Spicy winter warmers get us excited for the holidays and remind us of all the wonderful scents and flavors we love from our annual traditions. Fritz Maytag and the brewers at the Anchor Brewing Company have tapped into this by creating a Christmas Ale for the past 35 years.
There’s no doubt the definition of “craft beer” is a slippery creature (which we try to wrestle to the ground in Episode 2 of Beer Nation). Leave it to a second rate business rag, however, to stretch the argument for a more inclusive definition of “craft beer” so far that it offends the sensibilities of even the most fervent supporter of Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada as “craft beers.”
Even the title, “Budweiser takes on MillerCoors’ Blue Moon in craft beer brew-haha,” makes me cringe. The article – featured earlier this week in Crain’s Business – pins Anheuser-Busch’s new “craft” beer, Bud Light Golden Wheat, against MillerCoors’s “craft” delight, Blue Moon.
Guess who wins this epic battle of the “craft” beers? Opportunistic publications like Crain’s Business, who appropriate meaningful terms like “craft beer” for purposes of creating corporate buzz.
Mike visits Brewery ‘t IJ during his stay in Amsterdam and learns how to call someone “the drunk one” and “the wet one” in Dutch.
Some brewers follow Reinheitsgebot (pronounced Rine-Hites-Guh-Boat) — a 16th century German purity law requiring that beer be made from four simple ingredients: water, barley, hops, and yeast. Others . . . don’t.
The truth is many 21st century brewmasters are challenging our understanding of traditional beer styles. This very minute, kegs of beer are being tapped at your local watering hole made with ingredients like chipotle peppers, chrysanthemum flowers, apricots, mangos, Brown Shugga (wait, my mistake, that’s the name of a delicious Lagunitas American Strong Ale). Meanwhile, the 500 year old authors of the Reinheitsgebot are rolling over in their graves.
And, maybe modern craft brewers have to push the envelope. At last count, there were over 1,500 breweries in this country, each grabbing for a slice of the 5% craft beer market share. Craft breweries need to make their beers stand out on a shelf that includes hundreds of choices. One thing’s for sure: these competitive forces lead to the creation of incredibly interesting beers. And, while these experimental beers sometimes only get one turn in my drinking rotation, their mere existence challenges the idea of what beer is supposed to taste like. But, isn’t that what this revolution is all about? Challenging your taste-buds?
As a curious craft beer drinker, I’m willing to try as many different types of beer as I can find. I encourage everybody to do the same. In fact, I challenge all of you to go out this week and try something new that you normally wouldn’t. And, I’m not just talking about beer. Go to the grocery store and pick up a vegetable you’ve never cooked, or buy a spice that’s never seen the inside of your kitchen. Go to the internet, find a recipe, and surprise your friends and loved ones. Some may beg for more. Others may think it’s the worst thing they have ever tasted. But these adventures in flavor — my friends — is what living is all about.
Introducing BeerCam, an occassional short video segment featuring brewers, servers, drinkers, or other individuals responsible for driving the craft beer revolution. In today’s segment, Seth talks to Gary Bogoff of Berkshire Brewing Company.
- Oh boy, do I love a good fresh hop brew! NY Times
- Boston Beer Company (makers of Sam Adams) and Weihenstephan Brewing are collaborating on a 10% beer – I’m going to be first in line. MSNBC
- If it is good enough for Pooh, then it’s good enough for you. Digital Journal
- NORM!!! Still at the corner of the bar drinking beer, just not in Boston anymore. MSNBC
Much has been said about the attempts of macro-breweries to deceive customers by creating beers that look like they come from craft breweries (e.g., Blue Moon, which is actually brewed by Coors). Lately, however, we’ve been seeing something completely different: macro-breweries selling craft-like beers under their own labels (e.g., Budweiser’s American Ale). In just the past few weeks, InBev AB has introduced Bud Light Golden Wheat and Michelob has introduced their Rye P.A. Say what you will about these beers, but they’re not hiding behind faux craft beer labels.
So, what do these products mean for the craft beer industry? First off, I don’t believe macro-breweries are trying to steal away any craft beer drinkers with these particular products (that’s what Blue Moon is for). Instead, I reckon these macro-breweries are trying to tap into populations with little exposure to craft beers (i.e, areas outside of major metropolitan areas and outside of traditional craft beer centers).
Even macro-breweries understand that people — in general — have a disposition for more flavorful beer. So, by making good use of their domination over distribution — which is even more impressive outside of major metropolitan areas — macro-breweries are trying to corner the market for more flavorful beers in these craft beer voids.
Should craft breweries be shaking in their boots? Maybe not. Perhaps these macro-breweries are unknowingly lending a hand to the craft beer industry. Maybe . . . just maybe . . . Michelob is merely selling a “gateway” beer to markets previously beyond the reach of craft breweries. In other words, if Michelob gets an Oklahoma college student hooked on the Rye P.A., it’s only a matter of time before someone . . . probably in a dark alley . . . introduces him to his first Stone I.P.A. And then . . . POW! . . . that guy becomes a junky for real craft beer.
Are macro-breweries introducing previously unreachable populations to a whole world of craft brewing? Perhaps. Flavor is a dangerous thing.
Most of my extended family lives in West Virginia, and when I travel down for a long weekend I always know that I’ll be enjoying hard liquor or wine — rather than a cold beer — while sitting by the pool. Why? Well, the last time I visited West Virginia, a law prohibiting the sale of beer with over 6% ABV (alcohol by volume) was still on the books .
Now, you might think there are plenty of delicious beers that are under 6%. I couldn’t agree more; I probably couldn’t spend the afternoon playing rummikub with my grandmother drinking 9% double IPAs. But the real problem with this law was that it discouraged craft breweries from distributing in the state. Why should Victory distribute in a state that only allows the sale of Prima Pils (5.3% ABV) and the Sunrise Weiss (5.7% ABV)? Furthermore, the law had a cooling effect on the creativity of local breweries in West Virginia (although one could argue that it forced them to be even more creative in order to stick out in the world of Bud drinkers).
There are a couple of breweries in West Virginia, including Mountaineer Brewing Company which opened in 2007 and includes a list of 5 different year round brews. I tried doing some research about the alcohol content of their beer, but such information is unavailable on either Beer Advocate and RateBeer.com (very interesting!).
Well, perhaps the West Virginia breweries will now be a bit more candid about the alcohol content of their beers. As of July 9th, 2009, the alcohol limit was raised to 12%. This change will undoubtably open the flood gates for many American craft brewers to get into the West Virginia market if they choose (although, I think several Dogfish Head brews might still find the 12% limit a barrier to some of their beers!).
So, hooray! One of last remaining prohibition laws has been revoked. For those keeping track, Mississippi is the only state left with a similar rule, but their limit is 5% (argh). And, Utah’s limit of 3.2% is religion-based, so I won’t count it in this tally (SEE EDIT BELOW).
I’m actually heading down to Charleston, WV for the Labor day Weekend and will be enjoying some nice beer for a change. Although, I must say that I have drank the Mountaineer beers in the past and have been quite happy with them, so I’ll probably grab a six or two of their Nut Brown Ale to support the local brewery. Who knows, maybe they’ve been spending the last two months brewing an American barleywine at 10.5%.
EDIT – Utah’s law does not forbid the sale of beer with an ABV of over 3.2%. Instead, the law designates any beer with an alcohol content over that limit as liquor, and controls it accordingly.
East Carson Street in Pittsburgh
While Haight Street in San Francisco is home to hippies and flower children, East Carson Street — arguably the longest continuous stretch of bars in the country — is home to Pittsburgh’s large college student population. (I’ve had the privilege of visiting both cities recently, and can’t tell you how good the bar scenes are on these streets . . . no, seriously, I can’t remember any of it.)
The battle begins. Ding ding!
Haight Street stares glassy-eyed at East Carson Street, and says (in your best Tommy Chong voice): “Hey let’s love each other, man. I don’t want to fight you, man.” But, behind a big puff of smoke comes a great little brewpub called Magnolia Pub and Brewery. With fried chicken Thursdays and an abundance of casks, this place has all you need to satisfy a serious case of the munchies.
East Carson snatches the joint right out of Haight’s mouth, takes a hit, stomps the doobie out, and throws back Fathead’s Saloon. 42 taps and a hand pump can get any college crowd going. What, they close at 2:00 AM? Not to worry, just grab a 6 pack to go. One floor above Fathead’s restaurant and bar is a six pack shop that sells an incredible selection of domestic and foreign craft beers.
The Haight keeps the munchies at bay with a fat Fathead’s Burger, and decides to keep this fight low-key with The Alembic Bar. For the record, any bar that has Russian River Consecration on its bottle list is a champion in my book. (I stumbled upon Russian River beers while rolling through the hills of San Fran and I’d have to say that I think Vinnie Cilurzo of RR, who’s the head brewer and part-owner with his wife Natalie, is a certified genius.)
East Carson shrugs and says, “We’ve got some pretty good breweries here on the East Coast as well, damn it.” Then he pulls out Smokin’ Joe’s, which is exactly that, SMOKIN’! The East Coast is very well represented at Smokin’ Joe’s, where, among its 60 taps and 350+ bottles, it offers beer from the likes of Victory Brewing Company, the Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery (which makes a fantastic Milk Stout and has a pretty cool logo), and the Southern Tier Brewing Company.
Haight has been holding back, though. In its back pocket is the grand-daddy of all beer bars, the twenty-two year old Toronado. This place is full of character and has been around longer than most of the breweries that distribute to Toronado. Haight just stands there and smiles in a peace-and-loving way.
In the meantime, East Carson decides its tired of this hippie and just starts throwing bar after bar at Haight: Piper’s Pub, The Library, Double Wide Grill, and on and on.
Haight Street can’t handle the successive hits and taps out, leaving East Carson with a well-deserved victory.
We expect a night of beer drinking to get a little ”funky”. But, that doesn’t mean we expect our beer to taste “funky”.
Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet of Victory Brewing Company want to change that. Working off their amazing IPA — HopDevil — Covaleski and Barchet created their new WildDevil by adding one special ingredient: a strand of yeast called Brettanomyces. The result? A “funkier” version of the HopDevil. The back of bottle says it all:
It’s arguable that our menacingly delicious HopDevil has always been ‘wild’. Though the India Pale Ale style that he
represents was born in Great Britain, we approached the style with German malts and whole flower American hops, making a unique ale of him, indeed. But what has made him truly wild is a change of yeast. Brettanomyces yeast has given many Belgian ale its soulful character of sharp tang and deep funk. Fermented completely with brettanomyces, WildDevil features the greatest flavors of Europe and America combined. Floral, aromatic hops still leap from this amber ale, but a whole host of new flavors are intertwined with the citrus and pine flavors of these hops, making WildDevil a sensation that is wild, worldly and wonderful!
The addition of brettanomyces yeast (a/k/a “Brett”) seems to make all the difference. (Yeast is an integral part of the fermentation process, as it is the organism that eats the sugar from the malt and poops out alcohol.)
What makes the “Brett” strand so special? Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River recently explained why to Chow:
Brett creates a rustic, unique flavor, like leather or barnyard. It’s really distinctive. But it’s extremely aggressive. Some winemakers won’t even come in here because they’re afraid to get it on them. I’ve had brewery owners call me and say, “My brewer wants to start brewing with this yeast; what do you think?” Then I tell them all the risks—the wild yeasts, bacteria floating around your brewery, and it’s dangerous from a brewing standpoint [because it can infect other beers]. Then usually the brewer calls me up all mad, because I’ve talked the owner out of it.
If the idea of drinking something that tastes like “leather” or “barnyard” doesn’t get you going, how about another one of Cilurzo’s descriptions: “wet dog in a phone booth.” Don’t you just love to cosy up to the bar with a tall glass of soggy dog? YUMMY!
Nonetheless, American brewers have been experimenting with these flavors and are finding it gives their beer that extra kick that the Belgians have been capitalizing on for years. Obviously it is dangerous to introduce these “off flavors” into your brewery, as billions of these microscopic yeast organisms can command-and-conquer by infecting all of your beer with these characteristics. (You don’t want your crisp and delicious pilsner tasting like leather!) But, if a brewery is brave (and careful) enough, they can reap amazing dividends (in flavor!).
So it seems that there are no boundaries for craft brewing. I could throw in some juniper berries, seaweed, and then put it all in a old Kentucky bourbon barrel for a year or two . . . ok, so I should probably let the pros take care of the brewing. But as long as Covaleski, Barchet, and Cilurzo brew it, I’ll be the first in line for a taste.
