Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Bistro Double IPA Winners 2020

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bistro

Earlier today, the 20th annual Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I got there early for judging again this year, and was sequestered in the dark, dank basement out of the view of the beautiful Bay Area sun for most of the morning. We judged over 100 Double and Triple IPAs for most of the morning.

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First rounds of Double IPAs being judged (Triples were on the other table).

Double IPAs

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The DIPA Fest judges.

Triple IPAs

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Beautiful downtown Hayward.

Peoples Choice Awards

Congratulations to all the winners.

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And a special shout out to industry veteran Matt Sallie, who was surprised by an impromptu celebration of his 50th birthday at the Bistro today.

Brewhog Determines An Early Spring Bock For 2020

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groundhog-day

Over in Gobbler’s Knob, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Phil the Groundhog — a.k.a. the Brewhog — raised up his head this morning and looked around, and this year did not see his shadow. You know what that means? It means an early spring, and earlier spring bock for us. You can see a video of Punxsutawney Phil here. And there’s more information about Groundhog Day from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

groundhog-field-beer

Here’s a new report of this year’s prediction in Punxsutawney.

And here’s a report on it from Time:

Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog on Sunday declared: “Spring will be early, it’s a certainty.”

At sunrise on Groundhog Day, members of Punxsutawney Phil’s top hat-wearing inner circle revealed the cuddly oracle’s prediction — his 134th, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Awoken by the crowd’s chants of “Phil!” the groundhog was hoisted in the air for the assembly to hail before making his decision. He then grasped the glove of a handler as a member of his inner circle announced that spring would come early this year.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.

punxsutawney-philser

And if you don’t have time to watch all of the deliciously wonderful Groundhog Day film today, here it is in a slightly shorter version just over three minutes.

Brussels Beer Challenge Winners 2019

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BBC-2

Last Monday, the winners of the 8th annual Brussels Beer Challenge were announced. A little over 1,650 beers were judged in 8 broad styles (Pale Ale, Dark Ale, Red Ale, Pils, Stout/Porter, White, Flavoured Beers, Specialty Beers) and then further subdivided into 83 smaller categories (lambic, abbey, chocolate beers, etc.) by 90 judges, of which I was again privileged to be one. This year the competition was held in Mons, with entries from 35 countries. After three days of judging, the awards were announced last Monday, but it took me this long to go through and reformat the winners into a list. Congratulations to all the winners!

Brussels-Beer-Challenge_cmyk

Belgium won the most medals, with the United States coming in second. Here are the top medal winners, by country.

Medals Won by Country:

  1. Belgium = 76
  2. United States = 46
  3. Italy = 24
  4. Netherlands = 21
  5. China = 18
  6. France = 16
  7. Germany = 15
  8. Brazil = 12
  9. Canada = 8
  10. Taiwan = 5
bbc2019-all-medals

The 2019 Brussels Beer Challenge Winners

Category 1 — Dark Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Dubbel
Gold: AFFLIGEM DUBBEL (Brouwerij Alken-Maes; Belgium)
Silver: LA TRAPPE DUBBEL (Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V.; Netherlands)
Bronze: STEENBRUGGE DUBBEL BRUIN (Brouwerij Palm – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium; Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: DELIRIUM NOCTURNUM (Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV; Belgium)

Category 2 — Dark Ale: Brown Ale
Gold: BRUGSE ZOT DUBBEL Brouwerij De Halve Maan (Belgium)
Silver: LA BRUNETTE Brasserie du Renard (Belgium)
Bronze: LA GERVOISE BRUNE SAS Brasserie Etienne (France)
Certificate of Excellence: TRIPLE SECRET DES MOINES BRUNE Brasserie Goudale (France)

Category 3 — Dark Ale: Dark/Black IPA
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BLACK BUCKET Kinnegar Brewing (Ireland)
Certificate of Excellence: SABRO LASER Brasserie de la Pleine Lune (France)

Category 4 — Dark Ale: Oud Bruin (Flanders Brown Ale)
Gold: QUEUE DE CHARRUE VIEILLE BRUNE Brasserie Vanuxeem (Belgium)
Silver: LIEFMANS GOUDENBAND Duvel Moortgat (Belgium)
Bronze: WEST ODNAR Firestone Walker Brewing Company (United States)

Category 5 — Dark Ale: Strong Dark Ale
Gold: CHIMAY GRANDE RÉSERVE Bières de Chimay (Belgium)
Silver: DE POES BRUIN Brouwerij De Poes BVBA (Belgium)
Bronze: TÜBINATOR Cerveceria Principal (Chile)
Certificate of Excellence: BARLEY WINE BRUNE MILLÉSIME 2017 Cap d’Ona (France)
Certificate of Excellence: LEFORT Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste (Belgium)

Category 6 — Flavoured Beer: Chocolate
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: NOI CIOCCOLATO Noi Cervejaria (Brazil)

Category 7 — Flavoured Beer: Coffee
Gold: MACONDO COFFEE STOUT Cervecería BBC (Colombia)
Silver: BRIGADEIRO Jack’s Abby Brewing (United States)
Bronze: FOXTAIL DOUBLE STOUT Hourglass Brewing (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: PURPLE SAISON 18 Brewery (China)

Category 8 — Flavoured Beer: Field Beer
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: TOMATO GOSE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)

Category 9 — Flavoured Beer: Fruit Beer
Gold: AMBAR IMPERIAL CITRUS La Zaragozana S.A. (Spain)
Silver: MANGO GOSE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Bronze: LILLE RØDE Lindheim Ølkompani (Norway)
Certificate of Excellence: NIUBIC SOUR NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Certificate of Excellence: RODENBACH ALEXANDER Brouwerij Rodenbach – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)

Category 10 — Flavoured Beer: Herb & Spice
Gold: SUPER 8 SAISON Brouwerij Haacht (Belgium)
Silver: IJZERHARD IPA Oproer (Netherlands)
Bronze: LOHN BIER CARVOEIRA Lohn Bier (Brazil)
Bronze: BAMBERG HABANERO RAUCHBIER Cervejaria Bamberg (Brazil)

Category 11 — Flavoured Beer: Honey Beer
Gold: BIÈRE DE MIEL Brasserie Dupont (Belgium)
Silver: MAJA HONEY ALE Jeb sas di Bau’ Chiara & C (Italy)
Bronze: MEXICAN HONEY Indeed Brewing Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: MAJA WINTER EDITION HONEY ALE Jeb sas di Bau’ Chiara & C (Italy)

Category 12 — Flavoured Beer: Old Style Fruit-Lambic
Gold: OLD KRIEK CUVÉE RENÉ Lindemans Brewery (Belgium)
Silver: OUDE KRIEK OUD BEERSEL Oud Beersel BVBA (Belgium)
Bronze: OUDE QUETSCHE TILQUIN À L’ANCIENNE Gueuzerie Tilquin S.A. (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: OUDE KRIEK BOON Brouwerij Boon (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: SELVA SOUR Birra dell’Eremo (Italy)

Category 13 — Flavoured Beer: Pumpkin Ale
Gold: BRANDY BARREL-AGED IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE Lakefront Brewery (United States)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: PUMPKIN ALE Low land Brewery di Elettromeccanica di Nicola Soldani (Italy)

Category 14 — Flavoured Beer: Russian Imperial Stout Barrel Or Oaked Aged
Gold: BOURBON BARREL AGED DARK STAR Fremont Brewing (United States)
Silver: FATHER OF ALL TSUNAMIS Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: BLACK BUTTE XXXI Deschutes Brewery (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: BLACK CURRANT BARREL AGED IMPARIAL STOUT Suzhou City Guangtu Brewing Co. (China)

Category 15 — Flavoured Beer: Smoked Beer
Gold: OTHMAR RAUCH Ootmarsummer Bierbrouwerij Heupink & Co (Netherlands)
Silver: BUCKSKIN RAUCHBIER Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Bronze: THE WALL KAMALEON RAUCH Evo Srl (Italy)

Category 16 — Flavoured Beer: Sweet/Milk Stout
Gold: No Award
Silver: STEEL TOE STOUT Ska Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: LOCAL LEGEND Deep Ellum Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: SAMUEL ADAMS CREAM STOUT Boston Beer Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: KOFI Brasserie Atrium S.A. (Belgium)

Category 17 — Flavoured Beer: Wood/Barrel Aged (Less Than 10% ABV)
Gold: MOLE MERKIN Firestone Walker Brewing Company (United States)
Silver: RODENBACH VINTAGE Brouwerij Rodenbach – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)
Bronze: BRAVO Cervejaria Backer (Brazil)
Certificate of Excellence: RESERVA SOUR WOOD Cervejaria Backer (Brazil)

Category 18 — Flavoured Beer: Wood/Barrel Aged Higher Than 10% ABV)
Gold: DUVEL BARREL AGED Duvel Moortgat (Belgium)
Silver: BAKERY: COCONUT MACAROON The Bruery (United States)
Silver: SILLY SCOTCH PINOT BARREL AGED Brasserie de Silly (Belgium)
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: BARLEY WINE MYSTÈRE MILLÉSIME 2017 Cap d’Ona (France)

Category 19 — Lager: American-Style Pilsner
Gold: No Award
Silver: LAGER Firestone Walker Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: TRUE LOVE Champion Brewing Company (United States)

Category 20 — Lager: Bohemian-Style Pilsner
Gold: BERNARD CELEBRATION LAGER Rodinný Pivovar Bernard a.s. (Czech Republic)
Silver: PRIMÁTOR ANTONÍN Primátor A.s. (Czech Republic)
Bronze: BITTA VON TRESEN Muttermilch – Vienna Brewery (Austria)

Category 21 — Lager: Dark/Dunkel (Including Schwarzbier)
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: CERNOVAR CERNÉ Tradicní Pivovar v Rakovníku, a.s. (Czech Republic)
Certificate of Excellence: SCHWARZBIER 4 Pines Brewing Company (Australia)

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The City Hall in Mons, Belgium.

Category 22 — Lager: German-Style Dunkel Bock/Doppelbock
Gold: MAESTRA DUNKEL Mahou San Miguel (Spain)
Silver: BROTAS BEER BOCK Brotas Beer Industria de Bebidas LTDA (Brazil)
Bronze: WEYERMANN BAMBERGER HOFBRÄU EXQUISATOR Mich. Weyermann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: LINDEBOOM HERFSTBOCK Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij B.V. (Netherlands)

Category 23 — Lager: German-Style Eisbock
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: IJSBOK SNAB Bierbrouwers (Netherlands)

Category 24 — Lager: German-Style Helles-/MaiBock/Doppelbock
Gold: BUCKSKIN HELLER BOCK Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Silver: WOW Soralama’ SRL (Italy)
Bronze: BOCK Birrificio Bradipongo S.r.l. (Italy)
Bronze: MAESTRA DOBLE LÚPULO Mahou San Miguel (Spain)

Category 25 — Lager: German-Style Märzen
Gold: SAMUEL ADAMS OCTOBERFEST Boston Beer Company (United States)
Silver: OKTOBERFEST Ninkasi Fabriques (France)
Bronze: OKTOBERFEST STYLE pFriem Family Brewers (United States)

Category 26 — Lager: German-Style Pilsner
Gold: KIRISHIMA BEER PILSNER Kirishima Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Silver: BUCKSKIN GERMAN PILSNER Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Bronze: KETTERER PILS Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: PILS2 Birrificio Otus Srl (Italy)

Category 27 — Lager: Helles
Gold: BAYREUTHER HELL Bayreuther Bierbrauerei AG (Germany)
Gold: WALDHAUS SPEZIAL GOLD Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH (Germany)
Silver: BUCKSKIN MUNICH HELLES Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)

Category 28 — Lager: Hoppy Lager
Gold: AMERICAN MAGUT Birrificio Lambrate (Italy)
Gold: JOPEN CRAFT PILSENER Jopen BV (Netherlands)
Silver: SUPER CADIX Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie (Belgium)
Bronze: NORTH ARCTIC LAGER Tornion Panimo Oy (Finland)
Certificate of Excellence: LAGER DES ÉTOILES Brasserie de la Pleine Lune (France)

Category 29 — Lager: International Style Pilsner
Gold: ALFA EDEL PILS Meens Brouwerij BV (Netherlands)
Silver: LISA Birra del Borgo (Italy)
Bronze: CORNELISSEN LUXURY LAGER Brouwerij Cornelissen (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: CASTEL Brasimba (Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The)

Category 30 — Lager: Light Lager
Gold: UTICA CLUB PILSENER Saranac Brewery / FX Matt Brewing Co. (United States)
Silver: YANJING U8 Beijing Yanjing Brewery Co.,Ltd. (China)
Bronze: PEARL RIVER DRAFT BEER Guangzhou Zhujiang Browery CO., LTD. (China)

Category 31 — Lager: Vienna Lager
Gold: KIRISHIMA BEER AMBER Kirishima Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Silver: LAGUNA BAJA North Coast Brewing Co Inc (United States)
Bronze: No Award

Category 32 — Pale&Amber Ale: (Belgian Style) Tripel
Gold: ST. BERNARDUS TRIPEL St. Bernardus Brouwerij (Belgium)
Silver: DELIRIUM TREMENS Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Bronze: GOUDEN CAROLUS TRIPEL Brouwerij Het Anker (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BROEDER JACOB TRIPEL Brouwerij Broeder Jacob (Belgium)

Category 33 — Pale&Amber Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Blond
Gold: TER DOLEN BLOND Brouwerij Ter Dolen (Belgium)
Silver: ST-FEUILLIEN BLONDE Brasserie St-Feuillien (Belgium)
Bronze: AFFLIGEM BLOND Brouwerij Alken-Maes (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: LA TRAPPE BLOND Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V. (Netherlands)

Category 34 — Pale&Amber Ale: Altbier
Gold: BAMBERG ALTBIER Cervejaria Bamberg (Brazil)
Silver: VENLOOSCH ALT Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij B.V. (Netherlands)
Bronze: SAMUEL ADAMS BOSTON ALE Boston Beer Company (United States)

Category 35 — Pale&Amber Ale: Amber
Gold: 1410 SNAB Bierbrouwers (Netherlands)
Silver: OBAA TWO Obaa Sprl (Belgium)
Bronze: CHIPIE Archibald Microbrasserie (Canada)
Bronze: LA BONNE AVENTURE Microbrasserie Pit Caribou (Canada)

Category 36 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Higher Than 6.5 ABV)
Gold: LUSH Fremont Brewing (United States)
Silver: WEEKEND VIBES Coronado Brewing (United States)
Bronze: IPA pFriem Family Brewers (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: MELVIN IPA Melvin Brewing (United States)

Category 37 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Less Than 6.5 ABV)
Gold: STAY WEST IPA Breakside Brewery & Taproom (United States)
Gold: WANDERLUST IPA Breakside Brewery & Taproom (United States)
Bronze: BIRD OF PREY Uiltje Brewing Company (Netherlands)
Certificate of Excellence: FUMO IPA Chengdu Fengshou Craft Beer Company, Ltd (China)

Category 38 — Pale&Amber Ale: American Pale Ale
Gold: VOLCELEST OATMEAL PALE ALE Brasserie de la Vallee de Chevreuse (France)
Silver: HOP.E Birra Mastino (Italy)
Bronze: RUDE Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)
Certificate of Excellence: LEISURE LAGOON Coronado Brewing (United States)

Category 39 — Pale&Amber Ale: Belgian Style IPA
Gold: DELIRIUM ARGENTUM Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BAPTIST IPA Brouwerij Van Steenberge (Belgium)
Bronze: JACK’S PRECIOUS IPA Brouwerij The Musketeers (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BSL006 Brasserie Saint-Lazare SA (Belgium)

Category 40 — Pale&Amber Ale: Best Bitter
Gold: BAMBERG SEPULTURA ALE Cervejaria Bamberg (Brazil)
Silver: SEA FURY Sharps Brewery (United Kingdom)
Bronze: AMBROSIA Ambrosia e.U. (Austria)

Category 41 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bières De Garde Ambrée
Gold: SILLY SAISON Brasserie de Silly (Belgium)
Silver: BRASSEURS SAVOYARDS AMBRÉE Les Brasseurs Savoyards (France)
Bronze: SINT IDESBALD ROUSSE Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: LA TRAPPE ISID’OR Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V. (Netherlands)

Category 42 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bitter
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: KIRKE Corsaire Microbrasserie (Canada)

Mons-3
My awesome table for judging in Mons. A great group of tasters.

Category 43 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bitter Blond/Golden Ale
Gold: TER DOLEN ARMAND Brouwerij Ter Dolen (Belgium)
Silver: MALHEUR 6 Brouwerij Malheur (Belgium)
Bronze: REMI Brouwerij De Bock (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: HOUPPE Brasserie Artisanale de Namur (Belgium)

Category 44 — Pale&Amber Ale: Double Saison
Gold: SAISON DUPONT DRY HOP Brasserie Dupont (Belgium)
Silver: SAISON DU SABLIER Hourglass Brewing (United States)
Bronze: LA GUILLOTINE Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: AUBEOLE D’ESTINNES Marie-Jeanne Nolf (Belgium)

Category 45 — Pale&Amber Ale: English IPA
Gold: MARTIN’S DOUBLE IPA 55 John Martin ‘s (Belgium)
Silver: CIBOIRE Archibald Microbrasserie (Canada)
Bronze: BURTON ENGLISH IPA Juguetes Perdidos Cerveza Artesanal (Argentina)
Bronze: SAN BLAS Lord Chambray LTD (Malta)

Category 46 — Pale&Amber Ale: Imperial IPA
Gold: L’!! (DOUBLE EXCLAMATION) Noire et Blanche Inc. (Canada)
Silver: KNOTTY DOUBLE IPA Three Weavers Brewing, Co. (United States)
Bronze: 2×4 DOUBLE IPA Melvin Brewing (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: BURIED IN HOPS Anarchy Brew Co. (United Kingdom)
Certificate of Excellence: RETREAT (THIS IS A HAZY DOUBLE IPA) The Bruery (United States)

Category 47 — Pale&Amber Ale: Kölsch
Gold: BUCKSKIN KÖLSCH Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: DRAUGHT 4 Pines Brewing Company (Australia)

Category 48 — Pale&Amber Ale: Light Bitter Blond/Golden Ale
Gold: STRANDGAPER Scheldebrouwerij BVBA (Belgium)
Silver: KOMPEL BOVENGRONDS Brouwerij Kompel (Belgium)
Bronze: KIWANDA CREAM ALE Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: HERKENRODE CISTER Brouwerij Cornelissen (Belgium)

Category 49 — Pale&Amber Ale: Modern Saison
Gold: LA SAISON DU TRACTEUR Microbrasserie Le Trou du diable (Canada)
Silver: PACIFICA Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)
Bronze: NOBLESSE OBLIGE Brasserie au Baron (France)
Certificate of Excellence: CLASSIC Blackberry Farm Brewery (United States)

Category 50 — Pale&Amber Ale: New England IPA
Gold: HAZEALICIOUS Reuben’s Brews (United States)
Silver: HAZY LITTLE THING Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (United States)
Bronze: LIUXI HAZY IPA Witchcraft Brewery (China)
Bronze: WHAT ROUGH BEAST Breakside Brewery & Taproom (United States)

Category 51 — Pale&Amber Ale: Pacific IPA
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BEAK BENDER HOPPINATED INDIA PALE ALE Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: TKO IPA Boxing Cat Brewery (China)

Category 52 — Pale&Amber Ale: Session IPA
Gold: PALM SESSION IPA Brouwerij Palm – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)
Silver: BE ADORABLE Mister B Brewery (Italy)
Bronze: 24-JUIL Oproer (Netherlands)
Certificate of Excellence: SUMMER SESSION TROPICAL IPA Brouwerij Hoop (Netherlands)

Category 53 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Blonde/Golden Ale
Gold: OMER. TRADITIONAL BLOND Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste (Belgium)
Silver: OMMEGANG Brouwerij Haacht (Belgium)
Bronze: HAPKIN Brouwerij Alken-Maes (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: ST-FEUILLIEN GRAND CRU Brasserie St-Feuillien (Belgium)

Category 54 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong/Extra Special Bitter
Gold: SAWTOOTH ALE Left Hand Brewing Company (United States)
Silver: GATSBY Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)
Bronze: BRAUFACTUM PALOR Die Internationale Brau-Manufacturen GmbH (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: MONSERRATE ROJA Cervecería BBC (Colombia)

Category 55 — Pale&Amber Ale: Traditional Saison
Gold: SAISON AVENA Brasserie Deseveaux (Belgium)
Silver: SAISON D’EPEAUTRE Scrl Brasserie De Blaugies (Belgium)
Bronze: SAISON 1900 Brasserie Lefebvre (Belgium)

Category 56 — Red Ale: American Red Ale
Gold: POTALA TIBETAN RED ALE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Silver: KABREW GYEONGBOKGUNG Kabrew (South Korea)
Bronze: RED EYES Pravda Beer Theatre (Ukraine)

Category 57 — Red Ale: Irish Red Ale
Gold: No Award
Silver: RED & GO Birrificio Otus Srl (Italy)
Bronze: BROTAS BEER RED ALE Brotas Beer Industria de Bebidas LTDA (Brazil)

Category 58— Red Ale: Oud Rood (Flanders Red Ale)
Gold: RODENBACH GRAND CRU Brouwerij Rodenbach – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)
Silver: VARVAR BREW CARMINE Varvar Brew (Ukraine)
Bronze: DUCHESSE DE BOURGOGNE Brouwerij Verhaeghe Vichte (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: OUD BRUNELLO Birrificio del Ducato (Italy)

Category 59 — Speciality Beer: Alcohol-Free And Low-Alcohol Beers
Gold: WANDERLUST Van Moll Craft Beer (Netherlands)
Silver: MAISEL & FRIENDS ALKOHOLFREI Brauerei Gebr. Maisel (Germany)
Bronze: BROWN ALE Big Drop (United Kingdom)
Bronze: STOUT Big Drop (United Kingdom)
Certificate of Excellence: FREAK KRIEK ZERO POINT THREE FEEL FREE MERRY CHERRY BEER The Flying Dutchman Nomad Brewing Company (Belgium)

Category 60 — Speciality Beer: Barley Wine
Gold: WEYERMANN NR. 10 BARLEY WINE Mich. Weyermann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Silver: BARLEY WHAT? Brasserie Historique de l’Abbaye du Cateau (France)
Bronze: SCHWARZBRÄU AGED BOCK Schwarzbräu GmbH (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: BREW 3000 Fremont Brewing (United States)

Category 61 — Speciality Beer: Brut Beer
Gold: MALHEUR BIÈRE BRUT Brouwerij Malheur (Belgium)
Silver: BRUT IPA Ninkasi Fabriques (France)
Bronze: DAME JEANNE “BRUT SUR LIE” Dame Jeanne (Belgium)

Category 62 — Speciality Beer: Gluten Free
Gold: No Award
Silver: GRISETTE TRIPLE BIO GLUTEN FREE Brasserie St-Feuillien (Belgium)
Bronze: CAULIER BLONDE GLUTEN FREE Brasserie 28 (Belgium)

Category 63 — Speciality Beer: Hybrid
Gold: No Award
Silver: NOORDTSINGLE Brouwerij Noordt (Netherlands)
Bronze: No Award

Mons-2
The famous Belfry of Mons.

Category 64 — Speciality Beer: Old Style Gueuze-Lambic
Gold: OLD GUEUZE CUVÉE RENÉ Lindemans Brewery (Belgium)
Silver: OUDE GEUZE VANDERVELDEN 137 Oud Beersel BVBA (Belgium)
Bronze: OUDE GEUZE BOON BLACK LABEL EDITION N°4 Brouwerij Boon (Belgium)
Bronze: OUDE GEUZE BRETT ELLE Lambiek Fabriek VOF (Belgium)

Category 65 — Speciality Beer: Other Sour Ale
Gold: LIMOILOU BEACH Microbrasserie La Souche (Canada)
Silver: VARVAR BREW D’RYE Varvar Brew (Ukraine)
Bronze: TIMMERMANS LAMBICUS BLANCHE John Martin’s (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BODEBROWN BRUT SOUR BLANC Cervejaria Bodebrown (Brazil)

Category 66 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Higher Than 7 ABV)
Gold: DRUIF BLANC pFriem Family Brewers (United States)
Silver: DANDAO Chengdu Fengshou Craft Beer Company, Ltd (China)
Silver: GOUDALE Brasserie Goudale (France)
Bronze: ROTTEN SKULL PRUNE IMPERIAL STOUT Brasserie de la Vallee de Chevreuse (France)
Certificate of Excellence: BODEBROWN – CAVE COLINAS DE PEDRAS BLACK BRUT METODO ORIGINALE Cervejaria Bodebrown (Brazil)

Category 67 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Less Than 7 ABV)
Gold: PRUIM pFriem Family Brewers (United States)
Silver: VIVEN CHAMPAGNER WEISSE Brouwerij Viven (Belgium)
Bronze: BARREN SHOWER CHAMPAGNE IPA NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Certificate of Excellence: ENTRE NOUS BLONDE Brasserie de Hosdent (Belgium)

Category 68 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer: Italian Style Grape Ale
Gold: LIMES Brùton (Italy)
Silver: L’EQUILIBRISTA Birra del Borgo (Italy)
Bronze: ROÈ Birrificio Sagrin (Italy)
Certificate of Excellence: BODEBROWN LA GRISETTE SUPÉRIOR Cervejaria Bodebrown (Brazil)

Category 69 — Speciality Beer: Winter Ales
Gold: PIETRA BRASSIN D’HIVER Brasserie Pietra (France)
Silver: CUVÉE DE NOËL Juguetes Perdidos Cerveza Artesanal (Argentina)
Silver: DELIRIUM NOËL Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: ROUSSE DE NOËL Cap d’Ona (France)

Category 70 — Stout/ Porter: American Stout
Gold: OBSIDIAN STOUT Deschutes Brewery (United States)
Silver: ALL BLACK Stanislaus Brewskovitch BV (Netherlands)
Silver: MORE COMPLICATED THAN YOUR GIRLFRIEND STOUT The Flying Dutchman Nomad Brewing Company (Belgium)
Bronze: No Award

Category 71 — Stout/ Porter: Baltic Porter
Gold: NISSOS 7 BEAUFORT Cyclades Microbrewery at Tinos island (Greece)
Silver: PORTER Brouwerij Noordt (Netherlands)
Bronze: SPECIAL ONE IBEER (Italy)

Category 72 — Stout/ Porter: Dry Stout
Gold: KABREW DARK ALE Kabrew (South Korea)
Silver: NITRO STOUT 4 Pines Brewing Company (Australia)
Bronze: KIRISHIMA BEER STOUT Kirishima Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Japan)

Category 73 — Stout/ Porter: Oatmeal Stout
Gold: AMBRANERA Birrificio Otus Srl (Italy)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: THE POET New Holland Brewing (United States)

Category 74 — Stout/ Porter: Porter
Gold: YANNARODDY Kinnegar Brewing (Ireland)
Silver: GASPÉSIENNE #13 Microbrasserie Pit Caribou (Canada)
Bronze: UNCINO Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)

Category 75 — Stout/ Porter: Russian Imperial Stout
Gold: RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT Crooked Spider (Netherlands)
Silver: FROM SIAN TO DON Pravda Beer Theatre (Ukraine)
Bronze: RASKOLNIKOV IMPERIAL STOUT Craft Brew Riots (Russian Federation)
Certificate of Excellence: SINGULARITY Northern Light Brewery (Sweden)

Category 76 — Stout/ Porter: Stout Export
Gold: DUITS & LAURET WINTERSTOUT Brouwerij Duits & Lauret (Netherlands)
Silver: TSUNAMI STOUT Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: ELBOW PATCHES The Virginia Beer Company (United States)

Category 77 — Wheat: Dubbel Wit/Imperial White
Gold: WITWIT 1975 sas di Nicola Grande e C (Italy)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award

Category 78 — Wheat: Dunkel Weizen
Gold: TUMMA HEILI Panimo Honkavuori (Finland)
Silver: SCHWARZBRÄU WEISSBIER DUNKEL Schwarzbräu GmbH (Germany)
Bronze: WALDHAUS SCHWARZWALD WEISSE DUNKEL Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH (Germany)

Category 79 — Wheat: Dunkel Weizen(Doppel)Bock
Gold: TAP6 AVENTINUS Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH (Germany)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award

Category 80 — Wheat: Gose
Gold: SALT SHAKER GOSE Suzhou City Guangtu Brewing Co., Ltd (China)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BEIJING GOSE MODERN NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)

Category 81 — Wheat: Weizen
Gold: 撕BEER WEIZEN Urbrew (China) Craft Beer Co., Ltd. (China)
Silver: TAP7 ORIGINAL Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH (Germany)
Bronze: MAISEL’S WEISSE ORIGINAL Brauerei Gebr. Maisel (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: SCHWARZBRÄU WEISSBIER HELL Schwarzbräu GmbH (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: WEISSBIER HELL Brauerei M.C. Wieninger (Germany)

Category 82 — Wheat: White IPA/Hoppy Weizen
Gold: NIUBI WHEAT NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BROMEO HOPPY WHEAT Boxing Cat Brewery (China)
Certificate of Excellence: LAGUNITAS LITTLE SUMPIN’ SUMPIN’ Heineken Spain (United States)

Category 83 — Wheat: Witbier
Gold: BLANCHE DE NAMUR Brasserie du Bocq (Belgium)
Silver: HOEGAARDEN WHITE AB Inbev Hoegaarden (Belgium)
Bronze: VEDETT EXTRA WHITE Duvel Moortgat (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BLANCHE DE THINES Belgo Sapiens Brewers / Brasserie Ceres Belgique SPRL (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: LOWLANDER WHITE ALE Lowlander Beer Co. (Netherlands)

The Comac Trophy: Best in Show

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International Revelation
CHIMAY GRANDE RÉSERVE Bières de Chimay (Belgium)

Best American Beer

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American Revelation — Fermentis Trophy
BOURBON BARREL AGED DARK STAR Fremont Brewing (United States)

Best Belgian Beer

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Belgian Revelation
TER DOLEN BLOND Brouwerij Ter Dolen (Belgium)

Best Chinese Beer

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Chinese Revelation
POTALA TIBETAN RED ALE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)

Best Dutch Beer

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Dutch Revelation
WANDERLUST Van Moll Craft Beer (The Netherlands)

Best French Beer

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French Revelation
VOLCELEST OATMEAL PALE ALE Brasserie de la Vallee de Chevreuse (France)

Best Italian Beer

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Italian Revelation
AMERICAN MAGUT Birrificio Lambrate (Italy)

Lucky Lager Returns

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lucky-2

Pabst announced today that they’re re-introducing Lucky Lager in the Bay Area. The iconic local beer has been absent from store shelves for four decades, but I’m pretty sure it was still around when I moved here in 1985. By then, according to Wikipedia, beginning in “July 1985, the Olympia Brewing Company in Tumwater, WA began to produce Lucky Lager in the US. In July 2003, this brewery was also closed. Lucky Lager continued to be sold in its original Northern California range at Lucky Stores supermarkets, which although not affiliated, sold Lucky Lager as an unofficial value store brand, until Lucky Stores supermarkets were bought out by Albertson’s and the name of the supermarkets was changed around 2000.”

But as long as I’ve been here, people have been waxing nostalgic about the brand. Apparently, it saw a lot of Bay Area folks through college and their lean years, as an affordable beer brand. And now, they’re bringing it back, albeit without the iconic label and a reimagined modern take on the packaging. I feel like appealing to the nostalgia for the brand — something Pabst knows a thing or two about — would have been a better idea, although only time will tell. On the plus side, it’s being brewed under contract by the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Leandro. When I spoke to co-owner Shaun O’Sullivan, he told me it was under arrangement with Pabst to brew and can the beer for them. At 4.2% it could be a good session lager, something that could definitely be useful. I’m actually looking forward to tasting it, and part of that has to do with 21st Amendment’s involvement.

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Here’s the press release from Pabst:

The Gold Rush and Tech Boom are iconic examples of the good fortune emanating from the Bay Area. San Francisco attracts visionaries and entrepreneurs willing to put in the sweat equity to make their dreams a reality. For most of the last century, Lucky Lager was the Bay Area’s beer of choice after a long day. Now, this Bay Area classic has been reimagined as a premium lager to inspire a new generation working tirelessly to turn dreams into reality.

Founded on the heels of prohibition, Lucky Lager became synonymous with the city of San Francisco and a favorite of the diverse cultures that call it home. In an effort to revive Lucky and restore its local roots, Pabst tapped San Leandro-based 21 st Amendment for help with brewing and canning, and San Francisco-based design agency Hatch to helm the redesign. “San Francisco is a town where anyone with a persevering mindset and dedicated spirit can get ‘lucky’ and strike it big,” said Matt Bruhn, General Manger at Pabst. “We want Lucky Lager to be your reward for a hard day’s work.”

San Francisco-based design agency Hatch created the new Lucky Lager can, a modern interpretation of the iconic original. Six packs present “Lucky” in one of five local languages heard every day on the streets of San Francisco, including English, Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese. This new design concept is an initial nod to the area’s rich cultural diversity and a subtle reminder that luck is a universal phenomenon. “Lucky represents sketch dreams and napkin schemes; it’s a beer meant to celebrate both the wins and failures that pave the road to success,” said Nicole Flores, Creative Director at Hatch.

“Born in San Francisco, Lucky Lager is infused with the same drive, where “X” marks the spot for determination, imagination and desire that make the Bay Area so alluring. Such qualities are inherent to the beer and to those in the Bay who drink it.”

A unique, unfiltered lager that pours with a pale straw color and a clean white head, Lucky Lager introduces itself with the aroma of sweet corn, toasted bread and light notes of citrus fruits from delicate hops. At 4.2% ABV, Lucky welcomes you with notes of light malt, floral earthy hops, and slight honey, with a creamy and satisfying carbonation. It finishes crisp with a pleasant linger, proving that being Lucky is refreshing.

Lucky Lager is exclusively available throughout the Bay Area and Northern California. For more information on distribution and our story, please visit luckylagersf.com.

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The five different Lucky cans being prodiced.

Fastest Growing Breweries in 2018

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Yesterday, the Brewers Association released its list of “50 Fastest Growing U.S. Craft Breweries of 2018.” This is the second year for the list, and I’m glad they started creating it last year, because the annual Top 50 list has grown increasingly static over the years, and isn’t a good way to see who’s shaking things up anymore. Most of the movement tends to now be confined to the bottom half or even the bottom quarter of the list, with minimal changes above that. This list, on the other hand, sees new breweries on it each year (at least so far) and gives a better picture of which breweries are moving product at a faster pace than the previous year. And while it’s probably on a small base, it still shows who’s worth watching.

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From the press release:

Representing 27 states across the U.S., these small and independent breweries experienced a median growth of 163 percent with the median size being 1,350 barrels of in-house production in 2018. Breweries on the list range from 50 barrels to more than 40,000, and grew from less than 70,000 barrels collectively in 2017 to more than 170,000 barrels in 2018. As a group, these brewing companies represent approximately 10 percent of total craft growth by volume for the year, and include 13 brewpubs, 35 microbreweries, and two regional craft breweries.

“Even as market competition continues to increase, these small and independent breweries and brewpubs demonstrate there are still growth opportunities across a diverse set of regions and business models,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association.

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In my neck of the woods — California — six breweries made the list. That represents 12% of the total. Half of the California breweries are in the Bay Area and Northern California, and they’re all in the top half of the list with one, Sacramento’s New Glory, in the Top 10. They opened in 2012. Of the other two, Woods Beer Co. has several locations now, and has been around for several years (16 brewing, 7 with their own brewery). The other one is Humble Sea Brewing, located in Santa Cruz, which just opened in early 2016. Congratulations to all the breweries who made the list.

This is a shortened version of the methodology they used, for the full write-up, see the BA’s press release.

Growth is measured based on production at their own facilities. Breweries must have opened by December 31, 2016 or earlier to be considered. It only includes breweries that reported 2018 production to the Brewers Association’s annual Beer Industry Production Survey; breweries with staff estimates or data from state excise tax reports were not considered. Breweries also needed a validated production figure for 2017, either via the production survey, or state excise tax data.

Beers Of Joy

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beersofjoy

So this looks like it should be fun. There’s a new beer film being released on March 1, which is called Beers of Joy. It apparently follows the journey of four individuals in beer, but two of them are good friends of mine, Tonya Cornett and Sean Paxton.

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Below is the press release from yesterday, announcing the film’s release:

Beer. It’s what you reach for after a long day and how you celebrate with friends – and now, it’s the focus of a new feature-length documentary – “Beers of Joy” – debuting worldwide on March 1, 2019. Written and Directed by David Swift and Scott Owen of One-Eleven Entertainment, the film examines the rich history, detailed science and unique personalities of the beer world, and encourages viewers to consider the stories behind their favorite pints. Beer lovers everywhere are invited to celebrate the film when it makes its theatrical debut at select theater locations across the country, as well as on-demand on iTunes, Comcast, Spectrum and more.

From medieval monasteries to historic German villages and all the breweries in between, “Beers of Joy” follows the fascinating journey of four distinctly different characters and how they ultimately converge over a shared enjoyment of the beloved brew, including:

  • Tonya Cornett, Gold-medal-winning Innovation Brewmaster at 10 Barrel Brewing Co., embarks on a quest across Germany and Italy to discover the ancient, cutting edge traditions and secrets to brewing a true Berliner Weisse, while finding masters of their craft along the way.
  • Beer educator Ryan Daley and Joe Vogelbacher, CEO and Co-founder of Sugar Creek Brewing Co., attempt to pass the prestigious Master Cicerone® exam, beer’s equivalent to wine’s Master Sommelier, known as one of the most difficult tests ever created.
  • Sean Z. Paxton, a self-taught chef and accomplished home brewer goes back centuries in time to discover the roots of culinary and brewing techniques and how they inspire modern day appreciation and pairings, culminating in his undertaking of an actual, 16th-century feast that may prove to be the most difficult thing he’s ever attempted.

“It’s incredible just how vast the world of beer is. Through all of my studying and experiences, I still feel as though I’ve barely scratched the surface,” said Ryan Daley. “To me, the magic of beer is how it brings people together regardless of how much you know. If you’re sitting with a pint of beer in front of you and enjoying the flavor and the company, then you’re usually in a good spot.”

The concept of what became “Beers of Joy” was first born out of Anheuser-Busch’s desire to create an entertaining film that not only celebrated the beer industry, but told the inspiring stories of the people behind it in a way that would resonate far beyond the world of beer. Producer Jonathan Hack partnered with Popular Mechanics and the award-winning filmmakers at One-Eleven Entertainment, who both shared a passion to create a true love letter to the world’s most popular and oldest fermented beverage. “Beers of Joy” is being distributed worldwide by Gravitas Ventures.

“As Directors and beer enthusiasts, it was an incredible experience for us to discover and document the amazing and compelling stories of the characters in ‘Beers of Joy,'” said David Swift, Writer-Director with Scott Owen, and CEO of One-Eleven Entertainment. “In the film, we are fortunate to have some of the biggest luminaries in the world of beer and brewing from across the globe share their passion, their knowledge and their perspective on this special beverage. We hope ‘Beers of Joy’ and its characters make you love more, laugh more, and learn more than you ever thought you might about humanity’s connection to beer… which you should always ‘Pour with Vigor!‘”

If you read through the press release, you’ll no doubt notice that Anheuser-Busch InBev provided some of the financing for the film, as did Popular Mechanics, too. But even in their own press release, their involvement seems to be downplayed, and they’re the last of the five company’s listed that were part of the making of the documentary. I’m sure there will be some hand-wringing over that, but I’m still keen to see Tonya and Sean and want to give is a fair shake. Neither of them is going to be involved in anything if they’re not comfortable with how it’s being done.

The film will make its theatrical debut during an exclusive showing at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Brooklyn, N.Y. on March 1st featuring a Q&A with the cast and filmmakers.

So at least Sean has a good excuse for missing my birthday party the next day, since he’ll be in New York for the premiere. Here is the trailer for the film, which gives a good flavor as to what we can expect from it:

Beers of Joy – Trailer from One-Eleven Entertainment on Vimeo.

Sierra Nevada Acquires Sufferfest Beer Co.

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sierra-nevada

Today, Sierra Nevada Brewing announced the acqisition of their first brewery, San Francisco’s Sufferfest Beer Company. According to today’s press release, Sierra Nevada is buying 100% of the brewery. A relatively new brewery, founded in 2016 (according to the press release) or 2015 (on their Facebook page), their focus has been on beer aimed at active, athletic beer-drinkers.

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Here’s the press release:

“While still in its infancy, Sufferfest is at the front of the wave of ‘functional’ alcoholic beverages,” said Sierra Nevada President and CEO Jeff White. “By joining with Sierra Nevada, Sufferfest will be better positioned to grow and continue to lead the way in a rapidly growing and highly competitive space.”

Sufferfest, which launched in 2016, is beloved by athletes for its gluten-removed line of beers like its 95-calorie Kolsch brewed with bee pollen and its FKT (Fastest Known Time) Pale Ale brewed with salt and black currant.

“The complementary nature of our offerings and their position at the cusp of this emerging category are not the only reasons Sufferfest made sense,” said White. “From the moment we met, it was clear that our two companies are deeply aligned in our values and our commitment to do the right thing.”

Sufferfest is a Certified B Corporation and a values-driven company. Founder and CEO Caitlin Landesberg, a long-distance trail runner, started the company with a vision to create the perfect post-sweat beer for herself and fellow sufferers.

“I’ve always craved a beer after a race, but when I couldn’t find a beer that agreed with my dietary and performance needs, it left a genuine void in the post-race social experience,” explained Landesberg. “The finish line is where we get to celebrate the ail, anguish and suffering we’ve all been through together. I so wanted to continue to be part of this occasion, but didn’t want to keep compromising on taste or ingredients.”

A homebrewers course in 2012 followed by coursework at UC Davis enlightened her on the microbiology of beer and its many positive attributes. She started her quest to develop a beer by athletes, for athletes, and after years of improvements and sampling her beers among fellow runners, local heroes and professional athletes, Sufferfest Beer Company was born.

“Sierra Nevada is the perfect fit,” explained Landesberg. “If it were any other company, this would not be a consideration for us. Sierra Nevada is a family-owned and operated business that isn’t driven by shareholder pressure to meet quarterly numbers,” she continued. “I’ve always been so impressed by their commitment to the communities they serve. They are really driven by their own north star.”

“Sufferfest represents an authentic and genuine platform for us to connect with more and different people,” said White. “This isn’t something cooked up by an ad agency. Sufferfest is a group of tireless, deeply committed people who love to have fun. In other words, they feel like us.”

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And on Sufferfest’s website, founder Caitlin Landesberg issued a statement about the acquisition:

When I think back to the early days of Sufferfest Beer Company, it’s humbling and gratifying to remember the coursework I pursued at UC Davis School of Brewing. And the time I spent sitting in line at the City Planning office, or haggling at the Alcohol Beverage Control. There were also the days I hand labeled each of our beers and personally visited each account on a weekly basis. We are aptly named because building this company has been nothing but a sufferfest.

The most fulfilling part, however, has been the people I’ve met and have had the pleasure to work with along the way. Our team of employees are truly a family — we are connected by our belief in this company’s values and purpose. Despite never belonging, we’ve changed the craft beer landscape and created something lasting. Thank you for believing in me and taking this leap of faith with me.

It is with great excitement that I’m announcing the next chapter in Sufferfest’s wild and wonderful story. Today, we officially join the Sierra Nevada Beer Company family.

As a founder, this partnership feels like a dream: Sierra Nevada not only possesses the operational and manufacturing muscle we need to grow Sufferfest, but also is so aligned with Sufferfest in terms of values: sustainability, conservation, and a deep love of the outdoors. They are masters of their craft, and we have a lot to learn from them. Given any choice of a strategic partner, I would choose Sierra Nevada each and every time. The stars aligned.

The most exciting thing here is the vote of confidence in our ability to change the craft beer landscape. We’ve spent the last few years doing things differently, and it speaks volumes to the power of what we’re building that we were able to secure the partnership of Sierra Nevada, a leader in the craft beer space.

This partnership with Sierra Nevada enables us to do more of what we love: brew award-winning, functional beer, grow our tribe, and be in the hands of sweaty consumers all over the country. I am so proud of this team and so moved by all that we’ve done to bring Sufferfest to this exciting day. 2019 is going to be a wild ride, and I couldn’t more confident in the ability of this team to rise to the occasion and keep winning.

Bistro Double IPA Winners 2019

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bistro

On Saturday the 19th annual Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I got there early for judging again this year, and was sequestered in the dark, dank basement out of the view of the beautiful Bay Area sun for most of the morning. We judged 66 Double IPAs and 34 Triple IPAs.

Double IPAs

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Peter Hoey from Urban Roots accepting his silver medal from Double IPA.

Triple IPAs

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Craig Cauwels from Morgan Territory winning gold for his triple IPA.

Peoples Choice Awards

Congratulations to all the winners.

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It was a beautiful day at the Bistro for tasting 100 Double and Triple IPAs.


Potato Peel Beer

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My good friend Luc De Raedemaeker, who among quite a bit more, publishes the Belgian beer magaine Biere Grand Cru that started in 2014. Knowing my love (some might say obsession) with frites, my universal name for fried potatoes or fries, he included me in a tweet about an article covering a new Dutch beer that uses potato peels from a frites business.

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Beer in which old bread is processed during brewing, we already had, but also when making fries a lot of ‘waste’ is produced. To put it in the words of FrietHoes say “potatoes are round, french fries square”. Throwing away the leftovers would be a shame, especially because they are still trying to make their production process as sustainable as possible. In search of a solution they came into contact with Jopen as beer lovers and the solution was not far away.

Potatoes are full of starch and you can use some of them during the brewing process. Jopen therefore developed a beer in which the leftover potato (the ‘shells’) is added to the batter. Still nice fruity hopping and ‘Klaar is Kees’. The result is a dark blond beer with a hoppy aroma of citrus fruit and a nice bitterness so that it dries super smoothly. Ideal for a pack of salty fries …

I’m in.

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I’ve had a few potato beers before. Widmer Brothers made one for OBF a number of years ago, I believe. And I certainly remember a couple more. But this is even more interesting because it’s recycling at its finest. Taking the leftover potato peels from making frites is just genius. The people behind it, Friethoes, grow their own organic potatoes, operate frites shops, food trucks, and have other potato-related businesses. But the peels were going to waste. So why not? Of course, now I’m dead keen to try a bottle. So they partnered with Brouwerij Troost to brew the beer.

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Until I can get my own bottle, here’s a review of it from a Dutch blog called Lauriekoek:

Beer is usually made of malt, yeast and hops. Malt does not necessarily have to be malt, other sources of sugar and starch are also suitable for fermentation. You can also use potato starch, because that too can be converted into alcohol and bubbles by yeast. And that’s what FrietHoes did, together with brewery Troost. By working in a smart way on the potato residues as part of the ingredients in the beer, FrietHoes comes a step closer to the zero waste goal.

Peeling beer is described as a Weizen. Of course this is not a Weizen in the most German sense of the word, because it differs from the traditional ingredients. It is a bit between a Weizen and a Belgian wheat beer, partly because of the addition of coriander seeds and orange peel, to give it a fresher character. Peeling beer is sweet and a little weeïg, but a bit more acidic than other white beers and with the typical notes of banana and clove that you can also find in weizen beers. The acidity in this beer is easy to combine with fatty dishes such as everything that comes out of a frying pan.

All in all, FrietHoes has succeeded in developing a beer with potato that fits well with the deep-fried delicacies that they mainly sell. Whether it is a really accessible beer, I wonder. For a number of people, perhaps it is just a bit too sour.

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And here’s another review from BierNet.nl:

Friethoes Schillenbier

New: Schillenbier from Friethoes . An unofficial Weizen beer made from hops, barley and pieces of potato from Friethoes fries factory. The fries bakers worked together with Brouwerij Troost to process the remains from the fries cutting plant and use them in a new and cool product. From now on: fries and beer from Friethoes.

Brewery Troost has often brewed with other ingredients with the aim to prevent waste. In the past they also brewed Pieper Bier and Bammetjes beer.

That’s how you make beer

Friethoes Schillenbier bottleYou already knew: beer is made from malt, hops and yeast. You mainly use malt to give color and flavor to your beer. The starch in malt also provides alcohol and bubbles with the help of a little yeast. You do not need malt starch per se, you can also use potato starch.

And that is exactly what Friethoes and Troost have done: the waste is converted into a main component. In the end, fewer raw materials are needed to make the same fries and the same beer. Hoera!

Es ist (k) ein Weizen
The new Schillenbier naturally had to taste good with fries, which is why the brewers chose Weizen beer . Weizen is sweet, mild and accessible and that fits well with a first-class salty burger.

The new Schillenbier consists of 50% wheat malt, a little barley and little hops. Officially you can not call that Weizen. If you are a bit of a German, you know that according to the Reinheitsgebot you do not use beeper starch in Weizen, even if it tastes exactly the same. No Weizen.

A responsible company

Friethoes wants to make fries in a responsible and honest way. That’s why it uses as many local potatoes and local ingredients as possible, uses green electricity for their fries and 100% E-numberless sunflower oil to bake the fries.

The packaging is made of biodegradable plastic, recycled paper and cardboard and the forks in the recycled wood store. Schillenbier is an initiative and an experiment to determine the value of the waste stream. The goal is to be the first zero waste fries company in the Netherlands by 2019.

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Russian River’s New Windsor Brewery Opens Today

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At 11:00 AM today, the grand opening of the new Russian River Brewing Co. production brewery and brewpub in Windsor, California, took place. The 85,000 square foot building houses a 75-bbl state-of-the-art brewhouse, a tank farm, barrel room, coolship, and much more. Eventually, they’ll offer both a guided tour and a free self-guided tour that will give visitors a unique view into the brewery’s operations. To see the whole thing, you really need to take both tours. But that part of the experiences is still a few weeks away as they focus on other aspects of the business.

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The extrance to the restaurant/brewpub. (Photo yesterday, courtesy of Natalie Cilurzo)

What will open today is the restaurant and brewpub, which owners Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo refer to simply as the Pub. It has a warm, rustic feel and includes several areas and seating for nearly 190 guests. In addition, there’s a 1,000-sq. ft. gift shop, a separate tasting room, and a tour lobby (for when the tours start). Growler fills will be available in three locations. Here are the basics:

Russian River Windsor
700 Mitchell Lane,
Windsor, CA 95
(707) 545-2337 (BEER)

HOURS:

Sunday-Thursday: 11:00 AM-10:00 PM
Friday-Saturday: 11:00 AM-11:00 PM

I was fortunate enough to have visited the brewery leading up to today’s opening, and here is what you can expect to see when you visit the brewery.

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There’s a larger circular fireplace with comfy chairs where you sit with a beer and wait for your table, or just sit and converse with your friends.

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Of course, you can just sit at the bar, too.

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Or sit for a meal and one of several dining areas.

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The menu is completely different from the original downtown Santa Rosa brewpub, with no pizza, but they do have a selection of salads and other nibbles.

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Along with several entrees, like these delicious burgers topped with malted bacon and cheddar fondue.

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There’s also a second back bar in an adjacent dining area, that in the summer will open up to an open area that overlooks several acres of wetlands. The first beer brewed at the new place was Windsor Porter, a variation on Vinnie’s award-winning Porter (fun fact: Russian River’s very first medal at GABF was for their Porter). It was also the first beer he brewed at the original brewery at Korbel, and also when the opened the downtown Santa Rosa brewpub in 2004. It’s now pouring in the brewpub (and is quite tasty) along with the first batch of Pliny the Elder, with many more to follow.

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You can also pick up bottles of the Windsor Porter in the gift shop, and they’re labeled “Batch 1.” The gift shop itself is fairly large, and in fact, just the cooler in the adjacent shop is larger than the whole gift shop at the original brewpub.

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Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo in the new brewhouse, which is 75-bbls, a little bigger than their previous one, which was 50-bbls.

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But the new brewhouse is a cathedral of beer, large enough that you can barely make out Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo, who are looking down from the top of the spiral staircase at the upper center of the photo.

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