Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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California Beer

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california
Today in 1850, California became the 31st state.

California
State_California

California Breweries

California Brewery Guides

Guild: California Craft Brewers Association

Regional Guilds:

State Agency: California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

maps-ca

  • Capital: Sacramento
  • Largest Cities: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Long Beach
  • Population: 33,871,648; 1st
  • Area: 163707 sq.mi., 3rd
  • Nickname: Golden State
  • Statehood: 31st, September 9, 1850

m-california

  • Alcohol Legalized: December 5, 1933
  • Number of Breweries: 305
  • Rank: 1st
  • Beer Production: 23,583,042
  • Production Rank: 1st
  • Beer Per Capita: 19.9 Gallons

california

Package Mix:

  • Bottles: 44.1%
  • Cans: 45.7%
  • Kegs: 10.1%

Beer Taxes:

  • Per Gallon: $0.20
  • Per Case: $0.45
  • Tax Per Barrel (24/12 Case): $6.20
  • Draught Tax Per Barrel (in Kegs): $6.20
  • California Redemption Value: $0.04 per containers for all aluminum, glass and plastic less than 24 ounces and $0.08 per container for all containers for aluminum, glass and plastic greater than 24 ounces

Economic Impact (2010):

  • From Brewing: $3,809,238,894
  • Direct Impact: $9,224,009,106
  • Supplier Impact: $10,726,058,038
  • Induced Economic Impact: $13,291,784,223
  • Total Impact: $33,241,851,367

Legal Restrictions:

  • Control State: No
  • Sale Hours: 6 a.m.–2 a.m.
  • Grocery Store Sales: Yes
  • Notes: Relatively unrestricted; beer, wine and liquor available at grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and warehouse clubs. No statewide holiday restrictions.
    Motor vehicles entering from Mexico may only import 1L of alcohol (duty free). Sale or distribution of alcohol higher than 153 proof is illegal.

    You may serve alcohol if you are at least 18 years of age.

    City and County governments can set different sale hours.

california-map

Data complied, in part, from the Beer Institute’s Brewer’s Almanac 2010, Beer Serves America, the Brewers Association, Wikipedia and my World Factbook. If you see I’m missing a brewery link, please be so kind as to drop me a note or simply comment on this post. Thanks.

For the remaining states, see Brewing Links: United States.

Are You Ready For Some Fantasy Football

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football
There’s only four days left before the new NFL season of football begins on Thursday night. And as we’ve done for the past few years, there are two simple games for Bulletin readers to play, and plenty of room to fit as many as want to play (or at least the first 50 people anyway). Below is all the details on how to sign up. Don’t be shy, sign up today!

This is the fifth year for the Brookston Fantasy Football Games. We’ve had a lot of fun over the last three, so if you love football and beer, consider joining us again this year. The NFL season begins on Thursday September 8, so you’ve got about a four days to sign up.

I’ve again set up two free Yahoo fantasy football games, one a simple pick ’em game and the other a survival pool. Up to 50 people can play each game (that’s Yahoo’s limit, not mine), so if you’re a regular Bulletin reader feel free to sign up for one or even both. It’s free to play, all you need is a Yahoo ID, which is also free. Below is a description of each game and the details on how to join each league and play.

Standings for both leagues will be listed at the bottom of the Bulletin’s right column.

Pro Football Pick’em

In this Pick’em game, just pick the winner for every game each week, with no spread, and let’s see who gets the most correct throughout the season. I’ve added a new wrinkle this year. Since we’re all very busy, and you (or I) might screw up at least one week, you can now throw out your lowest week. All that’s at stake is bragging rights, but it’s still great fun.

Also, a new feature Yahoo added is the ability to keep picking all through the playoffs, so the game will continue through to the Super Bowl, which is pretty cool.

In order to join the group, just go to Pro Football Pick’em, click the “Sign Up” button (or “Create or Join Group” if you are a returning user). From there, follow the path to join an existing private group and when prompted, enter the following information…

Group ID#: 21527 (Brookston NFL Pick To Win)
Password: brookston

Survival Football

If picking all sixteen football game every week seems like too much, then Survival Football is for you. In Survival Football, you only have to pick one game each week. The only catch is you can’t pick the same team to win more than once all season. And you better be sure about each game you pick because if you’re wrong, you’re out for the season. Actually this year they added a new feature and I changed the game so to be kicked out you have to be wrong twice. In that way more people stand a better chance of lasting longer into the season. So get one wrong, and you’re still okay, get a second wrong, now you’re gone for the season. Last man standing wins.

Yahoo also added the new feature to this game, too, where we can keep picking all through the playoffs, assuming our luck holds. So the game could even continue through to the Super Bowl.

In order to join the group, just go to Survival Football, click the “Sign Up” button and choose to “Join an Existing Group”, then “Join a Private Group”. Then, when prompted, enter the following information…

Group ID#: 8850 (Brookston Survival League)
Password: brookston

With 50 players allowed in each game, there’s plenty of room, so don’t be shy. There’s room for 19 more players in the Pick ‘Em game and 26 in the Survival game. So sign up for one or both games. Beginning after the first weekend of the regular season I’ll post the standings on the home page (at the bottom of the right-hand column) and then each Monday after that through the season. Why night join us?

Beer In Art #138: Dean Wolstenholme’s Barclay and Perkins Brewery, Park Street, Southwark

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art-beer
This week’s work of art is by English artist Dean Wolstenholme, Jr., which is titled Barclay and Perkins’s Brewery, Park Street, Southwark, London. It was painted between 1832-1840 and today hangs at the Museum of London.

Wolstenholme-barclay-perkins

The painting shows the brewery in a wide angle shot that also shows part of the city of London from the same year.

Unfortunately, there’s little information about the artist, Dean Wolstenholme, Jr., that I’ve been able to find.

Beer In Ads #440: The Choice Of Your Lifetime, Too

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Friday’s ad brings Budweiser ad week to a close. This ad is from 1952, when A-B celebrated their 100th anniversary since the company that would become Anheuser-Busch first opened their doors in 1852. I can’t say the woman looks particularly happy on her wedding day, though perhaps it’s because the grooms looks a little too much like Snidely Whiplash with that cheesy mustache and the top hat.

Bud-1952-wed

Beer In Ads #439: Hospitality Is Quickly Recognized

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Thursday’s ad is yet another Budweiser ad, this one from 1949. It, too, shows a party, though this one looks like it’s a “Gone With the Wind” costume party. Or did people really throw parties that looks like this in post-war America? “My, my. It’s so hot. But at least it’s not sticky. I just hare it when it’s sticky.” Now give me a beer.

Bud-1949-hospitality

Beer In Ads #438: That Woman Is Real Competition

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Wednesday’s ad is still another Budweiser ad, this one from 1956. Like yesterdays, it shows a woman’s domestic struggles at pleasing her man, this time in putting on the best dinner party. One woman in a cocktail dress is whispering to another, who’s combing her hair, about another woman who’s skills as a hostess make her “real competition.” In part, that’s because she insists on always serving Budweiser. But you knew that had to be the reason, right? I can’t imagine why feminist groups often accuse alcohol ads of portraying woman in a less-than-flattering light.

Bud-1956-family-circle

Beer In Ads #437: She Married Two Men

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Tuesday’s ad is another Budweiser ad. I’m not sure of the date, but based on the car I’d say Fifties. After getting married, the coy-looking bride found “She Married Two Men” Then the ad copy goes on to say that “all women do.” That’s apparently because there’s an inner and outer men. “And think of all the planning that goes into meals to make him contented.” Or if he’s so hard to please, he could just make his own damn meals. But I love the post script. “It’s a fact: Budweiser has delighted more husbands than any other brew ever known.” Single people? Not so much, apparently. I can’t imagine how they compiled that statistic, because I’m sure they must have the numbers to back it up stretching all the back into recorded history. After all, they wouldn’t have just made it up, now would they?

Bud-married-2-men

Beer In Ads #436: The Minuteman Is Still The Man Of The Hour

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Monday’s ad is a Budweiser ad from 1944, during World War 2. The slogan being “The Minuteman is Still the Man of the Hour, the ad is comparing the colonial minutemen to the soldiers then fighting the war. The ad is surprisingly low key, and is very little about selling, with the only sales pitch at all simply being the logo, bottle and glass with just some small print about the brand.

Bud-1944-minuteman