Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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History in a Glass

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courthouse-pub
This is the kind of story that exemplifies the best in craft brewing, at least in my opinion. There used to be a brewery in Manitowoc County, in the small town of Two Rivers, Wisconsin (pop. <11,261) by the name of Two Rivers Beverage Co. It’s earlier names were Mueller Bros. Brewing Co. and City Brewery prior to Prohibition. But afterward, it was known by Two Rivers and lasted until about 1966. One of their most popular beers was apparently White Cap beer, which they made from 1939 until 1963.

Carl and Chris Liebich, the children of Harold Liebich, the former co-owner of Two Rivers, asked John Jagemann, owner of the Courthouse Pub, a brewpub in nearby Manitowoc, if he would be willing to brew up a batch of White Cap for a family and brewery reunion they’d planned on hosting. The brewpub said they’d need the recipe, of course, and Harold’s brother George, with whom Harold ran the brewery from 1952 until it closed, found it in the attic of his California home. Parts of the recipe dated from 1915 and were written in German, but it was complete. The Courthouse Pub’s head brewer in Canada, John Downing, put together a version of it that would work in the brewpub’s system and Brent Boeldt, brewmaster at the Wisconsin location, brewed it up for the reunion, which took place Sunday. Today the brewpub will release White Cap for public consumption. Jagemann describes the beer as a lighter style beer and told the local paper that “[i]f it sells well, it can become one of our standard beers.” Now that’s a fun little story. There was a great little article detailing all of this in today’s Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter.
 

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Brent Boeldt of Courthouse Pub brewpub in Manitowoc, Wisconsin,
holding a pint of White Cap beer.
(Photo by Jaslyn Gilbert, Herald Times Reporter)

Goose Island Video Profile

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BusinessPOV, a Chicago media enterprise doing online video micro-journalism, contacted me about their latest effort, a video profile of Goose Island Brewing. It includes a short interview with Brewmaster Greg Hall interspersed with footage of the brewery and Goose Island’s beers. It’s a little over five minutes and manages quite nicely to give a good flavor of what their business is all about. It’s definitely worth checking out.

Click above to watch the video profile.

Kansas City Hometown Beer Tour

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I got an e-mail from Jim Quinn, “The Beer Jockey” of Kansas City, who’s hosting what sounds like a fun and educational tour of Kansas City brewing history as well as local breweries still operating. The limousine tour runs three hours, from Noon to 3:00 p.m., and three tour dates are scheduled: October 28, November 11, and November 25. The tour will begin and end at Boulevard Brewing. The standard cost is $35, which includes “chauffeured transportation, guided tour, on-board beverages, beer samples and handouts.” For $65, your tour also included an “autographed copy of Bob Sullivan’s book, ‘Hometown Beer: History of Kansas City’s Breweries‘”

Here’s an overview of the tour:

  • Tour and taste at KC’s own, nationally-renowned and newly expanded Boulevard Brewing.
  • Hear about the “Beer Castle” on Main Street.
  • See the remains of a family brewery that survived floods and fires yet fell to Prohibition.
  • Learn how many out-of-town breweries were able to enter the local market in the 1870s.
  • Celebrate local brew and sample handcrafted ale at McCoy’s Public House in Westport.

 

 
Fine print: Preregistration and payment is required. DEADLINE for registration is the Thursday prior to the tour. A minimum of 12 passengers is required to run the tour. Maximum is 20 passengers. Private chartered tours are also available.
 

10.27, 11.11, 11.25

Kansas City Hometown Beer Tour

Boulevard Brewing, 2501 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri
816.512.5555 or 816.471.1234 [ e-mail ]

Drinking in Germany and Nebraska

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My friend and colleague, Lisa Morrison, sent me this provocative essay by a woman who grew up in Germany but has lived in Nebraska since she was 17. Angelika Byorth, writing in the Daily Nebraskan speaks to how alcohol is handled differently in the two countries and wonders in print whether adopting a lower drinking age and introducing alcohol into the home as a natural part of daily life might not remove some of its stigma. She makes some great points and it’s nice see an alternative viewpoint to the one the neo-prohibitionist lobby is always pushing. Angelika Byorth lost her husband at 47 to alcoholism and still argues in favor of changing our country’s alcohol policy, so she may be harder for the neo-prohibitionists to dismiss and rebut than usual. Regardless of your side on this issue, an interesting piece and well worth reading.

Lagunitas Labels Trashed by Beer Man

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The Beer Man, Todd Haefer, is at it again. A few weeks ago he wrongly accused wood-aged beers of being a passing fad, despite record numbers of them entered at GABF. The upcoming Barrel Age Beer Festival at The Bistro was expecting to get about 50 beers entered and as of a few days ago 65 were coming. So for that reason I was a bit suspect of his using a moniker that implied expertise and respect. He may be “a” beer man, but I don’t think he’s “the” beer man.

Today’s prouncement confirms that, I think. In a review of Lagunitas’ Censored Ale (f.k.a. Kronick) which in and of itself wasn’t bad, he attacked brewery owner Tony Magee’s delightful beer label ramblings with a no-holds-barred, tell-me-how-you-really-feel, full-frontal-assault. Here’s what Todd had to say:

I do have to mention that Lagunitas has some of the dumbest beer-style descriptions I’ve ever seen on a Web site. Just check out this link for Censored Ale and you’ll see what I mean. It’s not funny, not cool, not cute, it’s just … dumb and doesn’t tell you anything about the beer.

Here on the left coast, Lagunitas’ labels have something of a cult following and articles have been written on the labels alone. Not the beer, mind you, just about the labels. Of course, we also have the benefit of context and knowing Tony. Oh, and we have a sense of humor, too. Because Tony’s labels are often hysterical, and many times confounding and perplexing. But the one thing they never are is dull. Who said beer labels have to tell you something about the beer or the beer style? Go in your refrigerator right now. How many beers have a story about the beer on the label? Half, maybe less? So why can’t Lagunitas let the beer speak for itself and have a little fun on the labels? After re-reading this label I’m a little confused as to why Beer Man thought it was a beer description, albeit a “dumb” one, in the first place. Here is the label rant from Lagunitas Censored Ale:

Anyway, we were going out to, uh,the ,uh, you know, thing, and all, and when we got there, well, uh, the dude was, like- “whoa man!” I mean, and we were all, uh, you know – “whoa!” and stuff, and when I said to him, like, you know, “hey man”, and all they, I mean he, was all “what?” and stuff- and I just told him what you said and all and they were all man- “not cool dude”, but whatever- so, uh, we split and went back to my lair and just hung out and whatever, but the whole thing was, like, just SUCH a bummer and all but, you know, it was cool and stuff, but you just gotta, you know, about the dude and all, like, it’s cool and all you know, but what’s up with that “blah blah blah”? Whatzit got to do with beer and all? I mean, really, dude, whatever…but, it’s cool and all…

So what part of that did Beer Man think was a “beer-style description?” Honestly, even if you don’t find it funny, cool, cute or informative, you can’t really believe it’s trying to describe the beer, can you? You’d have to figure it was ironic and not serious wouldn’t you? But it proves once again Tony Magee’s most prophetic quote.

“Beer Speaks. People Mumble.“

Rolling Rock Sale Finalized

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While I was in Denver for GABF, the proposed sale between City Brewing of LaCrosse, Wisconsin was been finalized between them and InBev for the purchase of the Latrobe Brewery in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Over 150 union workers ratified a two-year contract. All that remains is an issue about increasing the amount of water available for the brewery and for dealing with the wastewater so that City Brewery can increase Latrobe’s capacity to two-million barrels annually. But the deal is done, and neither side is revealing the pricetag for the Latrobe Brewery. The brewery should re-open shortly, probably in the next few weeks, assuming the water issues are resolved quickly.

Bourbon Barrel Beer Waning?

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history
According to the “Beer Man” of Wisconsin’s Appleton Post-Crescent (and syndicated nationally on the Gannett News Service) — Todd Haefer — bourbon barrel stouts are just a fad. It’s nice to see any newspaper embrace beer and give space regularly to reporting on beer so I hate to contradict such a worthy endeavor, but I think misinformation can be just as damning as no information at all. Todd, who took over for the previous “Beer Man” in October of last year, had this to say in the course of reviewing a beer from Tyranena Brewing of Lake Mills, Wisconsin:

There was a craze a few years ago in microbrewery circles involving the aging of imperial stouts in bourbon barrels. Some were very good. But, as will likely happen with the current trend of “imperial India pale ales” and “imperial pilsners,” it soon ran its course. Examples do still exist, but not on a national scale.

Really? Bourbon Barrel beers are just another fad? As far as I know, there are still dozens of breweries still making a barrel-aged stout. I’m especially troubled by his characterizing them as no longer being “on a national scale.” Were bourbon barrel stouts ever on a national scale, by which I can only presume he means at least one beer that’s distributed nationally to all fifty states? Having just done a barrel-aged tasting for the next issue of the Celebrator, I can say quite comfortably that all beers aged in wood are on the rise. These things are quite literally coming out of the woodwork. More and more brewers are experimenting with what barrel-aging can add to their line-up of beers. Every year, there are more festivals dedicated to this niche style. The Bistro in Hayward, California, just added one which takes place November 11 and will include judging in three categories.

Perhaps Todd is speaking specifically about stouts aged on wood. But if there are less barrel-aged stouts today then a few years ago — and I don’t know of any evidence to suggest that — then there are many more styles now being aged in wood then ever before in the history of American beer. If a brewery today chooses an IPA to age instead of a stout does that make stout just a fad? I think stouts were the obvious place to begin experimenting with barrel aging beers and having found success there brewers are branching out in ever-widening directions to discover what other complexities can be achieved through the aging process. This is an exciting time in brewing and I don’t like the idea of saying that if bourbon barrel stouts led to barrel-aging other beers and a whole new type of beer-making process that they were “just a fad.” It’s just the wrong message to send, especially when the real story is much more positive.

All manner of beer today is being aged not just in bourbon barrels, but in various wine barrels, whiskey barrels, and even fruit barrels and who knows what else with some pretty spectacular results. And having previously been relegated to the experimental category, since 2002 the Great American Beer Festival has been judging “Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer” as a separate category. Clearly this type of beer is here to stay. Barrel-aged beers are not “dry beers” or “low-carb” beers created by marketing men. The are a legitimate new additive process that produces some spectacular complexities in craft beers. We should celebrate that fact, perhaps with a barrel-aged stout? Who’s with me? I’m pouring.

Injecting Opinions, Injecting Beer

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no-bottles
An understandably concerned brewer I know of noticed the image below while searching on the State of Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco website. Apparently it’s on a free flyer that also lists five “facts” about alcohol, but not about beer. I didn’t see the flyer on the website, but the image is taken from a neo-prohibitionist group called Facing Alcohol Concerns Through Education or FACE.

its-only-beer

The caption is a little difficult to read, so here it is: “Beer contains alcohol. Alcohol is a drug. Alcohol is the number one drug in this country. Not marijuana. Not cocaine. Alcohol. Get the point? Make the choice to make a change.”

Of course, even without the text, the message is abundantly clear. Beer is the equivalent of a drug that you inject directly into your veins, like heroin. Sure, that seems reasonable. But it clearly shows the inability of fanatics to recognize the difference. Or perhaps they do know but purposely choose to be so extremely deceitful, dishonest and manipulative.

This image is in poster form, and you can actually buy one for $7.00 on FACE’s website, along with many, many other offensively ridiculous propaganda pieces. You can buy their many items as posters, magnets, billboards, bookmarks and even air fresheners. The amount of merchandise for sale to spread fear is truly staggering. That they present these items as tools to help you in the fight against alcohol underscores the extent to which alcohol is under attack once more in this country.

tap-into Here’s another one attacking beer festivals. Apparently they send a bad message to kids.

Every year, thousands of towns across the country gear up for their annual festivals. Too often these events focus on alcohol. This year, show kids the real meaning of community spirit. And let the good times roll! Make the choice to make a change. Tap into a new community spirit.

Now I go to a lot of beer festivals, probably many more than the average person. And whenever possible, I take my kids along with me because I like having my family around me. Perhaps that makes me strange, who knows? There are a growing number of festivals that because of liability issues and governmental controls are unable to even permit children to attend beer festivals. So soon I won’t be able to spend as much time with my family because neo-prohibitionists are making my parenting decisions for me. Few things anger me as much as being told what’s best for my children. If these people don’t want their kids exposed to alcohol and want to keep them as ignorant as possible about the world, they have an obvious choice. Here’s my simple advice to them. “Don’t go or don’t take your kids. But please, don’t tell me I can’t travel with my family. Don’t decide for me what is ‘dangerous’ for my children. That’s my decision, not yours.”

Frankly, a community spirit that seeks to control and restrict the actions of others is no community. It’s a dictatorship, a neo-fascist police state. Neo-prohibitionists have decided how the world should look and they’re doing everything in their growing power to make it look that way, public opinion be damned. The idea that “annual festivals,” which celebrate all manner of local culture, should not include alcohol — which is still legal the last time I checked — is antithetical to a community’s spirit is spurious at best and downright maliciously evil at worst.

But let’s return to Indiana. As our concerned brewer rightly asks, what is a state governmental agency doing spreading such obvious propaganda? Since when is it the job of our government to push the agenda of a few citizens and not represent the entirety of the population? To me that’s the biggest danger we’re facing right now. It seems like state agencies are being overrun by people who are either neo-prohibitionists themselves or are sympathetic to their ridiculous cause of making all alcohol illegal again. If I were a brewer from Indiana I would ask my state representative and/or senator why the tax dollars from my business and my own personal taxes along with the revenue and jobs I was creating for the state economy were being used to fund propaganda that depicts my livelihood as being comparable to heroin? But check first to see if he accepted any bribes … er, I mean campaign contributions from any neo-prohibitionist organizations. That will help you to judge the honesty of his answer.

its-only-beer-lg

New Glarus Brewing Woes

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Last January, when New Glarus Brewery was contemplating building a new brewery, the Village of New Glarus promised brewery owner Deb Carey that “they would chip in $2 million to pay for the utilities … things like water and a sewage treatment facility,” according to a story by local television station WMTV Channel 15 in Madison, Wisconsin. Business has been terrific for the small brewery in recent years, in part because they make some of the best beers in the world. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad beer Dan and Deb have brewed. As a result they’re at capacity and planning to build a new brewing facility on the south side of New Glarus over looking the village. The pricetag for the brewery is $19 million and they needed the village’s help to make it work.

But now the Village appears to be reneging on its earlier promise as the $2 million is suddenly subject to a further decision. The brewery’s fate hangs on a “closed meeting Thursday night at the New Glarus village hall, when village president Tom Myers says the council will discuss the plans for the brewery, and whether the two million dollars are worth keeping it.”

Myers claims to want the brewery to stay, because the brewery increases tourism and the bigger brewery will add 60 new jobs, too. But he’s also now claiming that if the $2 million is given to the brewery, then it will have to be taken from somewhere else in the village’s meager budget. So “Carey says they are looking at other options, including moving the brewery out of New Glarus.” And that would be a shame.

UPDATE 8.4: The Capital Times is reporting that an agreement has been reached between the Village and New Glarus Brewing, so the brewery will be staying in town.

Springfield Suds & Sustenance

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There was an interesting article on food and beer in today’s Springfield Journal-Register. It centers around mostly mainstrean fare, but includes a few recipes and local anecdotes about using beer in cooking. Anything that appropriately furthers the idea that beer and food work together perfectly is a good thing in my mind.