Hey everyone, I just want to wish you a happy and safe 4th of July. Hopefully you are taking some time out to hang with family and friends as well as get a chance to drink a nice beer or two.
As for me, it’s my wifes birthday as well so there is two reasons to party. Happy birthday Renee and America!
Since it’s summer and BBQ time, here is my beer lineup for the weekend.
- Widmer Sunburn
- Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom
- Henry Weinhards Summer Ale
- Widmer Drifter
- My Own Northwest Pale Ale (probably the best beer I’ve brewed to date, so delicious)
So what are you drinking this 4th of July weekend?
by Luke on March 17, 2010
Just wanted to wish everyone a safe, joyous and beer-filled St. Patrick’s Day. Irish or not, it’s a great day to celebrate and shake the winter doldrums and cabin fever, especially on a nearly 60 degree sunny day in Maine in mid-March when it feels like Spring finally can’t be that far off.
To put you in the mood, I’ll share this link which was emailed to me last night for a free MP3 download of “Requiem for a Dying Song (Live)” by Flogging Molly — one of my personal favorites — from their latest album (provided by MTV and T-Mobile of all people). And last but not least, please heed the warning in the picture below (found via the beerMEmaine Facebook fan page). Happy St. Patrick’s Day, folks! Cheers.
by Luke on March 16, 2010
A bill which had been stuck in the Iowa state legislature for quite some time finally passed late last week and was signed into law by Iowa governor Chet Culver. The bill finally allows for beer with an ABV (Alcohol By Volume) percentage of up to 15% to be both brewed and sold in the state of Iowa.
According to the Mason City, IA Globe Gazette,
The legislation allows Iowa breweries to apply for newly created licenses to produce beer containing up 15 percent alcohol by volume. Another section of the bill allows Iowa’s beer wholesalers to apply for licenses to sell beers of similar strength. The measure is set to become law at the time of signing.
Previous Iowa law effectively limited alcohol content for beer produced by Iowa breweries to about 6 percent alcohol by volume.
While this was not the first bill of this nature to go before the Iowa legislature, what finally swung the pendulum in favor of higher gravity beer was the help of the Iowa Wholesale Beer Distributors Association. Prior to the passing of this law, high alcohol beers were able to be sold in Iowa, but not by private beer distributors. Instead, the high ABV beers were distributed throughout the state by the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, a state-run agency.
“We are very supportive of this legislation because it means Iowa beer distributors will have the opportunity to sell high alcohol beer to consumers and to make available a wide variety of beers.” The IWBDA’s Douglas said. “I’m sure some (distributors) are very happy to be able to distribute brands that they weren’t able to before.”
It’s great to see legislation like this pass across the country, as it is always a win for craft breweries and artisan beers (I don’t believe Anheuser-Busch makes anything with an ABV that high). It is proof that more & more people (and “The Man”) are beginning to realize that there are options out there beyond watered-down, low alcohol boring beer and that many beers are on par with wine, not just in alcohol content but in the amount of respect they demand. Congratulations to the Iowa Brewers Guild for a hard fought battle and cheers to the thirsty people of Iowa – happy drinking!
by Luke on August 18, 2009
A great beer quote to lighten the mood on this hellishly hot August afternoon (and because, quite frankly, it’s just too damn hot to write anything else):
One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. Here’s how it went:
“Well ya see, Norm, it’s like this… A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”
There is some great news to report in the spread of good quality craft beer across these United States – 
it seems that just this past Friday Alabama governor, Bob Riley, signed bill #HB373 — the state’s “Gourmet Beer Bill” — into law. With the passing of this law, the good folks of Alabama can immediately begin drinking more than swill. For the very first time, Alabamians can now enjoy beer that has an Alcohol By Volume weight of greater than 6 percent (as the new bill raised the statewide limit to 13.9%).
Many congratulations and toasts go out to all of the people behind FreeTheHops.org: Alabamians for Specialty Beer who fought the good fight for four grueling years to get this bill to pass. The hops are finally free!
[image via Flickr]
Hi and welcome to Blog About Beer. My name is Logan and I live just north of Portland, Oregon, a city that has more craft breweries than any other in the US. I'm a full time marketer, blogger, and dad to the most beautiful girl in the world. I'm also a homebrewing and craft beer fanatic.