Tell Me About Beer Events
There’s nothing like hearing the sounds of trees falling all day. The neighbors up the hill are proceeding to cut down some huge, beautiful trees from their property today, filling my ears with the glorious sounds of buzzsaws. What the hell? If you don’t like the trees, don’t live in the woods! Hopefully it’s just that they lost some Hemlocks and are putting them to rest. Nope, looks like they’re going for a “view” cut-out. A nice view of our deck. Seriously, it was enough drama to deal with the guy who wouldn’t put his dogs inside on Trash Day, aka Big Mess.
Rodenbach is no longer homeless
According to a press release on BeerAdvocate, Rodenbach has found a new importer—Latis Imports. (The release states that Latis is owned by two defectors of InBev.) The brand, if you’re a fan, has been missing from action the past six months or so after being dropped by Duvel-Moortgat. If we get the Vin de Cereale, that would be the bomb. And a lot of you are missing RedBach’s cherry goodness, as well. So, just a little longer. Looks, too, as if Latis got the whole Palm portfolio, so maybe we’ll see Palm, too.
Win a kegerator by doing something stupid/smart/funny/or not
Beginning August 1, the folks over at www.kegerators.com are having a contest for a free kegerator. Here’s the deal: “Basically, we are asking beer/kegerator fanatics, ‘What would you do for a free kegerator?’ Show us in a video and you could win one. It’s as easy as that. We judge the videos and you may win a free kegerator.” Send you submission to www.kegerators.com/kegerator-giveaway.php.
Brews Cruise is expanding
We have to give a shout-out to Mark & Trish of Asheville Brews Cruise for expanding their empire and attempt at world domination by expanding into Denver and Nashville. Whoop-whoop! Spread the word. Doesn’t everyone here know someone from Denver or Nashville, anyway?
AshevilleNow has a beer section
We just got word that the new Beer & Brewing Guide at AshevilleNow is up. Very cool, indeed.
Beer Etiquette Tips from Merchant du Vin
We get the e-mails from Merchant du Vin and this one has a list of “beer etiquette.” And, yes, there is such a thing. Use what moves you.
We’ve spoken at times about how when you are out to get a beer “on-premise” it’s almost always appropriate to tip well - servers are working evenings & weekends, and cleaning up your dirty glasses, so you can have a nice time. It’s always nice to say thanks to your server, to be a good customer.But what about guidelines regarding grabbing a beer with friends or co-workers? Here’s a few suggestions that may make your next beer with friends even more enjoyable—if you have suggestions of your own, feel free to reply and we may discuss them in a future e-news.
1. People are entitled to their own opinions about beer. Even if the beer reviews call it a “five-star A-plus,” even if it’s the first choice of five out of the six in the party … someone may just not care for it. For balanced enjoyment, don’t let the homebrewing, advanced-beer-hobbyist, double IPA fan order a huge, strong beer for someone who wants a soft, light cream ale or sweet dark lager.
2. If your group is buying rounds, don’t feel locked in by the second or third round. People drink at different paces. It’s OK to order a beer on your own if other folks aren’t ready; it’s certainly more polite than sitting with an empty glass or forcing someone else to hurry up and finish their beer faster than they want to.
3. Use a coaster. If your bartender or server doesn’t give you one, ask. A beer glass sitting directly on the bar or table sets some people’s teeth on edge—maybe someone in your party.
4. Be careful of beer vs. wine vs. cocktail comparisons. They are different. They all range in flavors. People are entitled to choices, but saying “I like wine better than beer,” can be upsetting to a beer lover. Try this: “I’m still searching for a beer I really like.”
5. Remember: your wine by the glass may be oxidized, and your cocktail may be expensive or slow to prepare on busy nights . . . your beer will likely be perfect, and delivered quickly.
6. Ask your server succinct questions about a beer you haven’t had. If he or she doesn’t know, that may be a sign that the bar or restaurant often tries a number of new and interesting beers - a good thing, huh?
7. When out for food, say this to a restaurant that offers limited variety of beer: “We prefer to find a variety of beers when ordering food.” (Then say) a. “Sorry, but we’re leaving now for a restaurant that has more than light lager. ” (Or) b. “We’ll stay, but we are a lot less likely to return until you bring in a wide range of beer flavors.”
8. It’s about flavor. Alcohol is a component to flavor; beer is not an alcohol delivery medium.
9. Beer is a value. Some places will charge more based on rent, overhead, neighborhood, etc. . . . but beer is generally a “flavor per dollar” bargain.
10. If you are a homebrewer, don’t broadcast your beer expertise to your friends unless they ask. While deep knowledge may enhance your beer enjoyment, it may disrupt somebody else’s enjoyment.
11. Be careful of generalizations like “I prefer dark beers,” or “I don’t like dark beers.” It’s like saying, “I like movies whose titles start with the letters A through L,” or “I don’t like red foods.”
12. Never order “a beer,” order by style, by variety, or by specific name. (As the late Michael Jackson said, would you order “a plate of food”?)
13. Be grateful for the variety of beer that is out there, from down the street or from a classic brewing nation. You are living in the best beer time in history.
14. Ask if a brand you are unfamiliar with is independent, or whether it’s owned by a large entity. Then, assuming the beer is good, decide whether it matters to you.
15. If you get a frosted mug or glass, politely ask your server if they have any non-frosted glassware, maybe for the next round. Cold kills flavor nuances.
16. Read beer publications. They are fun, sincere, useful, and they want readers.
17. Attend a beer dinner, tasting and/or a beer festival.
18. Never assume that a dark beer is high in alcohol.
19. Remember that brewers make wort—yeast makes beer. Brewers consider yeast to be something somewhere between a business partner and a beloved pet . . . or even a beloved child in some cases. Respect yeast!
20. Push your chair or barstool in after you get up!
