tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60843907877895291262024-03-13T13:19:20.358-04:00Brews for AleDiscussion in the World of BeerVoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-53429913110505159072013-08-22T19:46:00.000-04:002013-08-22T19:46:22.176-04:00BreweryMapGoing on road trip anytime soon? Use <a href="http://flowingdata.com/2013/08/01/brewerymap-plans-your-next-beer-road-trip/">BreweryMap</a> to show you every possible stop on your chosen route.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-56065154841272649052013-02-05T09:19:00.001-05:002013-02-05T09:19:20.229-05:00Layman's Beer Wheel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(via <a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-01/infographic-day-beersci-edition-beer-flavor-wheel">PopSci</a>) Ever seen professional beer wheels that relate different tastes to the chemicals that cause them? This wheel is a bit more user friendly than that. Want to achieve a certain taste in your next home brew? Take a look at the wheel to see what can be used to create that taste. Also note the "BAD" section, lest your porter taste like soy sauce.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06101126447770878273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-77210055354579831702013-02-04T23:40:00.002-05:002013-02-04T23:40:50.322-05:00Beer, Antitrust, and the Justice DepartmentThe Wonkblog at the Washington Post <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/01/31/drink-up-the-justice-department-just-came-out-in-favor-of-cheaper-beer/">published an interesting snippet</a> about how the Justice Department will file a suit to block the merger of AB InBev and Corona, the #1 and #3 brands in the industry. AB already owns half of Corona's parent Modelo and had announced a $20 billion purchase of the other half.<br />
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Gotta keep that competition in the marketplace.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-83201619641064579072013-01-08T01:51:00.000-05:002013-01-08T01:51:07.116-05:00BOOM. Light Beer'd!<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/11/light-beer-you-dont-have-to-like-it-but-respect-it/264392/">Article from back in November at the Atlantic</a> touches on light beer, history, and the brewing process.<br />
<blockquote>
"It's common to disparage light beers. As craft beers have elbowed their way into American refrigerators and taps, light beers have become punch lines. What few drinkers know, however, is that quality light beers are incredibly difficult to brew."</blockquote>
I'll take a Busch Light...Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-58387902368871587962012-12-19T02:42:00.000-05:002012-12-19T02:45:43.635-05:00The Great American Ale Trail<span style="font-family: inherit;">I stopped by the library the other day primarily to pick up Nate Silver's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/159420411X">The Signal and the Noise</a>, but decided to check out some beer books as well. I ended up taking home <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-American-Ale-Trail-Watering/dp/0762443758">The Great American Ale Trail: The Craft Beer Lover's Guide to the Best Watering Holes in the Nation</a>. I skimmed through and read some sections of it last night and was impressed with the number of breweries and bars the author, <a href="http://christiandebenedetti.wordpress.com/">Christian DeBenedetti</a>, covers. There are also a lot of neat tidbits about beer styles, brewing techniques, and various festivals. A detailed story or description of the scene one encounters when visiting is accompanied by a philosophy and key beer to try for each place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, I was disappointed to see some omissions. Having some similar thoughts, <a href="http://allaboutbeer.com/learn-beer/reviews/book-reviews/2012/01/the-great-american-ale-trail/">All About Beer says</a> the book is "an eclectic if necessarily incomplete almanac of brewpubs, breweries and bars along with the occasional restaurant," which pretty much nails it. They go on to say it "includes more than it omits." On the whole this may be true, but...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What stood out to me is how few Michigan locations made the list. I'll admit my bias since I'm a Michigander, but really, only six? Alaska and Louisiana both had more than double that number with 16 and 14 each, respectively. The author is from Portland, Oregon and the book has a fairly distinctive West Coast orientation with large numbers of places in beer-rich states like Oregon, Washington, California, and Colorado. Population-rich New York also featured well plus North Carolina with Beer City, USA champion Asheville up there too (with a copyright of 2011, this was pre-title for now Beer City, USA Grand Rapids).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm nitpicking, but let's look more closely at Michigan. Featured in the book are <a href="http://www.jollypumpkin.com/">Jolly Pumpkin</a>, <a href="http://foundersbrewing.com/">Founders</a>, <a href="http://hopcatgr.com/">HopCat</a>, and <a href="http://bellsbeer.com/">Bell's</a> with a "Best of the Rest" including <a href="http://www.ashleys.com/">Ashley's</a> and <a href="http://www.arcadiaales.com/">Arcadia</a>. First thing I thought of after reading this list was, "Where is <a href="http://www.shortsbrewing.com/">Short's</a>?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Obviously, ratings from BeerAdvocate should be taken with a grain of salt, but <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/9629">Short's has a "world-class" ranking</a> on 66 reviews. Compare this with Twisted Pine, located in Boulder, Colorado which does get mention in the book as one of the "Best of the Rest" for Colorado, which <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23">has an "exceptional" rating</a> (5 points lower than Short's) on only 14 reviews. This is nothing against Twisted Pine. I have visited and really enjoyed the experience, but why devote so many more pages to Colorado (37) as to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin combined (25).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The book includes a box highlighting that Michigan now has more than 65 breweries, and directs those interested to check out the <a href="http://www.michiganbrewersguild.org/">Michigan Brewers Guild website</a>. This kinda makes the book feel not quite as rigorous as it is. Short's does get a shout-out as what to grab at Ashley's in Ann Arbor, so there is obviously respect for them. Since the book has a travel orientation and much of the content comes from the author's own trips and experiences, Short's out-of-the-way location up north probably hurt when making the decisions of what to include. However, the Colorado section includes locations up and down the Front Range and all the way to Breckenridge and Durango, so it isn't prohibitive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The suggested itinerary that includes Michigan is a Midwest-wide one though and tries to cram Chicago, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan locations all together. By grouping the Midwest in as one region like the book did really limits the focus individual Midwest states might have, while California is only paired with Hawaii and basically gets its own itinerary. The biggest issue I have overall is probably the way the book was divided and grouped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Other Michigan locations worthy of inclusion along with Short's, in my opinion, are: Arbor Brewing (on the fence), Brewery Vivant (newly open when the book was published), Dark Horse, Dragonmead, Kuhnhenn, and New Holland.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe we'll see another edition - with some modifications to the regions and more places - as <a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/09/the-great-american-ale-trail-by-christian-debenedetti-book-review.html">this Serious Eats review bets on</a> (not all 50 states make the list this time). Perhaps this has sounded overly critical, but I really respect Michigan beer and was disappointed to not see more of it here. Beyond that gripe, I have thus far enjoyed reading and learning about what the states I don't know as well as Michigan have to offer (and how I have managed to hit many of his Colorado recommendations). It really is a good book, and could very well be a great book with only minor improvements.</span>Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-21647996166110914962012-12-18T18:35:00.001-05:002012-12-18T18:35:58.553-05:00How Long Did This Take to Drink?I'm amused that after the post showing videos somewhat critical of the internet beer geek posts stop showing up here for 7 months... but do not fear, I've got some ideas to get content flowing again for at least 4 more posts following this one.<br />
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I leave you with this. Beer rings:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ON2OQXgjNElHyy7VDtmOwsJva8cquYWcqkASoyroxrZPrNesI546wNqOEPDfCgKZ5-q48Kqs5VpmWxnVBtnPTOvKj8OOmAptvwMo07MpQs-lW9LqZL1A2R3P9UduZ68qizJV6Qvek6A/s1600/lacing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ON2OQXgjNElHyy7VDtmOwsJva8cquYWcqkASoyroxrZPrNesI546wNqOEPDfCgKZ5-q48Kqs5VpmWxnVBtnPTOvKj8OOmAptvwMo07MpQs-lW9LqZL1A2R3P9UduZ68qizJV6Qvek6A/s640/lacing.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Avery IPA @ <a href="http://www.bouldercafeonpearl.com/">Boulder Cafe</a>, August 21, 2012</div>
<br />Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-1027958509110035222012-05-23T22:20:00.000-04:002012-05-23T22:20:05.298-04:00Beer Geek VideosLove all of the videos this guy puts out. John Smith understands and pokes fun at craft beer geeks in an extreme sort of way. Here's one of them. The rest can be found on vimeo here: <a href="http://vimeo.com/user10854696">http://vimeo.com/user10854696</a><br />
Want to read the controversy behind it? <a href="http://beerpulse.com/2012/04/man-behind-the-todays-beer-geek-video-series-speaks/">http://beerpulse.com/2012/04/man-behind-the-todays-beer-geek-video-series-speaks/</a><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwRfy7Caok-E-J_KSF-iTKXLnOAfJQY9Wa8QpTXwhPtT37JhPuUij-DXk4hdBSLuNZkXirwV5hgR15sfPbsPg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Quackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10345662838175233919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-39203744409410094462012-05-19T21:41:00.001-04:002012-05-19T21:41:21.484-04:00Beer Rankings<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/drink/2012/05/pliny_the_younger_can_there_really_be_a_best_beer_.html">An article over at Slate</a> about the democratic nature of beer, especially compared to that of wine. While not everyone can so easily obtain Pliny the Younger like the author kind of implies, I think this highlights one important part of why beer is so great.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-45844523870568863492012-04-09T00:04:00.000-04:002012-04-09T00:04:39.499-04:00Craft Beer Keeps RisingFor those of you who don't follow my Twitter account, Andrew Sullivan posted links to a couple craft beer related articles and how it is increasing its market share and output while macro-brewers are seeing declining numbers.<br />
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<a href="http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/04/the-rise-of-craft-beer.html">LINK</a>Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-72756011915412336342012-02-06T22:52:00.001-05:002012-02-06T22:52:04.283-05:00Founders Brewing: The Story<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/36157537?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/36157537">Founders Brewing: The Story</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/foundersbrewing">Founders Brewing Co.</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-12576878022561335302012-01-13T13:22:00.004-05:002012-01-13T14:33:17.857-05:00Yuengling now the Largest US-owned BreweryYuengling has started distributing in Ohio, and <a href="http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-allentown-yuengling-sales-20120112,0,287571.story">surpassed Boston Beer Company</a> as the largest American brewery.<br />
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Now, just to get it a little fartheYur north in Michigan...Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-42225938858812951662012-01-04T14:59:00.001-05:002012-01-04T15:00:51.593-05:00Documentary: Beer People<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/33917642?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/33917642">Beer People</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/alantor">Alan Torres</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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Hat Tip: <a href="http://www.damnarbor.com/2011/12/beer-people-documentary.html">Damn Arbor</a>Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-65976750431071621662011-12-12T11:53:00.003-05:002011-12-12T11:58:28.808-05:00Lake Michigan Beer Tour MapJust thought I would share this map I created in a cartography class. I tried to stay fairly close to the coast for the most part. I know there are a few I left out as well; those I either couldn't find any information on or they were chain breweries that I figured most people would not be interested in seeing if they wanted to do a geographically unique brewery tour. I wanted to include a wider geographic area, but there were already 55 on my list, so I left it at that. All of the data in the table I either took from personal experience or from what I could gather via their website and beeradvocate.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/75258652?access_key=key-236tfphn3a5azno7eu8j">http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/75258652?access_key=key-236tfphn3a5azno7eu8j</a></div>Quackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10345662838175233919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-59554031426900145042011-08-25T12:25:00.000-04:002011-08-25T12:25:12.650-04:00Port City Optimal WitBelgian style white ale.<br />
BA Score: B+<br />
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Port City is a microbrew in Alexandria, VA, just 15 minutes from my apartment.<br />
Brewers description: Optimal Wit is brewed in the Belgian Wit Bier tradition. It is brewed with raw wheat and oats and steeped with coriander, orange peel and grains of paradise. This ale is a pale golden color with a bit of cloudy haze from bottle conditioning. This unfiltered ale offers layers of complex nuanced flavors that evolve in the glass. It finishes crisp and refreshes the palate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKYMDoOCvCncJcAF_Gm2pzPpnwnhVgMVT0JT2lNNxcjp6kZiKSELJmt-AV_xbu7K26WhtE_T6JL9Pjk9GNUr44qdVJntIz9E8_6vA3pZH2Pg2Kcpl-89_ZdCkSTItwSaotPgDlv_4Tg/s1600/IMG_1267%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKYMDoOCvCncJcAF_Gm2pzPpnwnhVgMVT0JT2lNNxcjp6kZiKSELJmt-AV_xbu7K26WhtE_T6JL9Pjk9GNUr44qdVJntIz9E8_6vA3pZH2Pg2Kcpl-89_ZdCkSTItwSaotPgDlv_4Tg/s320/IMG_1267%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
It pours with about 1 finger of head (my 6 pack ranged from almost none to about 1 inch) and has a definite cloudiness (at first I though I had poured the sediment in on accident). You can definitely smell the coriander, orange, banana, and a host of unnamed spices. The best and worse thing about the beer is how much it changes. As is often the case for unfiltered microbrews, each beer is slightly different, and each sip can accent different flavors. I had 1 bottle with almost no carbonation, and 1 with a lot (beer flavored Sprite anyone?). But the complex of spices and fruit make it exciting to drink and before you know it, it's gone. The BA score is fair because there are some glasses that are an A- and some that are a C -- especially if some of the sediment is mixed in since it's unfiltered. It's not unique enough to be anybody's favorite Belgian, but it's good. And props for being a small time local brew.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06101126447770878273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-72581369370458990152011-08-10T00:36:00.002-04:002011-08-10T00:40:28.326-04:00Favorite BreweriesName your 3 most favorite breweries in order. I know it is tough, but if you could only drink beer from 3 breweries for the rest of your life what would they be?<div>
<br /></div><div>Mine:</div><div>1) Founders (don't think I could live without their delicious stouts)</div><div>2) Two Brothers (love their wide array of styles they do)</div><div>3) Three Floyds (hate their distribution, but love their beer, anything they make is just delcious)</div>Quackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10345662838175233919noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-62234932913781805742011-07-13T16:40:00.000-04:002011-07-13T16:40:15.176-04:00The obviousCan I just say how much I love Oberon?<br />
'Cause it's pretty great.<br />
<a href="http://lmgtfy.com/?q=oberon&l=1">Even though its name is Oberon.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06101126447770878273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-39325582896783839262011-07-13T01:08:00.004-04:002011-07-13T01:11:01.964-04:00Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt ReviewHasn't been a beer review on here for awhile, so I thought I would post one that I put on beeradvocate earlier.<div><br /></div><div>Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt</div><div><br /></div><div>This is supposedly a blonde version of the normal Lucky 13 version (Large Mondo Red).</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; ">Poured from a 22 oz bottle into an English pint. Actually thought I was trying the other version at first (Large Mondo Red) and then realized that this is the .alt version.<br /><br />Pours a sort of clear golden color with a slight amber hue. Not much of a head on there, carbonation seems prominent.<br /><br />Aroma has sort of a sweet malt scent with a very distinctive kind of hops that I can't remember which one it is (Amarillo?). Some elements of citrus/grapefruit.<br /><br />Hmm, taste is more complex than I was expecting. The hops hit you right away, citrus/grapefruit, with a little spiciness. This is followed by a sweet malty taste, which then has a little bit of a dry and bitter finish.<br /><br />Mouthfeel is great, perfect carbonation, medium bodied. That sweet malty taste with a hint of the hops sticks to your mouth minutes after a sip.<br /><br />Overall it is a pretty solid beer. This reminds me of all Lagunitas' beers. Above average, but nothing that blows you out of the water. Solid beer, would definitely drink again.</span></div>Quackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10345662838175233919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-54372689171303196202011-07-06T20:18:00.000-04:002011-07-06T20:18:58.478-04:00Homebrew Belgian Tripel IPAI now feel comfortable enough with my latest beer to write something about it. I took a <a href="http://menuinprogress.com/2009/09/belgian-tripel-ipa-partial-mash-recipe.html">recipe found elsewhere on the Internet</a> and slightly modified it to match what was available to me.<br />
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One difference from that recipe was an extra 1/2 lb of candi sugar because it was sold in 1 pound bags and I didn't want any extra sitting around. The other was because I could not find Amarillo hops. I semi-arbitrarily replaced them with U.K. Challenger (somewhat similar AA%) hops, which worked out fairly well.<br />
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Since I was borrowing equipment and was limited in what was available to me, I simply fermented for 3 weeks in primary (bucket). I was able to get a separate bottling bucket from Tim when the time came, but in a fit of laziness ended up not using it and instead auto-siphoned straight from the primary into our bottles. The result is a significant amount of sediment, but that has settled out nicely and with a careful pour will mostly stay in the bottle.<br />
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Finally, a note on carbonation. I added priming sugar to the batch during the bottling process, but it has not seemed to kick it up much. It remains a little flat even after 3+ weeks in the bottle. Sadly, I suspect it will stay like this. Fortunately, I have noticed very, very slight carbonation build up on the walls of the glass for the last couple bottles I have had even though no head forms.<br />
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My main theory for this issue is a lack of healthy yeast survival to this point, and the beer could have used additional yeast at some point. 3 weeks in the primary and a high ABV (estimated 10-11%, but I didn't take readings) might have tired them out.<br />
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In the end, there are things I would change, but the flavor is there. This is definitely a very hoppy, high alcohol beer. Even with its problems, it tastes good!Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-7901407683480693082011-07-02T17:10:00.000-04:002011-07-02T17:10:44.787-04:00"Raging Bitch" to finally come to MichiganFlying Dog's top-selling IPA <a href="http://adage.com/article/adages/bitch-michigan/228523/">can now be enjoyed</a> in the Mitten!Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-59863598206740231112011-06-09T16:06:00.000-04:002011-06-09T16:06:10.363-04:00Epic Beer CommercialI tweeted this the other day when I came across it in my Google Reader:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uNQa5HCUYCQ" width="425"></iframe>Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-17935710540833348672011-05-24T13:36:00.000-04:002011-05-24T13:38:55.733-04:00Grow a Beard, Save the PlanetBudweiser <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/budweiser-asks-guys-to-help-save-a-million-gallons-of-water-by-not-shaving-121998368.html">wants men to stop shaving</a> in the time running up to World Environment Day to promote water conservation.<br />
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Hat Tip: <a href="http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2011/05/budweiser-beards-and-the-environment.html">The Dish (Andrew Sullivan)</a> at <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/">The Daily Beast</a>.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-91781638205246306752011-03-30T02:53:00.001-04:002011-03-30T02:54:35.380-04:00Oberon DayIt just passed us, but <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/1094">Oberon</a> dropped at midnight Sunday, going on Monday, and I was down at the release party here in Ann Arbor. A Bell's representative was there, and purchasing any Bell's beer resulted in tickets that were drawn to win t-shirts and the like. Unfortunately, I didn't win anything - I am not the King of Oberon for the next year, but I did get some bumper stickers and pins. Also, what kind of party would it be without temporary tattoos?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18B_Z4CXefXawvJhXJfb3joMFvfINLJYRB5E4Ud6nW4orxA0n6aUbA0PfbGu-WBki-StUEuPG_-XkKKka3CHLlEWiQv2TvpdwV3HU0GkMQCCvyStwkuD5INwWw9qqLIcvVjDizlEPxhU/s1600/oberon_tat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18B_Z4CXefXawvJhXJfb3joMFvfINLJYRB5E4Ud6nW4orxA0n6aUbA0PfbGu-WBki-StUEuPG_-XkKKka3CHLlEWiQv2TvpdwV3HU0GkMQCCvyStwkuD5INwWw9qqLIcvVjDizlEPxhU/s320/oberon_tat.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOA3oUG2cQygTAXJ12N3hDgVPTGHhYaWJy_pX35sSTbK72BQLckh7-dEgrskInHslgUWPaUEea8eVI8ev9zwxwSAXKLXLVG26FatijOfk0oZw1RGKGPRSU3EdYghCDXBINrSWNc8JOP1U/s1600/oberon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOA3oUG2cQygTAXJ12N3hDgVPTGHhYaWJy_pX35sSTbK72BQLckh7-dEgrskInHslgUWPaUEea8eVI8ev9zwxwSAXKLXLVG26FatijOfk0oZw1RGKGPRSU3EdYghCDXBINrSWNc8JOP1U/s320/oberon.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-41201225769834284902011-03-17T17:11:00.000-04:002011-03-17T17:11:18.453-04:00St. Patrick's Day Open ThreadWhat are you doing today? Drinking?<br />
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I have had a <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/209/29602">Smithwick's</a>, <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/209/862">Harp</a>, and <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/655/1798/">Boddingtons</a> at the bar in between classes + 2 bottles of <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/1093">Two Hearted</a> while enjoying spring on the porch.<br />
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There will be more after tonight I'm sure.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-55537175476326354102011-03-09T23:14:00.001-05:002011-05-24T13:38:55.734-04:00Upslope Brewing CompanyAnother Brewery from my trip to Colorado, <a href="http://upslopebrewing.wordpress.com/">Upslope</a> is the newest in Boulder. It is located on the north end of the North Boulder area of town. Being a little out-of-the-way the trip took a little while, but it was worth checking out. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ6FmVdvWGkcAv3AL1m7pGxYTLMOfvAWP3kQPTGI08Nprs6jmOR8IVZjis_u3DqKwFhi1JhMB39Ui5oZy1IADnLxEbd6A8eWhHkShOrKf6aPjyuS-1RcLB0Tct3DxhAkIJwgw6q-Fha0/s1600/S5030974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ6FmVdvWGkcAv3AL1m7pGxYTLMOfvAWP3kQPTGI08Nprs6jmOR8IVZjis_u3DqKwFhi1JhMB39Ui5oZy1IADnLxEbd6A8eWhHkShOrKf6aPjyuS-1RcLB0Tct3DxhAkIJwgw6q-Fha0/s400/S5030974.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Upslope is essentially located in what looks like a strip mall that is also home to a winery. The taproom is very small and was standing room only while I was inside. There was a large wall-size window that overlooked the production floor, and the door to the floor was cracked open, so the wonderful smell of brewing beer wafted throughout the room. I sat at a counter in the rear that had various beer books and magazines on it, so I flipped through a couple issues of BeerAdvocate magazine while drinking my beer.<br />
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I tried their IPA, which was really solid, but nothing truly unique. In fact, it was pretty standard. However, Upslope approaches the microbrewery business a little different than many. It isn't necessarily trying to make a unique beer. Unlike most microbreweries that use bottles, Upslope cans their beer. To some beer geeks this is a sin, but the reasoning for it is pretty neat.<br />
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Aluminum is an easily recyclable material, and it's opaque, so no light can get in to ruin the beer. Also, bottles are much heavier than cans. A bottle is around 40% of the total weight of a beer. A can is much lighter and has a little give in it with denting. These are the keys for Upslope, but why?<br />
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The answer: Upslope is making beers for people on-the-go. Light weight, easily carried cans that can be consumed on the trail while backpacking, or enjoyed after going on a bike ride. Upslope is there for active people, and that is really cool.<br />
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Related: <a href="http://blog.beeriety.com/2010/01/07/make-your-beer-drinking-more-eco-friendly/">Eco-Friendly</a> <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2186219/">beer drinking</a>.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084390787789529126.post-7836498942115173652011-03-08T02:23:00.000-05:002011-03-08T02:23:23.312-05:00Southern Sun Pub & Brewery<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While in Boulder, Colorado for Spring Break I managed to stop by a few breweries in the area. The first was <a href="http://www.mountainsunpub.com/">Southern Sun</a>. <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3024/">Southern Sun</a> was opened on the south side of Boulder as a second location of <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2972">Mountain Sun</a>. It offers up more space than the original, and offers up the same delicious beers. There is also a third location, the Vine Street Pub, in Denver.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Sun is located near the intersection of Broadway and Table Mesa in the upper level of a very </span>nondescript building in what amounts to a strip mall development. However, do not be fooled! This place is very good.<br />
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My first trip here was with my friend Jon and his housemates to celebrate my arrival the day before and the end of Stout Month. I had the <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2972/56422">Girl Scout Stout</a>, which tasted like a Thin Mint. I talked with some people who claimed it was far more minty than the year before (and worse because of it), but I found it to be more subtle. The mint complemented the bitter hop character and sweetness of the beer well. Plus, any beer that tastes like an already delicious cookie is good in my book.<br />
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I made a second trip to Southern Sun Friday night as my week in town was drawing to a close. I grabbed some dinner and a couple of beers. For dinner I had one of their specials of the day, the Phryday Phish Phry. A couple of pieces of fried Alaskan cod with slaw was delicious, but the kicker was the hand cut fries. They were top-notch.<br />
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As for beers, I had a <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2972/12763">XXX Pale Ale</a>, an <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2972/26404">FYIPA</a>, and a taster of <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2972/48468">Blackberry Wheat</a>. The <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mountain-sun-xxx-pale-ale/11558/">XXX Pale Ale</a> was pretty straightforward. Much like many other pale ales there was a slight citrus aroma and taste to it along with decent hop bitterness. Next, the <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mountain-sun-fyipa-batch-420/50111/">FYIPA</a> had one of the most pleasant aromas of any beer I can remember. It was fantastic, and it hid the fact it was an IPA - until you drank it. It. Was. Hoppy. From one of the most pleasant aromas to some of the harshest hop bite encapsulated in one beverage was phenomenal. I haven't tried all of their beers, but if you plan on only getting one, I would recommend the FYIPA. Finally, I had a taster of <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mountain-sun-blackberry-wheat/92086/">Blackberry Wheat</a>, which I was not a huge fan of. It was a little sad to end on a lower note, but I also chalk it up to not having much experience with Blackberries in general. It tasted similar to other fruit beers, but it came off a little odd to me and I probably wouldn't get it again.<br />
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At this point I remembered what drinking at a higher elevation entails, so I finished up and called it a night.<br />
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Overall, I really enjoyed my two trips to the Southern Sun Pub & Brewery and would recommend people try it out. I think either here or the Mountain Sun is a must-stop while visiting Boulder.Voshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08442141878306770963noreply@blogger.com1