Ummm…what?!

So, after one too many get-togethers where the four of us sit around and talk about beer and everything else, have a great time, and somebody says “we should be recording this”…well, this time we did it.

It’s rough. Very rough. Very, very rough. But that’s mostly by design. It is really us just talking, although we did pick a few recent beer news items to kick around just so it wasn’t a total ramble.

We had a lot of fun. So much so, we’re going to do it again. (There. You’ve been warned.)

I hope you enjoy it. If you do, or even if you didn’t, drop us a line.

Download it here: Hop Talk Podcast ep. 1 (fixed link to file)

…or subscribe with iTunes

News:

Anheuser-Busch InBev acquires Chicago-based Goose Island.

• The Pint Glass: Anheuser-Busch buys Goose Island
• Beer News: Chicago Small Brewer, Craft Brewers Alliance to Sell Stakes in Goose Island; Expansion of Chicago Brewery Planned
• Beer Universe: Anheuser Busch to Acquire Goose Island
• Beer Scribe: The Graying Of The Craft Beer Industry…
• Beeronomics: More on Goose Island
• A Good Beer Blog: What If InBev Keeps Everything But Lowers The Price?

Anthony Bourdain alleges that the “Brew Masters” series on the Discovery channel was cancelled due to pressure from big brewers. Discovery’s position is that the show didn’t find an audience, so was cancelled.

• Beer News: Report: Brew Masters not renewed, Bourdain says “Big beer threatened to pull ads”
• Carolyn Smagalski: Did Big Beer Get Brew Masters Canned?
• Beer Scribe: A Brew Masters Clarification and the Crazy Beer Week That Was…

Brewers Association: Craft Beer sales were up by 11% in 2010 (by volume). Up by 12% by dollars.

• Brewers Association Reports 11 Percent Volume Growth for U.S. Craft Brewers in 2010

Listener mail:

Cathy from Scotland wants to know where to find Old Speckled Hen on draught in Edinburgh. Do you know? Drop us a line: http://hop-talk.com/contact/

What we drank:

• Ron: India Pale Ale from Henry Weinhard’s
• Max: Midas Touch from Dogfish Head
• Don: Storm King Imperial Stout from Victory Brewing Company
• Al: Old Man Winter Ale from Southern Tier Brewing Company

(The Unofficial Hop Talk Beer Rating System)