino
Columnist, Great
Lakes Brewing News
Member, North
American Guild of Beer Writers
Winner, Quill and
Tankard Awards:
2001--Culture
feature (Gold), 2000--Travel Feature (Silver)
Great Lakes Brewing
News advertising information: 800.474.7291
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Alan Moen - alanmoen@televar.com
Peter:
Well, it really wasn't dinner, but rather lunch at the
Wildwood Restaurant
in Portland, OR, where I had a Hale's Special Bitter (on
nitrogen draught)
to accompany an applewood-grilled pork chop. I was dining
with Oregon's
master distiller Steve McCarthy of Clear Creek Distillery
(who had an IPA
with his salmon, I believe).The Wildwood wait staff is
extremely knowledgeable about both wine and beer, and brought me my beer
without the slightest hesitation.
Alan Moen
Northwest Brewing News
American Distiller
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Matt Stinchfield - stinch@gci-net.com
Peter:
There's a little French restaurant in my neighborhood that
has a small, but
well chosen beer list. As a first course I ordered a Duvel.
It stimulates
the appetite so well. The waiter poured it like any other
beer and it foamed
out of the glass. He mopped it up and got me another. I insisted
on pouring
the second one. Then, last week I was there again with some
friends
(different waiter) and we all started with a Duvel. My
friends were mostly
wine drinkers, but took my suggestion for the Duvel to go
with the first
course of prosciutto-wrapped sea scallops with mesclun salad
surrounded by a
port wine reduction and escargot baked in butter and herbs
beneath a pastry
shell . The waiter poured a few ounces into each glass and
the head expanded
upwards to the very rim - nicely poured. "It's very
gassy," I warned, "you
have to pour it slowly." Moments later one of them
topped off his glass and
pwoosh! All over the tablecloth. My work is never done!
Matt Stinchfield
matts@brewingnews.com
Editor - Southwest Brewing News
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Jim Anderson - anderjim@voicenet.com
Hi, Peter --
It was at a nice, old restaurant in New Jersey that
specializes in pricey
Colonial American fare.
We were a party of six, ordering our aperitifs,
evenly mixed among cocktails, wine and beer. I was the last to order. What
sort of interesting beers do you have, I asked. Well, said our waitress, we
have just about everything . . . but not Dos XX or anything
like that. I
paused for an instant, deciding whether to pursue the matter
with her, get up
and ask the bartender or simply switch to Plan B. Manhattan, straight up, I
said, and got back to the real reason I was there, which was
to enjoy the
company of my friends.
Still, the insinuation of "I don't know, it's only
beer" continues to be an irritation, particularly in
restaurants that pay
scrupulous attention to its selection of flavorless boutique
vodkas. If you
bother to sell beer, then selling beer shouldn't be a bother. Oddly, this
restaurant is crawling distance from a very good liquor
store that has a
wonderful selection of beer and a staff who can talk
intelligently about it.
Jim Anderson, Beer Philadelphia
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Lanny Hoff - Lanny@mn.rr.com
Peter,
I remember it well. I was in Belgium at a restaurant in a
small village near
Buggenhout (home of Brouwerij Bosteels). I ordered a
Bosteels Tripel
Karmeliet primarily because the brewery was paying for my
very good lunch,
but also because I like the beer a lot. It was served at a
perfect
temperature in a branded glass that was thoughtfully turned
toward me so I
could see the logo. The pour was perfect, just the right
amount of foam and
not a trace of the bottle-conditioned sediment. It was a
delightful
experience!
In
contrast, the last time I ordered a beer in a US fine dining
establishment I was served tap beer that was so bad that I
could have easily
sprinkled it on top of some fries or fried fish. Terrible.
Lanny
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Daniel Bradford - dbradford@brewersadvocate.org
At the best restaurant in Durham, five star I believe, I
ordered a Sierra Nevada Pale ale with my filet mignon. The owner and chef
is a good friend and beer lover. Whenever I go I try to bring him
something he may never have had, sending it to the kitchen while we are being
seated. My filets always seem to look bigger than those at the next
table.
Cheers,
Daniel Bradford, President
Brewers' Association of America
501 Washington St. Su. H, Durham, NC 27701
tel. - 919.530.8140 fax. - 919-530-8160
web - www.brewersadvocate.org
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Gary Monterosso -
WhatzOnTap@aol.com
Hi Peter,
No matter where I go for dinner, "white
tablecloth" restaurant or not, I ask to see the beer menu. About six months ago, my server laughed at
me for asking. She returned with a typed sheet consisting of about eight
selections, half of which were crossed out or replaced with something else. The wine menu was in a neatly bounded
booklet.
Last summer, I asked for the beer list at a restaurant known
for an extensive wine assortment. After
hearing the names of the "Big Three," I then asked if there were any
other varieties in stock. My waitress
excused herself, returning a few minutes later, giving me the name of a good
area brewery. Knowing that this brewery
had about five beers in their inventory, I asked which one(s) they
carried. Her reply was, "You mean
they make more than one?"
As a beer writer, I find that people expect me to drink beer
when dining at a restaurant. On more
than one occasion, I've been greeted by those who know me, giving a
good-natured ribbing because I happened to be drinking something other than
beer.
Geez, is the guy who works at Starbucks allowed to sip a
Celestial Seasonings?
Gary Monterosso
Mid-Atlantic Brewing News
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: CHalleron@vnubuspubs.com
Peter,
The last time I ordered a beer in a white-tablecloth joint
was at The Brass
Rail in Hoboken, N.J.
The flamboyantly homosexual waiter (a la Seinfeld,
"not that there's anything wrong with that")
looked at me like I was some
sort of knuckle-dragger when I asked for a Stella Artois
instead of a
Bourdeaux to go with my Filet Mignon. When I sent the beer
back because it
tasted like it was the first beer pulled from that tap in
quite some time,
he seemed even more surprised that a lowbrow beer swiller
could have such
discriminating tastes.
Don't get
me wrong, Brass Rail is an excellent restaurant. But sometimes
it's better to enjoy a pint in a place that spends less time
worrying about
the flower arrangements and more time worrying about the
beer.
Cheers,
Chris
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: James Roberts - jroberts@doyondrilling.com
I don't generally do "white tablecloth dinners,"
because beer-challenged
wait staff usually just piss me off. I generally only go to places that I
know I can get a good beer with a good meal and either know
what beer they
have, or know they can point me in the direction of a good
beer/food match.
Here in Alaska, some of our local establishments are taking
great steps to
educate their staff.
Glacier Brewpub, for example, along with Cafe
Amsterdam, is sending a number of its wait staff through the
Beer Judge
Certification Program.
A couple of our places that serve good beer are also
toying with the idea of the local homebrew club coming in on
a Sunday
morning and walking the staff through brewing a beer. This will add life to
their knowledge and hopefully create a thirst for more. I think that the
overall beer knowledge in an area is proportional to the
beer palate
maturity of the people that live there. I would expect a better informed
server at a white tablecloth establishment in Portland than
I would in
Alabama, although there are exceptions to every hypothesis.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Stan Hieronymus
- stan.hieronymus@realbeer.com
Hi Peter,
Some things you have to own up to: we usually drink wine at
such places. We
like wine.
Prosit,
Stan
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Kimberly Lawrence - klawrence@griffinpublishing.net
I'm sorry to say that I could easily count the number of
times I've actually
dined at a "white-tablecloth restaurant" on one
hand. The last time I
ordered a beer at such an establishment must have been
several years ago
when I went to Wild Blue.
(Since I was working in the pastry department at
Windows, my employee discount made the luxury affordable.)
Embarrassed and
by our ignorance of the wine list, my companion and I both
ordered a Bass
Ale. (Back then I didn't even know enough to ask for
advice.) The server,
who was a friend, at first did a double take, but then
politely brought our
beverages. We were
eventually rescued by the sommelier (also a friend) who
began pairing our courses with wine (on the house.)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Kurt Epps - pubscout@cybernex.net
Peter,
I don't go to any "white tablecloth" establishments unless I know
ahead of time that they have some food that can complement my choice of beer.
That said, my two favorite WCR's are both upscale brewpubs in Jersey.
One, in the northern section of the state, is called the Trap
Rock Brewery and Restaurant.
Located in Berkeley Heights, this place is a marvelous
combination of superb food, outstanding beers and service that would make Le
Cirque proud. Chef Bruce Johnson may be Jersey's best, and brewer Rob Mullin is
a true master who continues to push the envelope with his beers. I had a spelt
beer there last time that was incredible, and he's working on beer made
from kamut, another ancient grain.
The staff is very knowledgeable about the beers, so I have to
beg off the "reaction" part of your query.
If you like I can send you a column I did about a recent beer
dinner there.
The other place--actually two places owned by the same family
until very recently--is called Basil T's. The brewer, Gretchen Schmidhausler,
is NJ's first Brewmistress and is in charge of both brewing facilities though
the operation in Toms River is under new ownership. The original Red Bank
location shares the same modus operandi as the more southern facility.
Also upscale, both brewpubs have linen service at the bar
and the food is also far more than pub grub. The Toms River location also has
private enclosed Cigar room with wide screen TV and plump, overstuffed couches
and chairs--great for a small private celebration, such as the one I had to
celebrate my 50th birthday.
I can send you a column about that as well, if you're
interested.
***********
Kurt E. Epps
The PubScout
You've got to hand it to the Sumerians--inventing BOTH writing AND beer!
Member/NJAB
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Fred Eckhardt - eckhardt@pcez.com
Peter
Unfortunately I don't have time to do an extensive reply to
your query, but
there's a lovely VERY UPSCALE restaurant here in Portland,
where beer is
just as important,
perhaps even MORE important than wine, and one can even
order sake with one's NW equivalent of Foi gras, and their
beer list is grand:
Higgins
1239 SW Broadway
Portland OR 97205
And there're several others who think and manage their menu
with beer as a
distinct possibility. This is Portland, after all. You must
join us for the
Oregon Brewer's Festival, so I can be properly provincial
about it.
Fred
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Marty Jones - martysjones@worldnet.att.net
Peter,
I can't recall the particulars of my last failed attempt at
securing a good
beer while dining out. They all seem to blur together.
My beloved
and I don't eat out that often because we dig our own cooking
and our beer selection is always better than a fine
restaurant's.
While some
of D-town's better eateries have at least one or two "good"
beers, most don't. It's puzzling how a place can serve
world-class food and
carry a wine list of over 300 wines, yet it only carries the
unholy trinity
of beer: Bud, Miller, and Heineken. (And maybe a Coors
product.)
It's
especially puzzling considering all the wonderful angles a good kitchen
can work by pairing exceptional beers with exceptional food.
MJ
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Marty
Nachel: Aleconner@aol.com
Peter,
I've never been a party to this scenario in the United States, partly because
of how infrequently I dine at white table cloth restaurants, and partly because
these establishments rarely offer any brand of beer I care to drink.
The last time I ordered a beer at a white table cloth restaurant, was the house
beer at Unionsbrau in Munich. The wait staff couldn't have shown any less
reaction. ;-)
Cheers!
Marty Nachel
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EVENTS
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Redbones
Stouts and Porters Brewers Banquet
Name: Stouts and Porters Brewers Banquet
Location: Redbones
55 Chester Street
Somerville, MA 02144
Date: Monday, February 11, 2002 - 7:30 PM
Description:
Todd Mott, brewer at Quincy Ships Brewing Company, returns as guest
speaker. Mott will speak about stouts and porters, beers associated with
the winter season, including his own Furnace Brook Stout from Quincy Ships,
vintage specialty stouts from Great Britain and some great American craft
brews.
Cost: $35.00 per person inclusive.
Contact: Call (617) 628 - 2200
11 February – Redbones Stouts & Porters Banquet – Somerville, MA Contact: 617-628-2200
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Boston
University Beer and Thai with Mat Schaffer
Join Mat Schaffer, food critic from the Boston Herald as he
pairs different
beers with a Thai feast prepared by the staff at Montien
Restaurant in
Boston. These
outings have proved to be great fun and extremely
educational. After
this seminar you will know what dishes to order and
which beers go best.
Date: Monday,
February 11, 2002
Time: 6:00 PM at Montien.
Tuition: $50 Enrollment is limited.
Call 617 353-9852 to register.
11 February – Thai Beer Feast – Montien Restaurant, Boston, MA Contact: 617-353-9852
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Free State
Brewery 13th Anniversary
If your birthday is February
23rd, then you share the Brewery's
birthday! If you'd like to come
celebrate with us, we'll discount the
meal for your entire group by
your age. In other words if you're 35, you
get 35% off of your meal and yes,
if you're over 100 we'll pay you! This
special discount is available
February 21-24, 2001. ALCOHOL IS EXCLUDED
FROM THIS DISCOUNT.
Brewer's Banquets:
We'll be offering two special
Banquets in February. One on Wednesday Feb.
20th and the other on Tuesday
Feb. 26th. If you've come to one of these
Banquets in the past then you
know that they are great fun. If you
haven't, here's the scoop. We
have a special dinner in our Beer Hall,
hosted by head brewer Steve
Bradt. Each course of the meal is carefully
matched to specific beers for
your enjoyment and appreciation.
Respond quickly, these fill up
fast. Advance reservation and payment is
required. The cost is $30 per
person. Please call the restaurant at
785-843-4555 to make your
reservations.
Steve Bradt fsb@freestatebrewing.com
Free State Brewing Co. http://www.freestatebrewing.com
636 Massachusetts St. Phone (785) 843-4555
Lawrence, KS 66044 FAX (785) 843-2543
20 February – Brewer’s Banquet –
Free State Brewing Co., Lawrence, KS