Oh, happy day! This series of brews has been looking for a home for some time now, but it’s here. De Proef, headed by creative brewmaster Dick Naudts (aka The Prof), has put out a series of brews called the Brewmaster’s Collection. Five of the six offerings were selected for Michael Jackson’s Rare Beer Club. (We gushed about Signature Ale last year, which is a collaboration between Naudts and Port Brewing/Lost Abbey brewer, Tomme Arthur. “A complex hybrid of aggressively hopped west coast IPA, combined with traditional Belgian brettanomyces fermentation.”) Only one of the brews in the series didn’t make it this week, Lozen Boer Abt, but we should have it soon.
The Zambra dinner was amazing If you were one of the lucky attendees at the Zambra/Unibroue dinner last night, let us first say “thanks” and ask you: How amazing was that? We all fit cozily into the private King Room (with all the pillows) and enjoyed the pairings. At the end, because of the chilly evening, we had the Quelque Chose served warm with dessert. Bravo!
Tennessee rethinks things
Seems the Overreaction Department’s “card everyone” theory doesn’t work so well in practice. The folks with crows feet got a little po’d. We can only marvel.
Oh, snap. InBev might raise prices. Again. The CEO of InBev, Carlos Brito, responds to rising commodity costs: “You see the possibilities to pass some of the cost to prices,” he told reporters after an annual shareholders’ meeting. “If your brands are strong enough, you should take that opportunity.”
No beer shirts for girls
Teen hipster shopping stop, Forever 21, is getting grief from the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest requesting they stop using logos from Miller, Foster’s and Diageo (parent to Guinness), as well as all “alcohol-themes” on t-shirts. Next up: No more “Buy This Guy a Beer” trucker hats at Spencer’s.
Now this is surprising. From a press release on BeerAdvocate.com today:
SEATTLE & SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (April 2008) - Pyramid Breweries Inc. (NASDAQ: PMID) (”Pyramid”) and Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc. (”Magic Hat”) today announced the execution of a Letter of Intent (”Letter of Intent”), which contemplates a transaction by which Magic Hat will acquire Pyramid, through an agreed all-cash tender offer and subsequent merger, at $2.75 per share of Pyramid common stock on a fully-diluted basis. …
The closing of the proposed transaction, subject to the conditions referred to above, is anticipated to occur not later than August 31, 2008.
The board of directors of Pyramid has approved the transactions contemplated by the Letter of Intent.
“The combination of these two well established, high profile craft breweries will be very complementary given our respective brand portfolios and the geographies in which we predominantly operate. Additionally, there will be a number of important benefits for Pyramid to be part of a private company versus continuing to operate as a stand alone public entity. This consolidation makes both good strategic and financial sense and is well timed, particularly as the beer industry’s competitive dynamics continue to intensify,” said Pyramid CEO Scott Barnum. “The Company will continue to have offices in Seattle, its historical home, and will seek opportunities to capitalize on the enhanced assets and capabilities of the new combined entity,” he added.
Martin Kelly, CEO of Magic Hat said, “We have a great deal of respect for Pyramid’s brand heritage, award-winning beers and its dedicated employees, and look forward to consummating this transaction, which provides both strategic and financial benefits both to Pyramid’s and Magic Hat’s stakeholders.”
Alesmith Brewing Company is not a brewery we get here in North Carolina, though we wish we did. Just thinking about Speedway Stout makes us thirsty. Here’s an interview with Peter Zein, the brewmaster.
Do you Unibroue? Join us for our first ‘08 beer dinner on Tuesday, April 29. This was rescheduled from March.We’ve also dropped a course, hence dropping the price.A five-course, six-beer pairing features Unibroue and the delectable tapas yummies of Asheville’s Zambra. Chef Adam is cooking with the beer in every single course! We can barely contain ourselves. This is one bad*ss menu. Don’t miss it!
Cost: $50/pp Please call Zambra for reservations, 232-1060. Reserve early! Seating limited to 50. A vegetarian option is available.
Welcome at 6:30. Seating at 7:00pm.
Welcome—Ephemere
[Belgian-style witbier with apple / 5.5% abv] Selection of cheeses, apples and honey
La Fin du Monde
[Belgian-style Tripel / 9.0% abv] Traditional Belgian mussels in ale with pommes frites
Vegetarian: Onion and ale soup with pommes frites
Trois Pistoles
[Belgian Strong Dark / 9.0% abv] Veal cheek braised in ale with sultanas and brussel sprout potato gratin
Vegetarian: Beer-glazed portobello mushroom with sultanas and brussel sprout potato gratin
16 & 17 Anniversary Ales
[16: Belgian Strong Pale / 10.0% abv]
[17: Belgian Strong Dark / 10.0% abv] Pan roasted rockfish with crispy oysters, served with Belgian endive and piquillo mantequilla
Vegetarian: Crispy tofu served with Belgian endive and piquillo mantequilla
Quelque Chose
[Fruit Beer (cherry) / 8.0% abv] Chocolate Belgian waffle with cherry gelato and Quelque Chose caramel
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