Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Bomonti Beer Factory

By

There’s not a lot of beer coming from Turkey. Efes is probably the one most known to us westerners. The first brewery in Turkey was started in 1890 by two brothers from Switzerland, the Bomonti brothers. In 1902 they built a new facility in the southern part of Istanbul which still stands there today. It is situated in the Bomonti district, which of course takes it name from the factory. Beginning in 1938, it was known as the Istanbul Tekel Beer Factory. It was abandoned in 1991, and locals returned to calling it the Bomonti Beer Factory. It’s a beautiful seven-story building.

Earlier this week, Global Investment Holding along with Çelebi Holding announced their intention to turn the building in Turkey’s biggest hotel by 2009, to be operated by Marriott International and known as the Marriott Bomonti Hotel Convention Center.

Today, Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry disclosed they will reject and cancel the offer regarding the 49-year operating lease for the Bomonti Beer Factory because the price was too low. So the factory is once again available. Hopefully, someone will put it too good use. It’s a terrific looking building with great possibilities, not to mention a piece of brewing history.

Beer, America & the U.S. Constitution

By

Today two things conspired to make me think about the upcoming Independence Day holiday. First, today is the anniversary of an interesting event that took place in a Philadelphia bar that perhaps made America in its present form possible. If had not been for the the social lubricant of ale and the camaraderie that can only be formed over a pint, compromise might not have been possible and things today might be very different. Who can say for sure? Beer historian Gregg Smith tells it best:

The great diarist of the Constitutional Convention was James Madison of Virginia. His choice of quarters was the India Queen Tavern where there was always a beer at the ready, and it was in the tap room of the India Queen that a new form of government would be created on the evening of June 30, 1787. Up till then smaller states worried they’d be at the mercy of their more populous neighbors, and of course larger states were intent on maintaining their influence. But on that night Madison orchestrated a meeting between Roger Sherman of Connecticut and John Rutledge of Virginia. It was there, in the tap room, that the concept of the legislative branch of the United States was conceived. So it’s not incorrect to say that the Senate and House of Representatives were born in an ale-house.

Note to neo-prohibtionists: See, not all drinking is bad. You might not have a country in which to peddle your fractious agenda were it not for beer.

The second thing was the new advert from Anhesuer-Busch’s Here’s to Beer cmpaign, which is slated to run as a full-page ad in USA Today on July 4th. I have, of course, said a few less-than-flattering things about this campaign but I do like this ad. It’s very well done and works on several levels. It conveys the very important message that beer is, in fact, an integral part of history and our own heritage. This is a lesson we all need to remember and those who seek to remove alcohol from society most of all. Remember that as you toast America’s birthday on the Fourth with a glass of your favorite beer. Here’s to beer!

Pabst Tower in New Jersey Being Torn Down

By

I was just talking to a fellow beer writer, Stan — who writes several beer blogs for Real Beer and himself, among much else — and he told me he’d gotten a call or e-mail from someone telling him the Pabst Tower in Newark, New Jersey is being torn down right now. Demolition of the brewery itself began in August of 2004 but the famous landmark water tower so far had escaped the wrecking ball. It came to prominence again recently when it was featured in the HBO series The Sopranos.

Roadside America has some more info on the water tower:

What is perhaps the World’s Largest Bottle — 60 feet tall, with a capacity of 55,000 gallons — is gradually being pried loose from its 100+-foot-tall tower in Newark, New Jersey. The bottle, a water tank originally built in 1930 to promote Hoffman Pale Dry Ginger Ale, was slated to be torn down in 2004, and again in 2005, but each time it proved more sturdy than the machinery sent to destroy it.

Now a third attempt has begun to remove the bottle — this time with the goal of preserving it. But the bottle is still putting up a fight.

The bottle achieved fame when the Hoffman plant was taken over by Pabst, which turned the tank into a glossy blue Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer bottle. Six men could stand on its glittering gold stopper, and the bottle was even featured in episodes of The Sopranos. But the plant closed in 1986, and in recent years the bottle, untended, has rusted to a uniform red. Now the old facility is being demolished, and the bottle is in the crosshairs.

The most appropriate photo I could find of the tower, this one is by Justin Makler.

A close-up of the tower.

UPDATE 6.27: Stan from Real Beer Therapy, who told me about this story in the first place, has a link to the New York Times story about the demolition as well as the real beer history of the tower.

Daughter of Latrobe Brewery Employee Sends Open Letter to August A. Busch IV

By

The letter posted below was forwarded to me by a good friend and colleague. It’s an open letter to August A. Busch IV regarding Anheuser-Busch’s plans to move production of the newly acquired Rolling Rock brand to Newark, New Jersey and sell the Latrobe Brewery. The town of Latrobe is in Western Pennsylvania, a little over 40 miles from Pittsburgh. It’s a small town, with a population of around 9,000 people. Arnold Palmer was born there, and so was Fred “Mr.” Rogers. It is believed the first professional football game was played in Latrobe (September 3, 1895) and the first banana split was made there (in 1894). Since 1893, it has been the home of the Latrobe Brewery and by and large, most people know the town of Latrobe because of Rolling Rock. Having grown up in a small town in Pennsylvania, I understand how seriously people take their history and heritage, how much it means to them. Sure there are economics involved in Latrobe, too, but it isn’t just about that. It’s also about people, small town loyalty and a real sense of community pride. So when the brewery employees were summarily told they had two months and then not only their jobs would be lost, but also a piece of the town’s heritage, it must have felt like the proverbial rug had been pulled out from under them.

That’s why I was surprised that the same day Anheuser-Busch announced the purchase of the Rolling Rock brand from InBev that they would also sour that news by mentioning that the Latrobe Brewery would be sold or closed. I’m sure it was simply an economy of scales argument, a business decision. But it would have been far more prudent to have waited to drop that bombshell until after the purchase story was out of the news cycle. Because, as the letter points out, A-B has been waxing poetic in ads and press releases about their corporate citizenship, their affinity for family, community and heritage. Of course that’s just propaganda, corporations don’t really care about those things, they just want to appear to care about those things because it improves their image. Corporations only have one function, making a profit, and are responsible to only one group of people: their shareholders. Oddly enough, though, when companies spin themselves as good guys, people actually expect them to act that way.

So Christina Gumola, the daughter of a Latrobe Brewing Company employee, sent the letter below to the president, vice president, and other board members at Anheuser-Busch regarding their recent purchase of Rolling Rock last Friday.

An online petition has also been set up to collect signatures with the goal of keeping Rolling Roock in Latrobe and keeping the town’s brewery open. As of 9:30 this morning, almost 6,000 people had signed the petition.

It’s doubtful that any emotional appeals to decency or a sense of family will carry any weight, which is ironic since A-B presents itself as a family company and has had numerous family members at its helm stretching back to its inception in the mid-1800s. I wish I wasn’t so realistic about this — some might say cynical — but unless the shareholders are convinced that profits will suffer by moving production and closing the brewery in Latrobe, I can’t see this decision being changed. But who knows, perhaps if there is enough of a hue and cry they may at least postpone the decision and wait until the furor has died down before closing the brewery.

But hope springs eternal and I certainly support the effort and wish them well, whatever the outcome.

An Open Letter to Anhesuer-Busch from Christina Gumola:

It was on Friday May 19, 2006, when I received a phone call from my father Richard Pavlik, who is a 22 year long employee of Latrobe Brewing Company, when I got the news. “The label was bought by Anheuser-Busch for $82 million.” I quickly asked about the future of his job in which he replied, “I have 60 days then I no longer have a job.” Immediately I broke down in tears for many reasons, one of which was my concern for the well-being of my parents and the effect this job loss will have on their lives. I have to admit that along with my sadness, I was very angry. “How could someone do this to, not only my father and the other 200+ employees of Latrobe Brewing Company, but to a whole community whose livelihood revolved around their pride and commitment to Latrobe Brewing Company-more specifically Rolling Rock beer.”

Despite my anger, I understand that Anheuser-Busch’s purchase of Rolling Rock was a decision based on business. However; I feel that this decision was made without an understanding of the devastating impact that the removal of Rolling Rock would have on the people of Latrobe and the surrounding communities. In addition, I feel that Anheuser-Busch may not have thought enough about how keeping Rolling Rock in Latrobe could help their own company from a business standpoint.

Ever since the announcement of Anheuser-Busch’s purchase of Rolling Rock and the plan to move it out of Latrobe, it’s as if a large dark cloud has settled over Latrobe. Not only has this decision gloomed the employees of Latrobe Brewing Company, but it has gloomed those who are also committed to the greatness that Rolling Rock brings to Latrobe. It feels as if someone took something so important out of our lives that we can never get back. I know that I am speaking for everyone who has pride in Rolling Rock when I say that we are truly hurt and devastated for this loss.

I found a noteworthy quote in an article dated March 30, 2006 from Anheuser-Busch. This article was titled ‘Who Would You Have A Beer With?’ Robert C. Lachky, executive vice president, global industry development, Anheuser-Busch Inc. is quoted saying that “Beer is about sharing moments and creating memories with good friends and family.” This quote could not be truer. Rolling Rock beer has allowed us to create these memories with our friends and family here in Latrobe. Though these moments and memories cannot be taken away, the opportunity to create more of them with our loved ones has been.

After Anheuser-Busch’s purchase of Rolling Rock, Mr. August A. Busch IV, president of Anheuser-Busch Inc. hit the nail head on when he was quoted for saying, “We have an ideal opportunity to grow this historic brand. This beer is not like others, and it’s consumer following is EQUALLY DISTINCTIVE.” It is apparent that Mr. Busch and other’s in Anheuser-Busch see Rolling Rock for what it is and for what THE PEOPLE OF LATROBE have made it. While Anheuser-Busch may be able to brew Rolling Rock beer using the same “time-honored” recipes, it is virtually impossible to replicate the committed employees of Latrobe Brewing Company and people of Latrobe, which go hand-in-hand with Rolling Rocks craftsmanship and heritage.
The history of Anheuser-Busch states that in 1864, Adolphus Busch joined the fledgling brewery that later became known as Anheuser-Busch. Though the early years were demanding, Mr. Adolphus Busch continued to have a keen vision for the success of the company. The history further indicates that the distinctive contributions made by each succeeding generations of the Anheuser-Busch family clearly show that the history of Anheuser-Busch isn’t a story about a company-it’s a story about people. People with dreams and perseverance. Like Anheuser-Busch, the story and history of Rolling Rock is not a story about a company, but a story about people. The Tito brother’s wanted a unique beer that could represent the heart and soul of Latrobe. As a result, Rolling Rock beer was introduced in 1939 and since that time, it has become more than a beer and a product of a company. Rolling Rock indeed became the heart and soul of the people of Latrobe. Telling someone that “I’m from Latrobe” is accompanied with an enormous sense of pride.

August Busch Sr.’s vision and determination to keep his company going during the Prohibition resembles the vision of the Latrobe Brewing Company employees and the people of Latrobe. We are determined to keep producing Rolling Rock beer in Latrobe where it belongs. History reports that August Busch Sr. was able to keep many of his skilled workers employed and his equipment up to date during the difficult time of the Prohibition. Obviously, he was able to see the importance of dedicated and skilled employees. I feel August Busch IV would be proud to employ the current workers at Latrobe Brewing Company. They are, indeed, highly skilled and committed to producing Rolling Rock. It is important to note that there has not been a labor dispute at the Latrobe Brewing Company in over 24 years. This is a clear indication of the dedication and loyalty of the employees in this establishment. Also during the Prohibition, Mr. Busch Sr. kept his equipment up to date. Likewise, recent additions and modifications to the equipment at Latrobe Brewing Company have been made to keep up with the demand of the highly sought after Rolling Rock beer in this competitive field.

After researching Anheuser-Busch’s history and values, I feel that a partnership with Rolling Rock, if kept in Latrobe, can be more beneficial for Anheuser-Busch as a company. The employees at Latrobe Brewing Company have these same values and commitment to the product that they make here.

Anheuser-Busch is known for, and prides itself, for their unique commitment to their belief statement, mission, and values. In fact, the Anheuser-Busch web-site relates that these values are “a concern for people, communities, and the environment.” I am asking that you please follow these values and show your support for our people and our community whose lives and passion revolve around having Rolling Rock Beer brewed in Latrobe. Please rethink your decision of taking the pride and passion out of our lives.

Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. Statement of Beliefs includes the following belief: The understanding that well-trained and motivated employees acting with the highest integrity are critical to our success. As a former part-time seasonal employee at Latrobe Brewing Company, I have witnessed first hand how the employees making Rolling Rock beer contribute to the company’s success through the dedication and pride the employees have in their jobs and the product they produce. I’ve also witnessed this dedication from retiree’s, such as Albert Pavlik my grandfather, who is a 35 year veteran of Latrobe Brewing Company.

Finally, The Vision of Anheuser-Busch states: Through all of our products, services and relationships, we will add to life’s enjoyment. We dedicated consumers of Rolling Rock beer and the employees of Latrobe Brewing Company understand how the product adds to life’s enjoyment. Please allow us to work together in Latrobe to accomplish the vision of Anheuser-Busch.

I sincerely thank you for your time,

Christina M. Gumola
Proud daughter of
Richard L. Pavlik-Employee of Latrobe Brewing Company

400-Year Old Ram Brewery to Close in Merger

By

Two rival British brewers, Charles Wells and Young’s announced today that they will be merging, effective October 2 of this year. The new company will be named Wells & Young’s Brewing Company Ltd. All operations will be moved to Charles Wells’ Bedfordshire brewery and the Wandsworth Ram Brewery will be closed.

The Ram Brewery in Wandsworth (south London) is the oldest brewing site in England, having had a brewery at the location for over 400 years, since 1581, which was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Young’s family acquired the brewery in 1831 and have operated it there ever since.

The BBC is reporting the closure will cost about ninety jobs and will leave London with only two brewing giants, Fuller’s and Anheuser-Busch.

Reports in This is Money, a UK financial site, and The Morning Advertiser, a website dedicated to licensee’s (pubs), both have additional details on the merger.

From the press release:

The company will be owned 40 per cent by Young’s and 60 per cent by Charles Wells, reflecting the assets being contributed by each shareholder, which for Charles Wells include the freehold land and production facilities of the Eagle Brewery.

Wells & Young’s will be operated as an independent company, at arms length from its two shareholders. Both Young’s and Charles Wells will continue to operate their pub estates independently of each other and both have entered into separate three-year rolling (five-year minimum) supply agreements with Wells & Young’s.

Paul Wells and John Young toast the merger of their two companies.

George Washington: Father of Our Country and Brewer

By

Today of course is George Washington’s birthday. In addition to his many accomplishments as a farmer, military leader, statesman, and our first president he was also a great lover of beer. He was especially fond of Porter. But it was small beer that he made at Mount Vernon and his 1757 handwritten recipe for it survives at the New York Public Library in a notebook kept by Washington. Here it is transcribed below:

To Make Small Beer

Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. — Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank[et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask — leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working — Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed.

And according to an article entitled Smashing Pumpkin by James Roberts (a.k.a. Dr. Fermento), the Celebrator’s Alaskan correspondent, Washington loved pumpkin porter, too.

Our forefathers made pumpkin ale. The pilgrims didn’t necessarily get off on vegetable beer, but it this was a matter of need. Brewing supplies were short in the New World; anything that fermented was fair game. And by all accounts George Washington made a pretty fair pumpkin porter.

There has been not been much written about Washington’s love for beer, but here you can find some additional information:

From Brewed In America by Stanley Baron, 1962: George Washington: President & Beer Lover

From Fermenting Revolution: George Washington, Our Porter-Pounding Founding Father

 

Budvar: Delicious and Funny

By

České Budějovice, who makes Budvar Budweiser, the original Budweiser beer from the Czech Republic, has had to fight tooth and nail in virtually every country throughout the world to assert its rights to the name Budweiser. Here in the U.S., of course, they lost that fight, which is why in this country the beer was re-christened Czechvar. They’ve won in quite a few countries, but lost in some more, as well. Throughout the world, the beer is known as Budweiser, Budvar, Budweiser Budvar, Bud, Budějovický Budvar, and Czechvar. The beer is brewed at the Budějovický Budvar brewery, which began in the 13th Century. The brewery is located in the city of České Budějovice, formerly also known as Budiwoyz and Budweis. Admittedly, this is all very complicated and confusing, so perhaps this historical summary from the brewery website may help:

The term Budweiser is derived from the town of Budějovice, known as Budweis or Budějovice since the 14th century – 200 years before Christopher Columbus discovered America. Budweis – the official name of the town – was not “Czechified” as Česke Budějovice until 1918 (with the exception of 1939-1945, i.e. the Second World War and the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany, when the name of the town reverted briefly to its German form. In some languages Budweis is still the preferred name. České Budějovice has been renowned for brewing from time immemorial (see the chapter entitled History of Beer in České Budějovice). To differentiate the town’s beer from the output of breweries in other areas, the beer was called the Budweiser Bier (i.e. “Beer from Budějovice”). Logically, the company Český akciový pivovar (Böhmisches Action-Bräuhaus in Budweis in German) decided to brand its beer by its place of origin, as it followed up on the tradition of brewing Budějovice beer in České Budějovice. The beer from Budějovice was so well known that Budweiser Bier became a synonym of quality. Ever since it started operations, the brewery used various names using the Budweiser word on its products, and it gradually started registering the brands as trademarks. After the signature of the Lisbon International Treaty (1958), it acquired the national and international registration of the terms Budějovice Beer (Budweiser Bier) and Budějovický Budvar (Budweiser Budvar) in the states who were parties to the Lisbon Treaty.

And of course, their legal trouble are legendary. Again, from the brewery website:

The history of disputes over Budějovický Budvar’s trademarks dates back to the beginning of the last century. For decades, one of the major US breweries had tried to buy the rights to its trademarks from Budějovický Budvar, initially only for the territory of the US. Just before the Second World War, this brewery in fact was successful in its attempts. This US brewery has continued its efforts to obtain Budějovický Budvar’s trademarks until today.

Budějovický Budvar is therefore currently defending its historical rights to its trademarks against Anheuser-Busch, which is attacking Budějovický Budvar through over 40 lawsuits and more than 40 administrative proceedings before patent authorities all over the world. A large majority of the courts’ decisions uphold Budějovický Budvar’s rights to its trademarks. Budějovický Budvar has recently won trademark disputes e.g. in the UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Greece, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and New Zealand.

But believe it or not, my reasons for starting this post had nothing to do with history, I just got a little carried away by it all. What led me to Budvar today was a number of very funny television commercials that are available from a related website.

The are 26 ads in different themes, such as hockey, soccer fans, some sweaty fat guys, and the running of the bulls at Pamplona. Despite the language barrier, they’re all pretty funny.

Oh, and did I mention the beer is very tasty? It is. It’s a very flavorful, clean Czech pilsner.

Ben Franklin in the Bay Area

By

For the 300th Anniversary of the birth of Ben Franklin, which was January 17, the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary teamed up with the Brewers Association to create a special beer to honor the occasion called “Poor Richard’s Ale.” A contest was held to choose a winning recipe. The winner was Tony Simmons of Brick Oven Brewing in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The style was roughly that of an Old Ale or a Strong Scotch Ale. The recipe was then given out to all the Association members. Sadly, only 99 brewers made the beer, which I actually thought was a nifty little idea. That’s less than two breweries per state or about 7% of the estimated 1,368 American breweries currently operating today. Oh, well. Happily, four of those are in the Bay Area and they all got together at Half Moon Bay Brewing yesterday to taste their efforts.

The four brewers (from left to right) were Dave McLean, of Magnolia, Shaun O’Sullivan, of 21st Amendment, Emil Caluori, of Steelhead’s Burlingame brewery, and Alec Moss, of Half Moon Bay Brewing.

All four more or less followed the recipe but each deviated slightly due generally to necessity or availability of ingredients. Because of that, it was quite surprising how differently the four beers tasted given such small variations in ingredients. Even their color and head retention varied widely, as you can see below.

From left, Poor Richard’s Ale as imagined by Steelhead, 21st Amendment, Magnolia and Half Moon Bay.

The beers’ alcohol content came out pretty close with a range of 6.6-7% abv, with one each at the outside range and the other two at 6.8%. It appeared that Emil followed the recipe the closest and his at least resembled what I pictured a beer of the late 1700s to look like, cloudy and dully colored. Shaun did not use molasses and Dave used a roasted malt rather than Special Roast or Black Patent and Alec substituted Special B for the Special Roast. He also only used about half the corn the recipe called for.

Steelhead: Emil’s had that wonderful cloudy appearance with the dull brown ruddy complexion with dry malt aromas. It had very mild flavors with discernable sweet molasses, great mouthfeel, and a clean finish that boasted just a kiss of the hops at the end. This was a very drinkable beer, thirst-quenching and made it easy to imagine drinking tankards of this brew sitting outside at a wooden table on a cobblestone street in colonial Philly.

21st Amendment: Despite the forgotten molasses, Shaun’s version had a sharply sweet nose and bright golden amber color. It had crisp, clean flavors with some hoppy bitterness and a lingering finish. Also a very mild-bodied ale, it had just a touch of dry sourness lying pleasantly underneath and nipping at your taste buds. Also an excellent beer, it nonethless felt like it would be more at home in modern Philadelphia.

Magnolia: Dave’s use of roasted malt gave his beer the darkest complexion of the four. It was the black of a starless night sky with a thickly rich tan head. It also had a roasted nose with sweet aromas (the molasses?). Mild and silky smooth flavors with lactic chocolate and coffee notes from the roasted malt that would have reminded Franklin of the local milk maid, I imagine. After all, he was fond of the ladies. The finish is mostly clean with hints of the roastiness staying behind to taunt you.

Half Moon Bay: Alec’s take had dark brown color that was streaked with bright red wherever the light hit it. The nose was sharp and clean, with hints of peppery spices. Also boasting excellent mild flavors and a clean finish, this too felt like a modern interpretation.

None of the beers hinted at their above average alcohol content and could be enjoyed by the tankard or pitcher. And while there were similarities — all were mild, for example — what distinguished them was their differences. I might have expected those differences to be more subtle but in the end that would have been disappointing. As it was, it was more like great jazz bands doing their own arrangement of a old standard. Nobody wants to hear Woody Herman, Stan Kenton or Duke Ellington’s versions of “Take the A Train” all sound the same. What makes them magical is their differences. This was a great deal of fun and my only regret is that there weren’t more brewers who made their interpretation of Poor Richard’s Ale.

After the tasting, we hung out for a little while longer, enjoying a pint of this and that. It was a beautiful day on the coast with cool breezes and a warming sun that seemed more like spring than January. So with the doors wide open, we enjoyed the day as Ben Frankin might have: with good company, good conversation and a good ale.

Alec, and the rest of, listen as Shaun tells a story about the good old days on radio during a visit to see Alec’s brewhouse.

Sharing stories over a pint in the brewhouse. Form left, Alec’s assistant brewer, Dave McLean, Shaun O’Sullivan, Alec Moss and Emil Caluori.