Archive for September, 2007

Found this story today in a very random place, Personal Finance Advice. But the writer, Al, seems to be a contributor to a site we also frequent, HopTalk. The article is a nice summary of ways to enjoy your beer more. Now, what could be better than that? We’ve got the basic list below, but read the story for the full details. It’s a bit like Beer 101, but we all need little reminders now and then.

1. Shun the sun
2. Keep it cool
3. Stay fresh
4. Buy local
5. Serve it properly: In a glass
6. Serve it properly: Not ice cold
6. Pour strong!
7. Find your style
8. Pair it up
9. Invite your friends

You’ll note there are two #6′s, so really it’s Ten Ways to Maximize Your Beer, but no matter. His point at the end makes miscounting forgivable: “Beer with friends is the best beer in the world.” Do tell.

Source: PFAdvice.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re so happy to finally get one of the Sam Adams “Extreme Beers” in-store today: Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner. Quite exciting, considering that we rarely see any of these special releases, especially those that fall into the category with Utopias (25% abv), Chocolate Bock (5.5% abv), and Tripel Bock (18% abv).

This limited release, first made in 2005, uses Hellertau Mittelfrueh hops and finished at 8.8% abv upon bottling. They call it “a hop lover’s dream come true.”

Here’s what Lew Bryson has to say about it.

 

 

 

 

 

Barley’s Greenville is just killin’ it with the beer events lately. Congrats, friends to the south. We just can’t figure out—since Asheville is so much about beer—why we don’t get happenings like this in our beloved mountain town? The issue of cask beer has been a point of contention with the real beer geeks for awhile now and at least Green Man continues to fill that niche, but we don’t even see many special release kegs up here. Or perhaps it’s the lack of promotion? Are there things happening that we just don’t know about?

Anyway, enough of the ranting…

If you’ve got a DD or a place to stay for the night in the upstate, check out these goings-on:

Wed., September 19 / 7 p.m.—Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen Weiss release party. “This brew is a VERY limited release and was a joint venture with Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery and Hans Peter Drexler of Schneider. We will be raffling off a Brooklyn Prize Pack that includes two (2) bottles of the even more limited Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse–Schneider’s version of this experiment…”

Tues., October 16 / 7 p.m.—Cask Ale by a True Rogue. “Matt Thompson will be coming all the way from Rogue Brewery to Greenville, South Carolina and will be here to answer any questions & tap what is believed to be the FIRST Rogue Cask the southeast! The brew being offered is still up in the air and to be determined. Updates will be provided as the information becomes available. This event will be in line with Barley’s “Hop Harvest Ales” month in October. There will be all kinds of Rogue goodies to give out throughout the evening. Get there fast because Rogue goods nearly start riots and never last long.”

Image: Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria
 

National Toast for Michael Jackson to be on September 30
The Beer Hunter is promoting an international toast to the late Michael Jackson on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 9pm. There is a downloadable poster for establishments that decide to participate and they are encouraging folks to make some contribution to the National Parkinson’s Foundation in his honor. Yahoo’s Upcoming is playing host to particpating places.
Source: The Beer Hunter / BeerAdvocate

Bring me a beer
Folks in Virginia are enjoying their newly legal beer delivery services. “At the same time, we’re keeping drunks off the road by going over and bringing the beer to them. So if people run out of beer, they’re not going to feel pressured to get on the roads to come get it,” says Straub.
Source: WHSV

Charlotte Oktoberfest / WBF, Durham
The weekend after Brewgrass is the Charlotte Oktoberfest. We have been told that this is getting so big that it will soon rival The World Beer Festival sponsored by All About Beer in Raleigh/Durham. Unlimited 3 oz. samples of over 350 brews? The World Beer Fest is the following weekend, on Oct. 7, but has been long sold out.

Oktoberfest in the West Bank
The Taybeh Brewery in Ramallah, The West Bank, hosted an Oktoberfest last weekend. Reports from Haaretz and the BBC.

Dusseldorf throws a debt-free party
Dusseldorf, Germany officially became debt-free today and they’re celebrating with free beer and sausages for everyone.
Source: Bloomberg.com

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