Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Guinness Foreign Extra Stout Finally Coming To U.S.

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At long last, Diageo has announced that Guinness Foreign Extra Stout will be returning to the United States. Discontinued after Prohibition in 1920, it’s been 90 years since it was legally available here. Thanks to Beer Advocate for the tip.

From the press release:

Tuesday, September 28th is National Drink Beer Day! As if you didn’t already have reason to raise a pint, GUINNESS Irish Stout is proud to announce its U.S. launch of GUINNESS Foreign Extra Stout (FES) on October 1st. The fullest in flavor of the GUINNESS brand variants, GUINNESS FES is carbonated unlike the nitrogenated GUINNESS Draught with which most Americans are familiar. The specialty beer is 7.5% ABV and possesses strong, roasted aromas followed by a unique bittersweet taste. Foreign Extra Stout is already a favorite of many around the world, making up 45% of GUINNESS sales globally, and is sure to be a favorite of beer aficionados here in the U.S.

GUINNESS Foreign Extra Stout (FES) is brewed with the highest hop rate of all the GUINNESS variants. The generous hop additions express fully the beers distinctive character and flavor while also prolonging shelf life in warmer climates, as hops are the best natural preservative for beer. GUINNESS FES is uniquely different from GUINNESS Draught both in taste profile, color and ritual.

Brewed for more than two centuries, GUINNESS FES dates back to 1801. Known as West India Porter until the mid nineteenth century, FES was an export beer brewed with extra hops, giving the beer a more intense flavor and higher alcohol strength. The extra hops also acts as a natural preservative for beer, allowing it to survive long journeys overseas.

It’s nice to see a good decision by Diageo on behalf of the Guinness brand instead of gimmicks like Guinness Extra Cold or Guinness Red.

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The Brewer’s Feud: 21A Vs. Iron Hill

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One really fun event I attended during GABF this year, was the Brewer’s Feud, a beer-twisted version of the game show, the Family Feud, created by the Brewing Network. Instead of blood relatives, each side was made up of families of breweries. The first contest was east vs. west: 21st Amendment Brewery of San Francisco against the Iron Hill Brewpubs of Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It’s only about half an hour long, but great fun throughout. I won’t give away who wins, you’ll have to watch it to find out. Enjoy.

If you can’t see the video embedded here, try viewing it on Justin.TV.

Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico Freccia on stage for the Brewer’s Feud.

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Beer In Ads #199: The Moritz Elephant

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Tuesday’s ad is for a Spanish beer, Moritz. The Barcelona brewery was founded in 1856 and closed in 1978, but remaining family members started up the brand again a few years ago, contracting the brewing. This ad is from the first half of the last century, and I particularly love the laughing elephant with his mug of beer.

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This Year’s Jeremiah O’Brien Festival

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Trying to catch up after being gone a week at GABF, the week before I attended the annual Brews on the Bay beer festival put on by the San Francisco Brewers Guild. It’s such a unique, fun event in such a great setting that I really enjoy it going each year.

The beer festival aboard the SS Jeremiah O'Brien
The Brews on the Bay beer festival aboard the SS Jeremiah O’Brien.

Shaun O'Sullivan, from 21st Amendment, and Brendan Dobel, Thirsty Bear
Shaun O’Sullivan, from 21st Amendment, and Brendan Dobel, brewer at Thirsty Bear.

Rich Higgins, me and Hop-Meisters hop farmer Marty Kuchinski
Rich Higgins, from Social Kitchen, me and Hop-Meisters hop farmer Marty Kuchinski.

Below is a slideshow of this year’s Brews on the Bay beer festival. This Flickr gallery is best viewed in full screen. To view it that way, after clicking on the arrow in the center to start the slideshow, click on the button on the bottom right with the four arrows pointing outward on it, to see the photos in glorious full screen. Once in full screen slideshow mode, click on “Show Info” to identify each photo.

Mayor Newsom Vetoes SF Alcohol Tax

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Last week, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed, 7-3, the proposed alcohol tax sponsored by John Avalos, urged on by the Marin Institute, who gave him the idea in the first place. Today, as promised, mayor Gavin Newsom vetoed the ordinance.

According to a press release from the California Alliance for Hospitality Jobs, “San Francisco small business owners and employees in the hospitality industry breathed a sigh of relief after learning that Mayor Gavin Newsom followed through on his promise to veto Supervisor John Avalos’ job-killing alcohol ‘mitigation fee.'” I wish I could be so optimistic. This is not over yet. There will be a major push now by the Marin Institute, and other proponents of the tax, to twist the arms of the three San Francisco supervisors who voted against. It originally looked like Avalos would send the ordinance back to committee as he’d promised the local business community. But he apparently changed his mind and instead sent it for a vote anyway, fueling speculation that he’d been promised that the votes needed for a veto override would be found, and indeed just before it went to a vote the Marin Institute issued an action alert to persuade the three supervisors and the mayor to change their vote, asking their members to contact them for that purpose.

I would suggest that citizens opposed to the alcohol tax do likewise, asking the same supervisors and the mayor to stand firm and not be persuaded by propaganda and misinformation. So contact Carmen Chu, Bevan Dufty and Sean Eisbernd along with mayor Gavin Newsom and ask them to continue their opposition to the alcohol tax proposed by Avalos. And while you’re at it, tell the others supervisors, especially if they’re in your district to not vote for the override. I think it’s reasonable that they should hear from both sides of the argument, not just the one side that the majority of the local media has portrayed, doing a disservice to the democratic process. I assume there’s a time limit for veto overrides, but I’m not sure what the time limit is; anybody know? However long it is, the next few weeks will certainly be interesting.

The San Francisco Chronicle is now on record saying Gavin Newsom must veto S.F. alcohol tax and the Examiner appears doubtful, too. Fingers crossed. If this doesn’t stop now, you can bet we’ll see it in countless communities throughout the state.

Toronado’s Dave Keene & Jennifer Smith Married Saturday At GABF

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Toronado owner Dave Keene and his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Smith tied the knot during the afternoon session at the Great American Beer Festival on Saturday, September 18. The impromptu ceremony took place in front of the Russian River Brewery booth, with Vinnie Cilurzo as best man and Natalie Cilurzo as Jennifer’s maid of honor. Brett Joyce, president of Rogue Ales, officiated the ceremony, Brett being a minister in the Universal Life Church.

The wedding ceremony
The wedding ceremony, with the bride on the left, the reverend Brett Joyce in the middle with the groom Dave Keene on the right, flanked by best man Vinnie Cilurzo.

The wedding came together organically and wasn’t planned. Apparently there had been another wedding at GABF and recently Marty and Lisa Jones renewed their vows in the hall, but as far as I know this is the first impromptu wedding at GABF. Once Dave and Jen made the decision, there was delay while we found where the best man and maid of honor were at. Eventually, Vinnie and Natalie were found behind the Brooklyn Brewery booth with Garrett Oliver. No one could hear in the hall, but inundated with people calling and texting, Natalie came over to find out what was going on. As soon as she realized what was happening, she sped back to grab Vinnie and Garrett so the ceremony could begin.

But the delay had a beneficial side, too. It allowed Gail Williams, from Beer by Bart, to run around the hall and find a suitable bouquet for the bride, a sprig of hops. It allowed Dave and a few of us to have a 5-minute bachelor party behind the booth. I had a Hopfather IPA. As people gathered to wait for the wedding to begin, it took on the look of something about to happen, and more and more people who knew the parties involved stopped to witness the event. Surrounded by dozens of people, perhaps as many as a hundred, Vinnie shut down his booth and the wedding ceremony began. I walked Jennifer down the aisle and gave her away, a great honor, and Brett began the vows.

Merriment ensues
After Brett declared them husband and wife, the newlyweds embraced for their first kiss as a married couple, as the crowd cheered them on.

The wedding party: Vinnie, Dave, Jennifer, Natalie, minister Brett Joyce and me, who gave the bride away
The wedding party: Vinnie, Dave, Jennifer, Natalie, minister Brett Joyce and me. I think Garrett Oliver summed it up best, when he said. “I’ve been coming to GABF for nineteen years, and this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Below is a slideshow of Dave & Jennifer’s wedding. This Flickr gallery is best viewed in full screen. To view it that way, after clicking on the arrow in the center to start the slideshow, click on the button on the bottom right with the four arrows pointing outward on it, to see the photos in glorious full screen. Once in full screen slideshow mode, click on “Show Info” to identify each photo.

Napa Smith Brewery Sold

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The Napa Smith Brewery of Napa, California has been sold to Pelican Brands, an alcohol brand management company from Indiana. According to the CSBA, the “purchase includes seven acres of land and 50,000 sq.ft. of production, warehousing and office space.” Pelican Brands plans to make Napa Smith beer available nationwide over the next year.

Brewmaster Don Barkley, who worked for America’s first modern craft brewery, New Albion, and also founded Mendocino Brewing, will be remaining with the brewery.

It appears that Pelican Brands has ambitious plans for the brand. J. Smoke Wallin, Chairman & CEO of Pelican Brands, said, “It is our belief that while a few will become regional brands, a very select few will become national brands. In a press release, the company stated that Napa Smith will be available nationwide by mid 2011.

“In the past three months alone, Napa Smith, through Pelican’s platform, has expanded into eight new states. Pelican Brands will provide the growth capital needed for further expansion. Napa’s winemakers made the Napa Valley into a global name and destination. We are proud to continue this tradition by bringing beer — brewed with the same level of quality and attention to detail — to discerning consumers everywhere.”

California Distributors Against Prop 19

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The trade group representing California beer distributors, the California Beer & Beverage Distributors (CBBD) has reportedly donated $10,000 to the No on Proposition 19 campaign.

California’s Prop 19 is about the control and taxation of marijuana, not legalization per se, but it’s still seen as a step in the right direction by many beer lovers. The 420 Times has part of the story. Because of the CBBD’s donation and opposition to Prop 19, I’ve seen a number of sharp denunciations from many beer enthusiasts, criticizing both breweries who appear on the CBBD’s website and by extension the California Small Brewers Association.

Since I work with the CSBA, I wanted to set the record straight. The CSBA does not take a stand on non-industry related issues and has no stated position on Prop 19. The CSBA is strictly a grass roots organization and does not contribute PAC money to any initiative or make campaign contributions to any candidates.

The CBBD is made up strictly of beer distributors in California. They are independent beverage distributors and are not directly associated with craft brewers. Of course, most, if not all, of the CBBD distributors do business with craft breweries throughout the state. But the CBBD does not represent in any way the political interests of the craft brewing community or individual breweries.

I’ve written about this before, but the interests of distributors and breweries do not always align, and this is yet another example. Presumably, distributors feel that making marijuana commercially available represents competition for the products they sell, and that’s why they oppose it. Most craft breweries, I suspect, do not feel similarly threatened by Prop 19, but regardless of any brewery’s individual stance on it, the CBBD does not speak for them or the CSBA.

Ken Grossman One Of CHOW 13

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Ken Grossman, the co-founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing was chosen by the food website CHOW as one of their CHOW 13 for 2010. They describe the 13 folks chosen as “honoring the people pushing the food world in new and adventurous directions.” Last year — the first year for the awards — Sam Calagione was among the thirteen. This year it’s Ken Grossman.

CHOW’s pithy reason for giving Grossman the award is “[f]or starting the war against crappy beer.” If perhaps not the very first, Grossman certainly was one of the first, definitely a true pioneer, and he’s undoubtedly been one of the best at doing just that — winning the war, that is. A very well-deserved honor. It’s also great to see a food website include beer without fanfare as if it belonged; which of course it does. Still, that feels like progress.

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