Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Beer & Christianity

By

christmas
It’s Christmas Eve and I’m sitting at my in-laws drinking a Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. The kids are asleep, the presents are wrapped and we’ve finished the traditional meal of Chinese take-out (don’t ask). The rest of my wife’s family (she has four siblings) is watching television and finishing their own wrapping, kibitzing in the way brothers and sisters do. I can hear their conversations waft into the front room with all the presents snuggled under the tree — which is where I’m sitting alone — along with the Christmas music on my iPod playing in the kitchen. Christmas is always a time of reflection for me. While I’m grateful that my in-laws have welcomed me so openly into their family, I still can’t help but feel a little sad at this time of the year. My own parents and grandparents are long gone as are all but a handful of uncles, aunts and cousins who remain far away in Pennsylvania.

A couple of days ago, a press release caught my attention from ChristiaNet, which purports to be the “world’s largest Christian portal.” They released a poll taken on the website in which an almost two-thirds majority declared that beer is bad and that overall “drinking beer, wine, liquor, or alcoholic beverages of any kind is wrong.” Naturally the headline only mentioned beer, stating that “Drinking Beer Is Wrong According To ChristiaNet Poll.” This has been rolling around in my head for the last two days and since ChristaNet [Link now dead] has seen fit to throw beer drinkers under the bus at Christmastime, I felt it appropriate to stand up for beer during the same time. So lest you think I’m being sacrilegious, remember that the press release was published three days before Christmas.

So let’s take a look at this issue. ChristiaNet, who I was previously unfamiliar with, in the press release claims they get “twelve million monthly page loads, receive around one million visitors per month and have 400,000 email subscribers who have access to an online shopping mall, job bank, Biblical and life application resources, free ecards, Christian blogs and friendship communities.” Out of those million monthly only 339 responded to the poll that is the subject of their press release. Of those few motivated to take the poll, 192 apparently believe “it isn’t appropriate behavior” for Christians to drink beer, when they answered the question “should Christians drink beer?” So of the approximately 2.1 billion Christians worldwide, less than 200 have a problem with people drinking beer. Eighty were okay with it and another 62 were undecided. And those staggeringly ridiculous statistics warranted a press release that was picked up by news organizations? What exactly was the point of the press release? If you can figure it out, please let me know because I’m stumped. Jesus obviously drank something alcoholic at the last supper, so if He could have a glass, why not the rest of the faithful?

I guess wine during communion is apparently different. I realize Catholics who believe in transubstantiation think the wine is actually the blood of Christ so perhaps that doesn’t count. But Protestants don’t accept transubstantiation so the wine is merely symbolic and therefore just wine. What makes that acceptable but beer is inappropriate? Especially when you consider that it may well have been a mis-translation that Jesus turned water into beer instead of wine. If the same mis-translation continued through the last supper, perhaps Christians today would wash down the body of Christ with beer instead of red wine.

Is it the amount? According to the press release, many respondents made “the distinction that it should be done in moderation and not to get drunk” and also found it “acceptable unless abused or causes someone else to sin.” The release also mused that “[w]hile an occasional drink might have some health benefits, too much can cause health problems. The risk of becoming addicted to it should be considered by those who are tempted.” But that’s true of anything. Too much of almost anything can be bad for you. Certainly extremism of any stripe leads to much unpleasantness. But the stereotypical frat boy mentality of drink ’till you puke is not seriously advocated by any organization that I know of, so who are they targeting. Is there any group — pro or con — that doesn’t think drinking in moderation is the way to go? So again I have to ask — rhetorically at least — why ChristiaNet is going out of their way to paint a picture in which a majority of Christians are against drinking beer? Virtually all of the Christians I know love the stuff and have no problem whatsoever with it.

Many neo-prohibitionist groups seem to have strong ties to extremist religious groups, so is ChristiaNet among them and that what’s going on here? Sadly, I have only questions and no answers. But it creeps me out more than a little to see the holiday of Christmas being used as a time to call into question whether a third of the world’s population has a problem with my beverage of choice. And worse still, using such flimsy statistics as support for their agenda, whatever it truly turns out to be.

But tomorrow (later today, really) my kids — Porter and Alice — will wake me way too early, excited to see what Santa brought them. I’ll have on my traditional Celebration Ale t-shirt I’ve worn every Christmas morning for over ten years. This is Porter’s fifth Christmas and the first one where he’s truly excited about it and is learning the traditions that define us as a nation. He delighted in picking out the perfect tree, stringing the lights, and hanging the ornaments. He insisted we hang a wreath on the front door of our new house. For the last month, one of the books we’ve been reading at bedtime is Are You Grumpy, Santa? and as a result we had to bake chocolate chip cookies to leave out for Santa. When his grandmother said we only had sugar cookies he informed her that they would make Santa grumpy. Needless to say, there were freshly baked chocolate chip cookies left out for Santa’s butt next to the tree. I say “were” because my sister-in-law and I just ate them — leaving a few crumbs behind on the plate — to keep the illusion alive. After we open the presents there will be a feast and I’ll have a few different holiday beers. And I’ll try to figure out why on one of my favorite days of the year, drinking a beer is so wrong. Why do I feel like my ability to enjoy a good beer is constantly under attack? Why can’t we all just say Merry Christmas, share a yuletide brew and get along? I’ll even start the ball rolling.

Happy Holidays, Peace on Earth and Goodwill Toward Men (and Women). Beery Christmas everyone.

Redbridge Gluten-Free Released Nationally

By

As expected, Anheuser-Busch released Redbridge, a gluten-free beer made with sorghum nationally last week. As with their organic beers, A-B claims they will be making regular donations to a relevant charity, in this case to National Foundation for Celia Awareness, undoubtedly a worthy organization. The Redbridge website is also up and running now, too.

Here’s a portion of the press release:

Sorghum, the primary ingredient in Redbridge, is a safe grain for those allergic to wheat or gluten. It is grown in the United States, Africa, Southern Europe, Central America and Southern Asia. Sorghum beers have been available internationally for years and are popular in many African countries.

Redbridge is a hearty, full-bodied lager brewed using imported Hallertau and domestic Cascade hops. It is brewed with sorghum and has a well-balanced, moderately hopped taste. “We set out to create a fine, hand-crafted specialty beer made without wheat or barley,” said Angie Minges, product manager, Anheuser-Busch. “We’ve made Redbridge nationally available to make sure adults who experience wheat allergies or who choose a gluten-free or wheat-free diet can enjoy the kind of beer that fits their lifestyle.”

Redbridge contains 4.8% alcohol per 12-ounce serving. It will be available in 12-ounce, six-pack bottles. Redbridge is brewed at the Anheuser-Busch Merrimack, N.H., brewery.

The new six-packs for Redbridge, now available nationally.

Full Sail’s LTD Series

By

Full Sail Brewing of Hood River, Oregon announced a new limited series of beers to celebrate their 20th anniversary. The “LTD Series” 01 will be released this month.

From the press release:

Hood River, Or – For the last year the Full Sail brew-masters have been working to develop a special line of beers to celebrate their 20th anniversary. “We are proud to announce our ‘LTD Series’ bringing to our customers new import-style beers in an elegant yet delightfully fun packaging,” said Irene Firmat, Full Sail’s Founder and CEO. The LTD Series is Full Sail’s entry into the fastest growing craft beer category — Seasonal Beers.

“Our Seasonal line emphasizes and builds on our brand mantra – both the world class quality of our beers (LTD – Limited Edition) and our celebration of independence (LTD – Live the Dream),” continued Firmat. The LTD series will be available in six-packs and will begin shipping from the brewery December 2006.

The newly designed bottle labels describe LTD Bottling 01, as an easy drinking, albeit wicked awesome limited edition lager. Featured on the six-pack is a “Malt-O-Meter” that will tell you at a glance that LTD is a medium bodied, copper colored lager with subtle hop accents, and a caramel aroma, that goes down smooth. For the beer aficionados, or the aspiring ones, the bottom of the six-pack features an easy to read chart of “Today’s Recipe”, including hop (Czech Saaz, Hallertauer) and malt varieties (caramel, chocolate and wheat), plato (16 degrees), I.B.U. (26), alcohol by volume (6.4) and even secret sauce! Full Sail will follow up LTD 01 with another new limited edition bottling LTD Number 02, this spring.

“2007 is our 20th year of being fortunate to be doing what we love, brewing beer. So we are dedicating LTD to everyone who’s living the dream, whatever that dream might be. Our dream was to start our own brewery, run it our own way, and do it in an unreal place where all summer the wind pumps and all winter the snow dumps,” said Firmat. “If you’re living your own dream, then cheers to you!”

The “LTD Series” will be available in six-packs this month. I din’t know if you can quite read it, but the six-pack carrier reads “From Our Ace Crew of Libationary Wunderkinds” and also a “An Easy-Drinking Albeit Wicked Awesome Limited Edition Lager.”

World Series Beer Collectibles

By


This will give you some idea how much I don’t follow baseball. Until I read this press release from Anheuser-Busch, I had no idea who won this year’s world series. Apparently it was the St. Louis Cardinals and A-B is doing a commemorative can and magnum bottle.

From the press release:

The commemorative 46.5-ounce magnum bottle features the Cardinals 2006 World Series Champions logo on the front, with a summary of the World Series on the back label. The World Series magnum is sold individually in a red and blue box featuring the Cardinals and World Series Champions logos. The 16-ounce Budweiser aluminum bottle features the Cardinals 2006 World Series Champions logo and lists the years of each of the Cardinals 10 titles. The aluminum bottle is sold in 15-packs of specially labeled Budweiser cases featuring images of the Cardinals World Series bottles.

Both will be available in liquor, grocery and convenience stores in the greater St. Louis metro area — the magnum bottle as early as this weekend, and the aluminum bottle starting mid-next week. Both bottles will be reintroduced in March, when they will be more widely available as the city gears up for the 2007 Major League baseball season.

And an AP story added:

A 46.5-ounce magnum bottle will include the Cardinals 2006 World Series Champions logo on the front and a summary of the World Series on the back. Also available is a 16-ounce aluminum bottle featuring the championship logo and a list of the 10 championship years for the Cardinals. Among all baseball teams, only the New York Yankees have won more World Series titles.

The Cardinals won only 83 regular-season games but won the World Series in five games over Detroit. It was their first championship in 24 years.

Though Anheuser-Busch sold the Cardinals to the current ownership group more than a decade ago, the brewery and the team remain closely connected. The new ballpark that opened this year is named Busch Stadium thanks to a naming-rights agreement. The old advertising jingle “Here Comes the King” still stirs the crowd during rallies.

Unfortunately, just like their Millennium magnum and other collectible bottles, inside will still be just Budweiser and not a special brew made for the occasion.

Anheuser-Busch to Import Corona in China

By

Grupo Modelo, the makers of Corona, will be partnering with Anheuser-Busch (who owns 50% of non-voting stock in Modelo) in China. As of next month, January 2007, A-B will import Grupo Modelo beers throughout China.

Modelo also distributes Anheuser-Busch beers in Mexico and beginning shortly, will also bring Tsingtao to Mexico. Not surprisingly, A-B also owns a piece the Chinese brewer, too.

From the press release:

“This new partnership ideally complements the international strategy that Modelo has successfully implemented for several decades. We are very pleased with this association, which offers excellent long-term growth opportunities for Grupo Modelo’s brand portfolio in China, a very important market for our company,” stated Carlos Fernandez, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of Grupo Modelo.

“The popularity and high quality of Corona Extra makes it an excellent complement to our Budweiser and Harbin beers,” said August A. Busch IV, president and CEO of Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. “Corona Extra competes in the super-premium segment of the market, which is experiencing strong growth. With our continued success in this segment, and our 10 years of sales, marketing and distribution experience, we expect to significantly increase the sales of Corona.”

Peak Organic Peaks With 12-Packs

By

Jon Cadoux, founder of Portland, Maine’s Peak Organic Brewing announced the addition of 12-packs and kegs. Twelve-packs will be released for their Pale Ale as well as a variety pack containing four bottles of each of their three current styles: pale ale, amber ale and a nut brown ale.

From the press release:

“Peak Organic customers enjoy celebrating the great moments of life with family and friends,” said Cadoux, whose Peak Organic web site is filled with customer photos and stories. “We are responding to increased demand by offering 12-packs and draft. Peak on draft is especially popular in restaurants that are very focused on high quality ingredients.”

One of America’s very first organic beers, Peak Organic is made with the highest quality ingredients and is characterized by a distinctively refreshing taste. Peak is available in three flavors: Pale Ale, complex and hoppy; Nut Brown Ale, smooth with a nutty finish; and Amber Ale, lively with a subtle toasted character.

Bottled in Portland, Maine, Peak Organic is made with barley and hops that are grown without toxic and persistent pesticides and chemical fertilizers. “This process makes our beer better tasting and more enjoyable, both for consumers and for the planet,” said Cadoux.

Organic beer is well positioned for growth. Organics has become a $13 billion industry and represents the fastest growing segment of America’s food and beverage category.

Jon Cadoux, founder of Peak Organic Brewing in Portland, Maine, from an AP story on MSNBC in July.
(Photo by Pat Wellenbach / AP)

No. 10 With a Bullet

By

I get a lot of e-mails on a regular basis from PR firms pitching one story or another for their clients. Many times they don’t even have anything to do with beer because most firms don’t have a separate category and just lump all beverages, and usually food, together in one category. Today I got one that at first glance seemed destined for the delete key, though it was more interesting than most of the ones I get.

It was titled the “Ten Trends to Watch in Packaged Goods in 2007” and was complied by the market research company Datamonitor. Of the first nine, a few of their predictions could have some relevance to craft beer, but more likely to fringe malt beverages or other kinds of drinks. Those categories are Calorie Burning Beverages, Satiety-Enhancing Foods & Drinks, Local Sourcing of Ingredients, and Immunity Boosting Foods & Drinks.

Number 10, on the other hand, was “Better for You” Beer – Blame it on the “French Paradox.” Here it is in its entirety:

With beer losing ground to wine in many markets around the world, beer makers are beginning to fight back with new products promising new health benefits for beer. Stampede Light is claimed to be the “first ever government approved vitamin beer” for the USA market with its B-vitamins, folic acid and folate. In Germany, Karlesberg Braueri is out with a pair of new functional beers aimed at women. Karla Well-B, for instance, is made with lecithin, folic acid and other vitamins. Karla Balance mixes hops with lemon balm. Both products have just 1% alcohol by volume. Beer may never be the same.

That’s not one of the trends in beer I would have predicted needed watching, but then I don’t have the research apparently Datamonitor does. But I already have prima facie questions about it. Their initial justification is that “beer [is] losing ground to wine in many markets around the world.” But I haven’t seen anything more than polls that only anecdotally support that, and even some of that data doesn’t support that conclusion. Sales of beer are still many times wine (4 to 1 in the U.S.) so how true is that assertion?

I have no problem with the health benefits of beer being touted in beer marketing and advertising. Craft beer without any additives at all has many proven and theoretical health benefits. That the TTB doesn’t permit beer companies to make those claims because it might promote drinking is puritanical nonsense that has no place in a free society. Beer with health additives seem like novelties to me, however sincere their makers may be. Many I’ve tried taste just fine to me, but there appeal seems largely aimed at persons for whom the particular claim of each one resonates in some particular way for that customer. In other words, their appeal is more limited. They are, after all, niche products by definition and many are sub-niches of broader categories like health food products or organics.

So I just don’t see these as trends worthy of our constant attention next year. Far more likely trends to watch, I think, will be organic beers and gluten-free, but only time will tell. What do you think? What will be the hot new trends in beer next year?

Shipyard to Release Honey Porter

By

Shipyard Brewing of Portland, Maine announced today that their 2007 Brewer’s Choice selection will be a Honey Porter. The beer will be for sale beginning in January of next year.

From the press release:

Each year, Brewer’s Choice features a new beer recipe created by Shipyard’s award-winning brew house team.

“This year, three recipes were submitted by our brewers,” noted master brewer Alan Pugsley. “Each beer was taste tested at select brew pubs in Maine, and Bruce Elam’s Honey Porter was the customer favorite and will now be distributed around the country.”

Elam believes Porter is an under appreciated style and hopes to change some minds with this brew.

“It’s exciting to have a little piece of your heart and soul out there for people to try,” said Elam.

Other contenders were David Hall’s Scotch Ale featuring a smoked malt flavor and Joe Rank’s Session Bitter showcasing his personal favorite, Mount Hood hops.

Shipyard will brew a 10,000 case run of Brewer’s Choice 2007 Honey Porter which will be available in 6-packs, 12-packs, and on draft.

The pleasing complexity of this limited edition brew comes from the interplay between the roasted nutty undertones of Crystal, Chocolate and Black malts and the sweetness of orange blossom honey. Balance is achieved by the addition of Warrior and Tettnang hops. Ample body and smooth mouth feel enhance drinkabilty. Don’t get stung and miss this one! 6.25% alcohol by volume.

I’ve had some wonderful honey porters over the years, and even Boston beer used to make a good one. Honey porters in my experience are excellent beers to use in cooking, too. It’s a shame you don’t see too many of them these days. I look forward to giving this one a try next year.

Anchor Christmas Ale Released

By

The 32nd release of Anchor’s “Our Special Ale,” the official name of their annual Christmas Ale, takes place today and the seasonal beer will be available through January. The traditional date for the release of Anchor’s Christmas Ale was always the Monday before Thanksgiving, making it one of latest releases for the holidays. However, demand for the beer and requests from wholesalers and retailers led them to move back the release date to early November. While I’m generally not a fan of the expansion of the Christmas season to November 1, and some instances even before, this is one case where I can make an exception. Having this beer available even a few weeks longer is definitely a good thing!

From the press release:

The brewers of Anchor Steam® Beer are proud to announce the release of our thirty-second annual “Christmas Ale.”

Every year since 1975 the brewers at Anchor have brewed a distinctive and unique “Christmas Ale,” which is available from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is different every year—as is the tree on the label—but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons, appears born anew.

This year’s featured tree is the Fagus sylvatica, more commonly known as the European Beech.

Here We Go a-WASSAIL-ing

By

Today is the 18th anniversary of the first release of Full Sail Brewing’s holiday beer, Wassail.

Full Sail’s holiday favorite was inspired by the traditional English wassail, which is a “spiced ale or mulled wine drunk during celebrations for Twelfth Night and Christmas Eve.” The word itself’s origin is Old Norse and is a contraction of the Old English toast “wæs þu hæl,” or “be thou hale!” (“be in good health“).

The Wassail Page has some great history and information about wassailing. Their aim is to “seek the true revelry and rant so absent from modern celebration. [They] seek an older time when the human spirit shouted for joy in the winter creating a festive gift which could not be purchased and could hardly be wrapped.”

Traditional Wassail celebrations were most commonly associated with Twelfth Night Eve and Twelfth Night celebrations, though in modern times is has been expanded to include the entire holiday season. In addition to the wassail drink, there are numerous customs surrounding Wassail, including “singing, mumming, guessing games and begging to enter a house.” Three distinct celebrations involving the Wassail are known. In the first, the wassail is used like a loving cup and passed around inside a house while singing carols. Secondly, you can take the wassail from house to house in a group. And the third, though less common, method involves the blessing of nature.

Here’s an old wassail song from around 1833:

The nut-brown ale, the nut-brown ale,
Puts downe all drinke when it is stale,
The toast, the nut-meg, and the ginger,
Will make a sighing man a singer,
Ale gives a buffet in the head,
“But ginger under proppes the brayne;
When ale would strike a strong man dead,
Then nut-megge temperes it againe,
The nut-brown ale, the nut-brown ale,
Puts downe all drinke when it is stale-

From the press release:

“We have brewed Wassail every holiday season since 1988 and it’s now as much a part of the festivities as sharing a roaring fire with our closest family and friends,” reminisced Jamie Emmerson, Full Sail’s brewmaster. “Deep mahogany in color, Wassail is brewed with four different malts and a blend of imported hops, giving it a malty full body and a pleasantly hoppy finish that appeals to both hop and malt lovers alike. In other words, a Christmas miracle!”

Wassail was recently awarded another medal and was rated “Exceptional” at the 2006 World Beer Championships (WBC). It was described as, “Tremendously rich and dry – yet fruity and balanced – with rich roasted malt dry caramel, nuts and light spice… Perfectly balanced. Not too sweet; not too dry. Excellent!” Wassail previously won a platinum medal and a “superlative” rating at the 2005 WBC, a gold medal at the 2004 WBC, and three silver medals in 1999, 2000 and 2001.