Features
Collected Wisdom
Our contributors reflect on the quest for rare beer. Act on the opportunity to buy several vintages of a particularly excellent beer, because getting a group together for a vertical tasting is a ton of fun and a great way to hone your pallet.―Rob Ulich For me, beer acquisition has transcended the concept of a […]
Famously Rare
Three beers that were mentioned so often, they are in a class by themselves: the rare beers that everyone knows about, but few can buy. Alaskan Smoked Porter, Alaskan Brewing Co. (Juneau, AK) One of the most award-winning beers in the world, produced annually since 1988 from malt smoked at a Juneau salmon smokery. Wisconsin […]
99 Bottles of Beer
There sometimes comes a moment in an evening of hospitality when the host recognizes that a guest is especially appreciative of good beer and offers, “I have something set aside that I think you’d enjoy.”
You Had to Be There
When it comes down to it, I’m really a draft guy. I like being at the spot when a rare beer is available by the glass: pour, pffft, it’s gone. Though I will take the occasional growler if it’s allowed! In which case, it’s worth making the trip to Selin’s Grove Brewing in Selinsgrove, PA, […]
Columns
My beer summit…with beer
According to the American Dialect Society, “tweet” was the word of the year in 2009. It beat other luminaries, such as “botox,” “shovel-ready” and “hike the Appalachian Trail,” for the top spot in the list of most important words and phrases to become prominent or notable during the year.
Bless Us All
Recently, I attended what may have been my eighth brewery blessing. A long time back, I had observed Catholic and Episcopalian brewery blessings. They were interesting ceremonies. Christians have been blessing breweries and wineries for well over a thousand years. Most Christians take a relaxed view of modest drinking; blessing an alcohol production establishment is […]
Departments
with Greg Hall
I think Goose Island was the first brewpub I ever visited, not too long after you opened. Tell me how the brewery began and how you moved into the company. My father [John Hall] was in the paper packaging business, which was a good business, but about the least sexy business there is. And he […]
Follow the Music Festivals
Telluride Blues & Brews Sept 17-19, www.tellurideblues.com All Friday and Sunday, fest-goers get down to top-notch blues artists such as last year’s headliners Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal. (2010 line-up announced May 15.) The same goes for Saturday, but with an added bonus—unlimited samples from over 50 breweries, mostly smaller ones that Colorado […]
Follow the Music
When I think about artists and their expressions,” said Tomme Arthur from Port/Lost Abbey Brewing, “I am reminded that art is in a constant state of evolution. Brush strokes get refined, subject matter improves and the essence of the artist and his perspective is suddenly brought to the front with amazing clarity.” Brewers, like musicians, […]
Pilsner
The term “pilsner” is attached to many pale lagers worldwide, some of which are worthy imitators of the Bohemian original at best, or pale imposters at worst. The clear-cut roots of pilsner are in Bohemia, a phenomenal convergence of science, imported brewing talent and ideal ingredients. The success of pilsner is extraordinary and by far […]
Beer Talk
Würzburger Hofbräu Pilsner
Würzburger Hofbräu Würzburg, Germany Imported by: St. Killian Importing Co. Kingston, MA Available: CA, CT, DE, GA, KY, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WI, ME Würzburger Hofbräu’s history dates to its founding in the year 1643 by the Main-Franconian Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp von Schönborn. It is therefore the oldest business […]
St. Peter’s Organic English Ale
St. Peter’s Brewery Suffolk, England Imported by: Eurobrew Ashland, MA Available: ID, IL, IA, NJ, WI, FL, MD, MI, SC, GA, CT, NC, PA, OH, VA, NE, TN, NY, MA, MO, KS, IN, AL, NH, ME Water for brewing is extracted from the brewery’s 300 foot deep borehole. The beer is brewed with U.K. Soil […]
Pedigree
Marston’s Beer Co. Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire, England Imported by: Eurobrew Ashland, MA Available: ID, IL, IA, NJ, WI, FL, MD, MI, SC, GA, CT, NC, PA, OH, VA, NE, TN, NY, MA, MO, KS, IN, AL, NH, ME Brewed with traditional varieties of barley and hops (Maris Otter Barley, Fuggles and Goldings hops), Pedigree is it […]
Gavroche
Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre Saint Sylvestre Cappel, France Imported by: Eurobrew Ashland, MA Available: ID, IL, IA, NJ, WI, FL, MD, MI, SC, GA, CT, NC, PA, OH, VA, NE, TN, NY, MA, MO, KS, IN, AL, NH, ME Gavroche is a character in Victor Hugo’s nineteenth century novel, Les Miserables. He is a rebellious yet […]
Roscoe’s Hop House Amber Ale
Genesee Brewing Co. Rochester, NY Available: n/a Genesee Brewing Co. was founded in 1878 and is still family-operated. Brewer of the iconic Genny Cream Ale, Genesee produces beers under its own and a variety of other brand names. ABV: 5.5 ABW: 4.3 Color: 10 Bitterness: 10 Original gravity: 1053
Ripon Jewel
Daleside Brewery Harrogate, England Imported by: St. Killian Importing Co. Kingston, MA Available: OH, FL, IL, MA, MD, NC, NY, OH, TN, VA, WI, ME and MN The Ripon Jewel is a small, round piece of gold jewelry inlaid with gemstones, which is on display at the Ripon Cathedral in North Yorkshire, England. Discovered in […]
Regal Pilsner
Breckenridge Brewery Denver, CO Available: CO, TX, AZ, OH, IN This double pilsner, one of the few lager beers brewed by Breckennridge, is part of a new small-batch “Occassionals” program from the brewery. ABV: 7.0 ABW: 5.6 Color: gold Bitterness: 45 Original gravity: 1068
Shipyard Wheat Ale
Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland, ME Available: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NV, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WA, WI Shipyard Brewing Co.’s origins were in the Portland brewpub […]
Amber Ale
Trouble Brewing Co. Rochester, NY Available: n/a Amber ale is a relatively recently defined beer style, with modest hop bitterness compared to the related pale ale style. ABV: 5.5 ABW: 4.3 Color: 10 Bitterness: 10 Original gravity: 1053
D’Light Kölsch
Atwater Block Brewery Detriot, MI Available: CA, NC, TN, OR, WA Atwater Block Brewery has a Kasper Schultz German Brewhaus, but they brew both ales and German-style lagers. The brewery created this Kölsch (a German hybrid style) as a stepping stone into the craft beer market for the local Detroit Beer drinkers: hence the “D” […]
Buffalo Sweat
Tallgrass Brewing Co. Manhattan, KS Available: KS, NE, MO, OK, MS Roasted barley and lactose give texture to this cream stout from Kansas. ABV: 5.0 ABW: 4.0 Color: 78.5 Bitterness: 20 Original gravity: 1058
Detour Double IPA
Uinta Brewing Co. Salt Lake City, UT Available: AZ, AR, CO, DC, DE, GA, MD, MA, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, PA, UT, VA, WY Uinta Brewing Co.’s Crooked Line of beers are the company’s more experimental recipes, brewed “outside the lines.” Uinta Brewing Co. is entirely wind-powered. ABV: 9.5 ABW: 7.6 Color: 12 Bitterness: […]
Raspberry Wheat
Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau, AK Available: AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA, WY With nearly one pound of real fresh-picked raspberries (no extract) per gallon added during fermentation. This new wheat beer launched Alaskan’s Pilot Series of limited-edition specialty beers ABV: 6.5 ABW: 5.2 Color: 16 Bitterness: 20 Original gravity: 1060
Black Star Double Hopped Golden Lager
Great Northern Brewing Co. Whitefish, MT Available: MT, WA, OR, CA, NV A “double hopped” (dry hopped) unique American lager based on traditional European pilsners with hops added in the kettle and then again before finishing for aromatic quality. ABV: 4.6 ABW: 3.5 Color: 7 Bitterness: 15 Original gravity: 1043
Idiot IPA
Coronado Brewing Co. Coronado, CA Available: CA, AZ, NM, WI, CT, PA, VA, DC, NC, SC Idiot IPA is an all-natural India pale ale, brewed with over three pounds of hops per barrel. This unfiltered “San Diego IPA” has been “known to reduce even the most intelligent to a blithering idiot.” ABV: 8.5 ABW: 6.8 […]
Žatec Dark
Žatec Brewery Žatec, Czech Republic Imported by: Merchant du Vin Tukwila, WA Available: nationwide The Žatec region is home of the hop variety known in English as Saaz. Brewing records in the town of Žatec go back over 1,000 years. ABV: 5.7 ABW: 4.5 Color: 25 Bitterness: 25 Original gravity: 1058