Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Uruguay Beer

By

uruguay
Today in 1825, Uruguay gained their Independence from Brazil.

Uruguay
uruguay-color

Uruguay Breweries

Uruguay Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.03%

uruguay

  • Full Name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  • Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
  • Government Type: Constitutional republic
  • Language: Spanish (official), Portunol, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1%
  • Capital: Montevideo
  • Population: 3,316,328; 134th
  • Area: 176,215 sq km, 91st
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than the state of Washington
  • National Food: Ndolé
  • National Symbols: Sun of May; Peltophorum dubium
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Brazil, August 25, 1825

Uruguay-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: None (to drink); 18 (to buy) [Alcohol sales are forbidden after Midnight]
  • BAC: 0.03%
  • Number of Breweries: 6

uruguay-money-2

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

uruguay-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 44%
  • Wine: 60%
  • Spirits: 19%
  • Other: 1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 6.14
  • Unrecorded: 2.00
  • Total: 8.14
  • Beer: 1.33

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 6.1 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Hours, places, specific events, intoxicated persons, petrol stations
  • Advertising Restrictions: No
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

uruguay-so-amer

Beer In Political Advertising Spoof 2012

By

republicans
Regardless of your political leanings, I think the beer aspects of this are pretty funny. Thanks to Ed Chainey for sending me the link. I suspect Republicans won’t be as amused as Democrats, but it’s true that alcohol is not allowed under Mormonism, along with coffee, tobacco and other items. I don’t know about above-ground swimming pools or truck nuts, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Still, from a strictly beer-centric point of view, the choice is clear.

A Toast To The Moon

By

moon
It’s the end of an era. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the surface of the moon passed away today at 82. I was 10 that July when the historic moon walk took place. Like most kids my age, I was deeply obsessed with the NASA space program, had many models and books, and even drank Tang. Neil Armstrong was a real hero to me as a kid and I have no less admiration for him as an adult. I’ll raise a toast tonight to Neil Armstrong, and the entire group of Apollo astronauts, along with the thousands of engineers, scientists and technicians that achieved what so many thought was impossible, that — in John F. Kennedy’s words — “of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”

apollo_lager

The only question is what is the appropriate beer to toast Armstrong, and the Moon? I still have two bottles of Apollo beer from the 1990s but I’m certainly not going to open any of those. I also have a cool blue 3L bottle of Apollo Lager, which was empty since it was given to me, so that obviously won’t work.

moonshot-logo

To bad we can’t drink a Moonshot tonight. Maybe a beer brewed with Apollo hops? Sixpoint’s summer seasonal is called Apollo, and Laurelwood has a Space Stout, but I can’t either of those. There’s Blue Moon, of course though I think I’d prefer the more local Moonlight or even Half Moon Bay. What beer will you choose?

barney-spaceman

Belarus Beer

By

belarus
Today in 1991, Belarus gained their Independence from the USSR.

Belarus
belarus-color

Belarus Breweries

Belarus Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.03%

belarus

  • Full Name: Republic of Belarus
  • Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland
  • Government Type: Republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
  • Language: Belarusian (official) 23.4%, Russian (official) 70.2%, other 6.4% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities)
  • Religion(s): Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20%
  • Capital: Minsk
  • Population: 9,542,883; 90th
  • Area: 207,600 sq km, 86th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than Kansas
  • National Food: Ndolé
  • National Symbols: Wisent; mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser)
  • Affiliations: UN, CIS
  • Independence: From the Soviet Union, August 25, 1991

Belarus-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.03%
  • Number of Breweries: 27

belarus-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: piva / піва
  • How to Order a Beer: Ad-no pee-vah ka-lee lah-ska
  • How to Say “Cheers”: ўра / для Вашага здароўя
  • Toasting Etiquette: It is gracious to learn a few toasts. The most common are na zdo ro vie (to your health) and an ancient Polish toast, sto-lyat (a hundred years)

belarus-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 28%
  • Wine: 9%
  • Spirits: 43%
  • Other: 28%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 11.22
  • Unrecorded: 3.91
  • Total: 15.13
  • Beer: 1.84

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 11.2 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Hours, places, specific events
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 4

Prohibition: None

belarus-europe

Russia Beer

By

russia
Today in 1991, Russia gained their Independence from the USSR.

Russia
Russia-color

Russia Breweries

Russia Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: The Union of Russian Brewers

National Regulatory Agency: Federal Service for Consumer Rights and Social Welfare, Ministry of Health and Social Development

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Labels must include the following information: Product name (and type, for beer); Manufacturer name and address; Trademark, if any; Date marking (both bottling and use-by dates); Alcohol by volume (expressed as minimal content for beer); Special instructions for storage; Reference to applicable regulatory compliance document; Certification information. Also, Additives must be listed, and for beer, label must include information on extractability of original wort, basic source composition, major ingredients listing (determined by manufacturer), and nutritional value.

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.00%

russia

  • Full Name: Russian Federation
  • Location: North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean
  • Government Type: Federation
  • Language: Russian (official), many minority languages
  • Religion(s): Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over 70 years of Soviet rule
  • Capital: Moscow (Moskva)
  • Population: 138,082,178; 9th
  • Area: 17,098,242 sq km, 1st
  • Comparative Area: Approximately 1.8 times the size of the US
  • National Food: Shchi, Kasha and Pelmeni
  • National Symbols: Bear, Golden Bicephalic Eagle; Birch tree; Moscow Kremlin, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Matryoshka doll, AK47, Khokhloma, Ushanka, Kosovorotka; Red Star, Spasskaya Tower, Khokhloma, Double-headed eagle; Volga River
  • Affiliations: UN, CIS
  • Independence: From the Soviet Union, August 24, 1991 / Notable Earlier Dates: 1157 (Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal created); January 16, 1547 (Tsardom of Muscovy established); October 22, 1721 (Russian Empire proclaimed); December 30, 1922 (Soviet Union established)

russia-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: None (to drink); 18 (to buy) [Note: There is no law or regulation in Russia that prohibits minors from consuming alcohol, but selling alcohol to minors is prohibited by federal and additional regional laws.]
  • BAC: 0.00% [Note, WHO claims 0.03%]
  • Number of Breweries: 160

russia-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: pivo / Пиво
  • How to Order a Beer: odno pivo, pozhaluysta / одно пиво, пожалуйста
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Budem zdorovy (“let’s stay healthy”) / Chtob vse byli zdorovy (“let everybody be healthy”) / Na zdorovia *may not actually be used* / Na zdorovje (“to your health”) / Za sbychu mecht / будем здоровы / за ваше здоровье / пей до дна
  • Toasting Etiquette: Begin eating only after somebody says a toast, even if there is no alcohol on the table [which is almost impossible]. Toasting is a very important part of dining. Toasts are common The host starts and guests reply. Do not drink until the first toast is offered. After a toast, many Russians like to clink their glasses together. Do not do so if you are drinking something non-alcoholic.

    Not drinking is a serious handicap to doing business in Russia. It’s the way things are done. In all but the most Westernized circles, you will have trouble winning trust if you do not get drunk with your hosts. It’s considered a way of breaking down barriers and getting to know the real you. Refusing to drink is unacceptable unless you give a plausible excuse, such as explaining that health or religious reasons prevent you from imbibing. Also you may smile and pretend that you are drinking, to show that you accept the toast and respect those around you. If you feel that you’re getting intoxicated, avoid signing anything.

russia-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 33%
  • Wine: 1%
  • Spirits: 63%
  • Other: 3%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 11.03
  • Unrecorded: 4.73
  • Total: 15.76
  • Beer: 3.65

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 11 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, location, specific events, intoxicated persons, petrol stations
  • Advertising Restrictions: N/A
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: N/A

Patterns of Drinking Score: 5

Prohibition: 1914-1925

russia-asia

Beer In Ads #677: Frank Jones Brewery & Malt Houses

By


Tuesday’s ad is for an old New Hampshire brewer, Frank Jones, and this is one of those popular illustrations that so many breweries created before, and around, the turn of the last century. This one shows “a beer train led by the 4-4-0 ‘Gov. Weston’ stops at the Frank Jones Brewery — which was founded in 1859 by Frank Jones, who became president of the Boston & Maine in 1889 — in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.”

frank-jones-lg

More Mid-Year Brewery Numbers

By

ba
Earlier this month the Brewers Association released the good news that Craft Beer Grows 14% In First Half Of 2012. That was through the end of June. I hate to keep crowing about the numbers, but it’s hard to ignore, especially having lived through the depressing late 90s when optimism for craft beer was at its nadir. Anyway, here’s where we are just a month later, as of July 31 of this year.

  • U.S. operating breweries is at 2,142, up from 2,126 at the end of June.
  • U.S. breweries in planning is at 1,303, up from 1,252 at the end of June.
  • There are 555 more breweries in planning than a year ago and 347 more operating U.S. breweries.

Crazy times.