Filed under: Barleywine, Beer News, Craft Brewed Beers, Legislation, Vermont, microbreweries
By now, most lovers of craft beer have heard plenty about the maker of Monster energy drink, Hansen Beverage Co., initiating a trademark dispute with Rock Art Brewery, ordering it to stop selling, advertising and promoting a beer called “The Vermonster.” Additionally, the large corporation wanted the tiny brewery to compensate it for attorneys’ fees.
If you haven’t read this (because now it’s old news), you can read about it all over the place or watch the Matt and ’The Monster” video. And you can also find the declarations that Hansen backed off, including a time line and sincere thank you from brewer/owner Matt Nadeau (you may also be interested in his video calling for support to Trademark Reform where he talks relatively kindly about the actions of Hansen.)
My reason for posting is to share the hilarious Halloween costume a 
Burlington, VT family created to commemorate the occasion. I send thanks to Beth and Jim for entertaining me (even if laughing that hard after my surgery wasn’t such a good idea…), and hope they don’t mind me sharing it with the world!
Now that the attack on Rock Art is over, I’m hoping to return to drinking Hansen Natural Green Tea Soda and hopefully LOTS of Vermonster!
Filed under: Beer Festivals, Beer News, Beer Travel, Craft Brewed Beers, New York, Special
A couple of weeks ago I wrapped my hands around the NYC Beer Passport and after looking it over, I am convinced this is a “must have” for anyone planning to be in New York for Beer Week or anyone new to drinking New York City.
This 160-page pocket guide contains details on everything that is happening around the city, but it’s so much more! Beer dinners, beer walks, articles on beer, an index of venues, an index of breweries (and where to find those beers) and a listing of styles that shows which beers (by style) will be found during NYC Beer Week.
82 pages are dedicated to participating bars. Each has a page, color-coded by borough, with maps, transit stops, hours, information about special features at the bar, a listing of featured beers, deals provided to passport holders, events at the bar and kitchen information. It’s a great tool for NYC Beer Week – good for deals throughout the city including event discounts – but it’s also helpful for return visits to the city. Some of the deals are available through Labor Day 2010!
During NYC Beer Week, the passport gets you $2 pints at each of the participating bars, a complimentary 8 oz pour of NY3 – the official beer of NYC Beer Week (a Farmhouse Ale brewed with local honey from each of the three brewers – Ithaca, Captain Lawrence and Southampton - which is dry-hopped with hops from Pedersen Farms) – at the Gotham Cask Festival, reduced rates on reservations for Beer Walks and the Brooklyn Brewery Scavenger Hunt, discounted entry to any of the Deconstructing Beer events or the Women in Beerspeakers panel, an additional complimentary beer at the Zagat House Specials dinners, and a souvenir glass at A Walk in the Park at Studio Square - the official closing event which boasts 40+ rare & special craft beers, the premiere of Beer Quest (soon to be found at beerquest.tv) at 4 PM and 8 PM, local foods and music.
By now, if you haven’t purchased a passport, you probably missed out on the pre-sale specials, but there is plenty to be gained by getting one of these, and you can pick them up all over the city!
Bullfrog Brewery just announced details on the latest bottle release - French Kiss – a 7.2% ABV Biere de Garde. Brewer Terry Hawbaker describes it as
“Full of luxurious richness with an aroma akin to candied apples. The palette is full of expressive malt yet finishes dry and spicy with dashes of tartness from the yeast.”
Bottles of French Kiss will be available as a pre-release exclusively to Pub Club members on Thursday, September 3, and then to the general public on Friday, September 4. There is a limit of 4 bottles per person per visit, and the cost is $16/bottle.
This same announcement tells us the following draft beers will be on in October:
- Coffee Cream Stout - made with 10 pounds of freshly roasted Sumatran Mandling coffee and 55 pounds of lactose for a smooth and creamy coffee flavor.
- Oktoberfest
- Hop Harvest – a fresh, wet-hopped ale
The bottle release for October will be Undead Ed (the oh-so-fabulous Edgar IPA bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces) but also in October, we can expect bottles of Wolfsblood Scotch Ale and Busted Lawnmower(keg conditioned with Brettanomyces) to be available!
Filed under: Beer News
Did anyone else read about this, and better yet, catch the video footage?
A Louisiana woman was caught on surveillance tape waddling out of a grocery store with a case of Miller Lite between her legs. That’s right. She wore an oversized house coat, and managed to stuff the beer up her dress, and tuck a couple of sodas in there, too!
I could understand if it were, say, Carlsberg Vintage No. 2 (which sells for ~$367 USD per bottle) or even a case from Abita Brewing Co. But Miller Lite? How much did she spend on the ThighMaster in order to do this?
It’s going to be a crazy day at Bullfrog Brewery in Williamsport, PA! The beer geeks who can make it will be out in full force to buy Frambozen – a wild, barrel aged raspberry ale – for $20 a bottle (limit one case per person.)
Doors open at 11 AM. There are only about 30 cases, so it will go fast!
This is where they make it!
Yummy!
Filed under: Beer News, Brown Ale, Craft Brewed Beers, Non-Smoking, Pennsylvania, Travel, microbreweries
Be among the first to try Elk Creek Café + Aleworks Mid State Trail Ale at the 40th Anniversary party for the Mid State Trail.
On Sunday, July 12th, 2009 from 2:00PM to 4:00PM, the Mid State Trail Association is sponsoring a party in honor of the trail. All are invited to join the MSTA for this mixer and to share experiences on Pennsylvania’s wildest footpath. A portion of the proceeds from each beer sold will be donated to the Mid State Trail Association.
Mid State Trail Ale is a Northern English Brown Ale, described by brewer Tim Yarrington as a beer with a profile designed for balance in a quote for the Summer 2009 MSTA newsletter, the ‘Brushwhacker’:
“The Northern English Brown Ale style is a rich yet approachable English style ale, brewed with English malt and Fuggle hops. The Mid State Trail Ale will be well balanced, with moderate alcohol content, making it a drinkable and satisfying beer.”
Brown Ales pair well with all types of foods, but I will highly recommend the tofu sautéed with spinach and caramelized onions, any trout dish available or Chicken Liver Toast. Also for sale that day will be the trail map and guide.
Make a day, or a weekend, of it – take a hike and go for the beer!
The Mid State Trail System (MST) is Pennsylvania’s longest and wildest footpath, suitable for day-hiking and backpacking. It is now more than 300 miles in length, beginning at the Mason-Dixon Line near Artemas, and traveling through the Seven Mountains and Pennsylvania Wilds Regions to end in Tioga County. It travels through the Bald Eagle State Forest, including Harry John’s picnic area, Poe Paddy State Park or R.B. Winter State Park - all within 30 minutes drive of Millheim.
Just yesterday, we were thrilled to hear that the hops are free (or at least MORE free!) in Alabama. Governor Bob Riley signed HB373 with amendment into Law, giving the citizens of Alabama the right to purchase beer that is up to 13.9% ABV (formerly, the limit was 6%), and it will be found in the liquor and grocery stores, but not convenience markets.
Want the story from the people who really know? Check it out on the Free the Hops blog.
The deck at Old Forge Brewing in Danville, PA is open, and starting next month, there will be added hours to enjoy it! They will now be open on Tuesdays (4 PM – 12 AM) and extending Wednesday and Thursday hours to midnight.
So that’s Tuesday evenings from from 4 PM to midnight, and Wednesday through Sunday opening at 11 AM and closing ad midnight; still closed Mondays.
Still can’t get there? Check them out at Harrisburg Brewers Fest (June 20) or at the Hops, Vines & Wines Festival in Selinsgrove (July 18).
They almost put us over the top! At 315 Chestnut Street in Mifflinburg, there is a sweet looking storefront property with nicely painted signage declaring Bald Eagle Brewing Company is taking up residence. Inside there was a guy obviously working hard on Easter day, but (without poking my head in the door) not much evidence of exactly what’s going on.
A brewing company in Mifflinburg has the possibility of being the core to a beautiful circle of brewpubs. With Selin’s Grove Brewing Co. less than 30 minutes drive to the south, Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks approximately 30 minutes to the west (and, while not a pub, Copper Kettle Brewing is even closer), Bullfrog Brewery just over 30 minutes drive to the north, and a similar distance to the east, Old Forge Brewing Company, the valley would be filled with local beer.
But in this case, the name “Brewing Company” does not refer to a brewery or pub at all. Instead, the goal of owners Tom and Brenda Sweet appears to be to create a business dedicated to supplying ingredients and equipment to the homebrewer, as well as wine and soda makers. Bald Eagle Brewing Company will offer classes to new home brewers, and special order ingredients by request.
The business was slated to open April 1, according to initial news reports, but delays have pushed that date back to May 1. It will be easy to find – right downtown (close to the Scarlet D Tavern) – on the south side of Chestnut Street (Rt. 45). There is meter parking on the west-bound side of the street, and the contact information is listed below.
315 Chestnut St
Mifflinburg, PA 17844
(570) 966-3156
info@baldeagle-brewingco.com
The contest is over – Old Forge Brewing Company has named their beer, and the winner is SenSessionAle (they don’t actually spell it like a WikiWord - that was my own little insertion.) We entered the contest during our “Not-an-Upstate-Beer-Tour“, and I’m sorry to say I didn’t come up with that one…
From the Old Forge Newsletter:
For the past few weeks we had a “name that beer” competition. The ale is an easy drinking British mild, light bodied but dark and malty, a low alcohol session ale. The name that was chosen is sensessionale!
Now that it has a name, get yourself there and try it out!
