Brewery Row on the Historic Buffalo River

Yep, that too.

Yesterday, a local group announced plans for a beer district along the Buffalo River. Actually, when reading the Buffalo News it may be more of a real estate redevelopment deal with a beer district option.  Yes, it's "a bit premature" but that will not prevent us from speculating. I'm imagining Brewery Row along the river. The big fish teaching the small, economic revitalization, and beer drinkers having access to a local beer selection that hasn't been seen in these parts in almost 100 years. These folks could single-handedly plant Buffalo's flag on the craft beer map. Sure, we can get there without this but it will take more time.

This is the type of clever economic development that can do wonders for a local economy. Cleveland has the Flats, Baltimore has the Inner Harbor, and Pittsburgh has the Warehouse District. Two out of three isn't bad. Regardless, if you're going to do something like this you should do it proper.

If we were creating a Beer District it would be modeled after various art space programs typically formed by nonprofit organizations looking to jump start some economic development. In that vein, below are recommendations we offer for the Buffalo Beer District:

1. Discount space. The big fish in this small(ish) town from development and brewing are backing this effort. In true beer camaraderie rental space should be offered to startups at a discount. We all know startups come up with the craziest - and best - ideas for beer and that will be a big attraction for beer drinkers. 
2. Shared costs. The good folks that run Pearl Street have been at brewing for awhile. They have connections in the industry for tools, parts, systems, and equipment. Working together with enough smaller brewers in this district can increase buying power and reduce costs. This goes beyond hardware to include ingredients.
3. Education. This is a two-pronged effort. The experienced brewers need to share knowledge with the newbies. All the brewers need to educate the common man (folks like me). Craft beer is booming nationwide and expanding locally. However, this town is still dominated by Molson, Labatt and terrible light beer.
4. Marketing. This is a no brainer and surely something folks are already thinking about (of course, the same can be said about items 1-3). Joint marketing is a key feature of any good district whether it be an arts district, theatre district, entertainment district or beer district.
5. Free Beer. Free beer for me.

The New Kid in Town

Every once in awhile we bring you actual news - not your "Brotherhood of Man" news but real news. The kind of news and information you find on A Good Beer Blog or Seen Through a Glass. So, finally...some real news.

We would like to introduce you to The New Buffalo Brewing Company. Bill Campbell is Founder/Owner and he was kind enough to sit down and answer some of our questions - from Afghanistan.* Bill and his fiancé (spoiler alert) are both currently in the US Air Force.  Bill is serving in Afghanistan and still found time to answer our questions.

Bill, thanks for starting a brewery in Buffalo. More importantly, thanks for serving.

Background

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

BC: After I was commissioned I ended up at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo,Texas, and started to move up the drinking ladder. I made the jump from Keystone Light to Shiner. When I started class I began drinking with Capt Dan Curry and Lt Leon Hontz. Capt Curry was one of the guys in the ‘finer things’ club, and he was also a Captain so he was making twice as much as me and Hontz and could afford good booze. His home bar must have had 500+ bottles in it, with all sorts of fine liquors, bitters, cordials for cocktails, and when it came to beer he was at the same level. I don’t know what the first one he gave me was, but it was honestly the worst thing I have ever had… a pitch black, overwhelmingly bitter beer. I was going to head right back to Shiner but he ended up pushing a Mothership Wit, and it was a revelation.

Over the next seven months I tried craft brews, Belgium Wits, Wheats, Hefewizens, and Sweet Stouts. Shortly thereafter I moved to Manhattan, Kansas. Once I got there I started home brewing some easy beers; Cream Ales (hail to Genny), Kölschs, and then headlong into English styles, milds, browns and stouts. A lot of guys in the military are home brewers. Ben Gartner was an avid and extremely skilled home brewer, and invited me to the local Home Brewing club where I met more guys who taught me allot about home brewing. Someone had to drink all that beer, so another friend, Doug Bunch, ended up consuming many, many gallons of hit and miss batches and providing feedback on what he felt would make the cut commercially. He’s a pretty seasoned drinker of craft brews so it really guided a lot of my brewing.

One of the biggest influences on my decision to start a brewery was going to Tallgrass Brewery right outside of Manhattan. Here I got a chance to start talking to owner Jeff Gill, and he shared huge information about the transition from home brewing to commercial brewing. It went from a ‘this would be cool’ to an ‘I can do this’. Shortly thereafter we started building the business plan, meeting with the city, working with realtors, and buying equipment. This was really the point where I decided to leave active duty and move back to Buffalo to open a brewery.

DB: Sounds like you guys are international travelers. Care to tell us what you’re doing when you are NOT brewing beer in Buffalo?

BC: My fiancé and I are both Active Duty Air Force (I’ll be reserve come the New Year), so we’ve been sent all over the world. Between us I think we have been to 18 countries, from Korea and China to Argentina and Colombia to the Germany and the Czech Republic. Jimmy, our brewer, has also seen such exotic places as Iraq with his time in the USMC.

DB: Why brew beer in Buffalo?

BC: Buffalo is a really interesting town, on paper you would think the place would be booming. Buffalo is one of the businesses gateways into the United States. Toronto is hardly a two hour drive to the north, and Pittsburgh is only a bit farther. Yet, as we all know, the city has struggled for years. There is a certainly a sense the city is going in the right direction, but we still need some grass roots movement to really get on top again. Brewing can be a big part of that, because Buffalo drinks a lot of beer. It’s a beer town. We also have the Niagara Brewing school and Criveller right across the river, so it ends up being a great place to set up shop.

The Brewery

DB: Will you offer beer in cans, bottles, bombers, growlers, all of the above?

BC: At first, we will be focusing on production for bars. We’ll start with 32, 64 and 128 ounce growlers, but we don’t expect to start canning until year 2.

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

BC: We have decided to stay local and go with Criveller. They have been a great company to work with. We have equipment designed for a 15 bbl or 30 bbl if we can find a space to fit it. Since we are still searching for a location, we haven’t committed to either system yet.

DB: How are the other local breweries helping in your endeavor? Do you peacefully co-exist or consider them friends and colleagues or bitter archrivals?

BC: I’m sure Tim at Flying Bison doesn’t remember me, as I must be one of the hundreds of people who go on his tour and tell him ‘Hey I’m going to open a brewery in a couple of years.’ He was friendly and entertained my questions. His brewer taught us a lot about physically setting up and the issues breweries have to get though with the TTB and State to get open for business. I also have spoken with Ethan over at Community Beer Works several times. He’s a real standup guy who I think is setting the right tone for brewing in Buffalo. Pearl Street breweries spoke to me several times about their beers and the amazing draft system they have over there. Flying Bison is King of the lagers, and Community Brew Works is doing some really great beers. New Buffalo is looking decidedly English/Irish. (I need to update the website to reflect this). There is so much room in Buffalo that we can all work and grow together.

The Brew

DB: Looks like you have a steady rotation of beers. Will you offer seasonals or one-off, limited brews?

BC: We like to brew (shocking right?), so we brew allot of small batches (15 gallons) of pretty much anything we think would be fun to brew, fun to drink or just want to monkey around with. (Again… I’ve fallen way behind on the website.) We are going to keep up this trend at New Buffalo and put our experiments out in our tap room. However, one of our first goals is to produce 2-4 beers perfectly and make sure they are always available at bars and restaurants.

DB: When and where can we get your beer?

BC: As I’m sure you know, the approval process is a bear for breweries and with an extension in Afghanistan I was pushed back a bit. We are still on track to have our first beers for sale in bars this summer. We are working with another brewery to see if we can get some space on their system and get started sooner. Watch for a Kickstarter campaign in the near future about just that!

Activism

DB: Brewers are pretty good at activism.  How does New Buffalo give back?

BC: Our first public tasting was at a charity event for Roswell. There are so many worthy causes it’s going to be a challenge to pick which ones we will work with. For obvious reasons we would like to work with Veterans in our community.

DB: Many micro-brewers have a bit of a green bent. Will New Buffalo be an environmentally-conscious brewer?

BC: Micro-brewing in allot of ways is almost inherently a green business. When your beer is produced locally you are using less fuel to move it around, less energy keeping it cool, as well as the spent grains we’ll give away to farmers. We have been looking into a C02 capturing system as well for our tanks after speaking with some Alaskan Brewers and about the real benefits.

Last Thoughts

DB: What three things do people need to know about your beer?

BC: Great Beer is the point for us. When everything is said and done we will make high quality, delicious beer. That’s our bottom line.

We are already growing some ‘test’ hops back at the farm, and have spoken with some farmers about getting our own runs of barley grown locally. We are looking forward to working on not just the brewing side, but the growing as well.

We are starting with distinctively English and Irish styles of beers. It’s great that a lot of breweries are pushing out some really big beers. Beers over seven percent are becoming pretty normal, but we want to put out beers that are not only delicious, but can be enjoyed in bulk or with a nice dinner. We just enjoyed some Rochefort 10 last night, and it’s an amazing beer, but you can’t really drink a couple with a meal, and it’s almost 12% alcohol (not to mention its seven bucks a bottle). We want to make sure we are putting out beers most people can enjoy as our main lines. We’ll have a lot of special beers, but those will likely only be in our brewery for short periods of time.

DB: Community Beer Works likes to “Embeer Buffalo”. They say “Our goal is not only to succeed as a brewery, but to better the beer culture of Buffalo. Our city loves beer, and has the potential to be one of the premiere beer destinations in the country. Help make that happen. Embeer Buffalo.” How will you “Embeer Buffalo”?

BC: ‘A Toast to Progress’ is on all of our work and it’s in the same vein. Buffalo truly is set up to become a Beer Destination. We have all the right ‘stuff,’ we are in a central location in the northeast, and we are seeing hops farms and craft malt houses starting to get up and running. Buffalo is still one of the cheapest cities to visit, and very convenient to the Falls and an amazing wine trail just to east of us. We also have a great philharmonic and theater selection. We have to rebuild what it means to be a Buffalonian, and a big part of that is going to be at home drinking Buffalo Brews.

DB: What else should we know about you guys?

BC: We are working on a Kickstarter video to raise some money for New Buffalo Brewing. Watch for it in the near future along with a series of tasting events.

*Bill Campbell did serve in Afghanistan but he informed me after this interview was posted that he provided responses while stateside. 

Marketing is for Chumps

Sometimes beauty really is on the outside.

Three Floyds Brewing Company - Munster, IN

Community Beer Works - Buffalo, NY

Adirondack Brewery - Lake George, NY

Because We Can

We don’t do a lot of automobile reviews here on Dumbarton’s Beer. We tend to leave things like this to the experts. Besides, I always assumed my first review would cover the 1968 Mustang I just purchased. However, relocating to Buffalo means I’ve traded enhanced revenue for quality of life so the Mustang is on hold indefinitely.

There are a couple of reasons for expanding Dumbarton’s Beer into the auto world. First, if you’re not innovating your dying (I think I read that in Forbes). Second, I am eminently qualified to do this because I watch a lot of auto-related shows. Third, it’s a natural fit having grown up in and around the auto industry. Fourth, the trusty assistant was "on holiday" at press time and I’m home with sick kids. Two sleepless nights means that if I have a beer I will fall asleep before any attempt at writing about it. Finally, suck an egg.

While those are all perfectly legitimate reasons for an auto review the primary driver (pun intended) is my love-hate relationship with new cars. 

Case Study: the 2012 Ford Fusion SEL I4.

This really is the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you want a real, quality review search through Jalopnik. If you want test track data and comparisons against other mid-size sedans search through Motor Trend. Either of which will prove infinitely more informative.

The Good

As far as I can tell, SEL is code for “loaded”. This particular model is really only missing AWD and two cylinders (more on that below). Here is the list of options: six colors of ambient lighting, automatic headlights, fog lights, leather, AM/FM/CD/Sirius, Sync, Sony sound, 12v plugs, power seats driver and passenger, power windows including one-touch for driver and passenger, sunroof, blind side warning, variable windshield wipers that automatically determine speed based on rain, rearview camera for reverse, chrome stuff, and floor mats. Can anybody tell me why floor mats are an “option”?

The Bad

I4 is the engine code and the four represents the number of cylinders. By far the worst thing about this car is the four cylinders. Yes, they upped the HP for the 2012 but it’s still sluggish off the start. Once you are cruising you have no trouble. Still, get the six cylinder engine. I don’t notice the missing AWD though I might change my opinion after driving through my first Buffalo winter in a decade.

The Ugly

The Fusion is made in Mexico. Every day I drive to work and pass a Ford plant that makes parts of the Escape, Edge and Flex. Some 2013s will be made in the US so that helps.

My biggest complaint applies not just to this Fusion but to all of today’s cars. Like smartphones today’s cars are making us dumb. In this case, cars are making us dumb at driving. I once drove a stick shift Focus and to this day it was one of the most fun cars to drive. The driving experience is so much better because you are part of the car. Thanks to the Focus, I will never again be able to drive in reverse without the rearview camera. I expect that 6 months from now I will forget how to operate windshield wipers. All this means I can never own that '68 Mustang without being a complete menace on the roads.

We Owe Frank Curci A Beer

The relocation of our headquarters has not been without challenge. We officially made the move on August 11-12, 2012. However, due to timing and poor planning (mostly the latter and by me) we finished moving on August 18-19, 2012. It is this secondary move where we begin our story.

On Thursday August, 16, 2012, our trusty assistant made a pilgrimage to the local supermarket, TOPS Markets* to pick up a few things for the second phase of our relocation – bottled water, snack bars, and other requirements for a 950 mile, 24-hour trek. Feeling generous our trusty assistant also picked up a bomber of Wailing Wench by Middle Ages Brewing. Late in the evening we realized that bottled water and the bomber went missing – left on the counter at the cash register.

You can get water out of the tap but we never leave a beer behind. A quick call to the local store manager resolved the situation. Bring in the receipt and pick up your bomber anytime before 4p the following day we were told. That is customer service.

Meanwhile....if you ever traveled Georgia Avenue between Silver Spring and Petworth you know that it is stop and go on a good day. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say there is a light at every block and they are timed to make sure you get caught (the Walter Reed hospital area is the worst). So, after 7 hours in the car I hop off the Beltway and make my way South on Georgia Avenue. At the first light I hear a thump under my seat and assume I ran over something. At the second light I hear it again and fear that worse than running something over I have car trouble that will make this trip longer than it already is. By the sixth light I am reaching under my seat trying to grab whatever it was. Of course, today’s cars all have power seats and all sorts of wiring and boxes that prevent an easy reach while driving (safety not withstanding). When I park the car at our pervious headquarters I get out and reach under the seat from the back side and pull out a bomber of Wailing Wench.

Fortunately by then our trusty assistant had requisitioned the previously missing bomber from TOPS Markets. That is why I owe Frank Curci, CEO of TOPS Markets, a beer.

*Disclaimer: The author worked at TOPS Markets for several years during college stocking shelves in the Dairy/Frozen Department and generally causing mayhem for customers but it was great fun.

News Release: Dumbarton's Beer Announces Corporate Relocation

August 3, 2012 (Washington, DC) - In a press conference today Dumbarton's Beer announces the relocation of its international and intergalactic headquarters from the capital of the free world, Washington, DC to the capital of winter, Buffalo, NY.

The move to upstate New York will allow Dumbarton's Beer to recognize enhanced craft beer social media economies of scale, create greater efficiency within the company's various output channels, and reduce our carbon footprint. The relocation will increase the population of western New York by at least four. While specific data is not available this increase could lead to the creation of thousands of jobs and a Super Bowl victory for the Buffalo Bills.

The President and Chief Beer Drinker for Dumbarton's Beer said "we are excited for the opportunity presented in upstate New York and we very much look forward to imbibing in the various upstate craft beers. Dumbarton's Beer is very proud of the growing craft beer segment in Washington, DC. With a little luck, Dumbarton's Beer can do for Buffalo area beer what it did for Washington, DC brewers - which amounts to little more than drinking as much of their beer as possible." He specifically mentioned Franklin's (Hyattsville), Chocolate City, and DC Brau; and went on to thank area Petworth pubs including DC Reynolds and Looking Glass Lounge.

Dumbarton's Beer will officially open the new headquarters on August 13, 2012.

Staff of Dumbarton's Beer are not available for media interviews or press inquiries at this time.

Video Friday at Dumbarton's Beer

Courtesy of the fine folks at the  Washington City Paper. A friendly competition to see which local beer experts know their beer. Read about it here.




This one is just for fun. "All we need is one pin, Rodney."

An Oasis in the Desert

Living along the Northeast Corridor means you are an elitist. Living inside the Beltway makes you an elitist. I live in Washington, DC proper, which means I'm more elitist than just about any other elitist. It also means I'm either a marginally douchey, self-important hipster or a self-important political a**hole, er I mean, policy wonk. The rarest of elitists are both.

Living in Washington, DC requires a healthy disdain for the suburbs. Even though I have young kids and will eventually sell out to live in Bethesdsa, Arlington, or Chevy Chase (ok, not CC - I am a poor elitist). So, I appreciate the irony of relocating to the Crystal City Radisson while renovating the only bathroom in my city rowhouse.

Crystal City is maybe the worst of the suburban landscape. Big, fat Highway 1, named after a leader of the Confederacy, divides what is little more than condominiums, apartments, hotels, and office buildings. Crystal City starts roughly at the Americana Hotel and ends appropriately at a strip mall. The mall includes a Target, Best Buy, Starbucks, IHOP (not iHOP?) and a brewpub called Hops. Wait, a brewpub? Don't worry, it's a chain - a wholly owned subsidiary of Rita Restaurant Corporation. The Crystal City Metro stop in the height of tourist season is a reasonable facsimile for the Gates of Hell. Tourists* stand around in their gaudy t-shirts reminding me that while they are on vacation I'm going to work. Making matters worse is they stand on both sides of the Metro faregates because half don't know where to put the fare cards and the other half are required to block the opposite side as a precaution. Yesterday there was literally a line to get through the faregates - leaving the Metro. If you got into the system chances are the process for getting out is the same. They also stand at the ticket machines (which I freely admit are not particularly user-friendly) trying to determine where they are going, what is the fare, and why is there a rush+. OK, we all ask about the rush+.

Cafe Pizzaiolo in Crystal City, VA

The 500 block of South 23rd Street is the oasis of this desert. There are several nice local establishments along the avenue but I would like to focus on Cafe Pizzaiolo. It's a pizza parlor with gelato and a solid craft beer selection. The Cafe combines locally sourced ingredients with Italian imports to create excellent New York-style pizza. They also offer pasta and pannini but we focused on the pizza. The hummus is made in house and was a big win with the family.Try the chocolate chip gelato for dessert (not desert) and you will not be disappointed.

Nothing against Cafe Pizzaiolo's food but this is a beer blog. The happy hour special was three dollar pints of Yuengling. They offer an array of craft brews and some major labels (Bud, Stella, Corona, etc) as well. Perhaps the best part of this joint is that you can purchase beer to go by the six pack for $11.99. Mix-and-match or six of the same. Needless to say, I had a couple pints of Yuengling and took a six pack to the hotel room.

Here is a quick rundown of what Cafe Pizzaiolo offers:

Magic Hat #9
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA 
Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
New Belgium Fat Tire
Bells Oberon
Bells Two Hearted Ale
Shiner Bock
Star Hill Amber Ale
Yeungling
Founders Red's Rye PA

In summation: the suburbs aren't so terrible after all. Tourists - still awful (just stay to the right).

*Coming from the third poorest city in the country I make it a rule to refrain from harping on tourists. If for no other reason than the the tax revenue they bring to the DMV. Some places would love such trouble. However, every rule requires an exception.

The World's Most Useful iPad App

Magician Simon Pierro at the "Hofbraeuhaus" in Munich, Germany.

Happy Anniversary Cleveland

If I told the tale of a once-great city along the shores of Lake Erie whose residents have great pride, strong work ethic but few jobs and lowly sports teams to help pass the harsh winters what city comes to mind?

Cleveland, OH like Buffalo, NY, is a rust belt city and a cheap joke for most parts of the country. (The Edmund Fitzgerald was not really headed for Cleveland, for crying out loud.) So, when it comes to public shaming Cleveland should know at least one Buffalonian feels your pain. In many ways, Cleveland is Buffalo's big sister. As a kid, I remember going to Cleveland's new Jacob Field to see the Indians take on the Yankees. Right around then, the Buffalo Bisons signed on to be the Indian's new farm team. Aside from sharing one Great Lake and a little baseball history there are many facts that highlight a greater bond.So, we being with a quiz.

Guess the Lake Erie Rust Belt City!

Q: This city's average population declined 13.12 percent per decade since 1970.
Q: This city's last professional sports championship was 1964.
Q: Average high temperature in this city is 56 degrees.
Q: Named most miserable city by Forbes.
Q: Second largest city in its state.

What residents of the Northeast Corridor, the Southwest, and California don't know is that rust belt cities are beautiful. Cleveland is home to the Playhouse Square Center - second largest performing arts center in the country. Buffalo is home to more than 50 public art galleries including Albright-Knox and Birchfield-Penney. Steve Harvey, Arsenio Hall, Phil Donahue, and Drew Carey - all from Cleveland. Ani DiFranco, Rick James, the Goo Goo Dolls but also Cannibal Corpse and moe. belong to Buffalo. Both cities have some of the most beautiful architecture in the country. This barely scratches the surface.

Today, Clevelanders celebrate the anniversary of 10 cent beer night. While I haven't been to Cleveland in over a decade, I imagine they celebrate it in much the same way Buffalonians celebrate the anniversary of "wide right". You can read about the fun here and here but you can probably piece together what happened on your own. I also imagine that Clevelanders have the same sense of pride you find in Buffalonians, which is to say we're a little tired of getting kicked in the groin just so you can feel better about your elitist "real city" problems. We have poor economies but tough people with warm hearts and friendly smiles; real houses with yards and everything for less than condominiums in some cities; and the commute is wonderful. We have history and culture and great craft beers. OK, our sports teams suck but it keeps us humble. So, next time you need to feel good about yourself knock on somebody else's hometown.

Happy Anniversary Cleveland - you're a hell of a city!

Cleveland should adopt a similar philosophy!

Quiz Answers

Cleveland: Average population decline 14.4 percent per decade since 1970

Buffalo: Average population decline 13.12 percent per decade since 1970

Cleveland Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964. The Buffalo Bills won the AFL Championship in 1965. There was not a Super Bowl to win in 1964 or 1965 but it's worth noting Cleveland has never played in the game and the Buffal Bills lost it four consecutive times (which is worse?). 

Average high temp in Cleveland 59 degrees (average low 42).

Average high temp in Buffalo 56 degrees (average low 40)

Cleveland, though Techflash.com asks "Really, worse that Detroit and Buffalo?"

Both Cleveland and Buffalo are the second largest cities in their respective states.

Marketing is for Chumps

Generally speaking, craft brewers don't have big advertising/marketing budgets. This does not mean breweries leave all the creativity inside the bottle. To that end, we're kicking off the "Marketing is for Chumps" series bringing you the best and worst in craft beer marketing, advertising and art. Cheers!

Uinta Brewing Company - Salt Lake City, Utah

Abita Brewing Company - Abita Springs, Louisiana

Oskar Blues Brewery - Lyons, Colorado

Chocolate City Beer - Washington, DC

I'm on Fire

Nestled comfortably between the Baby Boomers and the Millenials/Generation Y is Generation X. As part of this heroin-induced flannel party, I'm old enough to have settled down by getting married, having children, and gambling a large portion of wealth building in homeownership. I'm also young enough to not quite adhere to all the rules that result in career advancement but that's probably a good thing. Gen-X loves Clerks, knows the soundtrack for Singles but never saw the movie, and still loves Alice in Chains.

The hardest part about being Generation X is understanding the new world. I like to think that 100 years ago flappers had the same problem. The industrial revolution was in bloom and full of promise but most folks from 1912 presumably looked back fondly of their time growing up on the farm. In 2012, I'm living the Office Space dream looking fondly back on growing up in a blue collar city where manufacturing was, and still is, the primary economic engine.

Being stuck between two colossal populations is not necessarily a bad thing. Well, except that the Baby Boomers refuse to retire so Gen-X is a decade away from moving into the "good life" that is middle management. Most of us are relegated to a couple of steps above entry level waiting for opportunity to knock. Of course, opportunity will never knock because when the Boomers retire (or die) Gen-X will compete for slots with Millenials who are more eager, less hardened by life, and more accepting of the new world (not to mention their generation is not defined by slackers). Generation X is probably the last great rebellion but the bulk of us are resolved to nothing more than setting up our children to ensure they kick Millenials in the ass.

Technology is perhaps the best illustration of this dynamic. Baby boomers hate technology. (Everybody knows one Boomer who spends too much time on Facebook but this is simply the exception that proves the rule.) Most Boomers have the expendable income for the latest iPad but use it as little more than a glorified web browser. Millenials are the opposite. Technology is for them what the automobile was to young WWII veterans returning home to southern California. Those of us stuck in the middle understand technology's power and power is not necessarily a good thing. Gen-X is a generation of skeptics so we're still waiting for technology to be as great as Verizon Wireless commercials advertise. At the same time we have access to more wonders than ever previously imagined. This is to say nothing of privacy; which is dead.

My kids are already more advanced than both of their parents. At 2.5 years of age they easily find their way through a smart phone to find their favorite Muppets videos. In an effort to encourage the early adoption of technology that will lead to the eventual ass kicking we purchased the Kindle Fire. I was not surprised they liked it. I'm surprised that I like it. The Fire traveled with me on a recent work trip and made quite a companion. Reading books on the Fire is quite nice (except for take off and landing) and videos are wonderful. Note: if you purchase the Fire sign yourself up with Amazon Prime.

Why Beer Matters by Evan Rail is a great first read for the Fire. It's a bit of an easy read and too predictably gets into the beer v. wine debate. Mr. Rail makes a compelling statement that beer is democratic and few other beverages are connected to time in the way beer is.  The e-book also has nuggets of beer information that would encourage any beer drinker to more research - like Starkbierzeit, which is now on my bucket list, or attempts to review Grodziskie; a Polish smoked-wheat beer that went out of existence in the early 1990s and has been nearly impossible to recreate. Mr. Rail brilliantly ends it with "what matters most about beer is the drinking of it."

So this entire, rambling post can be summarized with: 1) you should buy the Kindle Fire; 2) make Why Beer Matters your first read; and 3) enjoy a nice craft beer or homebrew.

I Deserve This Beer

There are two reasons to have a beer: 1) because you want one and 2) because you deserve one. Despite what the big brewer commercials will have you believe 99 percent of the time you simply want the beer. Maybe you convince yourself you deserve it but, statistically speaking, you just want it. Most nights (early afternoons and the occasional mornings) I am comfortable in knowing I simply want a cold one but today I deserve this beer.

My father spent the better part of 40 years on the factory floor for FoMoCo. His brothers did the same. His father as well. Hell, even his mother worked in the factory. When Dad wasn't working in the factory he was working on cars with friends. He also rides a Harley. My folks worked a lot of years so I could go to school and avoid a similar fate. So, for the better part of 37 years I managed to avoid the factory floor and most other forms of "work". Despite a love affair with cars I never, until this weekend, did any more than change winshield wipers - that was a weeks long project. That's right, I've never even changed the oil.

First, some background. We live in the city and park our car on the street. Our 2010 Ford Flex has been hit four times in just over two years while parked within view of our rowhouse. Two hit and runs, one unlicensed driver in a stolen vehicle running from the fuzz after buying from the drug house, and the most recent hit and run a few weeks back. The lesson being don't own a vehicle in the city unless you have offstreet parking. And, don't live near drug houses.

The Damage

The most recent swipe was just that. Somebody smacked the driver's side mirror knocking the mirror plate out and rendering the rest of the unit useless. After reviewing the particulars (including the very real possibility that our insurance company simply gives up on us) I start thinking "I bet I can do this". Knowing full well "I can't do this" I entertain the small bit of manliness I have and find that you can actually purchase the part online for under $200. Rationalizing that means the repair shop charges around $500 I head back to the Interwebs and find a Flex bulletin board where there's a full conversation about replacing the driver side mirror. The replacement mirror arrived earlier this week taunting my mechanical skills. I have tools. A full set. I just never use them.

The folks at FordFlex.net made this sound like an easy fix. One person in particular, going by the name Dashdog's Photos, even posted pictures bragging that it could be done in under 30 minutes. With fears of causing additional damage dancing in my head I sauntered out to the Flex in my best auto mechanic outfit - new jeans and Johnston & Murphy casual shoes. All told, the change out took me about 25 minutes. It was just as Dashdog said and I fixed my car. Seriously, I replaced the mirror. It's fully functional and I caused no ancillary damage to the door or the rest of the vehicle. Dashdog, you deserve a  beer too so where ever you are thanks for the help.

I fixed my car. I don't care what anybody says I deserve this 90 Minute IPA. Today, it tastes just a little better and I'm sitting just a little taller. In a couple of days I'll see my Father and a small part of me can't wait to tell him about this weekend. I fixed my car.

Finished Product

Brotherhood of Man on the Planet Earth

He has nothing on Freddie Mercury but he is better than Wayne Campbell.

h/t G:TB via BuzzFeed

Update per Deadspin: The singer featured in this piece is Robert Wilkinson. He's 29 years old, unemployed and...a home brewer! 

Collaboration: What is it Good For?

I've been thinking a lot about the word collaboration lately. It's certainly part of my daily lexicon along with synergy, streamline, low-hanging fruit, and best practices. If you've ever been confused by TPS reports you know what I'm talking about. The word "collaboration" is more than simple cubicle jargon. It has a very powerful impact (because I don't understand affect/effect) both positive and negative. Collaboration is a conundrum.

Americans in Paris, written by Charles Glass, is a look at Americans living in Paris under Nazi Occupation. It must have been a terrible time to be anywhere in Europe unless you were German. Paris is the City of Light and Americans living there prior to the occupation enjoyed a cultured life with great writers, great music, and legal booze. Some of the main characters in this book prove the "Greatest Generation" theorem. Others, not so much. The subplot is the plight of French civilians who were generally divided into three groups - those in the resistance movement, collaborators, and everybody else. It didn't get terribly awful for Americans until after Pearl Harbor and our subsequent entry into the Allied effort. It was a little more complicated for the French who did not enjoy the same immunity as their American friends. As I read this book, I find myself wondering where I would have fallen on that continuum whether American or French.  I like to think that I would serve the resistance efforts but I would probably have been part of the vast majority just struggling to survive (the weather, the occupation, the horror). I take some comfort in knowing I would not have been a collaborator. Collaborators worked with the Nazi occupiers. Some did so shamelessly others more covertly. Collaboration -1  

I took this picture!

This week, President Obama and the First Lady welcomed Great Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife. I had the honor of being one of more than 7,000 on the White House grounds to welcome the very same folks that 200 years ago tried to burn the place down. Both the President and the Prime Minister noted the irony and made a few corny jokes before reminding us of the the great collaboration between Great Britain and the United States over the last 199 years. They used words like "alliance" and "partnership" but I prefer collaboration because none of this happens if you're not working together. The obvious example of collaboration here is World War II, given the theme established in the above paragraph. Other examples include military efforts on the Korean Peninsula and the current fight against terrorism. Military collaboration is an easy one. I was struck by Prime Minister Cameron's comments on financial investments - for example, the Gates Foundation working with NGOs in Great Britain or that Great Britain investments in the United states amount to more than 100 times more than China. Collaboration +1

Of course, the best possible positive use of the word is associated with beer. Collaboration Not Litigation is born from the good use of "collaboration". Seems that way back when Avery Brewing Company and Russian River Brewing both had a Salvation Ale. Rather than get into a beer pong match over naming rights the brewers combined the best of both and it's as good as advertised. We're enjoying Batch #6 bottled in the first month of this year. The taste is big, malty, and tangy-sweet. It's a bit sticky and lingers in your mouth for a spell. The beer is copper in color and leaves sexy lacing all the way down your glass (that's right, sexy). And, it comes in a bomber. I love bombers. Collaboration +1

As an American I believe in rugged individualism, pulling up the boot straps, and lonely cowboys riding off into the sunset. As a human, I believe in collaboration (by at least a 2-1 margin). Nobody gets anywhere without help from somebody else.  Sometimes working with others just helps you get through the day and sometimes it results in a really great beer.

This one too!

Never Spill Beer Again

New Glarus inside the Beltway

I have a friend, let's say Anonymous, who does a fair amount of travel in Wisconsin. I've been there once; for about 24 hours during a baseball road trip. It was one of those rare, great road trips everybody in life takes in or around the college years (rare because in a lifetime most of us can only do it once until after retirement). The point being that we didn't really have time to sample the local fare and, frankly, my beer palette wasn't up to snuff. While at the game we drank the obligatory MGD with a hot dog and went about our merry way. I'm not sure when, or even if, I will ever get back there. This makes my source invaluable. Actually, it makes my source a dealer. She turned me on to New Glarus Brewing and now I have where else to turn. Well played.

The variety pack you see below showed up at my desk last week turning an otherwise average Thursday into a mini-Christmas. Seven different New Glarus brews including that fine ale sitting in the mini-bomber. The challenge will be drinking the beer. My last score included less variety but multiples allowing me to sample one and save one. That last batch included Road Slush and Moon Man so I can enjoy those guilt free. The remaining five are going to be selectively sampled - if at all. I'm fairly certain the ale is going into the collection for the rarest of occasions.

Look at that mini-bomber, front and center 

Repeal Day for Congressional Stepchild!

Most people in this great land celebrate Repeal Day on December 5th, the day Utah (yes, the Mormon state) helped the United States ratify the 21st amendment in 1933 thus ending Prohibition for almost everybody. The residents of Washington, DC celebrate Repeal Day on March 2nd. Say whaaaa?

Residents of Washington, DC have, quite literally since it was created, been the red-headed stepchild of Congress. Initially, Washington, DC was completely under federal control. It got better in 1974 but as a resident of the District, I still have a long list of grievances about Congressional meddling in our local affairs. In the past, the US Congress has asserted its will on issues such as abortion, gun control, budgets, and voting rights (Congress really enjoys imposing rules on DC residents that don't pass muster on a national scale). All local laws, including the budget, must be approved by Congress. My favorite is voting rights. The approximately 600,000 residents of Washington, DC do not enjoy basic voting rights. We have no official member of the House of Representatives or the Senate. Yes, Elanor Holmes Norton represents us in the House and we have a Shadow Senator but these positions do not have voting rights on federal legislation. Also, in my head the Shadow Senator does nothing but follow the real Senators around the halls of the Capitol Building.

Getting back to the issue at hand...On November 1, 1917, the Sheppherd Act went into effect "prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and importation of liquor in the District of Columbia." The legislation was repealed on March 1, 1934, some three months after repeal ended for the rest of the country. Not only did DC get Prohibition some 2 years early it lasted a few months longer. Our forefathers stayed thirsty longer than your forefathers.

"Taxation without Representation is Tyranny"
-James Otis, Jr

Gheorghe: The Blog: Apology Accepted

Last week, our friends at Gheorghe: The Blog sent apologies for trying a hand at craft beer reviews. There is no need for such an apology any more than we would need to apologize for writing on sports, offering a music review, penning run-on sentences, or posting whatever OCD material the teej posts. Sadly, Squirrel (are we on a nickname basis?) was quite artful and now I'm jonesing for a Cocoa Mole - despite the fact that he bragged on us about his vegan, steel cut oat diet and running half marathons in record time. Note: completing any marathon-type race warrants the phrase "record time".

We're sensitive to the G:TB content and so bring you a brief review of Fordham's Doppelbock Lager. The first thing you might note about this beer is that it is brewed in Delaware and is not a Dogfish Head. Seriously, who knew Delaware had other breweries? According to the Brewer's Association there are approximately one dozen breweries and/or brewpubs in the First State. Don't worry, we assumed they only had banks and credit card companies too.

The Dobblebock is a deep brown lager with a short head. The beer tastes sweet with a strong caramel note. It lingers in the mouth, which is fine because the aftertaste is not overpowering. The medium bodied brew is nicely carbonated and tips the scales at 8 percent ABV. The sweet taste and higher ABV makes us think you could pound the four pack and pay dearly in the morning. Of course, that never stopped us before.

In all seriousness, it's quite easy to enjoy Fordham's Doppelbock. We recommend you enjoy this beer while perusing G:TB and FOG:GB. If that's not enough there's always tumblr porn.

Mermaids Delay Construction of Reservoir

We chase stories to all four corners of the Earth for our loyal reader(s) - assuming we don't actually have to leave our desk.

In Zimbabwe, Water Resources Minister Sam (Salt N') Sipepa Nkomo reported to the senate delays in a major water project are being caused by mermaids living in reservoirs. How can you get rid of mermaids? By brewing traditional beer. Everybody knows that the best beer for such a situation is brewed right here in America.

Mermaids, according to Zimbabwe custom, are known for carrying humans underwater and may never be seen again if relatives protest. The true motivation is unknown as some customs believe mermaids are spiteful to humans while others believe they simply forget humans cannot breathe under water. According to the report:

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Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo, who also appeared before the senate committee, backed the call for traditional rites to be performed at the dams to allay workers’ fears.

Nkomo said the government is prepared to give the population the water it needs, but is unable to do so until the rituals are performed and necessary repairs can be carried out.

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Yes, I would very much like some bananas at cost.

h/t Off the Bench.

Flash Mob at Rec League Hockey Game

For all the heartache we like to give the Galactic Empire that is ABInBev, we have to tip our hat when they do good. We understand that it's a commercial and is as much marketing for Budweiser as anything else but it's a great reminder that sports is not about being in the pro leagues.



h/t theCHIVE

If You Need Help Just Ask

It's been awhile since we tackled the issue of crime and beer. So, let's re-visit the category by dropping in on our friends in Austin, Texas where Louie Alvarado is currently sitting in the Travis County Jail for attempting to steal a beer truck (assuming he has not posted bail). From the Statesman.com blotter:

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"A man who was delivering beer for Brown Distributing told police that he went inside the business, which police did not identify, and when he came outside, he found Alvarado sitting in the driver’s seat of the truck, the affidavit said.

Alvarado asked the man how to start the truck because he wanted to steal it, the affidavit said."

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No photo is posted in the article but we can only assume it's this guy:

Astonishing Tales of the Sea

It's the end of another long day. The kids are asleep and we put out the cat. Time to sit down, have a beer, and ponder the deeper questions of life. Tonight, while sipping on a Great Lakes beer we ponder the ultimate bizarro question: Which is better - Edmund Fitzgerald or Edmund Fitzgerald?

By this I mean, of course, the beer versus the song. I know. I just blew your mind.

The Beer

Typically, a picture accompanies beer reviews as a sort of psuedo-verification that I'm actually drinking the beer and not just stealing lines from Beer Advocate. My digital camera's four-year-old memory card is full (after awhile you assume these things never reach capacity) and I'm too lazy to delete a few pictures to make room for a beer that's relatively easy to find so just take my word for once.

The handcrafted porter, Edmund Fitzgerald, is simply one of the finer porters out there. It starts slightly bitter, comes through the middle with a malty, coffee flavor and finishes a bit sweet. The brewers at Great Lakes get everything they can out of the barley, hopes, yeast and water. Sticking to the "Bavarian Purity Law" can often result in boring beer. You won't find that here.

The Song

The song is technically "The Wreck of the..." but let's not argue semantics. Made famous by the Seinfeld bit ("I think Gordon Lightfoot was the boat"), we all know the song is a tribute to the boat that sank in November 1975 in Lake Superior. It was the second biggest hit of Mr. Lightfoot's two hits. [Editors note: despite the lyrics, the Edmund Fitzgerald was actually headed for Detroit when she sank.] The History Channel eventually covered the search for the wreck and the recovery of the ship's bell, which rang upon breaking the waters (probably to be expected but still gives me chills).

None of that matters. This song is so great because it's the first song that really made my heart break so it's also the first song that helped me understand that music is more than music. The song is also a great story - the efforts of the captain, the courage of the crew, the wonder of November gales on the Great Lakes. I still get kind of queasy thinking about the cook saying he can't feed the men. I've never been much of a sailor but this song (and Deadliest Catch) help me understand that it takes balls.

The verdict

In true Motor Trend-type fashion, we call this one a draw. Both are outstanding but neither would likely be here without the actual Edmund Fitzgerald. So, crack open a handcrafted porter from Cleveland, turn on some Gordon Lightfoot, and think about all of those who gave their lives, particularly those 29 brave souls who traveled aboard the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald.