Friday’s ad is for Birra di Borgofranco, a stylized ad for the Italian beer, possibly from 1911. I couldn’t find anything about the brewery itself. Still, what’s with the waitresses hat. That’s a pretty odd-looking chapeau, or should I say cappello. And the complexion on the man about to spill that beer on his tuxedo? Is he a zombie?
This is the 9th year that Russian River Brewing has made their seasonal Triple I.P.A. Pliny the Younger, and the fourth year since it blew up into a huge event in 2010. I’ve been going every year since before then, and it’s been fun watching this event grow organically. This year was no exception, and was great fun. Oh, and the beer was pretty good, too.
Each year since they were caught off guard in 2010, they’ve made changes each year to streamline the day, make it easier for more people to get a taste of Pliny the Younger and keep the event from spiraling out of control.
When I arrived around 10:00 a.m., the line already stretched down the block from the brewpub entrance and turned the corner, running back to the beginning of the parking lot in the back of the block.
The first people in line this was a trio from San Rafael, who started waiting in line at 3:00 a.m. the night before!
Vinnie Cilurzo giving a last minute pep talk to the brewpub staff before opening the doors.
Then the entire staff drank a beer shot of Pliny the Younger to prepare themselves for the onslaught of thirsty patrons about to fill the brewpub.
Pliny the Younger 2013. This year’s version weighed in slightly higher than last year, at 10.8% a.b.v. The hop bill changed, Vinnie dropped Columbus, reduced the Tomahawk and stepped up Warrior, using it as the primary hop in the 30 day dry-hopping. Overall, Younger used Amarillo, Centennial, Chinook, Tomahawk and Warrior. He also changed the fermentation temperature, the dry hopping schedule and used even more hops. The result was an even smoother taste, amazing balance and terrific hop character. Big and bold. Vinnie believes it’s the best Younger yet, and it’s hard to disagree.
The first customers of the day, having waited in line 8 hours for this moment. There were about 325 people in line when they opened the doors around 10:30, half an hour early.
Vinnie Cilurzo, enjoying the day.
One fun moment during the celebration, on stage, with Bell’s Hopslam. Last week, John Mallet from Bell’s Brewing came for a visit and left a case of their Triple IPA, Hopslam, and Vinnie and Natalie promised that they’d drink some of the beer on Pliny the Younger Day so Bell’s could post it on their Facebook page. [NOTE: So just to be clear, this is NOT Younger in bottles. There is NO Pliny the Younger in bottles.]
Vinnie and Natalie slamming some Bell’s Hopslam. What did Mallett have to say about this year’s Younger? “It tastes like the rub table at hop selection.”
By lunchtime, the brewpub was packed, and the line stretched down the block with people waiting for their turn to come in all day long.
Back in the brewery, a final moment toasting with Natalie and Vinnie. Here’s to Pliny the Younger 2013.
As I left the brewpub, relinquishing my spot for the next lucky person, I surveyed the line outside one last time, and noticed two artists capturing the spectacle in paint.
It’s February, and that means it’s time for the 11th annual Strong Beer Month, once again with six new extreme beers each at 21st Amendment and Magnolia throughout the month. Try them all, and you get to keep the commemorative logo glass. Just collect all 12 punches in your Strong Beer Month ticket before the beer’s all gone.
Here’s the beer for this year:
This year’s theme is the 1969 album “The Band” featuring Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, John Simon, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel, and while I know the names, I couldn’t pick most of them out in a line-up, so I’m not sure who’s playing who this year.
And here’s the back cover, too:
Today’s infographic is Which Beer Glass Should I Choose?, created for the Central Blog, the blog for Central Restaurant Products’ Foodservice Equipment & Restaurant Supply.
Thursday’s ad is for Bürgerliches Brauhaus, a 19th century Munich brewery that in the 1920s merged with Löwenbräu. This poster was created by famed German artist Ludwig Hohlwein.
Today’s infographic is an interesting one. It’s a chart of beer styles created by Brian Roth, marketing director for Leon Farmer & Company, a beer distributor in Georgia.
From the Leon Farmer website, you can download a ginormous version of the chart.
Wednesday’s ad is another one for Biere Paillette, from Brasserie Paillette in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France. This one shows a woman with a beer in her hand, sitting on a wooden cask and floating high above an ocean sunrise (or is that sun setting?), with a large ocean liner coming toward us full steam ahead. What does all this imagery mean? I haven’t a clue. Does anyone?
Here’s an interesting article, a lengthy, in-depth piece by Kihm Winship entitled Malt Liquor: A History. This is not the first time he’s written about malt liquor. In 2005, he did an article for All About Beer magazine with similar themes, entitled A Story without Heroes: The Cautionary Tale of Malt Liquor. They’re both worth a read, though you may need a drink afterwards, so keep 40 ounces of something handy.
Today’s infographic concerns Global Beer Consumption Statistics. The chart was created by 1001 Beer Steins.
You can see the infographic full size by clicking here.
Tuesday’s ad is for Paillette Speciale Pils, from Brasserie Paillette in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France. The ad was created by Herve Morvan, who’s oftern referred to as The Genius of French Poster Art.
