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Beer Birthday: Alexandre Bazzo

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Today is the 49th birthday of Alexandre Bazzo, who is the founder and brewmaster of Micro Cervejaria Bamberg in Brazil. I first met Alexandre in Brazil when I judged in Argentina in 2011, and we made a side trip to Sao Paulo. Given the name of his brewery, you won’t be surprised to learn he makes amazing German-style beers, and has won numerous awards for his efforts. I also saw him again at last year’s Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival. Join me in wishing Alexandre a very happy birthday.

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Me, Alexandre, his wife and Steve Shapiro at the 2017 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival.

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Alexandre with Stephen Beaumont at a beer dinner in Sao Paulo at Melograno in 2011.

Beer In Ads #2583: My Beer Is Rheingold Says Carmen Miranda

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Sunday’s ad is for Rheingold, from 1940. In the 1940s and 1950s, Rheingold recruited a number of prominent celebrities to do ads for them, all using the tagline: “My beer is Rheingold — the Dry beer!” This ad features Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress, and film star Carmen Miranda. “Nicknamed “The Brazilian Bombshell”, Miranda is noted for her signature fruit hat outfit she wore in her American films. As a young woman, she designed hats in a boutique before making her first recordings with composer Josué de Barros in 1929. Miranda’s 1930 recording of “Taí” (“Pra Você Gostar de Mim”), written by Joubert de Carvalho, catapulted her to stardom in Brazil as the foremost interpreter of samba.” In this ad, Miranda claims people associate her with South America, but she associates good beer with North America, and especially Rheingold Extra Dry.

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AB-InBev Buys Pioneering Brazilian Brewery

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Cervejaria Colorado was one of Brazil’s first small breweries when it opened in 1995. I met founder Marcello Carneiro in Argentina when I was there for beer judging in 2011. He’s one of the most fun-loving people I’ve ever met and I’ve since seen him in Brazil and also stateside a few times. He announced earlier today on Facebook that AmBev would be acquiring his brewery. Here’s the Google translation of the announcement:

Dear friends of the bear, we are very happy to formalize you that now the Colorado it becomes part of the group Ambev, along the breweries beer! In 1995, our founder, Marcelo Carneiro, started his journey in the country and put the breweries Colorado on the international market, solidifying a company that today bill around $18 million per year. 20 years ago we work with dignity and fight for the cause brewery, we gain strength and tread a path of large awards, authenticity and it will now be even better! We will continue to develop Brazilian genuinely revenue, our DNA. The Union of the brands will make it possible to increase the capacity of distribution of Colorado and, of course, to our dear Marcelo to devote even more to research of ingredients. Our commitment to the lovers of good beer is still strong and the dream that unites the two pubs is the recovery of the Brazilian beer, with ingredients Brazilians and produced for consumers from north to south of the country. Unite is to make this dream a reality, the dream of the Brazilian school of beer! A toast and hug from bear.

AmBev, you may recall, is the Companhia de Bebidas das Américas, a Brazilian brewing company, and the largest in Latin America and 5th worldwide. It was established by a merger of Brahma and Antarctica in 1999. After more business dealings, mergers and acquisitions, today is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. AmBev makes Antarctica, Brahma, Bohemia, and Skol, and in addition has a controlling interest in the popular Argentine brand Quilmes.

AmBev also released a statement, which I’ve used Google Translate to make more understandable as my Portuguese is worthless:

COLORADO NOW IS THE TIME OF THE BREWERY BOHEMIA

Breweries unite the passion for beer and the search for innovation

The dream of creating a Brazilian school of beer, based on the valuation of culture and national ingredients, joined our Brewery Bohemia Brewery and Colorado. The mark of São Paulo is now part of our team, bringing their tradition, quality, passion and daring.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to achieve my dream with Cervejaria Bohemia. When I founded the Colorado 20 years ago, always wanted to give a national touch to recipes and create a Brazilian school of beer, as there is the German and Belgian. I know that together we will make it happen, “says Marcelo Cerneiro, founder of Colorado.

Wakswaser Daniel, director of marketing for Cervejaria Bohemia, also celebrates the partnership: “It’s a time of celebration for the Brazilian culture. Our union allows further spread the knowledge brewing across the country. Consumers will have more choices, varied beers, unusual income and undisputed quality. ”

The Colorado follows with manufacturing in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo. All labels will be maintained and the union with Bohemia Brewery will bring innovation to the portfolio. With the alliance, the distribution of power increases, enabling the brand to bring more beer enthusiasts throughout Brazil.

So it appears that the acquisition will merge Colorado with AmBev’s premium division headed by Cervejaria Bohemia, just as Wäls did in February, when AmBev bought them, as well. Also, in May, they acquired the Bogotá Beer Co., which is/was Colombia’s largest craft brewer.” So it appears there’s some long term plan for Latin America, just as we’re seeing here in the United States, too.

Marcelo’s also announced what his role will be going forward. “My job is international consultant, for a minimum of five years. My task will be to open new roads for Colorado, talk to business partners, represent the brand that I fought for 20 years. My fight has always been and will continue to facilitate the consolidation of a typically Brazilian brewing school, and it will never be abandoned.”

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Bia Amorim, me and Marcello after a beer dinner in São Paulo in 2011.

Reservoir Dogs Beers

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The debut film of auteur filmmaker Quentin Tarantino was the violent heist film Reservoir Dogs. I remember being blown away by it when I saw it in the theatre when it was released in 1992, and especially the stylish opening credits scene with the principal characters walking down an alley in slow-motion to the nearly forgotten 1970s hit Little Green Bag by the George Baker Selection.

One of my favorite devices is that the six characters involved in the heist are each given code names so they won’t accidentally reveal their names during the diamond robbery and be able to give away each other’s identities should they be caught. Here’s the main cast, in order of their appearance in the slow-motion opening credits:

  1. Harvey Keitel as Lawrence Dimmick: Mr. White
  2. Michael Madsen as Vic Vega: Mr. Blonde
  3. Chris Penn as Eddie Cabot: Nice Guy Eddie
  4. Steve Buscemi: Mr. Pink
  5. Lawrence Tierney as Joe Cabot
  6. Edward Bunker: Mr. Blue
  7. Quentin Tarantino: Mr. Brown
  8. Tim Roth as Detective Freddie Newandyke: Mr. Orange

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Earlier this month, Brazilian art student Peter de Andrade, for a school project created a series of beer labels based on the film, using “cães de aluguel,” which translates in Portuguese to, of course, Reservoir Dogs. The artist created the labels as if they were brewed by the Brazilian brewery Cervejaria Wäls, which each label and type of beer based on the film character’s code name color. As far as I know, Wäls was not involved and isn’t planning on making the Reservoir Dogs beers. Coincientally, there is a Reservoir Dogs Brewery in Slovenia.

Mr. White, a Pilsner
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Mr. Blonde, an Ale, presumably a Blonde Ale
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Mr. Blue, a Weisss beer
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Mr. Brown, a Stout
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Mr. Orange, an Amber Ale
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It’s a pretty cool idea, and I’d love to see the actual beer made. There’s really only one question about all of this. Where the hell is Mr. Pink?

Megan Fox For Brahma Beer

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Today I saw in the UK Sun that American actor Megan Fox is doing ads for Brahma, the Brazilian Budweiser, an especially accurate association since Brahma is part of Anheuser-Busch InBev. Why do we care? We don’t, but I’m game to look at a couple of ads with Megan Fox in them. Isn’t that why advertisers chose her? Of course, it’s still a tasteless, flavorless beer.

As Mais Gostosas do Carnival (The Hottest Carnival)

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Is it just me, or does that beer have his arm around Fox? Is the beer wearing sunglasses because he doesn’t want to be seen with Megan Fox?

Convidando Megan Fox Pra Uma Brahma (Inviting Megan Fox for a Brahma)

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And here she is going off to have a picnic. According to the Sun, she’s flying down to Rio to do a commercial and pose for some more ads.

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Although humorously enough, a few years ago the hipster appeared more partial to Pabst Blue Ribbon. This was taken by paparazzi in 2009. Ah, sex and beer. What’s not to love. It seems to me, the big brewers follow a variation of the old lawyer’s adage. “When the law is on your side, argue the law. When the facts are on your side, argue the facts. When neither the facts nor the law are on your side, make an ad hominem attack.” In the brewer’s world it’s more along these lines. “When the beer tastes good, promote the beer. When the brewery has personality, promote the brewer. When the beer has neither, promote a celebrity, a cartoon, or both.”

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Brazil Beer

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Today in 1822, Brazil gained their Independence from Portugal.

Brazil
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Brazil Breweries

Brazil Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: Cobracem (Brazilian Brewer Association); Sindicato Nacional Da Cerveja

National Regulatory Agency: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA); National Advertising Regulatory Council (Conselho Nacional de Auto-Regulamentação Publicitária, CONAR)

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Labels must include the following information: Name of product; Beverage type (e.g., wine or beer); Importer name and contact information, if applicable; Company identification number; Country of origin; Alcohol content; Net volume (in metric units); Date of production; List food additives; Statement of ingredients.

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC is Zero in theory. De facto persons above 0.02% receive a fine and have their license suspended for 12 months. Above 0.06% is deemed a crime.

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  • Full Name: Federative Republic of Brazil
  • Location: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
  • Government Type: Federal Republic
  • Language: Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4%
  • Capital: Brasília
  • Population: 199,321,413; 5th
  • Area: 8,514,877 sq km, 5th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than the US
  • National Food: Feijoada
  • National Symbols: Jaguar, Macaw; Ipê-amarelo-da-serra; Tabebuia alba; Southern Cross, Christ the Redeemer; Amazon river
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Portugal, September 7, 1822

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  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18 [Note: Laws regarding possession or consumption of alcohol by minors are hardly enforced, especially if in the company of a parent or guardian, but those regarding selling minors alcohol are harshly imposed by law keepers, and it is law to remember the legal purchase age while advertising alcoholic beverages. ID Card is required for purchase.]
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 218

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  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveja
  • How to Order a Beer: Uma cerveja, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: A sua saúde / Saúde (“to your health”) / tim tim
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

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Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 44%
  • Wine: 1%
  • Spirits: <1%
  • Other: 55%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 6.16
  • Unrecorded: 3.00
  • Total: 9.16
  • Beer: 3.36

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 5 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 21
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, location
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None.

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Brazilian Brewer Nominated For “Man Of The Year”

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One of the brewers I met during my trip to South America earlier this year for the South Beer Cup was Alexandre Bazzo, owner and brewmaster of Micro Cervejaria Bamberg in Votorantim, Brazil. Bazzo studied brewing in Germany and his brewery consistently makes some of the finest German-style beers I’ve had outside of Bavaria, which is all the more impressive given the scarcity of ingredients in South America. In fact, every Bamberg Bier I’ve tried has been top notch. Plus, he’s a terrific person who is very passionate about his beer.

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Alex, with Stephen Beaumont, speaking at a beer dinner Melograno in Sao Paulo this May.

A prominent magazine in Brazil, Alfa, has a contest online, asking people to vote for Brazil’s Man of the Year 2011. There are about 50 people nominated, and the list includes a number of famous people (in Brazil), including formers presidents, artists, and athletes, but only one brewer. Bazzo’s currently in second place, so he could actually win this thing. I think it would send a fun message that a brewer could be declared “Man of the Year.”

It appears that anyone can vote — I did — and you don’t have to register or anything. Just go to the contest page at Alfa Magazine. There you’ll see a roster of small icons for each of the nominees. Alex is on the top row, second from the right. Just click on the “Alexandre Bazzo” square and a pop-up window will appear, it looks just like below. Just click on “ENVIAR SEU VOTO” to vote for Alex.

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Below is the translation for the voting pop-up page:

Bazzo Alexander, 35, is the founder and brewer of Bamberg, one of Brazil’s most award-winning microbrews. In 2011, Bamberg took the award for best brewer in South America, at the South Beer Cup, held in Argentina, and four of their labels won silver medals. In the Australian International Beer Awards, five of them won bronze medals. This year, sales of Bamberg increased more than 35%. Twitter: @BambergBier.

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Beer In Art #128: FrangO’s Chicken With A Beer

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This week’s work of art is by an artist from Brazil. I don’t know his name, but he’s a friend of Cassio Piccolo, owner of the FrangO beer bar in Sao Paulo. In Portuguese, frango means “chicken.” So his friend created the painting of a chicken holding a pint of beer, which now hangs in a place of honor in the bar.

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Beer In Ads #372: Nova Schin Sao Paulo Fashion

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Wednesday’s ad is another recent one for the Brazilian beer, Nova Schin, and it’s a very odd one. It’s apparently for Fashion Week in Sao Paulo, but to me it just comes off as a little creepy. Of course, I have no sense of fashion, so it’s probably me.

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There’s at least two more ads in the Fashion Week series, but they don’t help make it any less odd of an ad campaign.

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