We Hate Organic, but Love this Brew

What we really despise about this whole "green" movement is that it's pretentious and wrought with guilt. Latte liberals driving around in their Toyota Prius and looking down their nose at our H3 - making us feel like our very existence is killing the the polar bears. We're born and raised Catholic so we don't need help feeling guilt.

So, frankly we did our best to avoid the Peak Organic Brewing Company. Sitting on the top shelf, looking down on the other brews with their preservatives and non-organic labels. Sure, it's not the same as being green but it's in the same family. Let's be honest - brewing beer is really quite organic. It's malt, yeast, water, and hops mashed together until it turns into beer. Maybe there are some preservatives, maybe not but it's only a step or two away from being a naturally organic process - regardless of who is brewing.

We do love coffee. Obviously we love beer. Peak's Espresso Amber Ale just called out to us - every damn time we walked through a beer aisle. So, we picked up a 4-pack. And we like it, we really begrudgingly like it. Like Sarah Palin, you want to hate it but you can't. It pours too beautifully to hate. In fact, it's not a clear brew (probably because it's so natural) at all. It has a copper color with a strong fogged look. This is probably what causes a much lighter red-brown head that's full but breaks down in short order. If you can't smell the coffee you bit off your nose to spite your face. The flavor is full and the coffee is present through out. It's definitely an ale and even a bit sweet with a roasty, chocolate undertone.

If you're truly interested in the fair trade, and righteousness, you can check out the Peak Organic Web site. If you want a good beer, skip the Interweb and go straight to your local brew store and pick up this fine brew. Have it in the evening after dinner or have it for breakfast. What the hell, it has coffee in it.

Shaq Vs. The Environment

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

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

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

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

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

Earth Day