RETURN TO ARCHIVE INDEX RETURN TO SITE INDEX
BEER BASICS.COM
Vol.05 No.25 --- 3 November 2004
A newsletter of special interest to brewers, the brewing community, chefs, restaurateurs, and members of the beverage alcohol business media.
If you wish to be dropped from this list, please respond 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.)
==============================
Publisher: Peter LaFrance
==============================
==============================
THE RANT
==============================
Greetings,
Over the last few weeks I had the opportunity to be part of two events that introduced the Oxford University Press Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink. The first was at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, and the second was three days later in New York City, at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Both of these events involved panel presentations and discussions that included questions, answers, and comments from the audience.
At both of these events the panelists were interesting, entertaining and concentrated on the growth of the culinary awareness in the United States.
There was a great deal of comment on the artesian cheeses, breads, beers, wines and ciders that are now coming on the market. There were comments made on the development of grocery store chains adding bakeries and prepared foods to their inventory of items sold and produced on the premises.
What I found missing in all of the discussions was the “forest” so to speak. The “trees” (see the preceding paragraph) were all discussed but left those in the audience with the impression that the food styles of the marketplace had undergone a major change. What was missing was any exploration of the marketing and manufacturing of food and drink by the mega-producers.
Let’s face it folks, the majority of beer drunk in this country comes from three brewing companies, most of the food consumed is highly processed and is produced by agra-companies that dominate the agricultural industry of North America.
The “Goliath” companies still control almost all the food manufacturing and production in this hemisphere. The heritage produce and craft brewed beers, hand made cheeses and small batch baked breads are negligible economic influences. That is, until you factor in the psychological impact of these food-industry “Davids.”
The influence of the microbrewers on the mega-brewers is evident in the attempts of Blue Moon (Coors) and the efforts of Anheuser-Busch to maintain market share by either buying small breweries (Red Hook) or manufacturing brews that their marketing says takes brewers from all over the world to produce.
As far as the food producers and marketers, you can now find processed foods that claim to have humble heritage being sold by most of the major food producers. The image of any “artisan” food product coming out of Kraft’s kitchens is hard to digest, let alone accept.
However, the influence of the artisan and heritage produce providers in the food market have had as much influence on the food service and production industry far out weighting its financial clout.
It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and that being said, that is what we are getting - imitations.
Once again, do you know of, or own, a restaurant that features beer and food pairings on a regular basis? If so please let me know, or have them send me a menu, so that they can be included.
Thank you all for being loyal readers and your support.
Cheers!
Peter LaFrance
Please address all comments and critiques to peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com
==============================
FROM THE WIRES
==============================
Grand Valley microbrewers tap more of the beer market
By Bob Kretschman
The Daily Sentinel
http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/epaper/editions/sunday/SunBiz_Breweries_10_31_04.html
Pieces
of past in use at brewery
Fish of Olympia gets
deals on old Miller equipment
By Chris Clough
The Olympian
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20041030/business/23707.shtml
A (beer) gut course in history
Free University class gives students some real libation education
By Jeff Katzenstein
The Johns Hopkins Newsletter
http://www.jhunewsletter.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/10/29/41817af9d6b54
==============================
MORE NEWS
==============================
Is this heaven? No, it's Belgium.
By Ann Cortissoz, Globe Staff
http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2004/11/03/is_this_heaven_no_its_belgium/
Heads up for porter from Ohio breweries
By Scott Stephens
Plain Dealer Reporter
http://www.cleveland.com/living/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living/1099478233312881.xml
==============================
Special Report – Breweries of the Hudson River Valley
==============================
A few months ago I had the opportunity to enjoy a fine late summer afternoon traveling up and down the Hudson River from New York City, on the west side of the river, as far north as Kingston, and then back down the eastern side of the river.
On the way up the west side of the river I stopped in the Ramapo Valley Brewery. And on the return trip back to Brooklyn, took the Mid-Hudson Bridge across to the east side of the river, and stopped in Hyde Park Brewing Company.
The following notes were taken to reflect as accurately as possible, the experience of visiting as a casual customer, rather than a working journalist who has more than a passing interest in the hospitality and brewing business.
I did not attempt to interview anyone in charge, or ask to chat with the brewer. These notes reflect the experience that awaits the visitor who casually stops in for as, in this case, a leisurely Saturday lunch.
Ramapo Valley Brewery
This is a road house bar not far from the rail road in all aspects. The through and through aura of the place is a “blues band” bar from central casting. The funky, laid back atmosphere permeates the entire place. As a point of observation, the entire interior is very “Flintstones” cave like.
The bar is situated in the front of the huge space and is a copper covered rectangular bar with an island in the middle where shelves of spirits bottles, highlighted by recessed lighting that shines up from the top of the cold boxes where the bottled beer is stored. There are full lines of commercial beers as well as a number of house brewed brews.
The impression I got in observing the situation of the brew-house was that it had been added (tacked on) to the front of the building – the double doors to the brew house look like they were the original front doors.
The following are the notes I took on the beers I tasted:
Blond – thick head golden yellow color orange nose fine body slight orange flavor to the finish that ends in a semi-sweet pallet.
Copper – thin head deep copper color – no nose – first sweet flavor balanced lightly by the hop flavors that finishes semi-dry with a hop pallet that lingers. Good body.
Thirst Quencher IPA – Thin head with a deep amber color (dirty glass with lots of bubbles clinging to the side). No aroma more citric than the Copper but the same general flavor profile.
The Hyde Park Brewing Company
A few hours later, while motoring down Route 9, on the east bank of the Hudson, signs for the Culinary Institute of America and Hyde Park, were better placed that the sign in front of the Hyde Park Brewing Company. In fact, we nearly drove past the place.
It has the appearance of a 1940’s roadside inn. The main building is a two story brew house that is enclosed in glass and dark brown wood wainscoting with thick dark wood tables with metal one pole supports. The chairs are green metal with light wood backs and seats, a la college cafeteria.
The main area has a maroon carpet, deep blue-green walls with grey ceiling that slopes up toward the front of the space to include the overhead grain silos.
Forty two seat smaller dining area – larger rear dining room. The front bar is long two- level. The brite tanks are situated over the bar area.
The tasting notes:
Heffeweizen – pint glass with little or no head – too cold- bubblegum aroma – bubble gum, banana and weakest hint of clove in first taste – finish of thin banana – not too sweet.
S.O.B – (bitter) Clear amber brown color with a thin head – some hop nose – ice cold – thin body – first impression is cold water with some tang of hops and a finish that is thin and slightly dry finish.
In the next issue BeerBasics.com will visit the Keegan Ales brewery in Kingston, New York.
==============================
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
==============================
What beer are you serving with Thanksgiving dinner?
Respond to:
==============================
Letters to the Editor
==============================
From:
TwoDowners@aol.com
Subject: Golden Beer at
Oktoberfest
Peter,
Recently returned from Oktoberfest in Munich and, sad to say, I didn't see
anything at the beer tents we visited that remotely resembled an Oktoberfest
style (i.e. amber, stronger, and slightly sweet). Looks to me like the
traditional Oktoberfest style is just not being served at Oktoberfest.
Ron Downer
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Tim
Hampson [
tim@infopub.co.uk ]
Subject: Autumn beers
Actually I do not know if this bottled beer is available in the USA. But my tip for an autumn tipple is Hook Norton’s 12 Days, at 5.5 percent ABV. A dark brown, strong beer, finely balanced, with strong malt and nutty flavour it was first brewed by David Clarke in 1992. Sadly David died in September. It was the family owned company’s first seasonal beer. It is a heady brew with a high roasted chocolate malt, which creates the rich colour and hop character that is present in the aftertaste, which is dominated by a pleasant sweetness. The company, which is in rural north Oxfordshire in England, was established in 1849, and still uses a Victorian steam engine, installed in 1899 to power the brewery.
Tim Hampson
britsh beer journalist
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================
Dinners, Events, and New product Information
==============================
Boston's First Belgian Beer Fest to Feature Over 150 Belgian-style Beers
In what could be the largest exclusive selection of Belgian-style beers at a
North American beer fest ever, BeerAdvocate.com is proud to announce the beer
list for its Belgian Beer Fest on November 6, 2004 in Boston, MA. Beers featured
will include imported authentic artisanal Belgian beers and Belgian-inspired
creations by North American craft brewers. From Belgian classics like Cantillon
Pure Lambic, Duvel and Orval, to the inspired like Harpoon's 3B (Barrel-aged,
Belgian and Bitter), Dogfish Head's Raison d'Extra (20.1 percent), and the ales
of Brewery Ommegang and Allagash Brewing Company, the impressive selection will
leave attendees wowed and cooing for months.
Gouden Schoen: The Official Beer of the Belgian Beer Fest
The Belgian Beer Fest will also debut Gouden Schoen, brewed exclusively for the
Belgian Beer Fest by a group of BeerAdvocates.com members during a unique open
brew day at The TAP in
Haverhill,
MA. The result? A wonderfully hoppy Belgian-inspired
Pale Ale at 5.9 percent alcohol by volume that contains four kinds of malts,
four varieties of hops and was fermented with an authentic Belgian yeast strain.
Visit The TAP at booth #7 to try some, and checkout
http://beeradvocate.com/news/stories_read/613/
for a transcript of the open brew day.
"We're psyched to present attendees with such a wide-selection of Belgian-style
beers," stated Todd Alström, Co-Founder of BeerAdvocate.com. "We've captured the
diversity of Belgian brewing, which will no doubt open more minds to a whole new
world of better beer. And with beers that resemble wine, champagne and even
liquor ... the Belgian Beer Fest will feature flavors for everyone."
"And everyone can blame me for the insane selection. I do the ordering and have
a hard time saying no to great beer, especially great Belgian beer," added Jason
Alström, brother and Co-Founder of BeerAdvocate.com.
For the list of brewers, importers and beers:
http://beeradvocate.com/fests/bbf/beers/
BeerAdvocate.com's Belgian Beer Fest is being held on Saturday, November 6, 2004
at The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. Tickets are on-sale now at
BeerAdvocate.com. Session One (1pm-5pm)
and Session Two (6pm-10pm) are only $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Advance
ticket purchases are recommended, as pre-sales are strong.
For more information and to buy tickets:
http://beeradvocate.com/fests/
CONTACT:
Todd Alström
todd@beeradvocate.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oskar Blues Brewery Enters Georgia Market
Oskar Blues Brewery – the nation’s first hand-canning craft brewery – is entering the Georgia beer market. The company’s two canned “gonzo beers” -- Dale’s Pale Ale and Old Chub – began appearing on Georgia store shelves on October 25.
Oskar Blues sales director Wayne Anderson hails from LaGrange, Georgia, and Oskar Blues founder Dale Katechis is an Alabama native. The two had been dreaming of sharing their beers with friends and family back home, but Georgia’s long-standing ban on beers above 6% alcohol by volume meant Dale’s Pale Ale (6.5% ABV) and Old Chub (8% ABV) weren’t legal in the state.
On July 1, 2004, however, Georgia’s state legislature raised the alcohol threshold for beers in the state to 14% ABV. The move made it possible for Georgians to welcome the world’s full range of beers, including Oskar Blues Brewery’s trail-blazing, flavor-packed “cannoisseur” beers.
Launched in November of 2002, Dale’s Pale Ale is the nation’s first hand-canned craft beer. It is brewed with hefty amounts of European malts and four strains of American hops, and has 65 International Bittering Units. Its numerous accolades include “Top Industry Story of the Year” from Celebrator Beer News. It is also sold in kegs.
(Georgia retailers interested in carrying Oskar Blues Brewery’s canned beers can contact Ewald at 770-263-7959 or jrewald@thunderhead.biz.)
For additional info, photos, beer samples or an interview with Dale Katechis, contact Marty Jones at 303-860-7448 or martysjones@att.net .
For more information visit www.oskarblues.com.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Homebrewers Association Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day is Nov. 6
Boulder, Colo. • Oct. 20, 2004—The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) will tap off the sixth annual Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004.
The AHA’s Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day is an international effort to introduce people to the homebrewing hobby and establish relationships with local homebrew supply shops. Over the past five years, this event has brought in hundreds of homebrewers to the hobby.
"Homebrewing is both fun and easy--everyone should try it. We encourage all homebrewers to share their love of homebrewing with their friends and neighbors and Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day is the prefect opportunity to do that," says Gary Glass, AHA’s project coordinator.
To celebrate this event, the AHA encourages homebrewers to teach their non-brewing friends how to homebrew, register their brewing site on www.beertown.org, take non-brewing friends to their local homebrew shop to buy ingredients and have fun homebrewing.
The AHA also encourages all registered site participants to fill out the remittance form on www.beertown.org after this event to help track the number of event participants.
The AHA will mail free copies of Zymurgy for Beginners, the AHA’s 24-page introductory guide to homebrewing, and AHA promotional materials to sites registered before Oct. 22.
For more information on how to celebrate and participate, visit www.beertown.org .
2004 sponsors are: Briess Malt & Ingredients Co., www.briess.com ; Party Pig® by Quoin, www.partypig.com ; Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., www.sierranevada.com .
Based in Boulder, Colo., U.S.A., the Association of Brewers (AOB) is a not-for-profit educational, trade association for small and craft brewers. Its mission is to make quality beer and brewing knowledge accessible to all. Visit the website: www.beertown.org to learn more. The Association of Brewers has an additional membership division of 9,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.
The association’s activities include events and publishing: World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival®; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; American Beer Month (July); Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
==============================
CALENDAR 2004
==============================
============================================================
CHECK THESE OUT:
============================================================
Cask Ale Resource Link-
Alex Hall has put together a very helpful link to on-premise establishments that serve real cask ale.
http://www.cask-ale.co.uk/us/statemenu.html
Culinary Cultures LLC
For chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals.
Chef Ron L. Askew, Executive Director
The Food Reference Newsletter
Food History, Trivia, Quotes, Humor, Poetry, Recipes
James T. Ehler, Editor
Lew Bryson's Home Page
Beer maven Lew Bryson has a site that deserves a hit or two.
Of special interest is the Pennsylvania Breweries Update Page, for those who have his book Pennsylvania Breweries. Lew Bryson's website also offers frequent updates to his new book, NY Breweries.
Nat Decants Free Newsletter
Wine tips, sips and articles from award-winning wine writer Natalie MacLean. There are no ads and all e-mail addresses are kept confidential.
Contact: natdecants@nataliemaclean.com or http://www.nataliemaclean.com/
SALUT! (The Webb site.)
This site includes a recipe of the month (all beer-based recipes), a substitution chart so that those not lucky enough to have access to Quebec’s great beers can use an alternative beer, a brief history of beer in Quebec, and a Question & Answer section with Raymond Beauchemin.
============================================================
DIRECT ACCESS
============================================================
1) BridgePort Brewing Co. www.bridgeportbrewing.com
Paula Troyer, Marketing Manager, 503-241-7179, paula.troyer@bridgeportbrewing.com
2) Pete's Brewing Co. www.peteswicked.com
Jennifer Shannon, Marketing Manager, 210-490-9128, jennifer.shannon@gambrinus.com
3) Spoetzl Brewery Inc.,Shiner, TX: www.shiner.com
Jay Finnigan, Marketing Manager,
210-490-9128,
jay.finnigan@gambrinus.com
4) Gambrinus: www.gambrinus.com
Ron Christesson, Director of Marketing, 210-490-9128, ron.christesson@gambrinus.com
5) Rogue Ales www.rogue.com
Michele Becker, Marketing 503-241-3800 x4 michele@rogue.com
6) Boston Beer Company www.bostonbeer.com
Michelle Sullivan 617-368-5165 michelle.sullivan@bostonbeer.com