Calculators for Homebrewing

Newbies will come to find that the more you brew the more precise you need to be, the more information you need to keep honing your craft. A friend turned us on to this novel tool and Web site. The Brewer's Lair offers calculators for your most important homebrewing needs.

The Lair is also good for recipes, tips, finding ingredients, and relaxing in the lounge.

Cheers!

Cass Ice Light

The storm of the year is hitting here in the nation's capital. In honor of the first measurable snowfall of the winter we bring you this delightful, and somewhat befuddling, Cass Ice Light Commercial.



Seriously, InBev own's Cass too?

Beer, Sharp Objects, and Big Sticks

If there's one thing beer understands it's hockey.

On February 7, 2009, Labatt Blue is sponsoring its 2nd Annual Pond Hockey Tournament on the great shores of Lake Erie in Buffalo, NY. The success of last year's 16 team tournament led to a significant expansion this year. According to the Buffalo News, "this year’s event will be held from 7:30 a. m. to 5 p. m. Feb. 7 at Erie Basin Marina. It will be four times the size of last year’s, with 64 teams competing on eight rinks and in eight divisions — from novice to advanced." Labatt is also adding music, a skills competition, and food and apparel vendors. You can get more information here but if you're looking to play it's too late - the tournament is a sell out.


Schlitz is yet another brewer that understands the unique relationship between hockey and its fans. The "beer that made Milwaukee famous" is now the namesake of a pond arena behind the home of Dean Reder. According to TwinCities.com, Mr. Reder and his friends E-mailed the brewery asking if they'd sponsor the pond at the cost of a 12 pack. Schlitz agreed but delivered 3 cases of beer for the naming rights. Like Labatt, Schlitz has also sponsored pond hockey tournaments, including the US Pond Hockey Championships.

Mad Dash for the Hooch

Earlier this week, the Gainesville residents were faced with a tragic, horrific ordeal when a Toyota collided with a tractor trailer hauling kegs of beer. The driver was moving south along I-75 at 7:20 am when "for unknown reasons, drove the Toyota across the center and inside lanes before hitting the median guardrail. Then the pick up returned to the freeway where it was hit by the semi." A witness who wished to remain anonymous reported the driver seemed on edge and particularly eager to get to the beer. Haven't we all been there?

The Gainesville Sun goes on to report that minutes later a late-model GMC truck crashed into the semi "coming to a stop about eight feet inside the trailer. Columbia County firefighters and deputies were instrumental in cleaning up the crash site and controlling traffic." The cleaned up beer will be used at this week's Columbia County FD Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament & Fundraiser (to buy a new hook and ladder truck).

In a related story, Sherriff Buford T. Justice is still chasing the Bandit and Cledus.









Thanks to our friends at Gheorge for the tip.

It's Freakin' Freezing In Here

According to our friends at The Weather Channel it's currently 12 degrees (Farenheight) in our nation's capital. Why does that matter? Because that's where we are writing from in a wonderful 98 year old rowhouse where the relatively new heating system completely crapped out. The same system that had a complete system tune up is officially tuned off. The coldest day of the 2008-2009 winter and I'm writing in my winter cap and long johns.

Just sitting here - waiting for the repair man to come and fix her up. With any luck they will come before the witching hour. What's keeping our sanity? Beer. Raison D'Etre and it's 8 percent alcohol by volume. Normally we opine on the more important aspects of beer. It's flavors, colors, aromas. Every now and again you need the alcohol portion of the brew to keep your sanity - and to keep yourself from lighting this place ablaze and creating a neighborhood campfire to keep all the neighbors warm. Thanks Dogfish Head.

Obamagone

Belgian-owned brewery Ommegang, near Cooperstown, NY, found out just how fun the folks are at the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The brewers at Ommegang did a one off batch of beer just in time for next week's inauguration festivities. Dubbed "Obamagang", the TTB stepped in stating it is not permissible to use anyone's name or likeness without their permission. The newly re-named "Inauguration Ale 2009" will be available in select bars in Syracuse, Chicago, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and New York.

In a related story, Hostess will make available it's new "Inauguration Cupcake 2009". The previously named "Obamalama-ding-dongs" received the new moniker just after the Ommegang story broke in today's Examiner.

Hell's Bells

Despite a previous post, we do have a love for Michigan's Bell's Brewery. Maybe it's because Bell's makes us think of AC/DC's Angus Young parading on stage in his darling schoolboy uniform while blasting through chords handed down by the guitar gods or maybe it's just that they make good beer. Despite being bitch-slapped by the real estate crash, the Detroit Lions, and the slow bleed of the big three, blue staters have Bell's as a point of pride. Today's choice - Kalamazoo Stout.

This was love at first sight - literally. The label includes a sketch of a grumpy looking old guy with glasses and substantial balding. You might mistake him for Red in That '70s Show. We admit it, sometimes we purchase beer because of the label. Television taught us well.

The beer itself pours very dark and finishes with a nice thick head that's somewhat dark brown. It really is the ideal stout. In other words, it makes for a great drink or a great meal. A good mix of nutty, chocolate, coffee, and perhaps molasses flavors. Kalamazoo starts sweet and finishes with a hint of bitter. It's 6 percent alcohol and, according to Bell's, comes in at a light 220 calories per bottle. Don't let the calorie count or the looks deceive you. It's hard not to drink this beer quickly because it goes down smooth.

Fortunately, it's brewed and available year round. Bell's lists 13 states where you can get Kalamazoo but we found ours in DC - which is not listed. So, keep an eye open for a grumpy old man in the beer cooler. If he's on the shelf grab him by the six pack. If he's in the aisle grab him only if he appears to have fallen asleep in his hoveround.

Love Hate Love

InBev, you continue to be the bane of our existence. You are the corporate version of that relationship everybody has once in life. She's relatively pretty or even hot, somehow mysterious (maybe it's the French accent or maybe she's goth), the sex is crazy, the partying is crazier, late nights and work hangovers are the norm. It's white hot for three minutes and you spend the next 6 months (sort of) trying to end things. Looking back you loved every minute of it. You hated every minute of it too. InBev, you are the destructive relationship we can't escape.
Why can't we let you go? It's the beer. Stella Artois (for telling the bar you are a beer snob), Hoegaarden (bitches n' hoes), Leffe (we don't know what "abbey beer" means but we like it), and Budweiser (back to our roots, American).

Why do we hate you? We gave the benefit of the doubt when you gobbled up Anheuser-Busch and you promptly thanked us by dismissing much of the St. Louis staff. Now we get the 1-2 sucker punch of price hikes and discontinued free beer at theme parks. Starting in march your prices go up a meager 3.5 percent but, in case you didn't notice, there's a recession going on (see this story on the 2.6 million jobs lost in 2008 as a primer). We don't have rugrats running around but we always assumed the best thing about kids was taking them Busch Gardens so they can hit the rides and we can get a free beer for our troubles. Thanks for ending that. Now the kids will get to spend more time in the library and at math camp.