Supposedly another shipment/batch of 3000 cases of canned Resurrection is making its way through distribution channels.
I'm thinking Resurrection Beer Can Chicken for the "holiday" weekend.............. with rosemary and garlic, of course..........
(Please don't throw things at me, Volker, Tom, Rob, and Steve.....)
30 June 2010
The sad end of a great beer? UPDATED
Unconfirmed reports (at least unconfirmed by yours truly yet, who's too busy with work) have reached me via Baltimore Beer Guy that Flying Dog has brewed its final batch of Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout. Reportedly Alonso's in Roland Park will tap a keg on Friday.
If so, my heart is breaking a little.
Wild Goose has always had a soft spot in my heart, with its original English-style, Ringwood-edged beers being the first true "craft" beer to win my affections back in 1987, its founding year. Now, twenty-three years and three company changes later, the Wild Goose brand is at risk of being consigned to the same history pages as it itself rendered Blue Ridge, Brimstone, and Frederick Brewing over the years. Of course, I'd sampled Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout before I had sampled Wild Goose's, but I always preferred the Goose and saw to it that I picked up a sixer or more every fall.
The question now becomes, will the Wild Goose brand itself be next? For all intents and purposes, we're down to the Amber, the IPA, and the seasonal Snow Goose. The website has been reduced to a placeholder image. In one sense, however, the beer has never been "the same" since Frederick Brewing never resumed the use of the open-fermenter Pugsley system, installed in Cambridge's abandoned oyster cannery and moved up to Frederick but apparently never installed.
And as much as I love most of the products now coming out of the Frederick brewery under the Flying Dog name, I simply abhor the continued use of obscenities in the company's tactless marketing. Call me an uptight prude if you want, but I feel if you have to resort to such gimmickry to push your stuff to the demographic that extols such language, well, fine, but don't expect me to share such marketing with others.
And right on the heels of the apparent downturn in Wild Goose comes Chicago's Goose Island, another excellent brewery--complete with the white goose-neck-and-head tap handles that caused Wild Goose a major legal tussle over a decade ago. I think I'll drag out MY original Wild Goose tap handle and take it to Alonso's on Friday...............
And in other news, Flying Dog is hosting a free tasting at The Wine Source in Hampden this weekend--Friday 3-7 and Saturday 12-4. I doubt they can bring that Winnebago they were using for FD marketing into Hampden, but it would fit in with Hampden's kitsch.
I think I'll stop by and buttonhole a FD rep or two.
Tasting notes from www.beermonthclub.com, which featured Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout in Nov. 2008:
UPDATE: Secondhand from Flying Dog PR manager Erin Biles: "We are not ceasing production of the Oatmeal Stout, it's just not on a set schedule." Sounds like Alonso's has some explaining to do........ from a Facebook comment, "From what Matt at Flying Dog is telling me, it is the last keg around. No more is to ever be brewed." Mat, call Erin, or vice versa...........
If so, my heart is breaking a little.
Wild Goose has always had a soft spot in my heart, with its original English-style, Ringwood-edged beers being the first true "craft" beer to win my affections back in 1987, its founding year. Now, twenty-three years and three company changes later, the Wild Goose brand is at risk of being consigned to the same history pages as it itself rendered Blue Ridge, Brimstone, and Frederick Brewing over the years. Of course, I'd sampled Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout before I had sampled Wild Goose's, but I always preferred the Goose and saw to it that I picked up a sixer or more every fall.
The question now becomes, will the Wild Goose brand itself be next? For all intents and purposes, we're down to the Amber, the IPA, and the seasonal Snow Goose. The website has been reduced to a placeholder image. In one sense, however, the beer has never been "the same" since Frederick Brewing never resumed the use of the open-fermenter Pugsley system, installed in Cambridge's abandoned oyster cannery and moved up to Frederick but apparently never installed.
And as much as I love most of the products now coming out of the Frederick brewery under the Flying Dog name, I simply abhor the continued use of obscenities in the company's tactless marketing. Call me an uptight prude if you want, but I feel if you have to resort to such gimmickry to push your stuff to the demographic that extols such language, well, fine, but don't expect me to share such marketing with others.
And right on the heels of the apparent downturn in Wild Goose comes Chicago's Goose Island, another excellent brewery--complete with the white goose-neck-and-head tap handles that caused Wild Goose a major legal tussle over a decade ago. I think I'll drag out MY original Wild Goose tap handle and take it to Alonso's on Friday...............
And in other news, Flying Dog is hosting a free tasting at The Wine Source in Hampden this weekend--Friday 3-7 and Saturday 12-4. I doubt they can bring that Winnebago they were using for FD marketing into Hampden, but it would fit in with Hampden's kitsch.
I think I'll stop by and buttonhole a FD rep or two.
Tasting notes from www.beermonthclub.com, which featured Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout in Nov. 2008:
Let this beer warm up to the suggested serving temperature to experience what the brewer intended for you to taste. Expect an inviting aroma with notes of coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate, raisins, figs, rolled oats, multigrain bread, orange bitters, currants, and syrup. We found the flavor to be more firm than the nose implies, with bitterness coming in first and not bashful in the least. Bitterness fades to let mellow dark chocolate, and coffee notes emerge, along with some orange-peel and cocoa notes, a prominent and distinct scotch-meets-whiskey note, and then a drawn-out, super-dry, lightly bitter finish. The look is deceptive—a bit less dark than what you might expect from an oatmeal stout; but, man, does it deliver both hefts of flavor and ample body, thanks to the oats that really firm up the mouthfeel. As it warms, robust whiskey-esque notes really bloom. Partner up with thick cuts of grilled steak; we did a London Broil with the following marinade (this is for 1 steak; multiply quantity as necessary): 1 cup of Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup ketchup, 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp A1 Steak Sauce, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1 tsp of pepper.
Serving Temperature: 50-58° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 25
Alcohol by Volume: 6.0%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass or Snifter
Malts: Crystal, Chocolate, Roasted, Black, Flaked Oats
Hops: Horizon, Goldings
UPDATE: Secondhand from Flying Dog PR manager Erin Biles: "We are not ceasing production of the Oatmeal Stout, it's just not on a set schedule." Sounds like Alonso's has some explaining to do........ from a Facebook comment, "From what Matt at Flying Dog is telling me, it is the last keg around. No more is to ever be brewed." Mat, call Erin, or vice versa...........
Max's Upcoming Events
From their e-mail, with typos corrected:
CHRISTMAS IN JULYJULY 13, 20106pm-in the Mobtown LoungeWe have saved some of the best Christmas beers for this event.We will be featuring both draft and bottles for this event.DRAFT LISTTroegs Mad ElfAnchor Holiday AleSierra Nevada BigfootRJ Rockers First SnowWintercoat Yuleplus others TBA........______________________________________________________MAX'S MINI ITALIAN FESTJULY 23 AND 24, 201011AM TO CLOSE BOTH DAYSNO ENTRANCE FEEWe will have over 20 Craft Italian beers on draft and a whole bunch of bottlesITALIAN DRAFT LIST -90%DONEDel Borgo 25 DodiciDel Borgo DuchessicDel Borgo GenzianaDel Borgo My AntoniaDel Borgo Re Ale ExtraDel Borgo Rubus LamboniBaladin Al IkirBaladin NoraBaladin Super BaladinDel Ducato ChimeraDel Ducato Nouva MattinaDel Ducato VerdiDel Ducato Via EmilaGrado Plato ChocarrubicaGrado Plato Strada San FeliceItaliano CassissonaItaliano Tipo PilsPausa Cafe ChiccaPausa Cafe TostaPiccolo ChiostroPiccolo SesonTroll Stella De Natale___________________________________________________MAX'S WORLD FAMOUSRARE & OBSCURE PART 3AUGUST 12-14, 2010more info coming soon.We have pulled out some real gems for this event. We will be doing casks on Thursday the 12 and drafts and bottles the 13 and 14.RARE & OBSCURE PART 3 DRAFTS- 50% DONEBFM DouzeBFM La TorpilleNogne O Imperial BrownNogne O SaisonNogne O SunturnbrewOmmegang BPAHopfenstark Baltic PorterSierra Nevada Charlie, Fred and KenThe Bruery CotonTroubadour MagmaPetrus Aged PaleStillwater Love & RegretStillwater /Voodoo Jungle des RuesSaison de CazeauOskar Blues Oak Aged Ten FidyMikkeller Yeast Series LagerMikkeller Yeast Series HefeweizenMikkeller Yeast Series BrettMikkeller Yeast Series Belgian AleMikkeller Yeast Series American AleMikkeller Rauch Geek BreakfastMikkeller Monks BrewMikkeller It's AliveHof Ten Dormaal BlondeEmelisse WitbierEmelisse LentebockEmelisse DubbelDieu Du Ciel Peche MortalDieu Du Ciel AphroditeDe Molen EngelsDe Molen AmarilloAllagash Black Bourbon Barrel
25 June 2010
Today's "Mallard Fillmore"
Dumb Q: I know that craft brewers make fruited ales, and there are folks who add orange slices to Belgian wits and lime wedges to Corona...... but just what "big, soul-less corporations" are "putting 'berries' and 'citrus' into perfectly good beer?"
This presumes, of course, that we are generous enough to define what "big, soul-less corporations" make as "perfectly good beer".......
This presumes, of course, that we are generous enough to define what "big, soul-less corporations" make as "perfectly good beer".......
24 June 2010
Baltimore Beverage Container Tax Passes 8-4
Update from WBAL-TV:
After several votes, a decrease in the proposed tax and a lot of controversy, the Baltimore City Council passed a bottle tax Thursday that will tack on 2 cents to some bottled beverages bought in the city.The revised version of the container tax passed by a vote of 8-4. The 2-cent tax was introduced this week after a 4-cent tax was defeated last week.The 2-cent tax will raise about $5.7 million and help with the city's looming budget deficit, according to city leaders.Earlier report here.
23 June 2010
New Beer Place: The Falls, Mt. Washington
I love it when decent beer places show up away from the craziness of Fells Point, Federal Hill, and Canton.
The Falls, which opened in January in the Mount Washington area, offers a second attraction to the neighborhood besides the Mount Washington Tavern. Both are within staggering distance of the Central Light Rail's Mt. Washington station, which offers a very convenient way to access a strollable neighborhood from downtown, Timonium, and Cockeysville. The neighborhood has some other slowly-being-discovered charms, and I fear starting up the next Ellicott City madness, but these places deserve to survive.
The Falls is an all-day cafe, open from 7 AM to 9 PM (note--closes earlier than the typical bar!), and boasts a decent sandwich-heavy menu and kitchen, with prices and food selections somewhere between a good diner, "pub grub," and an upscale bistro--the most expensive thing on the menu is an $18 bison sirloin entree. Originally conceived as a wine bar, the place has added ten craft drafts and a scant few bottled beers, but it's possible that could evolve as Baltimore Beer Week gets closer--it's got one of the best potential seating venues for a beer dinner I've seen in Baltimore, and I'm dropping hints to the various beer distributors. If you like Grand Cru, you'll like this place as well. And if you don't like it, the Mt. Washington Tavern is literally a short stone's throw away, as are a couple other well-regarded food establishments, including Chiyo Sushi, a crepes shop, an ice cream parlor, and a pizza-and-sub shop. And Whole Foods Market is but a short walk from the other side of the Light Rail station.
Oh, yeah: The Falls is also open for World Cup games, with several big-screen TVs.
I see a LOT of potential in this neighborhood.
The Falls, which opened in January in the Mount Washington area, offers a second attraction to the neighborhood besides the Mount Washington Tavern. Both are within staggering distance of the Central Light Rail's Mt. Washington station, which offers a very convenient way to access a strollable neighborhood from downtown, Timonium, and Cockeysville. The neighborhood has some other slowly-being-discovered charms, and I fear starting up the next Ellicott City madness, but these places deserve to survive.
The Falls is an all-day cafe, open from 7 AM to 9 PM (note--closes earlier than the typical bar!), and boasts a decent sandwich-heavy menu and kitchen, with prices and food selections somewhere between a good diner, "pub grub," and an upscale bistro--the most expensive thing on the menu is an $18 bison sirloin entree. Originally conceived as a wine bar, the place has added ten craft drafts and a scant few bottled beers, but it's possible that could evolve as Baltimore Beer Week gets closer--it's got one of the best potential seating venues for a beer dinner I've seen in Baltimore, and I'm dropping hints to the various beer distributors. If you like Grand Cru, you'll like this place as well. And if you don't like it, the Mt. Washington Tavern is literally a short stone's throw away, as are a couple other well-regarded food establishments, including Chiyo Sushi, a crepes shop, an ice cream parlor, and a pizza-and-sub shop. And Whole Foods Market is but a short walk from the other side of the Light Rail station.
Oh, yeah: The Falls is also open for World Cup games, with several big-screen TVs.
I see a LOT of potential in this neighborhood.
More Summer Sessions at Red Brick Station
From Red Brick Station, they follow up their tasty session-strength Thorny Histle lightweight Scottish with this:
Do we need to explain that "session beers" are refreshing beers lower in alcohol content and calories than most beer-geek favorites but just as flavorful, and much more enjoyable on a "Code Red" heat advisory day than that big, brash imperial stout or Belgian tripel? Yeah, we didn't think so.Today we tapped the next installment of our Session Beer Series, "Rye Ale". This is the perfect beer for summers heat. The rye malt give it a crisp dry body and the 15 pounds of fresh ginger and Amarillo hops give the beer an inviting aroma. 4% abv
Firkin About Town
From DuClaw, re: this Friday the 25th:
*The latest bar/restaurant to join the cask ale revolution: the Bluegrass Tavern, on S. Hanover St. in Federal Hill which has been featuring specialty bourbons and now is doing casks as well as several craft taps (different taps at the upstairs and downstairs bar; the downstairs "kegerator" is kind of tucked into a corner almost as an afterthought):
And, of course, the usual Thursday night casks at Max's and Metropolitan..........
We will be hosting a Firkin Friday at the Arundel Mills, Bel Air and Bowie DuClaw Brewing Company locations on June 25th at 5pm. Firkins scheduled to be tapped by location:Arundel Mills
1. Double Dry Hopped Serum with Amarillo Hops
*Bonus Firkin* Apricot Infused Venom (tapped after the 1st one is finished)Bowie
1. Double Dry Hopped Serum with Amarillo HopsBel Air
1. Double Dry Hopped Serum with Amarillo Hops
*The latest bar/restaurant to join the cask ale revolution: the Bluegrass Tavern, on S. Hanover St. in Federal Hill which has been featuring specialty bourbons and now is doing casks as well as several craft taps (different taps at the upstairs and downstairs bar; the downstairs "kegerator" is kind of tucked into a corner almost as an afterthought):
Please join us the Third Tuesday of every month as we tap an unconditioned (sic) cask ale, or as some would say, firkin, and let the fun begin. We will tap the cask at 7 PM and Chef Pat will have a handful of specially designed dishes to complement each unique beer.They probably have some of that leftover firkin for tonight, and if you haven't had that bourbon-barrel-aged Below Decks, what are you waiting for? It's good!
Tuesday, June 22nd, 7 PM: Clipper City Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet, Bourbon Aged Barleywine Style Ale
Tuesday, July 20th, 7 PM: Clipper City, Meet the Brewer Pint Night
And, of course, the usual Thursday night casks at Max's and Metropolitan..........
Special TODAY ONLY For Brewer's Art
Tipped off by a reader (Thanks, Patrick!):
Today's Groupon.com special offers $30 worth of food, beer, and whatnot at The Brewer's Art for $15:
http://www.groupon.com/baltimore/
The "fine print": http://www.groupon.com/faq (Read to the bottom--they get silly.) Must be redeemed in one visit.
As I type this, you have a little over 14 hours to get in on this deal--which expires at midnight Wednesday.
Today's Groupon.com special offers $30 worth of food, beer, and whatnot at The Brewer's Art for $15:
http://www.groupon.com/baltimore/
The "fine print": http://www.groupon.com/faq (Read to the bottom--they get silly.) Must be redeemed in one visit.
As I type this, you have a little over 14 hours to get in on this deal--which expires at midnight Wednesday.
22 June 2010
Interview with Stillwater's Brian Strumke
Courtesy of the Washington City Paper's "Beerspotter" columnist/blogger, Orr Shtuhl. It gives you more up-to-date information on some of his latest brewing projects.
Surprise! You Got a Container Tax After All!
Here's the story from the Baltimore Sun website late Monday night.
In a nutshell:
*Two cents, NOT four cents.
*Expires after three years.
*Final vote Thursday--so it can STILL go down the tubes.
In a nutshell:
*Two cents, NOT four cents.
*Expires after three years.
*Final vote Thursday--so it can STILL go down the tubes.
21 June 2010
I Learn Something New Every Day
Okay, someone finally asked me a question about beer in Baltimore that I was unequipped to answer.
To wit:
One of their recent blog entries shows someone with two 30-packs of Schaefer cans in what looks to me like Beltway Fine Wine & Liquor up off of Perring Parkway and the Beltway.
Heck, if I hadn't seen the photo, I would have guessed that Schaefer was extinct, or at least not still being sold in Baltimore. I believe it now comes from the same Pabst folks that bring us National Bohemian now, no?
So can they find this beer just about anywhere, or are they going to have to dig for it?
To wit:
Will be in Baltimore this fall. While I enjoy various micro/craft brews, several of my friends and I like to go old-school and low-fi. We have a Schaefer Beer Hall of Fame where we meet at NASCAR races to toast the wonder of Schaefer. More and more, we're trying to take our message to other parts of the country.Their Schaefer adventures are chronicled here: http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/search/label/schaefer
One of our friends recently purchased some Schaefer in Baltimore area, but he didn't get it at a bar. I'm wondering if you know any pubs, bars, etc. that still sell it - particuarly any around Camden Yards. Would love to visit the place for a Schaefer and photo op when I get there.
One of their recent blog entries shows someone with two 30-packs of Schaefer cans in what looks to me like Beltway Fine Wine & Liquor up off of Perring Parkway and the Beltway.
Heck, if I hadn't seen the photo, I would have guessed that Schaefer was extinct, or at least not still being sold in Baltimore. I believe it now comes from the same Pabst folks that bring us National Bohemian now, no?
So can they find this beer just about anywhere, or are they going to have to dig for it?
17 June 2010
Baltimore Bottle Tax: Not Dead YET.........
Baltimore City Council moments ago reached a tie vote on a proposed four-cent-a-bottle tax on bottled/canned beverages in Baltimore. According to news reports, it's still possible for the Council to modify the bill for another vote, but at this point it's still dead.
The 15-member council split 7-7 on the measure, which was backed by mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake but opposed by beverage distributors and store owners, who lobbied with an advertising campaign against the measure.. Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, whose cousin is a lobbyist for a beverage distributor, abstained from the vote.
And, of course, the Mayor's office released a statement moments later on what city services would be reduced or cut--trash pick-up, street cleaning, etc.
More to come...........
The 15-member council split 7-7 on the measure, which was backed by mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake but opposed by beverage distributors and store owners, who lobbied with an advertising campaign against the measure.. Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, whose cousin is a lobbyist for a beverage distributor, abstained from the vote.
And, of course, the Mayor's office released a statement moments later on what city services would be reduced or cut--trash pick-up, street cleaning, etc.
More to come...........
Heineken Wins Over Nation With New TV Ad......
... or so says this article from the satire-news site, The Onion:
With regards to the reference to a Philly bar that had run out: Hint, bub: you just had Philly Beer Week.
CHICAGO—Americans everywhere are going wild over the latest commercial for Heineken beer, an ad so appealing it is being referred to as "the coolest thing ever" and prompting nearly everyone who sees it to want to rush out and buy a bunch of Heinekens immediately.More at the link.
"Oh my God, did you see those people in the commercial drinking those Heinekens?" one typical American, 33- year-old Chicago resident James K. Olloway, asked Thursday. "They were having so much fun! Maybe if I get some Heinekens I can have good times at the same level they do. In fact, I'm going to go out and get some right now."
"Daaaaaamn!" he added.
Though a majority of consumers report they usually "just zone out" during commercials, this 30-second spot has left its viewers completely captivated, perhaps because the music, the lighting, and the happy people enjoying their Heinekens are things no one has previously witnessed on TV.
With regards to the reference to a Philly bar that had run out: Hint, bub: you just had Philly Beer Week.
Upcoming Beer Events UPDATED
Tonight: The usual Thursday cask nights at Max's (Oliver's/Stillwater Channel Crossing, Victory Hop Wallop, BFM Cuvee Alex le Rouge, Bruery Trade Winds Triple, Stillwater Cellar Door) and Metropolitan (Olivers Bulldog Bitter at the latter), and also at Max's a Mikkeller event:
Mikkeller Single Hop Simcoe
Mikkeller Single Hop Nugget
Mikkeller Single Hop Nelson
Mikkeller Single Hop Chinook
Mikkeller Single Hop Cascade
Mikkeller Single Hop Tomahawk
Mikkeller Single Hop East Kent Golding
Mikkeller Single Hop Warrior
Mikkeller Drink in the Sun
Mikkeller Black Hole
Mikkeller Bad Worse
Mikkeller Green Gold
Mikkeller Stateside IPA
IN BOTTLES
Mikkeller All Others Pale
Mikkeller Green Gold
Mikkeller 10
Mikkeller I Beat you
Mikkeller It's Alright
Mikkeller Single Hop Chinook
Mikkeller Single Hop East Kent Golding
Mikkeller Single Hop Tomahawk
Mikkeller Single Hop Nugget
Mikkeller Single Hop Cascade
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Rum Barrels
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Whiskey Barrels
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Bourbon barrels
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Red Wine Barrels
Mikkeller US Alive
Mikkeller Black
(Note that Birch & Barley is normally closed on Mondays.)
Also, far off on July 18th, at T-Bonz in Ellicott City/Columbia (click on image for a larger view):
ON DRAFT
Mikkeller Single Hop AmarilloMikkeller Single Hop Simcoe
Mikkeller Single Hop Nugget
Mikkeller Single Hop Nelson
Mikkeller Single Hop Chinook
Mikkeller Single Hop Cascade
Mikkeller Single Hop Tomahawk
Mikkeller Single Hop East Kent Golding
Mikkeller Single Hop Warrior
Mikkeller Drink in the Sun
Mikkeller Black Hole
Mikkeller Bad Worse
Mikkeller Green Gold
Mikkeller Stateside IPA
IN BOTTLES
Mikkeller All Others Pale
Mikkeller Green Gold
Mikkeller 10
Mikkeller I Beat you
Mikkeller It's Alright
Mikkeller Single Hop Chinook
Mikkeller Single Hop East Kent Golding
Mikkeller Single Hop Tomahawk
Mikkeller Single Hop Nugget
Mikkeller Single Hop Cascade
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Rum Barrels
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Whiskey Barrels
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Bourbon barrels
Mikkeller Barrel Aged Black Hole in Red Wine Barrels
Mikkeller US Alive
Mikkeller Black
Now, I doubt they'll get rid of ALL that beer in one night--as I recall, the last time they lined up all nine Mikkeller Single Hops, it took a week or two for the last one to kick. So there will most likely be something on well into the weekend.
Friday: Grab the Pint Night at Metropolitan with Troeg's Sunshine Pils and Hopback Amber.
And the World Cup madness continues, with earplugs optional.
Also, a heads-up for those not adverse to traveling to D.C.: Just announced:
5 course Stillwater Artisanal Ales Dinner @ Birch & Barley on Monday, June 28
featuring:
Stateside Saison (cask) Chamomile
Stateside Saison (cask) French Oak / Dry hopped
Cellar Door (draft)
Cellar Door (cask) French Oak / Citra Dry hopped
Channel-Crossing collaboration with Olivers (draft)
Stillwater / Voodoo collab. 'Jungle de Rus' (black wheat ale brewed with pureed raisins, hibiscus, juniper, rose hips, and Schisandra berries)
Red 33 (pin) a sour red blend (exclusive!)
Also, far off on July 18th, at T-Bonz in Ellicott City/Columbia (click on image for a larger view):
15 June 2010
How Bars REALLY Pour Your Beer--Short, in many cases!
It's long been an open secret that most bars serving "pints" of beer aren't serving you 16 fluid ounces of beer. Try pouring a 12-ounce bottle into your bar's "pint" shaker glass, and see if it has lots of room for head, little room for head, or no room at all.
But here's a quote from a pizza restaurant trade publication, PMQ, telling us how sneaky the practice has become, and the mindset entailed (entire article, which focuses more on servers helping themselves and giving friends free beer, here):
More commentary here. Also more on the topic from Oregon.
It does take guts to walk into a bar, order a beer, and then pour the contents into a measuring beaker. You run the risk of being banned from some places, I'm sure. But I have done it.
(Tip o' the hat to Tom Cizauskas)
But here's a quote from a pizza restaurant trade publication, PMQ, telling us how sneaky the practice has become, and the mindset entailed (entire article, which focuses more on servers helping themselves and giving friends free beer, here):
It’s also important to know how many servings you should get from a keg. For example, most owners know there are 1,984 ounces in a 15.5-gallon domestic keg, and they know they pour 16-ounce pints, so they assume 124 servings per keg. However, with the evolution of the 14-ounce pint glass (in combination with ½” head), they should expect closer to 155 servings per keg. At $4 per serving, that adds up to $124 per keg in lost revenue! Determining how much you’re actually pouring is a vital step to reducing shrinkage.Is that wrong? Well, if the beer is priced accordingly--i.e. if they're giving you 14 ounces of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot for $3.50--nothing's wrong with that at all. But if they're pricing a "draft pint" to be 33% more than the price of the same beer in a bottle, then it's time to call foul, and let them know why.
More commentary here. Also more on the topic from Oregon.
It does take guts to walk into a bar, order a beer, and then pour the contents into a measuring beaker. You run the risk of being banned from some places, I'm sure. But I have done it.
(Tip o' the hat to Tom Cizauskas)
11 June 2010
Winner of Midnight Sun Resurrection Can Photoshop Contest
Sam Sessa finally got around to counting all the votes (well all 40-some) for his Resurrection Photoshop contest, and it came down to a tie between the one my wife and I concocted and the one by Benjamin Fry.
To the right is our prize-winner; below are two others I didn't submit.
Wait'll you see what we're conjuring up next along the same lines. Hee hee hee hee...........
(Time to renew my membership in the Royal Society for Putting Things On Top of Other Things......)
To the right is our prize-winner; below are two others I didn't submit.
Wait'll you see what we're conjuring up next along the same lines. Hee hee hee hee...........
(Time to renew my membership in the Royal Society for Putting Things On Top of Other Things......)
World Cup Time: Bring It On!
I could try to do a rehash of which bars are doing what for the World Cup games, but instead I'll just refer you over to Sam Sessa and his "corkboard" list at his Midnight Sun Baltimore Sun blog.
Potential good-beer places to which to pay attention: Pratt Street Ale House (naturally), Slainte in Fells Point, Alonso's in Roland Park (FREE breakfast buffet for 7:30 a.m. games!), Racers Cafe in Parkville, Abbey Burger Bistro in Federal Hill (man, I gotta go back there), and I would expect at least one telly in Max's to be tuned to the games now and then...........
Anyone else promising both the World Cup games and beer we beer snobs really want better than Carlsberg or Heineken? Leave a comment so I can add you to the above list............
Potential good-beer places to which to pay attention: Pratt Street Ale House (naturally), Slainte in Fells Point, Alonso's in Roland Park (FREE breakfast buffet for 7:30 a.m. games!), Racers Cafe in Parkville, Abbey Burger Bistro in Federal Hill (man, I gotta go back there), and I would expect at least one telly in Max's to be tuned to the games now and then...........
Anyone else promising both the World Cup games and beer we beer snobs really want better than Carlsberg or Heineken? Leave a comment so I can add you to the above list............
10 June 2010
Typo of the Month
On the bottle list in one bar visited recently (name not given in case this runs afoul of some liquor law):
"Strongboh"
Yes, they mean the English cider actually named "Strongbow". I asked them if anyone had ever ordered it expecting a malt-liquor strength Natty Boh. "One guy. He got halfway through the bottle before he said 'This is the worst beer I ever drank!' "
I think the typo has been corrected by now. But if it hasn't, I should run for a photo, just for posterity's sake.
"Strongboh"
Yes, they mean the English cider actually named "Strongbow". I asked them if anyone had ever ordered it expecting a malt-liquor strength Natty Boh. "One guy. He got halfway through the bottle before he said 'This is the worst beer I ever drank!' "
I think the typo has been corrected by now. But if it hasn't, I should run for a photo, just for posterity's sake.
D.C. Breathalyzers Inaccurate, DWI Cases In Jeopardy
From the Washington Post:
Nearly 400 people were convicted of driving while intoxicated in the District since fall 2008 based on inaccurate results from breath test machines, and half of them went to jail, city officials said Wednesday.More here.
D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles said the machines were improperly adjusted by city police. The jailed defendants generally served at least five days, he said.
Nickles's office has begun notifying the drivers, a move that immediately triggered at least one lawsuit against the District and could lead to requests for expungements, new trials and even deeper skepticism about the integrity of testing. Challenging test results is at the heart of drunken-driving cases, and this revelation will only strengthen those challenges, defense attorneys said.
The District's badly calibrated equipment would show a driver's blood-alcohol content to be about 20 percent higher than it actually was, Nickles said. All 10 of the breath test machines used by District police were wrong, he said. The problem occurred when the officer in charge of maintaining the machines improperly set the baseline alcohol concentration levels, Nickles said.
09 June 2010
For those who can't get enough malt, Malt Salt
Direct from the makers of Bacon Salt (which some of you may have run into at a recent Beer & Bacon Fest at Heavy Seas/Clipper City) comes the perfect thing for the malt addict: Malt Salt. Sadly, it simulates/adds the flavor of malt vinegar, not Maris Otter or crystal malt. A review (tested with popcorn) at Al Dente here.
(Tip o' the hat: Instapundit.)
(Tip o' the hat: Instapundit.)
ESPN Zone in Power Plant to close
Not that we good beer fans care directly, but....
According to a Los Angeles Times report printed at the Baltimore Sun website, Disney will be closing all ESPN Zone bar restaurants not in a Disney establishment. This presumably includes the one in the Inner Harbor's Power Plant, which opened in 1998 at the first in the chain.
UPDATE: Confirmed.
According to a Los Angeles Times report printed at the Baltimore Sun website, Disney will be closing all ESPN Zone bar restaurants not in a Disney establishment. This presumably includes the one in the Inner Harbor's Power Plant, which opened in 1998 at the first in the chain.
UPDATE: Confirmed.
SPBW at Red Brick Station June 10th
The next gathering of the local cask ale appreciation club will be at White Marsh's Red Brick Station on Thursday, June 10th at 7 pm. I expect brewer Mike McDonald will have something special on cask--possibly his Thorny Histle, his new 3.7% session beer modeled on a Scottish 70/- ale.
08 June 2010
The Bottle Tax: Why We Hate It UPDATED
Slate, the online magazine website, has posted an interesting essay that should be of keen interest in the current debate on the proposed four-cent-a-bottle tax on most beverages in Baltimore City (exempting milk, juice, and--ridiculously, if you ask this writer--two-liter bottles of soda.
It's an interesting read into the psychology of "sin taxes:"
I'm still left wondering if someone could end up suing to exempt bottled water and diet drinks from such taxation. After all, the politicians are fast to assign a price tag to soda-assisted obesity, but I don't hear any cost mentioned for cancers supposedly caused by excess intake of saccharine, aspartame, xylitol, etc.
UPDATE: More on the subject, including examples from a past Baltimore bottle tax, here in the Daily Record (subscription wall may go up after a point).
It's an interesting read into the psychology of "sin taxes:"
It should come as no surprise, then, that we have a problem with "sin taxes," such as the penny-per-ounce surcharge on sweetened beverages championed by CDC Director Thomas Frieden. Most of us would probably agree that we'd be better off if we drank less soda, but any government action designed to control consumption puts us on alert. A tax is far less likely to induce reactance than an outright ban, but we feel queasy whenever we think The Man is trying to influence our behavior. In the case of the sugar-sweetened-beverage tax, which has often been referred to as a "fat tax," our discomfort is greater because the measure seems to encourage finger-pointing. In defense of the proposal, New York Gov. David Paterson has said, "Someone has got to contribute to the $7.6 billion the state spends every year to treat diseases from obesity." Those who are not obese may feel that they should not have to pay for the "sins" of the fat people over there, the ones creating the problem. Those who are obese are likely to feel shamed and persecuted. And we all recoil at the thought of the government trying to regulate our bodies.Interestingly, no one so far has mentioned alcohol in the Baltimore proposal.
I'm still left wondering if someone could end up suing to exempt bottled water and diet drinks from such taxation. After all, the politicians are fast to assign a price tag to soda-assisted obesity, but I don't hear any cost mentioned for cancers supposedly caused by excess intake of saccharine, aspartame, xylitol, etc.
UPDATE: More on the subject, including examples from a past Baltimore bottle tax, here in the Daily Record (subscription wall may go up after a point).
DuClaw releases eXile Imperial Wit on Thursday
Fron a DuClaw e-mail:
The second offering in our small batch, experimental eXile Series will be escaping from the brewery into the taps at Arundel Mills, Bel Air and Bowie Thursday June 10th, 2010. X-2 is an Imperial Wit: similar to Sawtooth but with an all out palate-assaulting arsenal of bitter orange and coriander flavors, a fuller, fluffier body and a higher (7.2% abv) alcohol content. Think of it as a bigger, badder wolf. Remember, quantities are limited, so get your taste before it’s gone!
07 June 2010
BrewDog Co-Founder in D.C. Wednesday Night
If you read about James Watt of Brewdog in the latest issue of Mid-Atlantic Brewing News and missed his Baltimore appearance in March, you have another chance to see him coming up--albeit in Washington, D.C. instead.
Watt will be appearing (along with many of his brewery's beers on draught and cask) at ChurchKey, the upstairs beer bar at 1337 N. 14th St. N.W. (several blocks' walk north from the McPherson Square Metro station on the Red Line), on Wednesday from 6-9 PM. (Upper right in the photo.)
SCHEDULED ON DRAUGHT: BrewDog w/ Stone Brewing Company: Bashah, BrewDog w/ Mikkeller: Devine Rebel, BrewDog: Tokio, BrewDog: Punk IPA, BrewDog: Zeitgeist, BrewDog: 5AM Saint, BrewDog: Dogma. ON CASK: BrewDog Hardcore IPA, BrewDog Paradox Smokehead, BrewDog Paradox Isle of Arran, BrewDog Paradox Springbank. It's a fair guess James may bring a bottle or two of something else, but no promises, of course.
More at the Washington City Paper's Young & Hungry blog.
Watt will be appearing (along with many of his brewery's beers on draught and cask) at ChurchKey, the upstairs beer bar at 1337 N. 14th St. N.W. (several blocks' walk north from the McPherson Square Metro station on the Red Line), on Wednesday from 6-9 PM. (Upper right in the photo.)
SCHEDULED ON DRAUGHT: BrewDog w/ Stone Brewing Company: Bashah, BrewDog w/ Mikkeller: Devine Rebel, BrewDog: Tokio, BrewDog: Punk IPA, BrewDog: Zeitgeist, BrewDog: 5AM Saint, BrewDog: Dogma. ON CASK: BrewDog Hardcore IPA, BrewDog Paradox Smokehead, BrewDog Paradox Isle of Arran, BrewDog Paradox Springbank. It's a fair guess James may bring a bottle or two of something else, but no promises, of course.
More at the Washington City Paper's Young & Hungry blog.
Update on Santé Sun. June 13th
If you needed more convincing to go to Santé this weekend, the Baltimore Sun's Laura Vozzella has the food list up on the Dining @Large blog. And the beer list, as well.
04 June 2010
Oh, yeah--Philly Beer Week...............
I'd been debating whether or not to mention Philly Beer Week for a while. Debating because, on the one hand, this is Beer in BALTIMORE (and anyplace else I see fit), and I'm not making it up there for the "week" in spite of quite a few invites. If you're the type that cares that much, you're probably stopping off there en route home from Mondial de la Biere in Montreal--as several folks I know are. Or you're one of those folks that snapped up tickets for SAVOR tomorrow in D.C. for the fifteen minutes they were available.
But it's on.
They're claiming 1,000 events at 195 venues in the city and suburbs. (Now, keep in mind that Philly has at least twice as many people as we do.)
So many things that each day's schedule at the website is broken down to types of events--dinners, tastings, "meet the brewer," beer specials, firkins, music, beer debuts, pub crawls, competitions, etc.
The Philadelphia Inquirer even ran a special food insert dedicated to PBW in yesterday's paper, including an article on a tasting with Steve Frazier of The Brewer's Art as a moderator. And this week's Philadelphia Weekly--one of two Philly alt-weeklies, along with their City Paper--had a 64-page pull-out insert on Philly Beer Week.
You can take Amtrak and SEPTA, if you don't want to drink and drive. More at the three excellent Philly bloggers in the blogroll to the right, provided they find time to update. And at the PBW website, naturally.
But it's on.
They're claiming 1,000 events at 195 venues in the city and suburbs. (Now, keep in mind that Philly has at least twice as many people as we do.)
So many things that each day's schedule at the website is broken down to types of events--dinners, tastings, "meet the brewer," beer specials, firkins, music, beer debuts, pub crawls, competitions, etc.
The Philadelphia Inquirer even ran a special food insert dedicated to PBW in yesterday's paper, including an article on a tasting with Steve Frazier of The Brewer's Art as a moderator. And this week's Philadelphia Weekly--one of two Philly alt-weeklies, along with their City Paper--had a 64-page pull-out insert on Philly Beer Week.
You can take Amtrak and SEPTA, if you don't want to drink and drive. More at the three excellent Philly bloggers in the blogroll to the right, provided they find time to update. And at the PBW website, naturally.
Another Fundraiser July 15th at Brewer's Art
Just the basics for now:
July 15th, at Brewer's Art: Fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 20% of your check from the night (5 pm - 2 am) will be donated to LLS. More at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/event.php?eid=132533686757710 .
July 15th, at Brewer's Art: Fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 20% of your check from the night (5 pm - 2 am) will be donated to LLS. More at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/event.php?eid=132533686757710 .
A different firkin at Alonso's tonight
From Alonso's/Loco Hombre:
Can't get up there? I'm wagering it's on draft at Dog Pub's other two locations.Tonight we have a firkin of Pub Dog's Very Cherry Ale. Come on in, grab a pint and cool off with this tart, refreshing beer.
Stillwater's "Of Love and Regret"
Stillwater's Brian Strumke arrived back from a brewing trip to Belgium, and brought back some samples (still bottle conditioning, mind you) of his latest batch "Of Love and Regret." It should be a VERY scarce beer to acquire, along the lines of a BrewDog specialty batch, with only about 2,500 330cl (11.2 oz) bottles and ten 20-litre kegs available. Anticipated price will be around $6 a bottle announced once import duties and shipping is factored in. "It's an import, after all!" Strumke noted
Strumke is off to Philadelphia Beer Week; watch for "OL&R" once the ships dock, in a couple weeks' time. Check here for his list of events in Philly.
Strumke is off to Philadelphia Beer Week; watch for "OL&R" once the ships dock, in a couple weeks' time. Check here for his list of events in Philly.
Benefit Beer Dinner at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion June 7th
Swiped ruthlessly and shamelessly from the Baltimore Sun's "Dining @Large" blog now compiled by Laura Vozzella:
Roy's, the Hawaiian fusion restaurant in Harbor East, puts on a beer dinner Monday night.No beer list or menu provided--yet..............
The event is a send-off for two servers, who are about to begin a cross-country bike ride to benefit a charity they created.Over the next four months, Paul Lebelle and Adam Burkowske will bike from Baltimore to San Diego to raise money for Bikefree, which will give free bicycles to the children of active-duty military personnel.The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Monday and costs $55 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 410/659-0099.
03 June 2010
June Mid-Atlantic Brewing News is out
Well, I picked up a copy at The Wine Source today, at least. Look in your favorite beer bar, brewpub, or good liquor store.
Red Brick Station Beer Garden
Yeah, obviously it's summer.
This dispatch from brewer Mike McDonald at Red Brick Station in White Marsh:
This dispatch from brewer Mike McDonald at Red Brick Station in White Marsh:
I thought your readers might like to know that we have started a beer garden every Friday and Saturday night in conjunction with the Avenue's Summer Concert Series. From 6:30 to 9:00 we will be pouring beers on the plaza while the bands play. A list of the upcoming bands are on the Avenue's web site http://www.theavenueatwhitemarsh.com/webpage.php?sectionid=25. This Friday we will have Daily Crisis IPA and They Made Me Do It Blueberry.
Charles Village Festival Beer Garden
I got a heads-up to a possible "sleeper" beer event in Baltimore this weekend, for those looking for a good time that isn't beer-centric yet still offers respite for the beer aficionado.
The Charles Village Festival is this weekend, June 5-6, and includes a beer tent serviced by a beer truck with taps. The festival's beer organizer/wrangler, a fellow aficionado, gave me a heads-up that he has procured several much-better-than-average-city-festival beers, donated by or procured from the better beer retailers in Baltimore.
The festival is being held in Wyman Park Dell, the 16-acre park surrounded by 29th St., Charles Street, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and Wyman Park Drive, 11-9 Saturday and 11-6 Sunday.
The Charles Village Festival is this weekend, June 5-6, and includes a beer tent serviced by a beer truck with taps. The festival's beer organizer/wrangler, a fellow aficionado, gave me a heads-up that he has procured several much-better-than-average-city-festival beers, donated by or procured from the better beer retailers in Baltimore.
The festival is being held in Wyman Park Dell, the 16-acre park surrounded by 29th St., Charles Street, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and Wyman Park Drive, 11-9 Saturday and 11-6 Sunday.
Another Reminder: Santé at American Visionary Art Museum Sun. June 13th
I mentioned it before, and it's time for me to mention it again.
Santé, a culinary ("epicurean") fundraiser event being held to raise funds for the National Kidney Foundation of Md. (oh, yeah, like you don't need your kidneys to drink beer!), is being held at the American Visionary Art Museum (that funky-looking building along Key Highway next to Federal Hill, with the mirror glitter mosaics on the outer walls and those funky sculptures) on the afternoon of June 13th, 3-6 PM. (Early admission tickets, 2-6 pm, are available at additional cost.)
Tickets are $75 in advance, $85 at the door.
Peruse the event website for an impressive list of breweries, beers, foods, wines, and more available. (This has to be the first time I've seen Scotland's epic Traquair House Ale at a non-Scottish-themed beer event!) There will also be a gin tasting hosted by Grand Cru's Nelson Carey, a rum tasting hosted by Joe Squared's Joe Edwardsen, and a tequila tasting with Blue Agave's Elizabeth Atwood; the spirits tasting will be during the "premium" hour between 2 and 3 p.m.
Santé, a culinary ("epicurean") fundraiser event being held to raise funds for the National Kidney Foundation of Md. (oh, yeah, like you don't need your kidneys to drink beer!), is being held at the American Visionary Art Museum (that funky-looking building along Key Highway next to Federal Hill, with the mirror glitter mosaics on the outer walls and those funky sculptures) on the afternoon of June 13th, 3-6 PM. (Early admission tickets, 2-6 pm, are available at additional cost.)
Tickets are $75 in advance, $85 at the door.
Peruse the event website for an impressive list of breweries, beers, foods, wines, and more available. (This has to be the first time I've seen Scotland's epic Traquair House Ale at a non-Scottish-themed beer event!) There will also be a gin tasting hosted by Grand Cru's Nelson Carey, a rum tasting hosted by Joe Squared's Joe Edwardsen, and a tequila tasting with Blue Agave's Elizabeth Atwood; the spirits tasting will be during the "premium" hour between 2 and 3 p.m.
02 June 2010
Last Chance to win tickets to SAVOR this Saturday!
A reminder that the Washington Post online chat management, in conjunction with the food editors of the Post and the Brewers Association, are scheduled to present two tickets to this Saturday's long-sold-out SAVOR beer shindig in Washington, DC. If it goes like last year, they will offer two tickets to a chat participant during today's 1 PM online chat session, "Free Range on Food". There are usually book giveaways as well during this chat, so you may get a consolation prize. I believe they either make you grovel for them or they simply draw at random from among those interested.
Good luck!
Good luck!
01 June 2010
First Firkin Fridays at Muggsy's
I'll just let Danny of Muggsy's Mug House tell it to y'all (edited a bit for clarity):
Hey guys, just wanted to give everybody a heads up about this Friday! We are going to kick off summer with a cask of the rare and hard to get Stillwater Summer Saison; tapping begins at 6pm, and the fun goes until it's kicked! We got some other great stuff on tap as well: Dale's Pale Ale, Brooklyn Summer Snake, Dog IPA, Boulder's Cold Hop, Heavy Seas Pale Ale, Guinness, Troegs Java Head Stout, UFO Razberry Hefewizen, and Muggsy's House Amber. See you there, and as always forward this on to anyone you know who might enjoy a good beer!
Resurrection Can Photoshop Contest Finalists at Midnight Sun
While the debate continues (see comments) on whether or not the new canned Brewer's Art Resurrection matches the complexity of the bottled/draft product, The Baltimore Sun's Sam Sessa continues with his reformulated variation of a Resurrection photo contest. He has posted six finalists to be voted upon here.
By the way, I solicit more comments from those loyal Resurrection fans who have had a chance to sample the canned production. Certainly more critiques are called for. I've got crow sauce sitting by.
Okay, not THAT kind of "crow sauce."
Well, okay, that kind, but not..... aw, bugger it. You know what I mean.
By the way, I solicit more comments from those loyal Resurrection fans who have had a chance to sample the canned production. Certainly more critiques are called for. I've got crow sauce sitting by.
Okay, not THAT kind of "crow sauce."
Well, okay, that kind, but not..... aw, bugger it. You know what I mean.
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