Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Camp #93: Celebrator 25th Anniversary Double Pale Ale

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beer-camp
In anticipation of the 25th Anniversary of the Celebrator Beer News magazine, which takes place this year, we decided to make a special beer to commemorate our silver anniversary. So in December of last year, the largest Sierra Nevada Beer Camp took place when eighteen writers for the brewspaper assembled in Chico, along with state Assembly Member Wesley Chesbro, who leads the beer caucus in Sacramento, got together at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. to make a beer. Our intrepid chronicler, Mike Condie, put together this great little 15-minute video of our Beer Camp.

The beer we made will be available at locations around the country starting around now and through SF Beer Week. Each writer at Beer Camp got to find a home for his or her kegs in their hometown. For example, my kegs will be at Taps in Petaluma and as a guest tap at Russian River Brewing.

The beer we made is essentially a Double Pale Ale, based on the original Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. We then imperialized it and changed the hop bill, with an eye toward reflecting past, present and future symbolically with the hops. For past, we of course used Cascades, for the present we chose Citra and for the future an experimental hop with no name, only a number. The beer finished at 9.3% a.b.v. Look for it during SF Beer Week events. It will also be pouring at the Celebrator 25th Anniversary Party at the Oakland Marriott on Sunday, February 17, the final big event of the 2013 beer week. Perhaps I’ll see you there.

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CCBA ABC Workshop At UCSD Next Week

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Next week, on Tuesday, February 12, at the International House Great Hall, on the campus of UCSD in San Diego, the California Craft Brewers Association will host an ABC Workshop. The workshop is only open to California craft brewers, out of state craft breweries doing business in California and CCBA Allied Trade Associate Members, and pre-registration is required. You can pre-pay through PayPal or send an e-mail to the CCBA, with details on how to do so here.

Registration for the workshop will begin on February 12 at 12:15 PM and will begin at 1:00 PM and will last until 5:00 PM. There will also be a Beer Social afterwards. If you’re not involved in SF Beer Week, this is your chance to get answers to puzzling questions straight from ABC.

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History Lesson: The Story Of Beer

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Today’s infographic is one I’ve posted before, I believe. It was originally created by Manolith in 2009, but has been making the round since then. It’s a concise “History Lesson: The Story of Beer.”

History Lesson: The Story of Beer infographic

Click here to see the chart full size.

Brewhog Determines An Early Spring Bock For 2013

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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.

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Beer In Ads #795: Birra Di Borgofranco

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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?

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Pliny the Younger Day 2013

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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Vinnie Cilurzo giving a last minute pep talk to the brewpub staff before opening the doors.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Vinnie Cilurzo, enjoying the day.

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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.]

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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.”

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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.

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Back in the brewery, a final moment toasting with Natalie and Vinnie. Here’s to Pliny the Younger 2013.

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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.