Tag Archives: magic hat

Session #13 – Organic Beer, by Ron

Posted on by
Reply

This edition of The Session is sponsored by Chris O’Brien’s, The Beer Activist. (I just love his tag line, “Drink Beer. Save the World.”) Session #13 is titled Organic Beer
The Session - Beer Blogging Friday

Here’s a bit of context to help inspire your observations on organic imbibing. “Organic beer” refers to beers that use ingredients, supplies, and production processes that have been certified as adhering to the rules of the National Organic Program administered by the US Department of Agriculture (and similar programs in other countries).

I was going to cheap out on this session and just refer to my review of Orlio beers by Magic Hat, but I thought it might be interesting to point out some stuff about Anheuser-Busch and how they are genetically engineering rice to be used in their beers. Now, I’m just guessing here, but I doubt GE rice is considered organic.

Greenpeace made this disgusting YouTube video to let you know. Disgusting, but that’s the point, and it is kind of funny…

All of the articles I have found are about why isn’t Anheuser-Busch pointing this out. I think it is pretty obvious… they don’t have to and it would wreck their advertising of “all-natural”. The question is, can they still advertise as all-natural?

Resources:
Anheuser Busch Using Genetically Engineered Rice in Beer: Greenpeace
Anheuser-Busch Pledges to Use Only Organic Hops In Organic Beer
Anheuser-Busch using experimental genetically-engineered (GE) rice to brew Budweiser
Greenpeace: Genetically altered rice in Budweiser
Budweiser Found to Contain Genetically Engineered Rice

Update: Session #13 Roundup

Orlio Organic

Posted on by
Reply

One of the beers I brought to Octoberfest 2007 was Orlio Organic IPA. I had no idea who Orlio Organic was at the time, but later learned that they are part of Magic Hat brewing in Vermont. The logo just kept catching my eye in the store, much like the eye of Sauron (from the Lord of the Rings). It caught my attention, but I hated it. It looked like a bad beer trying to look popular.

But, I’ve made that mistake before with Southern Tier’s Phin and Matt’s Extraordinary Ale passing up on it for a long time because of the marketing approach. I tried and liked it. No… loved it. I wasn’t about to make that mistake again.

We all tried the Orlio Organic IPA at Octoberfest 2007 and we all liked it. Everyone seemed surprised that we all liked it, too. I don’t know if we were suspecting less because it was organic, or because none of us had heard of it before, or because of the label.

I’m not a big fan of Magic Hat beers, but not knowing what the Orlio brand was gave them a fresh start with me and thus I bought a 6 pack of their common ale the other day.

I was looking forward to the Common Ale, but I was already disappointed during the pour. The head on this beer fizzed out like a Diet Coke. (I had to snap this photo quickly before the head disappeared – see photo below) I began to prepare my brain for something of less substance. It was weak in body as expected, despite its beautiful clear, copper color. It had a peculiar aroma, something that reminded me of other Magic Hat brews, and the primary reason I’m not a big fan of Magic Hat. All of Magic Hat’s beers seem to a perfume like essence to them; I’m sure there is an expert beer taster who can suggest what this is I’m perceiving. (a common hop among them perhaps?)

In summary, the Orlio IPA was great and enjoyed by many, but I don’t think the Common Ale will pass the mustard with my friends. Orlio Organic also has a black lager, but I think I will pass, for now.