Happy Christmas!

A Happy Christmas to you and yours.  As you can see below, we had the inlaws over for the holiday again this year.  Hope your family behaves better than ours.

The Fifth Beer of Christmas

For the fifth beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought to us Long Trail's Hibernator.  Wait, why does Long Trail sound familiar?  Probably because Mike Rowe spent some time there for his hit show Dirty Jobs (episode titled Chick Sexer). Hibernator has been on our local grocer's shelf for a few weeks now and we couldn't really be bothered.  Today, we're feeling froggy so we decided to give it a whirl.

Hibernator is an unfiltered Scotch Ale.  We typically prefer to avoid Scotch Ales but Hibernator brings more than you might expect.  We could bore you with details about aroma and look but there's a picture available (see above) and we get all of eight readers a day, including the writer, and we're fairly certain that the general public really only cares about taste unless it's a skunked beer.  Anyway, Hibernator is a mellow brew where you almost wish for a bit more flavor although that would almost certainly ruin the fun.  The description on the label - "robust and malty brew" - is fairly accurate and perfect for a winter's night.  Malty brews are more complicated than they get credit for.  If you're not paying attention you'll dismiss a robust, malty brew as boring but we know all seven of you are paying attention.  So, go pick up some Hibernator.

The Fourth Beer of Christmas

For the fourth beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought to us Harpoon's Winter Warmer, which is apparently the beer equivalent of coal in the stocking.  In some ways, this is our fault - not because we were naughty or nice but because we didn't bother to read the label.  Winter Warmer is a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg to give a "balanced, pumpkin-pie flavor."

First, we don't like pumpkin pie - not even at Thanksgiving.  We're also not entirely crazy about nutmeg.  It's a good complimentary spice but not something that should be sharing center stage.  The color is copper and actually quite nice.  From afar, it really looks like a good winter's brew.  The aroma is nutmeg.  The flavor is nutmeg at the start and lingers in the aftertaste.  It's just too much for us.  While we enjoy cinnamon as much as the next craft brew drinker, we had trouble finding it in this brew.

Now we're sitting here with four Winter Warmers and we're not entirely sure what to do with it.  There's something inherently wrong with pouring beer down the drain, particularly if we can find a few who might enjoy a Warmer.  In fact, we dislike this brew so much we didn't bother taking a picture.  Actually, the camera batteries are dead.

Some Guys Will Do Anything for A Beer

Last night I was craving a brew.  So, I walked to the local grocer's beer aisle and picked up a six pack of Dogfish Head's Raison D' Etre.  A fine beer by any standard. 

I pony up to the register why my sixer by my side.  Suddenly, there we are; standing eye-to-eye.  It's just me and the clerk and only one of us is getting out of this mess alive.  This had the makings of a great story except that I simply paid for the beer and went home.  We both made it out alive.  So goes just about every other beer purchase across the country.  Except one...

In Flint, MI, a gentleman was shot by the store clerk and still picked up some beer - from the same store.  Seriously, here are the particulars:

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"The Flint Journal reports the unidentified victim told police he was standing outside the store about 9 p.m. Monday in the city about 50 miles northwest of Detroit when he heard a gunshot and felt a pain in his leg. The man asked the store clerk why he shot him, but did not get a response.

The victim then entered the store and bought beer. He later walked to a friend's home, who took him to a hospital."
Source: Chicago Tribune
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The Third Beer of Christmas

For the third beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought us Troegs Brewery's Java Head.  Sure, the original gift was to be Four Loko but it's hard to find these days.  The cool part of this stout is not that it's brewed with coffee beans - lots of stouts are brewed with coffee beans.  The guys at Troegs use beans roasted in the greater Harrisburg, PA area.  St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, PA roasts the beans.  The beer is good so we assume St. Thomas beans are pretty good as well.

Java Head comes in a 22 ounce bomber, which is our preferred container for beer these days.  It pours dark like a coffee stout should.  The head is short, thick, and cafe mocha in color.  There is clearly a roasted coffee aroma with a hint of chocolate.  It's a smooth beer that's on the lower half of the carbonation continuum.  There is certainly a heavy, mealy start to this one but it fades as your palette adjusts.  You can definitely taste the coffee with just a bit of sweetness but the finish is a bit bitter.

It's a pretty good beer and we're a bit sorry we didn't pick up a couple of bombers.  That said, it's not the most memorable.  If you're in the mood for a solid stout you can't miss with Java Head but it is not the kind of beer your going to seek out for special occasions.

DC Brau Receives Label Approval

We're a bit remiss for not having posted this earlier in the week (back when it was news) but for the few who have yet to see it, below is the recently-approved labels for DC Brau's the Public Pale Ale.  Kudos to the good fellas at the Brau.  The labels are sharp.  We can't wait for the cans filled with beer to start rolling out.

Take a quick scan and you'll notice the label include "DC Statehood Facts".  Each of the DC Brau brews will feature statehood facts and you can contribute to the cause.  They still need facts for the Citizen and the Corruption.  Yes, you can win something but is there anything better than bragging rights?  Below are the qualifiers.

1-You must be 21
2-The facts must relate to one of the two topics
3-The fact must be written exactly as you would like to see it on the can
4-160 character limit (perfect for the Tweeters)
5-Deadline is December 6th and entries must be sent to cancontest@dcbrau.com
6-Don't use the DC Brau Facebook page to submit entries

Get more information at the DC Brau Blog.

The Second Beer of Christmas

For the second beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought us Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's Celebration Ale.  Great Lakes Brewing set the bar pretty high for being first out of the gate but Celebration Ale is no slouch of a beer.

You won't be surprised to find that Celebration Ale is upfront on the hops.  It's probably the first thing you pick up in the aroma and if you miss it in the taste you just don't understand the Christmas spirit.  The color is copper or rust - or somewhere in between.  Let's be honest, color is fine but it's all about the taste.  The hop and malt flavors are pretty well balanced throughout - leaving the taste buds with that bittersweet feeling that is so appropriate for the holidays.  That said, this is a Sierra Nevada brew so the hops are ever present.  The flavor lingers a bit and brings about that warm feeling everybody needs in the winter months.  It's medium-bodied so will not fill you up, which is good because you will certainly need a second - and third.

Sierra Nevada, like many of the older craft brewers, is fairly "user friendly".  You know what you're getting with the signature Pale Ale.  What makes them a great craft brewer is a willingness to push their brews into new areas while staying true to their brand.  Whether it's a seasonal brew, a limited brew, or a year round brew you know a Sierra Nevada when you drink it.  Of course, anybody can do that.  Staying true and maintaining creativity is the great craft brew challenge.  Sierra Nevada doesn't disappoint.

The 12 Beers of Christmas

Last year, in typical fashion, we waited until the last minute to start a series on the best brews for the Christmas holiday.  This year, we're going corporate and starting the Christmas firestorm before Thanksgiving (thanks for the tip, GTB).  Next year, we'll start around Columbus Day.

On the first day of Christmas, our trusty assistant brought to us one heavy hitter.  The other 11 Christmas brews should be on alert because the bar is set high right out of the gate.

Great Lakes Brewing Company makes many good brews - Lake Erie Monster is among our favorites.  The Christmas Ale though is what the holidays are all about - you expect a gift and are "happy" to receive anything because that's what the holidays require but then you get this gift totally out of left field that seems like it was made only for you and the person who gave the gift "gets you".  Our holiday plan is to drink as much GLBC Christmas Ale as possible so this may be a short series.

Brewed with cinnamon, ginger, and honey, this beer feels like the holidays.  It pours a nice amber-red with an mild light brown head that doesn't last particularly long (that's what she said).  Generally, the term "balanced" is overused in craft reviews but this time we mean it.  This beer is a bit on the sweet side but it is well balanced by the spices so you get great flavor from start to finish.  The sweet side keeps you coming back for more and the spices warm the cockles of your heart (that's what she said).  We didn't really pick up the Hallertau and Cascade hops in the aroma or in the flavor but we're still confident they are in the beer.  For those who care, the Christmas Ale has a slew of medals - most don't care.




PS - We don't care if you call it Christmas, X-mas, Happy Holidays or anything else.  Chill out and have a beer.

The Hollywood Beer Post

Straight from the TMZ newsroom we bring you the stories that matter.  If it involves a celebrity then it matters so we'll get right to it.

Dr. Jones Verifies Age - Harrison Ford, famed actor in the Star Wars movies (the good ones), the Indiana Jones series, and countless other blockbuster films was asked for identification while out on a recent beer run.  Mr. Ford is 68 years old.  According to the report, the guy behind the counter said everybody gets carded.  Said Mr. Harrison "I went to buy some beer the other day and got carded! I said, 'I'm 68-years-old'".  Our best guess is that the clerk was confused by the earring and wanted to know if it was Ford or Ed Bradley.

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Mi How You've Grown - Miley Cyrus continues to act with maturity beyond her years.  This time by having a cold one at the tender age of 17 in Spain.  The good news is that the drinking age in Spain is 18.  The bad news is it's still underage drinking.  Don't worry about Ms. Cyrus getting in trouble because for Spanish authorities "underage drinking is simply no big deal".  No word on who her mother was sleeping with at the time - apparently it was not Bret Micheals.

Nobody Circles the Wagons

A few months back we talked about the brewing renaissance in our adopted hometown.  Today, we're bringing you a brewing renaissance in our actual hometown, Buffalo, NY.  Sitting on the shores of Lake Erie, Buffalo has a rich brewing history.  Well, it did through the mid-1970s when the last brewery in town, the Iroquois Brewery, closed its doors.  But in it's heyday Buffalo boasted more than 35 breweries.

It's a tough economy in upstate NY but the people of Buffalo are tough too.  Since the collapse of the steel industry, the region has struggled to rebuild its economy.  Urban planning consists of little more than looking for a silver bullet (a great read is Power Failure).  The Adelphia Tower collapsed with the rest of the cable company.  Bass Pro was never coming.  The new Peace Bridge is coming next year, again.  NFTA still owns the waterfront.

Sounds pretty bleak but it's always darkest before the dawn and every cloud has a silver lining.  It's not clear if you can see the silver lining just before dawn but that's not the point.  The medical corridor has been quietly revitalizing parts of the city and seems to be poised for major gains.  Buffalo is a micro-financial center with headquarters for HSBC*, M&T Bank, and First Niagara.  Yahoo! opened a data center nearby and Verizon may be next.  Moog and Fisher-Price are nearby.  CNBC recently ranked Buffalo-Niagara the second best place to relocate to in the US.  Forbes called it the third most affordable to live in.

And, now Buffalo is rebuilding its brewing community.  Flying Bison is back and better than before.  The Blue Monk is open for business.  Pearl Street Grill & Brewery continues to be an anchor for downtown.  This long-winded ode to home leads us to Community Beer Works - the newest brewing endeavor in Buffalo.  We've mentioned CBW in the past but today we bring you a conversation with Ethan Cox, one of the founders of the company (special thanks to CBW's Dan Conley for pulling this together).  Enjoy!

Background

DB:  How did you get into brewing and how did it become a business idea?

CBW:  Well, there are nine of us collectively in this thing, and we vary from investors & advisers to homebrewers & jacks-of-all-trades.  So, we have varied paths to get here.  Myself, I’ve been homebrewing since college, though grad school and even still.  I’ve been a lover of all things beer for a while, and this was just a natural consequence of a bunch of things coming together.  Did I chose it, or did it choose me?  I wonder.

DB:  Can a nanobrewery really be profitable?

CBW:  We’re not anticipating being in the black right off the bat, like any startup.  And, it’s only sustainable, in our eyes, because we see a limited period of “sweat equity” (= no pay) and rapid growth.  That said, what’s “profitable?”  Some of these breweries are sustainable at a hobby level or slightly more, and I’m sure their owners are really happy with what they do and the level they’re doing it at.  Our business plan and financials will quickly allow some 4 to 5 of use to make a good living making good beer, and that’s essentially the minimum we’re shooting for.  Not like we’ll avoid exceeding expectations, mind you!

DB:  The raging debate in the craft industry is around defining a “nanobrewery”.  Care to provide your definition or is this much ado about nothing?

CBW:  We don’t want to get embroiled in a debate about categories--doesn’t that happen enough in beer already?--but, we are grateful that people before us have paved the way for making a startup of this size a viable idea, and for documenting the process.  We were reading about all these great brewers like Hess and Blind Bat, and we thought: “There it is, it’s for us, let’s do that.”  As to when, precisely Sam Adams is no longer “craft” and questions of the like- here: I like some of Sam’s beers and I buy them sometimes, and Hair Of The Dog, too.  Isn’t that good enough?

The Brewery

DB:  Who will make your system?

CBW:  All the BTUs and controls, and as well, the heat transfer system, are being fabricated by Chris Breimayer at Psychobrew, in Michigan.  We looked initially at a Sabco--who doesn't?--but thankfully, with some input from Paul at Blind Bat, we realized that maybe 10 gallon batches was too crazy, and that 1.5bbl was just crazy enough.  Then we had to shop for some stainless, and we found Stout tanks & kettles in Portland. John Watt’s products are just beautiful, and he was able and willing to build us the kettles we really wanted to have on the burners- it’s a RIMS, and it’ll be nice and precise.  The tanks he’s assembling are also custom-sized for our batches, and they’ll be air-cooled in bays we’re building off our walk-in cooler.  It’s a bit unconventional, perhaps, but we can rock it.

DB:  According to reports, CBW hopes to have a series of nanobreweries across the city.  Is CBW operating like a franchise?

CBW:  Well, for time time being, we just want to get one brewery open, for sure.  As for expansion, we’ll see exactly which way that goes when we can better analyze our growth curve.  We are interested in doing other projects in the area, but not necessarily a series of nano-breweries.

DB:  You getting any help from the good folks at Flying Bison?

CBW:  Oh, of course.  We’re trying to learn as much as we can on our our own, but Tim is an excellent brewer and a super resource, he’s very approachable.  As we continue our transition from paper to brick-and-mortar brewery, I know we’ll be drawing on all the brewing resources in the community. As a bunch of current and experienced homebrewers, too, I know we’ll be soliciting advice from both the industry and the hobby levels- I talk to Ian & Bert at Niagara Traditions homebrew shop frequently.

The Brew

DB:  Want to tip your hand on what you will brew?

CBW:  Our main beer will be an American Pale Ale, we just love a good session beer, and it is the quintessential American microbrew revolution beer, perfected in Northern California, but certainly something we can do and do well.  As homebrewers, we’re off and developing prototypes even now.  We like the style in part because it makes for a good, local beer, in that freshness really matters for good hop expression.  It is just a beautiful well-rounded and approachable brew.

We’re also going to have a saison right off the bat, which is because we love the complexity and depth of that style: it pairs with so many kinds of food, it’s a style with a great history, it has beer geek gravitas, and quite frankly, we all like to suck ‘em down.  They are a challenge to brew and will need some real attention, but we’ll also hand-bottle, cork, cage & label them initially and it’ll be a fun offering.

DB:  Is there a Dumbarton’s Ale in the business plan?

We’re definitely planning to do lots of one-off batches, that’s the beauty of a small and flexible beginning.  What kind of beer is a Dunbarton Ale?  I somehow suspect it is got some Scots to it, so that’s good because a slow, cold ferment is definitely a Buffalo-style beer: Let’s talk!

Activism

DB:  You’ve indicated plans of incorporating urban farms and community gardens.  How will they be incorporated into the work of the brewery?  Do you risk trying to do too much?

CBW:  We’re very much committed to responsible brewing and business practice- it’s just the kind of people we are but also we think it’s the way to be a successful business.  We’re far from the first brewery to incorporate green practices into the brewhouse, and we’ll be limited initially, too.  Green doesn’t mean DIY, all the time.  We’re looking at solar water for pre-heating our brewing water- this will save money on gas, primarily.  Worms will eat our spent grain, and that in turn will contribute to a aquaponic fish farm on the west side- it’s perfectly symbiotic, apparently worms love grain, so all we have to do is arrange the transfer.  As for gardens- on down the road, maybe some minimal hops, or specialty grains which we lovingly malt ourselves, enough for something like an “Urban Estate” ale?  We’ll see, but we’re not afraid to put our ideals into our business.

Last Thoughts

DB:  Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or The Natural?

CBW:  It’s gotta be Planes, Trains and Automobiles.  We’re comi-tragic!

DB:  Thoughts on the new Sabres uniforms?

Fuck Yeah!  Old School Rules!

DB:  What else should we know about Community Beer Works?

Our favorite air-guitar player is definitely Bjorn Turoque

If You've Got it, Flaunt It

After

We've long supported equality issues here at Dumbarton's Beer and today we're one step closer to achieving that dream.  Spanx, popular among the ladies, recently unveiled its lineup for men and we say it's about time.  Why do women get to keep physical secrets but not men? 

Soon enough men will be walking down the street as women whistle at them like, well like construction workers.  Nobody will really know if that man is chiseled from hours at the gym or hiding man boobs and a beer gut because he's just coming from the local tavern.

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A spokesperson from the company said: ‘There’s no chance of a sagging bum with this range’, and are designed to ‘firm and flatten’.

The American founder of Spanx, Sarah Blakely, said: ‘We applied out 10 years of knowledge and expertise in compression fabrics and transforming the body to this first-of-its-kind collection for men.’
Source: MetroUK

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Is that Dumbarton's Beer pictured?  We'll never tell.

We Know It When We See It

Excuse the pun, but there's been a brouhaha in recent week's over the label design for Lost Abbey's Witches Wit.  With Halloween right around the corner the timing couldn't be better.  The Pagan, Wiccan, and even the Deaf-Pagan communities are up in arms over the label, which features a witch in what appears to be a medieval town center, being burned at the stake in front of the townspeople. 

Deaf Pagans Crossroads is but one example of a Pagan priest offended by the label.  Recently, a letter to Lost Abbey was posted saying "[a]s an ordained Pagan minister and long-time practicing witch, I am TOTALLY DISGUSTED with the label you are using for your Witch's Wit beer." (Emphasis not added.)  Comments to the post included phrases we can all agree upon in matters like these:  "way over any bounds of decency", "is inappropriate", "in very bad taste", and of course the obligatory comparisons to the Holocaust with "you can’t put a lable (sic) of a Jew being gased (sic) and justify it by writing a paragraph about the horrors of genocide."

This all started when the New York Times ran a piece about Vicki Noble's accidental run in with the brew.  Ms. Noble likes beer but does not like the label.  For those of you not in the know, Ms. Noble is a feminist leader who "is famous in the pagan and Wiccan communities for her astrology readings, shamanic healing and writings about goddess spirituality".  According to the Times, she sent an E-mail to various contacts expressing outrage over the label calling it hate imagery and comparing it to images of the Holocaust and lynchings.

The Lost Abbey line of brews is known for religious bent in their labeling.  In the craft brew world, brewers and drinkers have come to appreciate labels as art.  Yes, labels are marketing tools but they are art as well - somewhere, Warhol is smiling.  Even if it's not art (who's to say, really?) it's probably protected by the First Amendment.

Since we're not Constitutional lawyers or members of the Tea Party we decided to put our best men on the case.  While Lost Abbey may be changing the label you can't un-ring the bell and we need to know if this is art, marketing, offensive, or pointless filler because we have nothing else to write about.  Our best men went undercover and filed this report (you be the judge):

Thar She Blows!

In many ways, this blog is like the novel Moby Dick.  While motivations differ, like Captain Ahab we are in search of one specific thing.  For the Captain, it's the fierce great whale Moby Dick.  For Dumbartons Beer it's the perfect beer.  So it was, we were on yet another wandering journey through the beer aisle looking for our white whale when we stumbled upon Cisco Brewers Whale's Tale Pale Ale.

What makes the Whale's Tale worth discussing?  First, the name rhymes and that's just fun.  Second, Cisco Brewers is based in Nantucket, MA leaving open the possibility of endless childish "poems".  Finally, Cisco Brewers makes shatters the beer-wine barrier by brewing both.  Some wineries force the "wine is for the average joe" and other breweries push "beer can be as sophisticated as wine".  Cisco puts both philosophies into practice and proves both are right.  Just for giggles, they offer a distillery too.  So, basically, it's Nirvana.

All of this is well and good if the beer is good (we didn't stumble upon their vino or their spirits - yet).  It turns out the beer is good.  For reasons best left unsaid, we're unable to pour this fine brew into a glass but let's be honest for a moment - most people are concerned with a beer's taste.  Light, dark, head retention, lacing, yadayadayada - how does it taste? 

It's an English Ale that is best described as a mellow brew.  There's a lot of good, earthy flavor.  The hops are prominent and the floral aroma is comforting.  The Whale's Tale doesn't have a lot of "depth" and is not overly complex, as some beers tend to be.  This is a beer that reminds you of a simpler time - a nostalgia that can only be brought forth by lovers of the sea.  We're land lovers but we are happy we found the Whale's Tale and will surely grab more Cisco brews (be it wine, beer, or spirits) if we can find it - and we recommend you do the same.

A Penny Saved is a Beer Earned

We are not a nation of savers.  It's not clear we ever have been - at least not in recent years.  Don't believe us, check out the chart below. Yes, the marketing folks at Nationwide Insurance claim it's our national pastime but we all know Americans are much better at spending than they are at saving.  Like it or not it's a consumer economy and we're a consumer girl.

Not only are we bad at saving the country is stuck in a recession.  Well, officially the recession is over but few people are feeling the positive vibes.  During these difficult times, stories abound of folks doing their part to cut a few corners and save a few pennies (like these poor souls).  Sure, growing your own garden, bagging your lunch, or renting out the guest house can help but we found something better.  Our friends at the Western Bank in Vietnam recently launched a nationwide promotion that offers authentic German Bitburger beer for making deposits.

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"Tropical Vietnam has a long tradition of beer drinking, introduced by French colonists in the late 19th century....

Authorities have been trying for months to get banks to cut interest rates, both on loans and deposits, so lenders have had to get creative in the fight for depositors."
-Reuters
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Of course, there's a catch.  And like any good lender we're putting the fine print at the bottom.  Depositors get one large can of Bitburger for each deposit of 7.5 million dong (don't worry, it's only $385 US) through November 25, 2010.  You can thank us later for not reducing the font size to 1.5.

This Post Will Self-Destruct in Five Seconds

We're writing tonight from our undisclosed, TOP SECRET, bunker outside the District borders.  Dick Cheney is in the next room working on another heart attack but don't worry we've hidden the guns. Our dedication to occasionally bringing you beer reviews is the reason for risking the security of this great land.  Freedom, liberty - sure they're important but rambling on about the devil's swill is more important.

Speaking of the devil tonight we're sipping DuClaw Brewing Company's Devil's Milk. This is an American Barleywine Ale that pours rusty in color giving us a nice, thick copper and eggshell head.  We would love to include a picture to give you a better sense of the brew but we're already risking too much.  The Devil's Milk, as the name might indicate, is warm and spicy but there's a sweet chewiness that lingers on the palette.  The aroma is flowery and we can sense the hops but they never really come through in the taste.  An empty glass is left with a spider web of foam, typically a good sign for any brew.

We have never really been sold on barleywines.  It's good to have one every now and again and the Devil's Milk is as good as any other.  Though we don't have a special place in our hearts for barleywines we polished off the entire bomber; you know, out of respect for the beer.  So, what we're really saying is that if the future holds more time in undisclosed bunkers we probably won't be bringing a supply of barleywines.  Of course, if that's all they have in the TOP SECRET refrigerator we will drink it.  Just doing our part for the cause.

Dark Times and Free Beer

Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser brand has been getting killed lately.  According to USA Today, Bud unit sales are down 9 percent from last year.  Further evidence of the decline is Bud's place on the Brand Keys Loyalty Leaders list, which ranks consumer loyalty of the top 501 consumer brands (presumably Levi's 501 Original Jeans ranks high on this list).  In 2003, Bud was number 16 but dropped to 220 in 2010.  Things are so bad for the brand that Anheuser-Busch recently started charging up to $2,000 for Budweiser's Clydesdales appearances - sorry Timmy, your stuck with Bozo the clown for your birthday.

The folks at Anheuser-Busch are not going to let the craft brew industry get in the way of their world beer domination so they're unveiling a new, hip marketing push: Bud Emo.

That's right, born in Washington, DC and now representing much of what's hip in music, fashion, and Justin Beiber, emo is going adult contemporary.  Anheuser-Busch is attempting to reach the under 30 crowd, which it has all but ignored in recent years.  Going forward, all Bud brand labels will be in black though certain labels will include a trim of nauseatingly bright colors.  The new slim fitting Bud bottles will be decked out in studded black belt trimmed labels.  Select cases of Bud and Bud Light will come with a free pair of thick, black, horn-rimmed glasses.  The movement will culminate with a free Bud tasting on September 29, 2010, at the National Budweiser Happy Hour (ages 21 and over).

If you're under 30 and want to get ahead of the curve we are here to help.  We scoured the interwebs to find the graphic below.  Follow the detailed fashion advice, download some Weezer, order a Bud, and commence with sharing the tragedy that is your life.  Never forget that you're emo, you're under 30 so nothing is more important than the trumped up pain your feeling right now.  In fact, you should stop reading this and tweeter your pain so we can all share in the center of the universe that is you.

Beer + Bacon = Heaven

And our high school math teacher said we would never get word problems.

You know the Heavy Seas Beer & Bacon Festival is well planned when you find them handing out strips of bacon at the merchandise shop bar.  A slice of bacon and a glass of Small Craft Warning is a nice start to the day. We also hit the Prosit, Red Sky at Night, Pale Ale, and the bourbon barrel-aged Great'er Pumpkin - flowing through a carved out pumpkin.  Among our favorites was Red Sky and the Small Craft Warning.  The food was great too, particularly the duck bacon, but we'll leave it to Bacon, Baking & Everything in Between to fill in the details.

Saturday's event was more about the bringing together of two beautiful dietary creations - beer and bacon.  Heavy Seas showed us a good time with plenty of grub and plenty of swill. We're still dehydrated but it was worth it. 

A few pics from the afternoon:

Bacon and Beer and Everything's Nice

Just roll these out to my car, please.

For dessert, I'll have the antacid.

Pumpkin keg stand anybody?

For us, this is the equivalent of a bank robber finding the vault.

Home Sweet Home

Due to the intricate sophistication of Dumbarton's Beer you probably assumed our roots grow deep in the soil that is inside the beltway.  Well, like 98 percent of DMV residents we're squatters and tonight we're missing home just a bit.

You might recall that we covered the short-lived soap opera surrounding the sale of Flying Bison Brewing Company (FBBC).  While that seems to have resolved itself in a positive way we recently learned of a nanobrewery attempting to open shop in the Queen City.  Community Beer Works is comprised of a small group of locals looking to help return Buffalo to its halcyon days of brewing.  By early 2011, the folks at CBW expect to brew 1 bbl batches in a former malting building on Lafayette Avenue in the City's East Side.  According to reports, CBW will brew up to 6,000 gallons next year and be producing upwards of 34,000 gallons annually within five years.  Partner Ethan A. Cox told the Buffalo News that the long-term plan is to have a series of nanobreweries across the city.  "We want to be a small neighborhood brewery and 10 years down the line have a series of Community Beer Works in other neighborhoods."  Today, the Buffalo News did a small piece noting that CBW received necessary approval from the Buffalo Zoning Board.  A small, but critical, step in planning and development.  Kudos to the folks at CBW.  Our collective mouths water for your local fare.  In the meantime, we'll keep trying to get FBBC to distribute some Aviator Red south of the Mason Dixon.

As if karma were aligning the stars for this post, we also read this little piece by John Vogl on the new, and very improved, uniforms for our Buffalo Sabres (more info here).  Mercifully, the slug is gone.  Back are the original blue and gold uniforms with a few modifications but old school fans are not going to be disappointed.  Now we won't look so out of place in our original Perrault home jersey - remember when teams wore home white jerseys?  Those were the days.  In celebration of their 40th anniversary the Sabres will also unveil a new third/alternate jersey that's a nod back to pre-NHL days for western New York.  No word on whether the Sabres management has plans for celebrating 40 years of not winning a Stanley Cup but we might pick up that new alternate jersey anyway.  We're homers.  We miss home.

Beer, Deer - Hey, it Rhymes

For years Bambi watched men in camouflage and bright orange caps use hunting as an excuse to get hammered with old high school buddies and not with the wife and kids.  Today, Bambi decided to join in on the fun.

Decisions, Decisions

Decision 2010 is upon us.  If you haven't started to see the advertisements already you will in short order - particularly if your community is ground zero for a ripe electoral challenge.  Living in Washington, DC, we don't have that problem.  Our Senators are but shadows on Capitol Hill - no, seriously the official position is that of Shadow Senator.  On the House side we have an elected Representative, Elanor Holmes Norton, but she can't actually vote on legislation.  Ms. Norton can, however, introduce legislation.  Our local government passes laws that must be reviewed and approved by Congress.  We also get to serve in the military and get stuck with jury duty.  All of this and we still get to pay federal taxes.

But do you really come here to read the plight of the more than 500,000 Americans who don't have representation in Congress?  If so, get active at DC Vote.

If not, you might be interested in political news out of Minnesota where one hopeful, who is probably a tea partying Communist (oh, it's possible), may have voted to tax bacon AND beer.  Check this out:




I mean, would Jim the Election Guy lead us on?  Well, probably.  Actually, Jim the Election Guy is probably a tea partying Communist too.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
DC Voting Rights Act - Eleanor Holmes Norton
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

Believe it or not, residents of Washington, DC once had a vote but Congress took it away with the passage of the Organic Act in 1801.  DC residents have been allowed to vote in Presidential elections since 1961.

So, when you head to the polls in November remember you're not just voting for your representation you're also voting for ours.

Ommegang Bangin'

Talk about feeling like you're not worthy to purchase, let alone drink, a beer.  Brewery Ommegang surely is one intimidating brewery.  Their logo is medievil.  Their brew names (Hennepin, 3 Philosophers, Rare Vos) are imposing.  Go ahead, Google image the brewery and prove us wrong.

So, while we've seen Ommegang on the shelf for years the best we could muster was to turn our head low and divert our eyes from the king - well, we assume they're the king because they're always on the top shelf.

The trusty assistant, out on assignment, finally broke the spell and picked up Hennepin for our palette.  Note we pictured it with a red flower to give it an air of comeuppance.  Overall, we like it.  If we didn't - off with our heads.  Hennepin is a Belgian-style saison.  According to Ommegang you "[p]our slowly so as to not disturb the yeast sediment, but with enough vigor to create a luxurious head and realease the rustic bouquet."  Actually, you have little choice but to pour slowly because the head explodes and takes up much of your pint.  If you're not thirsty when you start pouring you will be when you're done.

That said, it is well worth the wait.  Ommegang is right about the "rustic bouquet" upon pouring.  It's a yeasty almost mealy beer.  You could almost call it a bread but the spice is right, which strikes a solid balance with the yeast.  By no means heavy, it's crisp and almost refreshing (even if those words are over-used in the beer world).  It's body is hazy yellow.  Eventually, the head thins out to almost nothing.  That might mean something but not to us.  We find it rather complex - maybe due to our lack of saison experience - but it's smooth and easy to drink with a spicy aftertaste.

Bonus Points: Hennepin is named for Father Hennepin, the Belgian missionary who discovered Niagara Falls.  There is no truth to the rumor that Father Hennepin went over the falls in an old beer barrel.

Frogger Never Had it so Good

We've mentioned before our affinity for purchasing a brew simply based on labeling (read a great post by Beer in Baltimore on the art of beer labels).  Hoppin' Frog was not one of these impulse buys.  In this case we were browsing the "aisles" at D'vines looking for something different.  A frog holding a beer is certainly different.  No telling what happens when you kiss the frog.  Anyway, this is one Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout.

B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout is quality. It pours thick like molasses and creates a thick dark brown head.  Like any good Imperial stout the body is dark as night.  Like others we've tried, including the oak barreled stouts, the aroma kind of kicks you in the teeth (note: Hoppin' Frog offers a barrel-aged version).  What sets BORIS apart from other imperial stouts is flavor.  Yes, it has the requisite deep roast, full bodied flavor but BORIS has a greater balance of hops than any stout we've tried.  It's thick in  your mouth and goes down very smooth but doesn't fill you up - which is how we were able to pound the entire pint plus bottle.  By the way, it's 9.4 percent ABV so pound at your own risk.  It doesn't crush you, as Hoppin' Frog would have you believe, but BORIS reminds you that it could crush you but it chooses not to. 

This is the first Hoppin' Frog we've seen inside the beltway and they clearly focus on the brew and not the label art.  And that's OK.  If nothing else, this brew should serve as a reminder not to judge a beer by it's label.  While we search for the next great swill to drink we're going to dig up our Atari 2600 and fire up the Frogger.

SWAG!

Stuff We All Get.  Last week, Kona Brewing Company announced via the twitters an effort to reach new FaceBook heights.  In return, they offered a small prize package.  We were among the first six to "like" Kona and now we really are winners in life.  The cubicle is perfectly suited for such contests. 

If only we can get the timing down for being the 9th caller on the KLAM morning radio show with Dark Chocolate and the Teej.

"Hey! From the racks and stacks, it's the best on wax! How 'bout another double-golden-oldie-twin-spin-sound-sandwich from K-L-A-M in Portland?"

We Miss Hockey

We just passed the mid-point of August and while it's been a better month than June or July it's still hot, still humid.  The NFL preseason is underway.  Favre is back (again).  The Buffalo Bills annual flake out to Toronto is upon us.  All of which reminds us that NHL training camps are just around the corner.  To help get us all through the remaining dog days of summer we bring you some fond memories.



Of course, no hockey-related post is worth its salt without the wisdom of Don Cherry.

Sixpoint is in Beast Mode

Dogfish Head gets all the credit for being zany and out there with their brewery and their brews.  They may have met their match with Brooklyn's Sixpoint Craft Ales.  We asked Founder, Shane C. Welch to answer a few questions.  Well, we got answers.

This is the second in our irregular series of interviews with the industry's cutting edge brewers.  Grab a beer and enjoy the ride.

Background

DB: How did you get into brewing and how did it become a business idea?

SW: I got into brewing while drinking a stein of beer when I was two years old.  Seriously!  When I was a kid, I would sometimes nab my father's ceramic stein from the coffee table.  It was filled with cold, sweet, delicious beer, and when he had either left the room or fallen asleep the stein was unattended.  I knew it had to have something special inside...it was such a fancy glass, and my Dad always seemed to drink out of it and enjoy it.  So I hoisted that oversized ceramic container over my head with my little kid hands and chugged it!  My parents were shocked and amused by the whole ordeal...so they took a photo of me.  Birth of a brewer.

I don't know the exact point when it became a business idea...but I image it was sometime when I was making beer at home at 19 years of age and then decided to drop out of college so I could homebrew full-time and seek the job of professional brewer.  Haha.


DB: Can you highlight a few of the unanticipated challenges of starting a brewery?

SW: Where to start?  Haha.  Let's see...never having enough money, running out of beer, not enough space, can't seem to find out where your kegs went, mechanical failures in the brewery, random complaints at accounts at 1am calling your cell phone, burglaries at the brewery, getting jumped and mugged outside of the brewery at dusk, accidental fire that almost burned the brewery to the ground, you know....the usual. 


DB: When you’re not brewing what are you doing with your free time?

SW: Hanging out with my girlfriend, being a total beast and romping around the park with my dog, riding my bike, reading books, drinking tea, kicking back with a cold one, exploring NYC and beyond.

The Brewery

DB: You rather proudly brew “by hand” using your own hand made mash paddle.  Given this old school style, is consistency more of a challenge for you than it is for those more apt to rely on aluminum paddles and computers?

SW: You may think that you are stirring the mash with a wooden mash paddle, but you're actually stirring up the raging beast within yourself.  Nuff said!


DB: Anything other equipment hand made?

SW: Just about the entire brewhouse is hand made!  Everything from the custom control panels, to the vapor condenser, keg grant, CIP system, hard-pipe network, keg racker, etc.  Its a big collection of salvage parts from auctions that have been repurposed and engineered to make a bona fide Frankenstein craft brewery.


DB: Can you tell us about the brewery system (number of barrels, who designed and manufactured it, etc)?

SW: Its a Frankenstein system - a collection of tanks, vessels, and apparati from all over the world.  Its a 15 bbl system, but we have some 15, 22, and 30 bbl tanks.  Much of the recent engineering and overhaul was done by our in-house guru and engineer, David Liatti.


DB: We notice that Brooklyn Brewery is not on your list of “allies”.  Do you live in their shadow, peacefully co-exist, or consider them friends and colleagues?

SW: They're definitely an ally, and we peacefully co-exist.  We're in the process of renovating the website, and I think that section will be removed altogether.  The reason why is the issue of inclusion vs. exclusion.  Once you say, "here are our allies" then by default some people think if you did not mention someone, then you're automatically not friends with them.  Not true.  You simply don't have the space or recollection to name every single person whom you love and respect.  Thus, we're going to disable that link.

The Brew

DB: Brewing with lava rocks.  Is this legit or a marketing ploy (or a little of both)?

SW: Its totally legit.  That movie was put together on a whim and shoestring with an old college roommate and friend of mine.  We didn't know what to expect from it, and we were just having fun.  No one would have anticipated the viral sensation it became.  It actually has a historical connection and significance, and an educational aspect to it.  We're happy to share it with the world, and apparently they liked it as well.


DB: We ask this for very selfish reasons but when can we expect to find Sixpoint available in the Washington, DC area?

SW: Yikes.  Well, we can't promise anything soon.  We have all to do right now to meet the demand in NYC.  Once we can take care of our folks here, then we'll maybe consider DC.


DB: Want to tip your hand on upcoming, yet to be announced brews?

SW: We're making our first-ever pumpkin beer next week.  Its going to be a collaborative effort among the entire brewing staff at Sixpoint.  The dudes are psyched!

Activism

DB: Your love of Brooklyn is unabashed.  Do you support local events in and around the community?  How does Sixpoint give back?

SW: We support events all the time!  We give back with a simple principle - we try to build strong relationships with individuals and the community at large - and be a fountainhead of positive karma.


DB: Many mirco-brewers have a bit of a green bent.  Sixpoint lists Mother Nature first on your list of allies.  What does Sixpoint do to protect her?

We have company meetings where we get together to discuss how we can be less wasteful as a company.  In the past several years, we have designed the brewhouse so that we can effectively curtail the waste from our manufacturing processes to their lowest levels possible.  One of the biggest waste streams is actually invisible - that of heat energy loss.  Breweries use a ton of energy, but most of this thermodynamic energy is lost.  The best thing about this though is the heat can be recovered, repurposed, and redirected back into the throughput cycle.  As a result, we have designed and implemented systems to recover the heat energy from different processes of the brewing stages to be redirected back into the system.  The result?  We cut our natural gas usage by over 30%!  Its just one of the things we've done on a small scale to make it more environmentally friendly.

Last Thoughts

DB: Brooklyn is Burning or No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn?

SW: Let me put it to you this way:  Brooklyn is the new frontier; Manhattan is yesterday's news.

DB: Yankees or Mets?

I prefer the Brooklyn Cyclones.

SW: What else should we know about Sixpoint Craft Ales?

Our intention is to exceed your expectations.

DC Beer Week 2010

After last year's successful inaugural week, the good folks at DC Beer Week are back for a second round.  This year's festivities kick off on August 20, 2010 with DC Nerd Nite and Rock & Barley Concert at the Rock & Roll Hotel.  Of course, there are the standard fare happy hours, brewer meet & greets, and beer dinner pairings through out the week.  They've also added some novel events like the Cherry Blossom Craft Beer Cruise on August 22nd.

We've been having trouble viewing the DC Beer Week Web site, which could be do to our IT incompetence.  Absent the Web site, you can start planning your week by checking out this Washington CityPaper article.  You can also find events information on their Facebook page, twitter feed, or on the DC Beer Events calendar.  So basically you have no excuses for not finding something to do between August 20th and 28th.

Hope everybody inside the Beltway is getting thirsty.

Summer Time and the Drinkin's Easy

Let's be honest in this post.  We purchased Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale strictly because of our shameless affinity for pinup girls.  This is not the first time we've come across Lagunitas but it is the first time we've come across it in our local grocer's beer aisle.  Which, by the way, has been painfully boring of late.  So, in the end it was part curiosity, part physical attraction, part falling for the new girl in school, and part thirst.

It's been a painfully brutal summer here.  The kind that makes you want to skip the month of August.  We've been surviving the heat wave with equal parts bitching & moaning and Dale's Pale Ale.  You know how it goes - too much of a good thing.  Sumpin' Sumpin' is going to get us through what will surely be the roughest part of this already intolerable summer.  And really, isn't it fun to say "A little sumpin' sumpin'"?  Go ahead, try it.

Sumpin' Sumpin' is a clear, golden, wheat ale that just looks crisp in the glass (how Bud looks in their commercials and how you wish it looked in real life).  As you can see, the head is white and fluffy like a soft pillow.  The aroma is flowery, hoppy.  Sumpin' Sumpin' tastes fresh and as crisp as you expected during the pour.  It's good on the hops but there's not an overpowering bitterness.  We would call it a bittersweet symphony of smoooth summer drink.  It's not overly complex in flavor, which actually makes it the perfect summer ale. 

 

It does have a somewhat dry finish but we think the folks at Lagunitas did that to leave us always thirsting for another.  It worked but be careful - you could finish off a six pack while sitting on the porch before you realize this brew carries a punch.  It's 7.3 percent ABV will take you for a ride if your not careful.

If you don't believe us check out the Lagunitas virtual taste.  We intentionally placed the it at the end because it shames our rubbish.

Hating on Bad Beer

BrewDog has been in the news lately for it's fancy 55 percent ABV The End of History but these guys are crazy in so many ways (like free beer for life if you get a BrewDog tattoo).  Of course, this makes them heroes to us.  Thanks KS for tracking this down on the BrewDog Blog.


We hate bad beer! from BrewDog on Vimeo.