A Drinking Club with a Running Problem

Being reformed cross-country runners, we recall the heady days of 5K and 10k races. We also recall the evening before when runners gorge on pasta and complex carbohydrates to make sure there was enough energy for the next day's race.

The Boston Hash House Harriers running club takes a slightly different approach. This group runs together every Wednesday in the warmer months and takes periodic breaks during the run to have a beer. Sometimes they take a break from drinking beer to have a run.

The Harriers are one example of research conducted at the University of Miami, which "suggests alcohol consumption may be linked with at least one healthy behavior; specifically, researchers found that those who reported drinking more alcohol were also more likely to report exercising regularly."

According to an ABC News report, Michael French, Professor at the University, had these stunning results:

• Women who reported drinking more than 45 drinks in the past month -- a behavior that pushed them into the category of "heavy drinkers" -- exercised 14 more minutes per week on average than those light drinkers who drank one to 14 drinks in the month. These women also reported exercising on average 20 minutes more than those who abstained from alcohol altogether.

• [F]or men, with heavy drinkers -- those who threw back 75 drinks per month -- exercising 21 minutes more per week than light drinkers who only consumed one to 29 drinks per month and 23 minutes more than abstainers.

The reasons are hard to pinpoint. According to the report the connection may be that both drinking and exercise tend to be social activities (work hard, play hard). People who enjoy both may enjoy the endorphin buzz as much as the beer buzz. Whatever. The point is you can now justify joining that bar league softball team.

Texas: Don't Mess with Shiner Bock

Yesterday we went on a work bender, day trip to Houston, Texas. The cab picked us up promptly at 5:30 am for a 7:30 am out of BWI. By mid-morning we were in Texas where remarkably few people wanted to discuss the possibility of secession. Back at the the George Bush Intercontinental Airport by late-afternoon we decided there is no better state than Texas to introduce our 50 Beers in 50 States agenda.

Councourse E of GBI Airport has Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen, which we understand to one of the gem's of Houston. You can't always find a local restaurant in an airport so we ponied up a seat and quenched our thirst with Shiner Bock. Shiner is not hard to find in our part of the country but it's a brewery worthy of kicking off this tradition. The Spoetzel Brewery has been in Shiner, Texas since 1909 and even today it's a small town of around 2,000 residents. Shiner Bock is a smooth beer (the brewers appropriately call it mellow) that's highly drinkable. It would make for a good, everyday beer for any self-respecting Texan.

You will not find a lot of details on the brew itself as this series is more about the beer complimenting the atmosphere. Drinking Bock in Houston - even if it's only in the airport, in a seafood kitchen rather than a steakhouse - makes you feel like a Texan. After several Bock's we took a long nap on the flight home dreaming of F-150's, ZZ Top, and our next trip to the Lone Star State.

Shaq Vs. The Environment

Nobody likes skunked beer but we all have a couple of bottles in the back of the refrigerator. You know, the ones from last summer's 4th of July blowout where you bet the neighbor that fireworks couldn't possibly take off a finger. Well stumpy, now we have a use for that old beer.

The folks at E-Fuel Micro Fueler (wonder if they make fuel?) claim that "fuel from old beer, leftover wine and other waste products and use it to run their vehicles." It can also be used to run generator systems taking your house off the electric grid. According to the Los Angeles Times article, the system includes a 250 gallon tank that converts waste to pure ethanol. The still itself also serves as a fuel pump. The only waste is distilled water.

GreenHouse International, the company distributing the fuel systems, has a contract with Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Gordon Biersch, and Sierra Nevada. The plan is for GHI to pick up wasted beer from the breweries and deliver it to home-based mircofuelers.

Sure, saving the environment is fun but this is America so let's talk about the bottom line. The E-Fuel system runs around $10,000. "Factoring in the $5,000 federal tax credit, an annual household fuel consumption of 2,080 gallons and a $2 charge a gallon, GreenHouse estimates the average consumer payback time is about two years." If you use it for your car you'll get a lower gas mileage (according to the E-Fuel Web site the long-term goal is to have your ethanol cost only $1 per gallon) but your ride will contribute 38 percent less CO2 on the road.

We give it the Dumbarton stamp of approval. Within a couple of years you break even, you're helping the environment, and you're weening yourself off the addiction to oil. It doesn't hurt that Shaquille O'Neal is one of the E-Fuel investors.

Congress: It's Just Like College

It takes a while to get there but Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) funnels a beer with Stephen Colbert. The tea-bagging bit isn't bad either.

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gone Dogfishin'

It's not quite like getting an exclusive with Lebron James but this is a big week for us. The Trusty Assistant and her gang of merry men kicked off DC's 2009 Beer Week at Brasserie Beck for the Dogfish Head Happy Hour.

The Beck is known for it's French/Belgian food and brew. Today, they made room at the bar for some of Delaware's finest. From 5:00 - 7:00p it was a first-come-first-serve attack on the brewery fast becoming known for international ingredients. Most know Dogfish Head for their IPAs and rightfully so. Raison D'Etra speaks for itself. However, the Dogfish is walking the cutting edge with ancient recipes and ancient ingredients. It's fast becoming their new niche and they do it well. Raison, Theobroma, and Fort were on tap at $5.50 per this evening.

We focused on Theobroma. The Dogfish Head Rep told us "it's not as hot as you think", which conjures up images of suicide wings and a dare we couldn't pass up. The other bonus of Theobrama is that it is based on cocoa - like all that is good in life. The flyer at the bar notes that this brew includes "Aztec cocoa powder, cocoa nibs, honey, chiles, and annatto." It's a beer and it's hot. Not suicide wings hot but it leaves the taste buds tingling.

We paired Theobrama with the lamb sandwich and some of the best fries in the District. The two make a good pairing but given the Beck's offerings you could pair just about anything with Theobrama. You might also try the Quiche Lorraine.

The only negative to report is that the Beck ran out of both Theobrama and Fort. Sure, Raison is a good brew but running out of the rarities puts a damper on the festivities. It was a two-hour event so there's no good excuse for not allowing patrons to drink and be merry.

A Map of Beer Week Events

Want to know where you're DC Beer Week event is happening? Click on the map below - created by Capital Spice.

By Life and Limb

DogFish Head and Sierra Nevada announced a collaboration that will result in two new beers. Limb & Life will be a draft only brew available in October. Life & Limb will be released in 24 ounce bottles this November. According to the Dogfish announcement both brews are dedicated to "the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community."

Life & Limb will be 10 percent ABV and feature maple syrup grown on the Caglione family farm in Massachusetts and barley grown on the Grossman farm in Chico, CA. It will include birch syrup from Alaska and a yeast blended from both brew houses. The brewers describe it as "a sipper" where as Limb & Life is a 5 percent session brew featuring the residual sugar of the first brew.

DC Beer Week - This Time It's Official

In May, we brought you the unofficial beer week in Washington, DC that culminated in the SAVOR event at the National Building Museum. We are pleased to bring you the Inaugural DC Beer Week as mentioned in the Washington City Paper and detailed on the Fermentation Education group page on Facebook. The festivities kick off on August 16th and run through August 21st.

The highlights:

August 16th: “Unity Jam” at Rock & Roll Hotel - $20 gets you ten 4 oz. sample pours of rare craft beers.

August 17th: Dogfish Head Happy Hour at Brasserie Beck. 5-7 pm

August 18th: Rogue Oregon Oyster and Ale Festival at The Reef. 5-10 pm

August 19th: Belgian Beer Invades the Capitol at Capitol Lounge. 5 pm

August 20th: Brew at the Zoo After Party at Asylum, 9:30 pm

August 21st: Nationals v. Brewers - Drink the Nationals Park’s microbrews. Beer Week attendees receive 25 percent off tickets in selected areas.

There are many more events going on this week so make sure you check the DC Beer Week Web site. You will also find participating breweries and restaurants.

Cheers!

View from Above

In July, the BBC helped us show you an advertisement for North Korea's Taedonggang Beer. Today, with more help from the BBC, we bring you proof that the brewery exists. Thanks to the wonder of satellite photography we have an aerial shot of the brewery - note the distinctive "M" shaped entrance.


Taedongang used to be Ushers Brewery in the United Kingdom. It was purchased by North Korea in 2000, dismantled and reassembled, and was up and running 18 months later.

Steve Has A Cousin in Illinois

Dennis Cretton had a problem. Due to a previous drunk driving conviction, Mr. Cretton is without a driver's license and he needed a beer. More specifically, Mr. Cretton needed a 12 pack of Milwaukee's Best. What's a man with a thirst to do?

The 49 year old Belleville, IL resident drunkenly hops on his yellow riding lawnnmower and heads to the nearest gas station on a beer run. Authorities tried to stop him when "Bretton drove the mower into his home's front yard, his 12-pack of Milwaukee's Best spilling onto the ground along the way."

Cretton is free on $10,000 bond.

Drinking at the Game

Team Marketing Report released it's annual Fan Cost Index, which ranks all 30 Major League Baseball teams on the costs of going to the ballpark. You will be surprised to find us focused on column four - the cost of beer. We break it down based on obvious rivalries.

Boston Red Sox - $7.25
New York Yankees - $6.00

Chicago Cubs - $6.00
Chicago White Sox - $6.50

Washington Nationals - $6.00
Pittsburgh Pirates - $4.75

The last pairing is less about rivalry and more about how much these fans must pay to forget they're watching baseball in either stadium. (In the spirit of full disclosure, we support the Nats despite the mess they put on the field.) The most expensive place to get a beer ($8.75) is AT&T Park, home to the San Fransisco Giants. Cheapest beer honor goes to the Arizona Diamondbacks at just $4.00.

Cheers!

The Latest in Auto Safety

George Hile's beer belly saved his life. In April, a truck carrying 35 tons of fertilizer smashed into his cattle truck leaving Mr. Hile with a cracked pelvis, two broken ribs, a fracture in his spine and torn tendons in his finger.

Said the article "Somebody who lacked the Lilyvale truck driver’s generous girth would have died...Mr Hile remembers seeing the bull bar of the semi-trailer just before impact, on the highway between Oakey and Toowoomba. He thought 'this is going to hurt'." (just like Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder.) Hile laughed it off saying "my guts saved me".

Mr. Hile is still confined to a wheelchair as his wife, Roslyn, has taken over his driving duties to keep the family business going. It will be more than a year before Mr. Hile will know if he can resume his career as a livestock carrier.