Professor Good Ales

Posted by the staff at KegWorks

Everyone knows Anchor Brewing Company for their beer. What most people may not know is that Anchor’s founder Fritz Maytag was also influential in craft distilling. The brewery even has a sister company, Anchor Distilling, which produces the popular Junipero Gin.

The folks at the distillery have teamed up with head brewer Mark Carpenter to create a beer-inspired craft spirit called Hophead vodka.

Carpenter and head distiller Bruce Joseph selected two varieties of hops to create a fresh and aromatic vodka that’s taken on their unmistakable scent and flavor.

So what do you mix hop vodka with? The mixology team at Anchor recommends trying gin. They’re calling the combination of Hophead and Junipero a “West Coast Vesper” and there’s a suggested recipe for a “San Fran Shandy” incorporating the vodka, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup and a bit of Anchor’s own Brekle’s Brown Ale.

Unfortunately, the vodka is only being sold in San Francisco and NYC to start but it will soon expand to other markets. At $29.95 for a 750-ml bottle, it’s pretty affordable and would make a great gift for beer geeks. Personally, I’d be interested to see what it can do for a Bloody Mary. Anyone want to send me a bottle?

Written by Don Russell for craftbeer.com

Whatever you think about Christmas, you’ve got to agree that it is mankind’s greatest, most enduring tradition. Yes, it’s over-commercialized and most of the world doesn’t even celebrate it, but, you’ve gotta give props to any institution that’s been around for 2,000 years—especially one that comes with so much good craft beer.

Now, some will protest: “Ah, Christmas beer—a blatant commercialization of a sacred, family tradition just to sell more suds.” Indeed, for years after Prohibition, breweries were generally prohibited from using Christmas, especially jolly, old St. Nicholas, to advertise their brands. Just six years ago, the state of Maine grumbled “Bah, humbug!” to a brand whose label depicted Santa Claus, and declared it “undignified and improper.” But in fact, beer has always been a part of Christmas.

Before Prohibition, German immigrants brewed special, dark lagers for the holiday. Before that, the English served homemade wassail (spiced ale) to Dickensian carolers singing “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” In the Middle Ages, observant monks brewed their finest, strongest beer to mark the birth of Christ. Around 900 AD, as Norwegians converted to Christianity, they brought along their smoky Viking Jul (Yule) ale. At the risk of finding coal in my stocking, I’d argue that Christmas beer is older than Christmas itself.

Whether the date is divine or not, the traditions surrounding the holidays—gift giving, feasting and, yes, beer drinking—has evolved into the celebrations of Christmas. Which is why I say Christmas beer is not a style, it’s a tradition. It needn’t be spicy or strong, sweet or dark; it need only be special, a gift to be shared in the spirit of the holiday with family and friends.

Everyone has a favorite craft beer of the season. Here are 12 that are jingling my bells this year.

1. Our Special Ale | Anchor Brewing | San Francisco, CA
   Our Special Ale is the granddaddy of Christmas beer, and in my opinion the craft beer that reignited America’s passion for holiday ales. Famously flavored with a secret mix of spices that changes each year, this dark ale’s body is enhanced with delicious fruit-like malts. Continue reading “12 Beers of Christmas”

Profiled by Ken Carman for professorgoodales.net

Laughing Dog Brewery, Idaho.

Here’s the problem: this is everything a Russain Imperial should be, especially one fermented in bourbon barrels, however I think the barrels took over and made it alcohol hot. If I judged it in competition I would have to rate it well, but tell the brewer not to leave it in so long. Instead of adding that extra abv-like push and a hint of bourbon sweet, we got defect-like alcoholic hot. It dominates what’s otherwise obviously a grand RIS.

I don’t get all the fruit that everyone else gets. To my palate what most folks claim is “fruit” is usually malt, or hops or yeast. and the similarity is forced: at best. Plus claiming such does an injustice to beers that actually have fruit, and chocolate and all these interesting additives to them. I think it’s a carryover from wine snobs who review their fav quaffs, a “carry over” we don’t need.

Pours with a nice big head that fades fast. Thank God: there was so much head in my wife’s glass it was hard to get at the beer.

The mouthfeel is full and a bit slick: what one might expect from so much malt and a bourbon barrel sense. The vicosity on this has to be high, making me wonder what the OG, and the FG was on this. There’s a deep, dark, complex malt sense, as one would expect from the more extreme Russians.

Thick, black as hell, nice head. You would think, considering my love of the style, I’d be in heaven. But there’s still that harsh, hot, alcohol sense that ruins it, somewhat. Both in taste and the mouthfeel. Aroma is a little let on the hot and very promising. sadly: doth not live up to that “promise.”

Welcome to the new PGA rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “prefecto.” This beer was rated…

Written by Chalie Papazian for The Examiner

Let me start right in the beginning: I care about who makes the beer I drink. I’m picky because I have the choice to do so, and… so I do. Does it matter to beer drinkers? I asked that question in a 2008 Examiner poll and again in a 2010 Examiner poll. Much has changed in the world of beer since 2008 and even in two short years since 2010.

It’s time to ask the question once again: Does it matter who makes the beer you buy? Go to the poll site and choose which of the following most describes your feelings:

• YES it does matter – I support local by buying local as much as possible
• YES it does matter, mostly– I support local but I will buy imports or national/regionally distributed craft brands. I usually avoid buying brands made by large brewing corporations
• NO it doesn’t matter too much – I will buy and drink beer from breweries of any size. It doesn’t matter who owns the brewery

Vote now.

Share this poll link with friends. Poll will close December 12, 11:59 p.m.

The big picture

The 5 largest brewing companies have grown bigger as they continue to spend their money buying up smaller companies, closing breweries and adding those brands to their main streams of beer production. What’s relevant in the U.S.A.?
Continue reading “Do You Give a Damn About Who Makes Your Beer?”

(Kristin Hartridge/For RedEye) (November 13, 2012)

Written by Tony Peregrin for redeyechicago.com

Having a girl’s pint out in Chicago just got a little easier this fall with the launch of Barley’s Angels–a growing network of chapters around the globe for women seeking a comfortable milieu to learn about craft beer.

But don’t be fooled by the group’s name and logo–a clever wink at the jiggly, hair-model pretty crime fighters of the iconic ’70s TV show–Barley’s Angel’s is not a social beer-drinking club for women, but a serious forum for beer enthusiasts with a thirst for knowledge.
Continue reading “Barley’s Angels Fight for Ladies’ Interests in Beer”

Written by Nick Brennan for chicagonow.com

There is quite a bit of contention out there regarding what is and what isn’t craft beer. Some define it based on tangibles like quality of ingredients, while others define it by looking at intangibles like the brewer’s passion for the art. Personally, I take a stand somewhere in the middle. High quality ingredients are a must and if production can be ramped up while keeping quality in check, that’s great. But there has to be more to it than quality…right?
Continue reading “What is “Craft Beer?””