Good morning, all, and happy Sunday to you. As I’m sure we’re all sitting here this morning recovering from great beer-filled weekends, I wanted to post some links and stories of interest.
First, the Sam Adams Beer Lover’s Choice program is back for 2009. You may remember in 2008 when the Blackberry Whit beat out the Coffee Stout for mass distribution for the year. Well this year, the contest is between a Pils and an “Ale” (correct me if I’m wrong but I thought Sam Adams already made an Ale?). They’re being described as:
Samuel Adams Pils
Similar to a traditional Czech Pilsner, our Samuel Adams Pils is brewed with a blend of five Noble hops varieties from each of the world’s only remaining Noble Hops growing regions. The spicy, herbal and citrus hop character is well balanced by the Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner malt, adding honeyed malt character and full body without adding sweetness. ABV is 5.2%
Samuel Adams Ale
This IPA style Ale is brewed with a carefully selected blend of hops from top German, English and American growing regions. It is dry hopped with Anthamum, Simcoe and East Kent Golding hops for a powerful fruity and earthy aroma. The intense hop character is balanced by the old German style malt lending a unique sweetness, full body and tart finish. ABV is 5.8%
To find Beer Lover’s Choice events near you so that you can taste the two potential brews and cast your vote for your favorite, check out the Beer Lover’s Choice website.
Once again, Chow.com has chosen their top ten summer beers for 2009. The beers making the list this year are:
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
Bell’s Oberon
Dogfish Head Festina Pêche
Russian River Brewing Company Blind Pig IPA
Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils
The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel Ale
Nøgne Saison
Brouwerij Kerkom Bink Blond
Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca
Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus
For a brief write-up of each beer and a peak as last year’s list, check out the article on CHOW.com. Which is your favorite from the list?
The folks at Flavorwire.com were lucky enough to (virtually) sit down with DIY filmmaker Anat Baron who recently created the beer industry documentary Beer Wars for a brief but informative interview.
We planned on only discussing the film — which which follows the owners of Dogfish Head and Sam Adams as they go toe-to-toe with that largest and most powerful brewery in the United States — but in the process, she schooled us in the history of brewing legislation and broke our hearts with the news that one of our favorite Trappist beers now has more in common with Bud Light than Chimay.
And lastly, check out the latest issue of The Maine Magazine (formally Port City Life) or follow this link for a brief quote from yours truly (they think I’m an expert! heh) about what new-for-summer-2009 Maine beers to drink.
So I’ve returned to my desk, fresh off a weekend of fun and frivolity at the Vermont Brewers Festival in Burlington, VT and I cannot stress enough, if you live within striking distance of Burlington and you didn’t make it to this years festival, you missed out big time! I would strongly suggest you plan ahead now for the summer of 2010 and do not miss next year’s festival!
Our Vermont beer-filled weekend began with lunch at the Long Trail Brewery on Friday, followed by a tour & tasting at the Otter Creek Brewery, a visit to Winooski Beverage in Winooski, VT (just outside of Burlington), lots of beers around the campfire Friday night, a side-trip to the Ben & Jerry’s factory Saturday morning (because it can’t all be about the beer), a tour & tasting at the Magic Hat brewery Saturday afternoon, and it all culminated with the festival itself on the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain Saturday evening from 6:00-10:00. You could not ask for a better weekend!
The winning individual beers for me for the weekend were definitely the Smuttynose Baltic Porter, the Wild Child sour ale from The Alchemist, and the Imperial Stout from Otter Creek. But I would have to give the overall kick-ass award to Microbrasserie Dieu du Ciel from Montreal, QC – every beer of theirs we tried was out of this world. I know a few of their beers are available here in Portland (at Downeast Bev and Whole Foods for sure), so if you haven’t tried any of the Dieu du Ciel stuff before, its absolutely worth the price.
Many thanks go out to Kurt, Laura and the rest of the Vermont Brewers Association crew for making my trip possible and to Pete, Russ, Kellie, Jamie and Meryl for accompanying me on the journey. And please watch below for a fun little video snapshot I put together of the festival-that-was (featuring the song Happy Man by The Prodigals). Cheers!
Up bright and early to hit the road for Vermont for a beer-filled weekend, which culminates with the Vermont Brewers Festival tomorrow evening. So far the trip includes lunch today at the Long Trail Brewery in Bridgewater Corners, a trip to Winooski Beverage — one of the best liquor stores in the state according to the folks at BeerAdvocate — dinner tonight at American Flatbread and of course the festival itself tomorrow. And I’m sure many more excursions will be added along the way.
I’ll be attending the Saturday evening session of the festival, so if you’re going to be there, be sure and say hello. If you would like to be there but haven’t gotten your ticket yet, you’d better hurry – it will sell out before “the door”. Tickets still remain for this evening’s session and tomorrow afternoon, however.
If you can’t make it to Burlington for the weekend but would still like to keep tabs on the goings on, please follow me on Twitter (@livingstonmedia). I will be Tweeting from Vermont all weekend using the Hashtag #vtbeer, so you can easily track the conversation. Others who are planning on attending the festival, please feel free to use the same tag so we can really get a conversation going! See you there!
Phew! After more than a week without the Internet and the Red Sox, both my tv and my Interwebs are back! And not a moment too soon. As I get back into the swing of things and the beer news begins to pour in once more, I wanted to mention a few fun news & notes.
(1) Don’t forget, next weekend is the Vermont Brewers Festival along the banks of pristine Lake Champlain in Burlington, VT. The festival features nearly 30 breweries from all over North America and is no doubt going to be one helluva time. But if you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, be sure and do so ahead of time. Early reports indicate that the entire festival will sell out! And if you’re going, be sure and wave (I’ll be wearing a BlogAboutBeer.com t-shirt)!
(2) If you happen to be reading this from the Left Coast and can’t make it out to Burlington, then be sure and head up to the other Portland (Oregon, that is) on July 24th when Pints for Prostates, along with founder Rick Lyke, will find its way to Rogue Distillery & Public in Portland, OR for a special fundraiser during the Oregon Brewers Festival. Clad in Doctor’s attire, Rogue pub staff will host a day of events including:
11:00am – special Pints for Prostates firkin tapping
12:00pm – starting at noon, a latex glove donning contest happens at the top of every hour for prizes
5:00pm – a toast from Pints for Prostates founder Rick Lyke
12:00pm to 6:00pm – proceeds from all pints purchased will be donated to Pints for Prostates
Pints for Prostates was created to raise the awareness of men about prostate cancer and the need for regular health check-ups. The campaign supports the efforts of Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a not for profit group founded and governed by prostate cancer survivors that works to support, educate and advocate for men with prostate cancer. For more information on the Pints for Prostates campaign, check out www.ustoo.org/pints.
(3) And last but certainly not least, I just discovered a new website which was produced by the Brewers’ Association: seasonalbeerandfood.org. The site, which is dedicated to seasonal craft beer releases, offers specific information on summer craft beers, including where to find them. And best of all, the site also has specific recommendations on what foods each summer seasonal beer pairs best with. Now that the sun is out (after the wettest June Maine has ever seen), Check it out!
The Alaskan Brewing Co. has announced a great contest which will both reward one lucky beer fan and help make great strides in improving the environment.
Similar in theme to the “Best Job In The World” craze which swept the world a few months ago, on July 1st four ocean-minded individuals will be chosen to maintain a healthier Pacific Ocean and coastline. From the official Alaskan Brewing press release,
With ideas as simple as cutting the plastic rings on a six-pack of soda, or as grand as inventing a biodegradable beverage bottle, the four individuals with the topmost suggestions will join the Coastal CODE in Yakutat this fall for the 2009 Alaskan Coastal Expedition.
The four chosen “CODE Keepers,” will embark on a week-long journey of Alaskan adventures including sustainable fishing and surfing, hosted by Alaskan Brewing Co., Alaska Airlines and Wend Magazine. They will learn about the impact of marine debris and how to make a difference for their own local coastlines, while helping preserve the shores of Alaska by leading a multi-day beach cleanup.
Simply put, winners will experience true outdoor adventures while learning how to help maintain healthy coastlines. The all expenses paid, week-long journey will include sustainable fishing, surfing, zip lining, and much more (including spending plenty of time at the brewery itself).
Applicants can submit ideas on the Coastal CODE Web site, Facebook or Twitter. All submissions are due by July 1, and chosen finalists will be asked to submit a formal application further explaining their ideas. The 2009 Alaskan Coastal Expedition will head to Alaska on September 14 and culminate in the Coastal CODE’s home port of Juneau, Alaska with a fund raising concert and cleanup activities for International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 19.
craze which swept the world a few months ago, on July 1st four ocean-minded individuals will be chosen to maintain a healthier Pacific Ocean and coastline. From the official Alaskan Brewing press release, 
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.