Month: August 2010

Submitted by Janet Stevens of The Space Foundation

The Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation has recognized the updated and revised 4th Edition Beer Drinker’s Guide to Colorado as a certified Space Imagination Product. The map integrates enhanced GPS-enabled measurements into the locations and chart data of fourteener* elevations and incorporates new Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model data into the relief map.

The Space Foundation’s Space Certification program promotes the practical, life-enhancing benefits of space technology here on Earth.

Released last month, the 4th Edition Beer Drinker’s Guide to Colorado is a large (27″ x 39″) beautifully printed full-color topo-physical map that “pint-points” the locations of 126 Colorado brewing operations, from bucket brewers to megabrewers spread all across the state. It includes information about beer, including beer styles and tastes, glassware, beer making, lists of historic and notable saloons, bars for beer geeks, homebrewing shops, and detailed facts on every Colorado brewing operation. Colorado travel information includes details on state and national parks, driving distances, local taxi and bus contacts, ski areas, fourteeners, and much more.
Continue reading “Space Helps Coloradans Find Free Beer”

To all homebrewers, judges, stewards, and beer enthusiasts, I personally invite you to the 15^th Annual Music City Brew Off.  We are continuing our efforts to make our competition the finest in the South East.  Our competition this year will be held at the Courtyard Marriott in Goodlettsville, TN (865 Conference Drive, 37072).  Room rates for Attendees are $79 (2 Queen room or King) or $99 for a Suite.  Please use the link on our website:  www.musiccitybrewers.com or call the hotel:  615-851-3000.  This year’s special guest will be Dave Miller, author of ‘Dave Miller’s Homebrewing Guide’, and AHA style series:  Continental Pilsner’

Continue reading “Announcing the 15th Annual Music City Brew Off October 8th and 9th, 2010”

Written by Zachary Fowle

More than 500 years ago, German Beer Purity Law decreed that the world’s favorite fermented beverage was to be made with only four ingredients: water, malt, hops and yeast. In recent years, however, the definition of a permissible beer ingredient has expanded somewhat, and brewers worldwide have branched out, throwing stuff in their beers ranging from the mildly unusual to the downright bizarre. From chilies to spices to sea life, these are the top ten beers that make you say, “Huh?”

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel
10.9% ABV
This imperial stout is brewed with Vietnamese caphe cut chon coffee beans, made from the droppings of weasel-like civet cats, which purportedly eat only the best and ripest coffee berries. After enzymes in the cats’ digestive systems break down the beans, workers scour the ground to collect the droppings for use in your morning Joe. Despite these inauspicious origins, the resulting beer is a creamy, pungent coffee stout that’s good to the last dropping.
Continue reading “Abnormal Ales: 10 Beers with Weird Ingredients”

Ken Carman is a BJCP judge; homebrewer since 1979, club member at Escambia Bay and Music City Homebrewers, who has been interviewing professional brewers all over the east coast for over 10 years.

The Church Brew Works
3525 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15201-1324
(412) 688-8200

The brewer:

The Church was probably one of the first reviews I helped a friend write and edit. If I find a copy I’ll ask The Professor to publish it.

It’s not an easy pub to get to. The best way from the north is to take I-79 south until you find I-279 to Pittsburgh. Head towards Pittsburgh and just before the river get off for route 28 east. You cross over a couple streets and there should be a half hidden sign on your left. Some fool cut a hole in the fence and it’s blocked so you can’t read it until you’re almost past it. Go left until the 31st street bridge. Over the river and through the… buildings… to The Church we go. Maybe we’ll meet Grandma? Hope she likes good beer. Maybe she’ll buy; Grandmas are always so giving. It’s the second left over the bridge: Liberty. Look carefully for The Church on your left.

No, that’s not the natural lighting. This is the official “I can’t figure my camera out” tour this year. Neither can the lady at Staples or two pro photographers who were at The Church that day.

Anyway, you walk in and, after the usual Catholic foyer, the door opens up and you see…

Continue reading “Brew Biz: Werts and All”

Written by Jay Brooks for The Brookston Beer Bulletin

I almost forgot about this. The week before last I got a call from the local CBS television station, CBS 5, asking me to comment on a story they were working on regarding a recent Consumer Reports beer tasting that was published in their August issue. In Bargain beer from Costco, they had consumers taste blind the Kirkland brand beers, Costco’s private label beer, with prominent commercial brands of a similar style — Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Samuel Adams Boston Ale, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and Paulaner Hefe-Weizen.

The conclusion was that their “untrained panelists liked the Costco beers about as much as the same-style name-brand beers. (For each type, some people liked the Kirkland Signature better, some liked the brand name better, and some liked both equally.) Our consultants said that although the brand-name beers were more flavorful, clean-tasting, and complex, the Costco beers were quite quaffable and, to use the consultants’ technical term, ‘party-worthy.’”

The CBS producer asked me if I was “surprised” by those results.
Continue reading “CBS Highlights Consumer Reports Beer Tasting”

A marriage best made in… the garden?

…so PLEASE something like use Bud or Miller, OK???- Prof. GA

Written by Carol Oneal for the Mail Tribune

Last week, I attended mini-college at Oregon State University in Corvallis, a statewide conference of Master Gardeners. It’s a great place to take garden-related classes and hear inspiring speakers.

One of the featured speakers was Jeff Gillman, author of several books and an associate professor in horticulture at the University of Minnesota. In this column, I’m referring to his book “The Truth About Garden Remedies.”

Gillman and his team subjected several traditional, organic, home garden remedies to scientific study to see whether they work. Some of the results surprised me.

For example, is using beer really a good way to deal with slugs? “Yes”, says Gillman. In fact, it was such an effective non-chemical remedy it is considered the “gold standard” of getting rid of those slimy pests. Dig a hole and insert a container, such as a small tin can. The top of the container should be even with the soil surface. Fill the container with beer so that it’s about an inch from the top. Be sure the container is deep enough to hold a few inches of beer.
Continue reading “Beer for Slimy Slugs, Vinegar for Weeds”

If you dare to wear, can be bought at drunkandwasted.com

A site NOT for those paranoid about being tracked on the web!

Written by Tom Becham

In a previous article, I wrote about the Salute! beer festival, sponsored by the Ojai Beverage Company, or OBC as they often refer to themselves. I also promised an article specifically about OBC: here it is!

Ojai Beverage Company (Ojai, pronounced “O’-hy”) is a relatively recent addition to the Ventura County area of Southern California. Owned and operated by Joby Yobe and his cousin Jorge Alem, OBC has quickly established itself as a fixture of the local craft beer world.

To understand OBC, and the magnitude of what it has been able to accomplish, one has to understand Ojai and its surrounding area a bit first.
Continue reading “Ojai Beverage Company”

Gary Burleigh

@The Brewerie: Erie, PA

Profiled by Ken Carman

Last year, after I performed in Erie, I swung by The Brewerie for the third or fourth time, a brewpub which is in the old train station in Erie.

I wasn’t ready. I was surprised. Gary, the brewer, must have heard someone was asking tech questions and he sat down next to me at the bar.

I told him I’d be back next year to interview him as part of the brewer profile series here at PGA.

So this year I walked in though the main doors…

…through the huge train station lobby…

…sat down at their bar and quaffed one of their most recent Belgian brews, at 10%. What, you expected Mr. Needs a Whack by a 2×4 to the taste buds to order something else? …and patiently waited; blathering with other beer snobs, geeks, or whatever the Hell you wanna call us, and here comes Gary.

Continue reading “Brewer Profile: Gary Burleigh”

Ready for an adventure in beer tasting? Two chances! August 21st and September 4th: 2010; 2pm

How do I get to Beaver River for the FREE beer tastings???

Important: for further information call Ken at 315 376 6625 or Millie at 615 255 4848. For reservoir transportation/reservations/accommodations: 315 376 6200 and speak with Ginger or Scott, 315 376 7035 and speak with George, or 585 928 2726: Tom

There are NO roads to Beaver River. But you CAN get there for this year’s free beer tastings hosted by two BJCP judges. Millie and Ken Carman’s 6th annual beer tastings are scheduled for August 21st and September 4th: both at 2pm. A special warm invite to the Saratoga Throughbrews this year, with the hope by next year we can have a competition and a homebrew demonstration in the Old Forge/Beaver River area. All those 21 and older are welcome.

How do I get there?

Route 28 to Eagle Bay, NY. Take the Big Moose Road all the way until it turns into dirt. When you reach a “T” in the road, take a right. Stop at BIG lake, unless you have an amphicar. (If you need to ask then you obviously don’t.)

But NOW what do I do?

At Beaver River Station the adventure is getting there. Imagine yourself of a River Boat floating 7 miles down a scenic reservoir, or riding a barge, or traveling by railcar…
You can take the barge (The only way to drive into Beaver River… 315 376 6200), meet the River Boat (same number) or call ahead for a boat taxi. (There are two boat taxis: use the same number or call George at 315 376 7035, or Tom at 585 928 2726: railcar that would pick you up in Big Moose.)

What Kind of Beer?

Stouts, Porters, Barley Wines, Fruit Beer, Wheat, Weird Beer of ALL Kinds, Homebrew and maybe even some wine and some Peycer. (Find out at the tasting!) Ken and Millie gather beer from all over the country all year long.

Just get there by 2!

Where do I stay?

Accommodations are available at Noridgewock (315 376 6200) or The Beaver River Hotel (315 376 3010) And Millie and Ken have limited free room for members of Saratoga Thoroughbrews (315 376 6625 or 615 255 4848). We may be able to make one trip each way to pick up members of Saratoga Thoroughbrews with our boat, if we all come up with a mutual time. It’s quite the trip down Stillwater!

The free tasting on the 21st will be at Norridgewock, the tasting on September 4th will be in front of the hotel.

Don’t forget… 2pm. August 21st, 2010 and September 21st 2010

@12:30pm the Beaver River Riverboat leaves Stillwater, NY and leaves Beaver River @ 3:30. Plenty of time to sample and only $15 for the whole trip!!! A casual, beautiful cruise down Stillwater Reservoir with FREE BEER when you get there. (315 376 6200)

This year’s tastings are sponsored by Professor Good Ales and hosted by Millie and Ken Carman, Beaver River Hotel and Norridgewock. Thanks in advance for another successful year!