Yeah…I don’t think I’d recommend that…
Open a beer bottle with a chainsaw
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Author Archives: Al
NPR tells us how sap beer is making a comeback
I heard a story this evening about how beer made from the last “runnings” of maple sap, which were no good for making syrup, used to be used to make a strong beer. It fell out of fashion as farms modernized but, like so many other beer-related traditions, is making a comeback. Check it out and give a listen.
Vermont Beer Makers Bring Back Old-Time Maple Sap Brews
Emergency bottle opener: iPad power adapter
It’s always good to have a back-up way to get your beer bottle open. Well, if you’re an iPad (or, apparently, Mac) user you’ve got one that you keep everywhere. Your power adapter.
You’ll want to be careful of course. You wouldn’t want to damage your ability to recharge your device. Ms. Eva Giselle wins the Hop Talk Genius Award. Thank you @EvaZebra!
(via Lifehacker)
It’s American Craft Beer Week!
Not only is Frederick Beer Week going great gangbusters, but it’s also American Craft Beer Week starting today and running through to Sunday, the 20th.
CraftBeer.com has the lowdown. There are hundreds of events; surely you can find one near you. Get out there and celebrate craft beer.
(Oh, it’s also my birthday this week, so…celebrate that too, if you like.)
Beer judging classes
Are you interested in being a beer judge? Are you considering getting your BJCP certification? Maybe you’re just interested in having a finer appreciation of beer.
The Beer Judging 101 class held during last year’s Frederick Beer Week turned out to be so popular, they have expanded to three classes, including a new Beer Judging 201 class for more advanced palates. Beer Judging 101 will be held at the Mount Airy Inn (in Mount Airy, Maryland, natch) on Monday, May 14, followed by a Beer Judging 201 class that same evening. Then there will be a second Beer Judging 101 class on Thursday, May 17 at the William R. Tally Recreation Center in Frederick.
Beer Judging 101: Ever wonder what separates a truly world class brew from a run-of-the-mill beer? This class will open you up to the world of beer judging, and introduce certain basic methods and terminology used by beer judges. We will identify aroma, appearance, flavor, and mouthfeel characteristics of the beer, going over a few specific defects that may occur in beer, and their causes. Weʼll also introduce the Beer Judge Certification Program. All of this while enjoying some great beer! Beginners welcome, no pre-requisite is needed for this class.
http://frederickbeer.com/
monday-may-14/
http://frederickbeer.com/thursday-may-17/
Beer Judging 201: While tasting several beers, we’ll discuss attributes, descriptors, and defects in a little greater depth. We’ll explore some of the finer points of judging, and what makes a great beer judge. Class members will work on a BJCP judging sheet as a group, then perhaps even judge a beer. Learn about advancing within the BJCP. Pre-requisite is the 101 class, some beer judging / tasting background, or a basic knowledge of world beer styles.
More details can be found at frederickbeer.com.
Beer Makes Men Smarter…or does it?
Ron posted a bit of good news recently found in the mainstream media: that beer seems to make you smarter.
Joe Sixpack (aka Don Russell) punctures that balloon a little bit.
The “revelation” stemmed from a paper called “Uncorking the Muse: Alcohol intoxication facilitates creative problem solving,” by scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It concluded that test subjects solved certain problems more quickly after reaching a blood-alcohol level of .075 percent.
Alcohol, the researchers proved, helps the brain access remote areas and develop ideas beyond the confines of typical linear reasoning.
Naturally, journalists — perhaps because we love research that justifies our own lifestyles — ran with the story. Scores of newspapers, TV stations and blogs picked up on the report, proclaiming that beer makes you smart.
The attention came as a bit of surprise to one of the researchers, cognitive psychologist Jennifer Wiley, because the research subjects didn’t even drink beer. They were dosed with cranberry juice and vodka. Moreover, Wiley told me that her group had predicted tipsy subjects would test better than sober ones partly because there’s already ample anecdotal evidence that alcohol and creativity go hand in hand.
Worry not, though. Messr. Sixpack goes on to describe quite a few famous authors who did their best work after a tipple. He quotes Irish poet Thomas Moore:
If with water you fill up your glasses,
You’ll never write anything wise,
For ale is the horse of Parnassus
Which hurries a bard to the skies.
While I know that the plural of “anecdote” is not “data”, I know from my own experience that a drink or three is good to loosen up the creativity muscles. I’ve written some of my best code after a couple beers.
So, while the report didn’t really say what the newspapers said it did, and the researchers got the results they expected, it’s still cool to see that a couple of pints might just let you find your inner bard.
And let’s not forget this wisdom from Cliff Clavin:
Well ya see, Norm, it’s like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.
“Official” Unofficial events for Frederick Beer Week
(I got this missive in my mailbox today.)
We are five short days away from the official kickoff of Frederick Beer Week! Putting the stress on the term “official.”
However, there are some great unofficial events this week to whet your appetites for Maryland beer!
Pints & the Past
Thursday, May 10, 7:00 p.m.
Mayor’s Office at Brewer’s Alley Restaurant
124 North Market Street
Join us in the Mayor’s Office at Brewer’s Alley for “Pints & the Past,” a new series for anyone interested in getting together to chat about history. The program will start with a discussion on Freemasonry’s many different stances toward the consumption of liquor and beer, from the earliest recorded meetings in British taverns, to dry lodges during the American Temperance Movement, and varied policies on the use of alcohol by North American Grand Lodges today. Chris Butler, a Ph.D. candidate in cultural anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will discuss the varied ways in which Masonic bodies have dealt with the question of alcohol and fraternalism.. This program is FREE, with a cash bar featuring Brewer’s Alley’s “1634 Ale,” which was created following research on recipes and raw materials from early Colonial Maryland. Special thanks to Frederick Beer week and our sponsor, Brewer’s Alley.
The FBW Mash-In
Friday, May 11, 5:00 PM
The Roasthouse Pub
5700 Urbana Pike
THE Unofficial Frederick Beer Week kick-off event. Stop off at the Roasthouse this Friday night for a variety of Maryland beers on tap – pick from everyone from Barley and Hops to DuClaw. Celebrate Maryland with your friends beer by having one on tap at Frederick’s newest craft beer destination! No cover, just good beer.
‘Meet the Brewer’ Session 1
Friday 11 May, 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Frederick Wine House
1005 West 7th Street
The first of three Meet the Brewer/Tastings – Tom Flores, Brewmaster with Brewer’s Alley/Monocacy Brewing Company, invites craft beer enthusiasts to join in the discussion at the first of three ‘Meet the Brewer’ sessions scheduled for Frederick Beer Week. Leading into the kickoff of Frederick Beer Week at the Maryland Craft Beer Festival on Saturday 12 May, this discussion and Q&A session will provide a basis for the desire to celebrate the brewing industry and, of course, BEER. Topics covered in this session will include a crash-course on beer, tasting the history of brewing in Maryland and Frederick and using quality local ingredients. Please join the conversation and ask the questions about beer you have always hoped to have answered. Complimentary samples of Brewer’s Alley bottled beer will be available for attendees to taste.
Heavy Seas Tasting
Friday May 11, 4:30 – 7:30
Ye Old Spirit Shop
Stop by FBW sponsor Ye Old Spirit Shop just off Route 15 on 7th and sample Heavy Seas’ award winning beers. Get there early and then move onto one of the other great unofficial kick-off events during the FBW Mash-in Night!
In the meantime, get your tickets to the Firkin Fest, Beer Judging 101 & 102, and register for both the Tour de Brew and the FBW Scavenger Hunt! Spaces are limited and filling up!
Stupid robot
Milwaukee Brewfest – July 28
Press Release
Contact: Bill Hoag
(414) 321-5000
For Immediate Release:
Third Annual Milwaukee Brewfest
MILWAUKEE, WI – After a very successful second year, Inferno Marketing Group is thrilled to announce the date for the Third Annual Milwaukee Brewfest, taking place at the old Coast Guard Pavilion at McKinley Park on Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront July 28, 2012. In the heart of Milwaukee, this great location is within walking distance of the Eastside and Downtown. Beautiful views and ample space have proven this a great spot for a craft beer tasting event!
This year we will have unlimited sampling of over 200 craft beers and micro brews from over 60 breweries from across the country. Back by popular demand, the 2012 Milwaukee Brewfest will also have a special German Row.
Although everyone comes for the beer, we’ll have a number of on-site activities for added entertainment:
• Live musical performances
• Crowning of the 2012 Milwaukee Brewfest Queen
• A variety of food available for purchase from local restaurants and vendors
• Food sampling from various Wisconsin-based companies
• Displays by a number of local artists and craftsmen
Milwaukee Brewfest will take place from 3pm-7pm with 2pm early admission for all VIP ticket holders. General admission tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the gate. VIP tickets are $55 in advance or $60 at the gate. Ticket sales are limited, be sure to get your tickets while you can.
Please visit us online at www.milwaukeebrewfest.com for ticket purchases and additional information. Any questions or comments can be directed to:
Milwaukee Brewfest
1910 S. 81st Street
Milwaukee, WI 53219-1010
Phone: (414) 321-5000
Fax: (414) 321-0505
Top Craft Brewers for 2011
The Brewers Association has just released their lists of the Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewers and Top 50 Overall U.S. Brewers for 2011 based on beer sales volume.
Here are the Top 10 Craft Brewers. No surprises here.
- Boston Beer Co. – Boston, Massachusetts
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Chico, California
- New Belgium Brewing Co. – Fort Collins, Colorado
- The Gambrinus Company – San Antonio, Texas
- Deschutes Brewery – Bend, Oregon
- Matt Brewing Co. – Utica, New York
- Bell’s Brewery, Inc. – Galesburg, Michigan
- Harpoon Brewery – Boston, Massachusetts
- Lagunitas Brewing Co. – Petaluma, California
- Boulevard Brewing Co. – Kansas City, Missouri
My friends up the road, Flying Dog, came in at #26.
You can get the full lists at the Brewers Association press release. As is now tradition, Jay Brooks has an annotated list of the Top 50 overall showing last year’s position.
