America’s largest independent brewery, The Boston Beer Co. — the folks behind Samuel Adams — has announced the upcoming release (release dates to be decided) of a new series being called “The Sam Adams Barrel Room Series”. Each beer in the series shares the common characteristic of having first been aged in oak barrels. But that’s where the similarities seem to end.
“This dark-skinned European morello-type cherry was first introduced into the United States in 1984 by Dr. Amy Iezzoni, Professor of Horticulture at MSU [...] The Balaton cherry has a dark burgundy color throughout with a robust sweet-tart taste.”
The second release, Samuel Adams New World Tripel, has a much higher ABV of 10% and is being described as “golden in color with notes of spice and tropical fruit.”
Finally, the third beer in the announcement, the Samuel Adams Stony Brook Red (9% ABV),is a Belgian-style ale “with a hint of tart fruit and toasted oak character.”
It’s great to see a big brewery like Boston Beer Co. releasing some “Beer Geek” brews. They certainly wouldn’t have to do anything out of the norm, off the wall or potentially “risky” like these beers; I’m sure the company’s sales would be just fine without the Barrel Room Series. But it’s really good to see the brewers continuing to flex their respective brewing muscles by brewing some new styles.
And, just like the argument which was given in the comments section of the Michelob post I wrote a few days ago, the recognizable Sam Adams logo on these beers might convince drinkers of otherwise rather safe beers to try something they might not otherwise have the balls to try — in this case it’s people who already drink decent beers like Sam Adams Boston Lager instead of swill like Mic Ultra trying slightly riskier styles like Kriek rather than Michelob Porter. But the argument remains the same. Good for you guys, Sam Adams!
[Source: beernews.org, the craft beer news leader]
I got an email this morning from the folks at Michelob Brewing Co. (owned by Belgium’s largest brewery – Anheuser-Busch) alerting me to the release of their new “Ale Sampler Pack”. Usually when I receive press releases from any of the brewing behemoths like Michelob, they go straight to the virtual trash can. But, for whatever reason, I guess they caught me at the right time during my email purge this morning and I decided to give the press release a quick glance-over. Here’s what it said, in so many words:
Apparently Michelob is releasing a new “Fall/Winter sampler pack” featuring four ales: Michelob Porter, Michelob Pale Ale, Michelob Bavarian Style Wheat & the new Michelob Rye P.A. From the press release,
Michelob Rye P.A. is a robust ale with distinct bitterness, perfectly balanced by complex malt flavors and the spiciness of rye. Previously only shared at beer festivals, this highly anticipated beer is being introduced exclusively in the Michelob Brewing Co. Fall/Winter Sampler Pack.
Malt: Two Row, Caramel, Rye
Hops: Columbus, Cascade; 50 IBUs
ABV: 5.9%
Michelob Bavarian Style Wheat is an unfiltered wheat beer that is lightly hopped and fermented using a unique yeast strain to create characteristic banana and clove aromas. The beer was originally introduced in 2006 as part of a sampler pack and made available seasonally in 2007.
Malt: Two Row, Wheat
Hops: Cascade, Hallertau, 13 IBUs
ABV: 5.2%
Michelob Pale Ale is dry hopped to produce a delicious floral and citrus nose. This balanced ale pours a thick foam head and displays a deep, orange-amber color. Michelob Pale Ale’s spicy tones and a slightly bitter profile are balanced with a clean finish.
Malt: Two Row, Toasted and Caramel
Hops: Hallertau, Saaz, Cascade; 37 IBUs
ABV: 5.5%
Michelob Porter showcases bold coffee and chocolate tones with subtle notes of raspberry and pine. With a lineage tracing back to 18th century London, our porter displays the creamy texture and hearty flavor that made this English-style ale famous.
Malt: Two Row, Toasted, Caramel and Chocolate
Hops: Willamette, Saaz; 25 IBUs
ABV: 5.9%
So yeah, there you have it. But my real reason for posting this is that I’m really intrigued about who the folks at Michelob think will buy these sampler packs. I know that the muckety-mucks at “The Big Three” have been scared of craft beer for awhile now. While the total consumption of craft beer still pales in comparison to that of macro-brewed swill, its numbers have steadily been on the rise for years now, while sales of macro-brews have remained completely stagnant. So of course they’re worried, and those worries lead to the mimicking of the little guys (the Michelob Mix Pack certainly isn’t the first attempt by AB at craft beer-styles).
But what I’m wondering is who in the hell is going to buy these mixed packs?! My guess is that 96% of craft beer drinkers will stay away and not even give the beers a try, simply because the label reads “Michelob”. Even if they’re interested in the styles, or in intrigued by what Michelob is up to, craft beer drinkers like to support the little guys — that’s part of the reason we drink what we drink — and they’re not going to fork over hard-earned drinking dollars to Anheuser-Busch when those same dollars could go to the brewery down the block.
And Michelob drinkers drink Michelob Ultra or Michelob Lite and they do so for one reason — it’s not about taste, craft or quality. That’s not why they drink. So will these new flavors that Michelob drinkers probably haven’t even ever heard of (no offense) really sway them from their light-beer-drinking ways? No, probably not.
I don’t get it; who are these beers really for? Who will drink them? Will you?
Another new beer website went live this week and although I get emails almost daily about new beer websites, I figured I would write about this one because (a) I haven’t written about a new beer website in awhile, (b) it was a concept that I thought actually showed promise, (c) they asked nicely, or (d) all of the above… If you answered “D”, you are correct. From the official press release,
BeerPetitions.com, a new website launched this week, aims to empower craft beer drinkers to centralize their beer demands online so that local retail establishments will know the beer brands their customers want to purchase. This web tool will change how retail establishments choose beer brands and could dramatically increase craft beer market share. BeerPetitions.com allows registered users to create an online petition for a specific beer brand to be carried at a particular retail establishment such as a bar, restaurant, or store. Members create profiles, add their signatures to petitions, and add comments to petition pages. Members also have the option to receive email alerts when new petitions are created for selected retail establishments.
The site is a tad misleading in its current form — just because a horde of craft beer fans wants a package store to carry Oskar Blues cans doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to happen if Oskar Blues doesn’t have the power to distribute to the horde’s home state in the first place — so I hope they get around to addressing that. But what it does do is help show retailers what beers their current customers do want that maybe they’re currently buying elsewhere.
For instance, I know that here in Portland you can get many of the beers of Montreal’s Dieu Du Ciel at Downeast Beverage on Commercial St. but I personally do the majority of my day-to-day beer buying at Whole Foods instead, since that’s where I get my food and it’s more convienent that way, and leave Downeast to my specialty purchases (sorry guys!). So I would love for Whole Foods to carry more of the Dieu Du Ciel line (they only have 2 of their beers right now and they’re 2 of the least interesting) and now I can create a petition saying so. And, presumably, if enough people agree and go to Whole Foods with the request, things could change for the better.
The site is also not limited to retail establishments; users can create petitions asking to see more craft beer taps at their favorite local watering holes. And it’s pretty safe to assume, I’d say, that if the site gains enough ground to make a steady impact on beer markets across the country, as craft breweries grow and look to expand, they will be able to look to BeerPetitions.com to see exactly where the demand for their product is, right down to the micro level of what stores they should stock, and go there.
So if you’re trying to convince your corner store to stock a line of Rogue beers like the big liquor store across town does, or you want your neighborhood dive to add a Sierra Nevada tap next to the overused PBR keg, and you think a couple hundred of your closest friends would agree, check out BeerPetitions.com!
I’m still recovering from a first-hand witnessing of the EPIC Red Sox domination of those Damn Yankees last night and Jacoby Ellsbury’s historic stealing of home plate so rather than an in depth beery anecdote today, I’m just going to report on some of the happenings in the Beer World which have been gathering in my inbox all week. Enjoy:
The Brewers Association names the 2009 Achievement Award Winners: The Brewers Association Recognition Award went to Ken Allen, founder of Anderson Valley Brewing Co. in Boonville, CA and former chair of the Association of Brewers, a precursor organization of the Brewers Association. The Brewers Association presented the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing to Steve Parkes of the American Brewers Guild. Parkes received this year’s award for demonstrating creativity, excellence in brewing and substantial contributions to the craft brewing community, as well as serving as lead educator for hundreds of today’s craft brewers. And The Brewers Association presented the F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award to Eric Wallace of Lefthand Brewing Co., in Longmont, CO. Eric led the charge to successfully preserve beer drinker choice and selection in helping defeat damaging legislation in Colorado. [From the official Brewers Association press release]
Consolidation in Maine’s beer industry: Atlantic Brewing Co. of Bar Harbor earlier this month bought Bar Harbor Brewing Co., which was founded in the village of Otter Creek in 1990, according to the Bangor Daily News. The paper did not reveal the purchase price.
Atlantic co-owner Doug Maffucci plans to continue to market Bar Harbor Brewing’s three main beers as Bar Harbor Brewing products, and that all of the company’s combined beers would be made at facilities in Town Hill and Portland. Atlantic is the third owner of Bar Harbor Brewing in the past two years, the paper reported. [From Mainebiz]
Guinness Announces the Release of their 250 Anniversary Stout: GUINNESS 250 Anniversary Stout is
Yankee legend "Goose" Gossage, right, and Guinness Master Brewer Fergal Murray pour the ceremonial first pint of Guinness 250 Anniversary Stout, Friday, April 24, 2009, at the Perfect Pint Public House in New York.
being made available in the United States on a limited edition basis (approximately six months). This marks the first new stout offering in the U.S. from Guinness since 1966 – more than 40 years ago – when Guinness draught was first introduced to Americans.
The limited edition release will be available nationally on April 24, 2009. A 6-pack of GUINNESS 250 Anniversary Stout bottles will have a suggested retail price of between $7.99-8.49, and this new offering will also be available in draught kegs.
The commemorative stout is carbonated, not nitrogenated like the traditional GUINNESS Draught. As a result, it has a near-white frothy stout beer head of larger bubble size than that of GUINNESS Draught, and is poured on draught in a one-part pour or gently from a bottle (as opposed to the two-part pour often associated with GUINNESS draught). This product has a crisp effervescent taste with a balanced malty, roasted, hop flavor that is enhanced when released with a lively, refreshing and smooth carbonated mouthfeel. A triple hop addition regime provides a hint of bitterness. [From the official Diageo press release]
A Bitter Ale for Bitter Times:
With government-financed corporate bailouts dominating North American headlines, Howe Sound Brewery in British Columbia is selling an ale it’s calling Bailout Bitter with the slogan “Bitter ale for bitter times.” The beer is usually offered at a lower price than other house brands.
People do tend to drown their sorrows in a recession: Alcohol sales are generally resilient in tough times, with people more likely to frequent bars—and some sectors of the alcoholic beverage industry are currently seeing a spike in sales. While there are serious socioeconomic implications to this trend, times of crisis also cry out for humor and a lighthearted view on what’s in the news. By doing just this, as well as offering a much-needed cost incentive, Bailout Bitter helps remind us that things will invariably get better. [From the JWT Anxiety Index]
Anyway, thanks for reading. I’m going to go continue my post-Red Sox Awesomeness recovery with a bottle of the new Long Trail Brewing Double IPA (which I bought today at the Portland, ME Whole Foods but is available wherever fine Vermont beer is sold). Until next time, faithful BAB clan…
This is the second year in a row I’ve received a press release about the Guinness/Diageo marketing campaign called Proposition 3-17 (I’m not supplying a backlink, just Google it if you want to find out more) in which the brand is trying to “make St. Patrick’s Day an officially-recognized holiday in the United States”. While I love a good marketing gimmick as much as — if not more than — the next guy, there are several reasons this particular gimmick (and yes, it is a gimmick) really annoys me.
First off, the modern day St. Patrick’s Day celebration is almost a completely secular cultural holiday celebrated by Irish Americans (in this country anyway). And while I am the biggest proponent of celebrating cultural significance, if you’re going to reward one cultural holiday with national recognition, you must recognize all major cultural holidays that way. You cannot just pick and choose (its bad enough that only major Christian holidays are celebrated in America, but that’s a much larger argument for a much larger platform) which ones to recognize.
Secondly, it should absolutely never be up to a private company to try and dictate national holidays. Especially an English company (Diageo; which is headquartered in neither the U.S. nor Ireland). Valentine’s Day is bad enough, as its now an almost entirely commercial holiday (even Christmas is borderline but again, another argument for another platform), but at least it started out as something more. Yes, St. Patrick’s day is “something more” but if it were to become a nationalized holiday at the urging of a commercial brand, it would take any remaining true cultural legitimacy out of the holiday completely, and turn it entirely into the marketing gimmick Guinness is trying to make it (understandably, as I’m sure it’s the brand’s most profitable season). the recognition of a holiday should be up to the people and the government of the country recognizing it and at their own discretion; not at the gentle prodding of a major multinational corporation.
Lastly, while drinking beer is obviously a large facit of the celebration of St Patrick’s Day — and of the Irish culture itself — drinking alone is no reason for a national holiday. And believe me, I’m the biggest advocate of safe, responsible alcohol consumption (duh!), but when Guinness is trying to make an Irish holiday an American national holiday solely because of drinking, something has gone terribly wrong.
Saint Patrick’s Day is already a national holiday in Ireland, where it should be. And, while it is widely celebrated across the U.S. by Irish and non-Irish Americans alike, there is absolutely no legitimate reason to make it (and not every other major cultural holiday) a national holiday.
upcoming release (release dates to be decided) of a new series being called “The Sam Adams Barrel Room Series”. Each beer in the series shares the common characteristic of having first been aged in oak barrels. But that’s where the similarities seem to end.
Irish Americans (in this country anyway). And while I am the biggest proponent of celebrating cultural significance, if you’re going to reward one cultural holiday with national recognition, you must recognize all major cultural holidays that way. You cannot just pick and choose (its bad enough that only major Christian holidays are celebrated in America, but that’s a much larger argument for a much larger platform) which ones to recognize.
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.