The San Francisco-based band The Famous regularly plays the beer circuit and can frequently be seen performing at beer festivals and brewpubs around the Bay Area. They’re a terrific band. I’ve seen them several times, most recently at Vinnie Cilurzo’s 40th birthday party at Russian River Brewing. At Vinnie’s party, The Famous did a song created for the occasion, Pliny the Elder or The Pliny Song, an awesome little homage to the beer and the man it was named for. They’ve now recorded a studio version of it, and have created a music video to go along with it. Enjoy.
Maine Beer
Today in 1820, Maine became the 23rd state.
Maine
Maine Breweries
- Allagash Brewing
- Atlantic Brewing
- Baxter Brewing
- Bar Harbor Brewing
- Belfast Bay Brewing
- Black Bear Brewery
- Boothbay Craft Brewery
- Bray’s Brewpub & Eatery
- Bull Brewing
- Casco Bay Brewing Company
- D.L. Geary Brewing
- Gritty McDuff’s Brewpub
- Inn on Peaks Island
- Kennebec River Pub & Brewery
- Kennebunkport Brewing / Federal Jack’s Brewpub & Restaurant
- Liberal Cup Public House and Brewery
- Lion’s Pride Brewery
- Maine Beer Co.
- Maine Coast Brewing
- Marshall Wharf Brewing Company
- Oak Pond Brewery
- Peak Organic Brewing
- Penobscot Bay Brewery
- Rising Tide Brewing
- The Run of the Mill Public House & Brewery
- Sebago Brewing
- Sea Dog Brewing
- Sheepscot Valley Brewing
- Shipyard Brewing
- Stone Coast Brewing
- Sunday River Brewing
Maine Brewery Guides
Guild: Maine Brewers Guild
State Agency: Maine Liquor Licensing and Compliance Division
- Capital: Augusta
- Largest Cities: Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, South Portland, Auburn
- Population: 1,274,923; 40th
- Area: 35387 sq.mi., 39th
- Nickname: Pine Tree State
- Statehood: 23rd; March 15, 1820
- Alcohol Legalized: June 30, 1933
- Number of Breweries: 38
- Rank: 16th
- Beer Production: 1,040,538
- Production Rank: 41st
- Beer Per Capita: 24.5 Gallons
Package Mix:
- Bottles: 44.9%
- Cans: 46.5%
- Kegs: 8.4%
Beer Taxes:
- Per Gallon: $0.35*
- Per Case: $0.79
- Tax Per Barrel (24/12 Case): $10.85
- Draught Tax Per Barrel (in Kegs): $10.85
- * Plus: 6.5% sales tax exemption ended 2009 – all beer now pays sales tax
Economic Impact (2010):
- From Brewing: $29,861,860
- Direct Impact: $206,658,510
- Supplier Impact: $104,087,723
- Induced Economic Impact: $254,531,193
- Total Impact: $565,277,426
Legal Restrictions:
- Control State: No
- Sale Hours: 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Mon–Sat)
9 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Sun) - Grocery Store Sales: Yes
- Notes: ABV > 15.5% wine sold in state-contracted stores. Alcohol may not be purchased after 1 a.m. any day of the week, may not be purchased prior to 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and not prior to 9 a.m. on Sunday.
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.
Beer In Ads #330: Miss Rheingold Wrapped In Flowers
Monday’s ad is for Rheingold, and features Miss Rheingold for 1944, Jane House, inexplicably wrapped in flowers. The ad is originally from November, so I’m not sure what the significance is. Oh, well.
The Chemistry Of Beer
I got an interesting press release this morning from the American Chemistry Society (ACS) touting the Chemistry of Beer, as they put it, “just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day. Today they “released a new video, The Chemistry of Beer, which focuses on the science involved in producing the world’s third most popular beverage (after water and tea).”
From the press release:
Shot in high-definition format, the video features Sam Adams Senior Brewing Manager Grant Wood, who holds a degree in Food Science & Technology from Texas A&M University. It explains the process of turning barley, hops, water and yeast into a lager or ale. Among the insights:
- Yeast is the most important ingredient because it determines if the brew is ale or lager.
- Water is crucial, too, and it must be free of organic substances and “off” flavors.
- Key flavor compounds are packed into those little flower clusters called hops, which add flavor and a pleasant bitterness to the beer.
Produced by the ACS Office of Public Affairs, the video includes plenty of “did-you-know” fodder for those St. Patrick’s Day conversations over a pint. Did you know, for instance, that the fermentation process in which yeast produce alcohol also produces almost 600 flavor compounds? The Chemistry of Beer ends with a message that all drinkers should take to heart, St. Patrick’s Day and every day: Drink responsibly!
The whole video was shot at Boston Beer’s pilot brewery in their Jamaica Plain location in Boston. Grant, who you probably know if you’ve visited the brewery or have been in the industry for any length of time, gives a polished tour and explanation of the brewing process. It’s probably nothing you haven’t seen before, but it’s relatively comprehensive and does a good job of explaining brewing in a nutshell, with an emphasis on the chemistry, of course.
Beer In Art #118: Frank Waller’s Harvesting Hops
This week’s work of art is by New York artist Frank Waller, a founding member of the Art Students’ League in 1875. The painting, Harvesting Hops Near Cooperstown, New York, was completed in 1884 and today hangs in the Fenimore Art Museum.
The Fenimore also has a short biography of Waller:
A nineteenth century American painter, educator and etcher, Frank Waller (1842-1923) began his career as a businessman. In 1870, however, he traveled to Rome to study art under John G. Chapman. For the next several years Waller traveled extensively in both Europe and Egypt. Upon his return to the United States he became a founding member of New York’s influential Art Students’ League (1875) and served as its first president. As well, Frank Waller served as honorary secretary of the Egypt Exploration Fund Society. He was also a noted architect and a Fellow of both the Academy of Design and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake
My sister-in-law sent me this delicious looking recipe for a chocolate cheesecake made with Guinness, though I suspect any Irish dry stout would work. The recipe comes from Closet Cooking, a food blog by a man named Kevin in Ontario, Canada.
This recipe for the Guinness chocolate cheesecake is a pretty basic chocolate cheesecake recipe with the addition of the Guinness but the similarities stop there. The addition of the Guinness changes the texture and properties of the cheesecake making it more souffle like. Normally you can tell when a cheesecake is done by shaking it a bit and if only the center wiggles it is done but the entire surface of this cheesecake will wiggle the whole time, even after 2 hours of baking. You pretty much just have to trust the recipe and the results are certainly worth it!
The Guinness chocolate cheesecake is a moist one as might be expected with all of the extra liquid provided by the Guinness but it is also nice and light and creamy. This cheesecake has a texture that seems to be like a cross between a souffle and fudge and it is simply amazing! The Guinness flavour is very subtle but it seems to enhance the overall chocolate flavour which is quite welcome. In all honesty, this cheese cake does not need any garnishes but feel free to top it with some Bailey whipped cream if you like.
Here’s the recipe, but without the blockquotes for ease of reading:
Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake
(makes 6+ servings)
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Guinness
Directions:
1. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, sugar, and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
2. Melt the chocolate in the cream in a double boiler.
3. Cream the cream cheese.
4. Mix in the sugar, chocolate, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and Guinness.
5. Pour the mixture into the spring form pans.
6. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 60 minutes.
7. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 60 minutes.
8. Let it cool completely.
9. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.
Boy that looks tasty. I’m hungry.
Guinness Ad #59: The Toucan Be Enjoyed Together!
Our 59th Guinness ad shows the iconic toucan carrying two trays. One, of course, has Guinness on it and the other a tasty meal. The slogan, using a play on words, is “The Toucan be enjoyed together!” Nice to see food and beer being suggested, but it’s a little funny to see it being presented as something unusual, or at least as a combination that wasn’t obvious. You mean I can eat AND drink beer?
Hard Liver Barleywine Fest Winners 2011
Here are the results from the 2011 Hard Liver Barleywine Fest in held at Brouwer’s Cafe in Seattle, Washington:
- 1st Place: Old Sebastes; Anacortes Brewery
- 2nd Place: Anderson Valley Horn of the Bear ’09; Anderson Valley Brewing
- 3rd Place: Old Woody; Glacier Brewhouse
Congratulations to all the winners.
Beer In Ads #329: Ballantine’s Three-Ring Onions
Friday’s ad is from 1950 and is for Ballantine. Showing a delectable hamburger paired with a Ballantine, as disembodied hands slice onions into the iconic three-ring logo, eventually ending up perfectly arranged on the open-faced burger.
Celebrate Triple Rock’s 25th Anniversary Monday
Geez has time flown. Twenty-five plus years ago you weren’t even allowed to operate a brewpub in the State of California. Finally in 1983 that finally changed, thanks to some hard work and a lot of meetings. Shortly thereafter, the first two brewpubs in California opened, Mendocino Brewing and Buffalo Bill’s. The third opened 25 years ago come this Monday, March 14, 1986. It was started by the Martin brothers — John and Reid — who had both homebrewed in college. It originally opened under a name you may not be familiar with: Roaring Rock. Unfortunately, the folks from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, who brewed Rolling Rock, thought the name was too close to their own, and so the Martins had to pick a new name. Eventually they settled on Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse.
Triple Rock when it opened in 1986.
This Monday, March 14, 2011, Triple Rock will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of opening its doors. Here’s what will be going on at the brewpub all day long:
In celebration Rodger has re-brewed “Brew #1,″ the first beer ever made in the Triple Rock system. Reid & John originally brewed it on Christmas Day 1985. On March 14th we will be pouring Brew #1 (a Pale Ale) all day for just $1.75 a pint (the original price for a pint in 1986). We will also tap a hopped-up cask version of Brew #1 at 5 pm. Kind of a “2011 hopping meets 1986 cask ale” beer. Come by and try both of them!
The kitchen will be serving some old-school items, such as our original Muffaletta sandwich. But no, you’re not going to have to go to the “window” to order your grub, like you did in ’86.
John & Reid will preside over the tapping of the cask, and maybe go for another round of arm-wresting (John lost to Reid at the Festivus celebration last Dec.) Join past & present TRB brewers, staff, and long-time regulars to toast The Rock’s 25 years of making beer!
We’ve also created a special anniversary tee-shirt that pays homage to our original name, ”Roaring Rock Brewery”. There will be just one small print run of this shirt, so you should get yours before they’re gone. But, if you are up on your trivia of the early days of Roaring Rock/Triple Rock — you just may win one!
