Bottle Conditioned

A few recent postings and articles have me thinking.  As craft beer lovers, we can sometimes easily get labeled “snobby” or “holier than thou” regarding our opinions about craft beer.  For me, I try to avoid falling into the uber-snob camp, taking the approach that each person has different tastes, and what I consider a great beer may be terrible to someone else.  Seems logical. 

Anyway, a few things have come up recently that have danced on the fringe of this, so I figured it was time to talk a bit about it.

The first one was a flurry of articles and blog posts last week about Blue Moon and its place in the craft beer world.  The initial blog post by Stan Hieronymus at his blog created some interesting discussion around a central theme:  should Blue Moon have a place at the craft beer table, being considered a quality craft beer among its brethren?

It’s an interesting debate.  As a craft beer enthusiast, it’s very easy (perhaps too easy) to quickly dismiss Blue Moon as a junk beer due the fact that it’s made by Coors.  Fair enough, and considering the reputation of other “craft brands” produced by the mainstream beer companies, it’s easily understood why Blue Moon gets the rap that it does.  However….as true craft beervangelists, are we perhaps missing the point?

Blue moon gets people into drinking better craft beer.  Shouldn’t that be the standard we’re apply to these brands?

Thousands of people are getting into discovering niche branded beers through these “craft” labels that the macro guys are putting out.  Even if those of us deeply entrenched in the craft beer circle don’t consider it a good beer….perhaps we should respect what it is doing for craft beer as a whole.

Yes, it’s easy to take the other side.  “Sure Justin, we get that, but if people drink Blue Moon and don’t like it, won’t it ruin the notion of craft beer to them in general?”  Yeah, maybe, but those folks aren’t coming over to our side regardless.  Think about it.  Someone coming from a macro-beer background who doesn’t like Blue Moon will probably have an aversion to most other craft brands out there.  Those folks don’t care about taste, period.  If anything, their complaint won’t be that it lacks body or development, or that it lacks complexity…it’ll be that it has too much flavor.

So…as difficult as it may be for some, perhaps we in the craft beer world should be looking at the real issues surrounding the craft brands put out by the big guys.  Yes, many of them aren’t good.  Yes, many of them can’t really be considered craft beer.  But, if those brands (however bad they may or may not be) are transitioning folks to explore more craft brands…well…good for them.

Homebrewing

I don’t talk much about homebrewing on this blog, or the podcast for that matter, but a series of posts on a discussion forum got me thinking.  To the same end that craft beer drinkers should consider Blue Moon as good for the craft beer industry, so should homebrewers give the same thought to beginner homebrewing systems.

As an all-grain brewer for a few years, I’ve sunk a good deal of money into gadgets, kettles, cooling systems, etc… for my hobby.  I do it because I like how much control I have over my beer - and I’m a nerd.

In the brewing community, there is sometimes a real animosity against basic brewing systems, particularly one called “Mr. Beer”.  Yeah, Mr. Beer is a oversimplified solution to homebrewing, and may not produce the best beer in the world (or does it?), but again…we’re missing the point.

It exposes more people to homebrewing and sparks the seed of curiousity that helps expand the hobby as a whole. 

Many homebrewers start out with very basic systems in order to get a slow feel for what it takes to brew your own beer.  I think it’s a great thing that there are homebrewing systems available that allow people such a low barrier to entry into the hobby.  For many people, those basic systems quickly get overhauled into sophisticated, garage-hungry, multi-tier, all grain facilities.   If someone wants to start with Mr. Beer….we shouldn’t look down on that decision, rather, we should be excited that another person will be exposed to the hobby of homebrewing. 

The same goes for Blue Moon and drinking craft beer. 

So…I realize that this rant is probably random and loose, but that’s ok.  If it gets one more person thinking about it, then my job is done

Let’s put down the snobbery and hail anything that serves as a gate for people into the world of craft beer and homebrewing.  Once they’ve got a foot in the door, we can win them over with the huge offerings inside.

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For those of you who listen to the podcast and are in the Nashville area, we’ll be doing a live podcast from Bosco’s in downtown Nashville on September 10th.  We’ll get started with the show somewhere between 5:00 and 5:30, and it should last about an hour.  Be sure to come out, have a pint and listen in as we talk about Bosco’s, their beer, and craft beer in general. 

See you out there!  

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Mollie and I were talking about this last night, as we have a few other times in the past: does beer need a new name?

Being a beer lover - strike that, a craft beer lover - can be incredibly frustrating. Attempting to change the public perception of what beer is proves to be an uphill battle much of the time. The accepted definition of beer as a light, watery, alcohol delivery system in a can is so entrenched in our society that it’s going to take a lot of work to pull it out the other side and redefine beer as a beverage that is rich in history, taste, variety and culture. As of now, people just don’t get it.

So - should we rename beer and start from scratch? I don’t know what we’d rename it, but sometimes I feel like we should. It’s amazing how heavy of a word “beer” is, and the amount of negative connotation attached to it. “What will you have with your steak dinner, Sir, a bottle of our finest Cabernet?” “Nope, bring me your beer list” “Oh. Right”.

What is it going to take to change this perception? Currently, many people are working hard to help beer out and give it a makeover. The craft brewers in this country and around the world are at the forefront, paving new ground and expanding the portfolio of beer worldwide. Beer writers and educators are gaining steam and wedging their (our) way into mainstream media. The cult following of craft beer is slowly peaking its head above the surface and making small waves in communities across the world. All are working hard to redefine what people think of when they hear the word “beer”. But is it going to work?

Jay Brooks has a great blog post that profiles an article written likening craft beer to wine, going as far as to call craft beers “winey beers”. Why does wine have to be the standard to which we hold beer? As long as that is in place, we’ll be fighting with the wine folks over the rightful place at the table. It simply exemplifies the notion that beer, as a concept, simply doesn’t command the respect that other beverages do, and disassociating that perception from the name is going to be one hell of a battle.

As I said, I have no idea what we’d call it. Honestly, I don’t want to rename it, but will we ever be able to change the reaction to it? Will beer one day fade away as the frat boy drink of choice and find its place at four star tables across the globe? Hopefully so - we’ve just got to keep talking about it.

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This morning, firefighters responded to a fire at Sam’s Sports Bar next door to Bosco’s in Nashville.  (For those who don’t know, Bosco’s is a great microbrewery here, with locations also in Memphis and Little Rock).  According to the news reports, the fire was contained to an air conditioner on top of the building, and the adjacent buildings did not sustain any damage.

I emailed Chuck Skypeck to make sure there isn’t any damage to Bosco’s, but right now, all seems good.  Just an update for all you Nashville folks who love Bosco’s like I do. 

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MSNBC is reporting today on the growing surge of attention that the drinking age has been receiving as of late.  An increasingly vocal contingent of the population is proposing that the drinking age be lowered to 18, citing a lack of benefit to the current “over 21″ laws in place now.

I’ve got to say…I think I agree here.

I’ve thought for a long time, and will continue to stand by this point, that the restriction of alcohol to a certain group of people creates the reverse effect of what is intended.  If you make it harder to get, people who can’t have it will try harder to get it.  ‘Nuff said.

When I was around 18-19 years old, I occasionally drank with my parents.  Not often, but here and there.  Because of that, I never felt like I had to “sneak away” to drink and there was never any type of allure to it as something that was rebellious in nature.

Teenagers want to rebel.  Fact.  Why, I don’t know, but most do.  Drinking alcohol has to be one of the largest ways in which teenagers can rebel and “prove themselves as adults”.  The only reason that teenagers reach to drinking for this purpose is simply because they can’t do it.  If the option had always been there, it would quickly lose its stature as a rebellious act and teens would be less likely to turn to it as a display of adulthood.

Personally, I don’t think any drinking age is the solution.  By establishing a set age (and honestly, a quite arbitrary one) at which people can begin drinking, a social stratification is set into place artificially that immediate separates the public into a new group of “haves” and “have nots”.  By doing so, the stage is set for the “have nots” (those under the legal age) to pursue and desire to become equal.  Thusly, the age does nothing but increase a desire in the restricted group to break that restriction.

It starts with education.  Parents have to take responsibility.  In this nanny-state world we’re living in now, there still has to be some responsibility placed on parents to educate their children.  It’s their freaking job.  By limiting drinking to those above 21 (and 18, for that matter), parents don’t have the ability to truly educate their children about drinking, the dangers associated with it, and the responsibility that it commands. 

Furthering that, does it make sense for an individual’s first experience with alcohol to be at an age where they can drive after drinking?  If someone is drinking for the first time, doesn’t know their limits and isn’t accustomed to the effects of alcohol, how can they be expected to act responsibly even given the best intentions?  If the same person is exposed to alcohol at a younger age when driving isn’t a concern, that person has more of a chance of learning their tolerance and learning the responsibility involved while taking the dangerous act of operating a motor vehicle out of the equation.

So, am I saying that 8 year olds should drink?  No, not necessarily, but I’m saying that I think that’s a parenting decision, not a state decision. 

I’m shocked that this is even getting media coverage in a time when it seems the neo-prohibitionists of the world are becoming more and more vocal.  Perhaps it’ll make it into the ‘08 election, that would certainly be interesting.

What do you think?  Raise it, lower it, or get rid of it altogether?

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I love Clipper City beers. The Hop3 IPA is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, IPAs. Their Saison is strong, perhaps not the best, but very good. So, when I was in Charleston this past week and saw this beer by Clipper City, I had to have it.

So, as I sit here sipping it from a snifter, I thought I’d write a few words about how it tastes…after all, isn’t that the reason this blog is here?

So, on with the notes:

Appearance: The beer pours a nice medium brown color, which is slightly hazy due in part to the large amount of wheat in the grain bill. A swirly wispy head lays quietly across the top, making its light brown presence just slightly known.

Aroma: The aroma is complex. I first noticed that it resembled a Barleywine in some respects, with a lot of dark fruit and some raisin. Not much in the way of alcohol. There is also a nice layer of spice across the background - cinnamon and some nutmeg.

Taste: The thick and slick mouthfeel gives way to a hearty body. Alcohol finally appears in the taste, but in balance. Dark fruit still shows up, but not as heavy as in the nose. A nice layer of bitterness lays across the middle of the tongue, sliding back and letting go fairly quickly on the finish, giving way to a long fruity finish. Some caramel sits sweetly in the middle of the mouth. The wheat in the beer definitely shows up, and to my taste, might be slightly much. It comes across quite spicy and meaty in the middle of the beer and tends to temporarily throw the beer out of balance slightly. Maybe it’s just me.

Overall, it’s a good beer. Not blowing my mind, but good. One thing I’ll say is that it’s certainly a sipping beer. At 10% ABV, that probably goes without saying, but it’s even less quaffable than a Barleywine or Dubbel at a similar strength. The only thing that I find a bit intrusive is the wheat. No doubt, the style is supposed to have the wheat presence, but in this amount, it’s a bit distracting.

Recommended to try, but probably not going to be a mainstay in your cellar.

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To a lover of great beer, it doesn’t come as a surprise to hear that beer and cheese go together. This pairing surely beats anything that wine can do with cheese.

One of the greatest (if not the greatest) spokespersons for beer and food pairing is the head brewer at Brooklyn Brewery, Garrett Oliver. Garrett has written a great book called “The Brewmaster’s Table”, which I highly recommend. It never leaves my coffee table, and it’s marked up, dogearred, bookmarked, tattered and torn. This book is truly a reference book for food and beer.

This past week, Garrett delivered a presentation on food and cheese pairing at the American Cheese Society’s conference in Vermont. Garrett does these types of demonstrations often, and it’s great to see him being so active about bringing knowledge of the value of beer and food pairing to so many people, so often.

If you haven’t already seen it, check out the clip below from the documentary American Brew. This shows Garrett in action at one of these demonstrations, and it’s pretty damn cool to see him in action.

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According to this article from the Chico Enterprise Record, the VP of Sierra Nevada, Steve Harrison, has been missing since Tuesday evening, when he left from work. Please read the article and keep Steve, his family, and the entire Sierra Nevada family in your prayers.

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Jay Brooks posted quite an interesting blog post yesterday on his blog, the Brookston Beer Bulletin. In his post, “Penny Wise and Pint Foolish“, Jay comments on an article written by New York Times travel writer Seth Kugel. The article is called “For Beer Tastes, On Beer Budgets”.

This the second part of the one-two punch that beer has gotten from the press in past couple days. First, the article on beer being the “binge drinkers beverage of choice”, and now this, an ode to the cheapest beer you can possibly find.

Jay sums this up so eloquently when he writes:

Beer has been struggling mightily for over 25 years to gain some respect. Given the strides made by the craft beer industry in that time it certainly deserves its place among the other fine gourmet beverages of the world. Once the laughingstock of the world, American beer today is known throughout the world to be of the finest quality. There are now more different beer styles brewed in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world. That’s an unbelievable swing in a little over two short decades. It’s a shame that something like 95% of all Americans didn’t get the news.

Bingo. Nail on the head there.

This just irritates me to no end. It’s another perfect example of the ignorance and the odd sense of pride that a large piece of our nation gets from drinking junk to get drunk. Why are so many people in this country proud of the sad heritage that beer has had in this country? It totally confounds me.

Wine drinkers - do you go out looking for the cheapest wine you can possibly find, in order to drink as large a quantity for as little money as possible? (I realize that posing this question to the readers of this blog is rhetorical, but it’s for effect).

I understand beer’s history in this country. I understand that for decades, beer was a “laborer’s” drink, while wine was the drink of the upper class. The thing is, it’s not that way anymore, and it hasn’t been for some time. Since at least the early 80s, when the craft beer revolution really started to crank up, beer has been working hard to redefine itself and up its stature in the marketplace as a beverage that can, at least, stand on the same ground with wine. Why then, is our society so reluctant to adopt this great new image of beer?

Take for example a fine restaurant. Upon sitting down at your table, you’re handed the menu and wine list. Where’s the beer list? In many places, if you even ask about beer, you either get “Well, we’ve got pretty much everything you need…Bud, Miller, Coors”, or you get looked at as if you’re suddenly undeserving of your reservation. The fact that beer pairs better with food than wine on many occasions is completely lost among many of the top chefs and sommeliers across this country. We’re known for some of the best food in the world, but we can’t even offer a good selection of beverages to go with it.

I know it’s ignorance. I know it requires education. Perhaps I’m just too damn picky. Whatever the case, articles such as Seth’s and the one from the AP yesterday regarding binge drinking aren’t helping.

Now, I’m sure that there are people out there who are saying “Who cares? We know what great beer is, if everyone else doesn’t, that’s their own damn problem”. Yeah, it’s easy to take that stance. The truth is, however, that beer’s image across this country (and the world for that matter) does affect us. It prevents great beer from making its way to our tables at restaurants. It causes lawmakers and neo-prohibitionists to enact ridiculous legislation aimed at “solving the problem of beer”. It limits our selection of great beer available locally. And, it limits many craft brewers from expanding and thriving. Simply put, beer’s bad name affects all of us, whether you like it or not, and whether you care or not.

So, as I tend to say often, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record…again…do your part! As craft beer lovers, we’ve got a great chance to change beer’s image. All you have to do is convert one person at a time, changing their mind about what beer is, and they’ll do the same. When you love something like craft beer, it’s hard not to be infectious about your passion.

Go ahead, spread it around.

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