Archive for November, 2008

We scored our 50th review on BeerAdvocate
In under two years, the humble storefront has managed to accummulate 50 reviews on BeerAdvocate! We’re so excited and send out a big, fat toast to all you beer folks who took the time to review Bruisin’ Ales! It is truly awesome that we retain our “world class” status. Many thanks to all!

The UK to ban happy hour?
In the country of (formerly) corner pubs, happy hour may soon be a long-forgotten practice, citing the increase in alcohol-related deaths. “Low prices for alcohol had helped encourage drinking among British youths, noting ‘they can buy alcohol with their pocket money.’” Now, on the other hand, “officials say the report should clarify whether retail practices lead to excessive drinking. They are considering a ban on a number of practices, including drinking games and speed-drinking events popular at some British pubs.” Dare we say that the latter is probably a bigger contributor?

Best headline ever: China’s Snow beer is like water
Whoa. China’s Snow beer is poised to overtake Bud Light as the world’s number one selling beer brand. “Reviewers at the monthly beer magazine BeerAdvocate rated it “D”, describing it as ‘unimpressive’ and ‘extremely drinkable, like water.”‘ Drinkability unites countries! (And, actually, the beer gets an “F.”)

Uh-oh, controversy!
How did we miss this? Usually, it’s celebutards that get “misquoted,” but this time it’s Garrett Oliver himself, who allegedly had something he said taken out of context in the NY Yorker article, “A Better Brew.” We believe Garrett. He’s a beer pioneer and overall good guy. There would be no reason for him to trash the industry he loves so dearly. We’re pretty sure that Garrett and Sam have hugged it out. Collaboration brew, anyone?

Beer spies picked-up a few tidbits while on surveillance this week:

1. Victory got label approval for Baltic Thunder, which we hope means the beer should land in NC soon.
2. Pisgah Brewing Company has started a Facebook Group. (Join the Bruisin’ Ales Group, too.)
3. And allegedly, a keg of Lagunitas Brown Shugga’ is being delivered to the Thirsty Monk/Pinthouse with bottles following soon.

De Stuise Black Albert has finally arrived. This beefy, 13% abv Russian Imperial Stout, is a private-label between De Struise and Ebenezer’s Pub in Lovell, Maine—only recently made available in other beer markets. This rarerity, with its solid A rating on BeerAdvocate, is not to be missed! From the De Struise blog:

“In dreamscapes, you might see the shadow of Black Albert on one hill, marching forth to face Dark Lord…his cap, dripping with the blood red wax that sealed his fate. You wonder how these rivals would do battle on your tongue…would they destroy all feeling at 13% alcohol, or would the intensity of their battle stations lift you from the fiery clutches of hell? Thirteen percent. Thirteen…a risky number. A taste-test might well be in order. You surrender your soul, daring to risk-it-all in the face of brackish terror.

Black Albert has split his personality, emerging from both De Struise in Belgium and Ebenezer’s in the United States. From De Panne, this Royal Belgian Stout trickles into the glass like the blackest silk, topped with a burly head of taupe. Mocha covers the tongue, painted like ink in a finish of oily slickness, merging with a fist of rum within your olfactory passages. It caresses your jaw, alerting the hairs on the back of your neck, spreading like lava toward your brain.“

Here are Black Albert’s friends:

BELHAVEN Twisted Thistle
BELHAVEN Wee Heavy
BELL’S Winter White Ale*
BROOKLYN Winter Ale*
CATAWBA VALLEY Farmer Ted’s Cream Ale
CATAWBA VALLEY White Zombie Wheat
CATAWBA VALLEY Firewater IPA
CATAWBA VALLEY King Don’s Pumpkin Ale*
DE STRUISE Black Albert
DE KONINCK Winterkoninck*
DOGFISH HEAD Pangea*
DUCK RABBIT Baltic Porter*
HIGHLAND BREWING Cold Mountain*
SAMUEL ADAMS Chocolate Bock*
SMUTTYNOSE Winter Ale*
SWEETWATER Festive Ale* (1 ltr)
WEYERBACHER Winter Ale*

Bruisin’ Ales has customized gift certificates just in time for the holidays, as well as for occassions like birthdays, weddings, and general occurences when beer seems to be the perfect gift. (Isn’t it always?)

“Insulated” beer industry perhaps not so insulated
An article in USNews states that “high-end brewers” could feel a harsh pinch during these economic times in an industry normally considered to be recession-proof. “We’ve been hearing about comparisons between what we’re in now and the Great Depression. [Back then], one of the first things [Franklin] Roosevelt did was legalize beer. He saw beer as a [morale] booster and part of the economic recovery package. He knew that legalizing the industry would bring jobs and production and rev up the economy.” And that, my friends, tells you to never underestimate the power of beer. Conflicting reports, however, from within the industry say that craft beer sales, specifically seasonal beer sales, are up by 29% this year.

Bye-bye to A-B
Well, it happened. And right in the middle of all this mess. Hello, Anhseuser-Busch InBev! Banks are failing, insurers can’t insure people, housing is at its lowest in nearly 50 years, and the bottom is about to fall out of the US auto industry, but here we have the largest beverage conglomerate in the world. Except the US says InBev must sell Labatt USA and China has a few restrictions of their own. Timing is everything. A few months ago, this was a big hoo-hah (with America “losing” its flagship beer to a foreign company) and now, with all of the above affecting folks personally, this seemed to slide on past with little fanfare. *golf claps*

Beer and the holidays
Charlie Papazian has a great suggestion for the holidays: Skip the usual dips and chips and go with a classy plate of cheeses paired with a variety of beers. We agree. More suggestions for holidays with beer are here and here. And look! The Mountain XPress has some great recipes from local chefs for “An Asheville Thanksgiving” that includes beer suggestions by some chick that owns a beer store in town.

College writers tackle beer
We just love the headline.