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Ommegang To Brew “Game Of Thrones” Beer

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game-of-thrones
In case you missed the news, the New York Times Art Beat is reporting that Ommegang will be creating four beers for the popular HBO series Game of Thrones, based on the A SOng of Ice and Fire books by George R.R. Martin. According to Coming Soon: The Beer of Kings:

The first beer, Iron Throne Blonde Ale, will be inaugurated nationwide in late March, to coincide with the Season 3 premiere of “Game of Thrones,” which is scheduled for March 31. Three more beers are planned, with the second to be released next fall. The others will follow in subsequent seasons.

I’m a fan of the show, and my wife and several relatives have read all the books, but this is certainly some odd marketing. If the goal is to make more people watch the show, I can’t see how this will have any effect. If you already like the show, will you seek out the beer just because of the tie-in? I like the beer that Brewery Ommegang makes, but apart from some press and attention, I can’t see how this will help the brand all that much.

Note: These are not the actual labels that Ommegang will create, but some imagined ones that have been floating around the internet since earlier this year, this collection from Geek Tyrant.

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got-lannister-gold-stella

got-greyjoy-beer

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UPDATE 12.18: Ommegang brewmaster Phil Leinhart revealed some additional details about the upcoming Game of Thrones beers in an interview on Guyism. Here’s what he had to say:

[T]he blonde ale is fair in color and soft in appearance, but still holds a complexity and bite.

“With a Lannister currently on the throne, it only made sense to do a delicate, but piercing Golden Blonde Ale with Noble hops,” he said, referring to one of the series’ characters.

Subsequent beers for the collaboration are still being worked on, because the Ommegang team has to wait for the themes and characters to develop in the series’ next season before it can begin crafting the next ale. Capozza said that two additional beers will be released in conjunction with each of the series’ following seasons

And there’s also more about the project came about:

Allison Capozza, a spokeswoman at Ommegang, said that the Game of Thrones creators and producers have long been fans of Brewery Ommegang, whose team happens to enjoy the TV series. HBO, she said, reached out to the brewery about the idea for a collaboration.
“The producers very much resonated with Ommegang’s blend of ‘old world’ and ‘new world’ elements to create something new and unique,” Capozza said.

And below is the official bottle that Ommegang will release next year.

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How Booze Built America Premieres Tonight

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Peter Rowe, the man behind the television show Dirty Jobs, has a new three-part series that debuts tonight: How Booze Built America. I suspect they’ll be playing fast and loose with much of beer’s history, but it should be at least an entertaining show. Check out the first episode on the Discovery channel. Check your local listings for times. Below is a teaser to give you a flavor of the show.


Flying Beer

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flying-beer
Here’s an interesting little tidbit from David Bonneywell, a professional special effects artist from Great Britain, who’s worked on such shows and films as Dr. Who and Clash of the Titans. For a television show he was working on several years ago, he had to create a special effect of beer flying out of a glass in slow motion, with the results pictured below.

Flying_beer_by_Kaduflyer

Here’s how Bonneywell describes the process he used:

For an episode of the TV series ‘Keen Eddie‘ they wanted a Matrix style ‘bullet time’ shot of a bar room brawl. However, these type of shots normally require dozens of cameras and lots of time and money, things sorely lacking in TV productions! The answer?? Suspend tables and chairs on wires, get your actors to stand VERY still in mid punch etc and get some FX guy to make plastic, freeze frame beer!!

Using photos of real beer in flight I cut a shape from clear sheet plastic and shaped it by heating and bending it. I stuck this into a real beer glass and then built up the ‘beer’ with epoxy glue coloured with brown inks. Considering it’s not the sort of thing I normally do (no boobies, monsters or blood!!…lol) I thought it turned out quite well.

For the same series I also made some over head rubber masks of Duran Duran (the group not the film character) used in an episode as disguises by some bank robbers!!

The series was an American show but for some reason was made in the UK…I’ve never actually seen it. If anyone here has I’d be interested to know how well this worked in the show!!

Kinda nailed it, I’d say.

Brew Your Own Beer TV Debuts Tonight

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B.Y.O.B. TV — Brew Your Own Beer TV — the new television show that will air on local KOFY Channel 20 debuts this evening at 10:30 p.m. KOFY TV20 / Cable13 will be airing the half-hour B.Y.O.B. TV this Saturday, April 23 at 10:30 p.m. If you miss its debut, it will also air on Saturdays at 1:00 a.m. and Sundays, starting April 24th, at 9:30 p.m. On Sunday, the re-runs will air during their “local’s only” programming block. You can catch it three ways: on TV Channel 20, Comcast Cable 13 and Comcast Cable HD 713.

B.Y.O.B. TV will be hosted by Justin Crossley and Jason Petros of The Brewing Network, the #1 on-line radio network dedicated to the art of beer making. The show follows 8 teams, each consisting of 3 eager home brewers as they’re challenged in various stages of the beer brewing process in hopes to escape weekly elimination. The final brewer left standing will win the ultimate prize, a trip to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in the Czech Republic and become the B.Y.O.B. TV Brewing Champion.

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“We want the average consumer to be able to watch this show, enjoy it from an entertaining perspective and gain an appreciation and knowledge for some of the best craft brews in the marketplace”, said Crossley, “at the same time we hope the show will encourage others to tackle the art of home brewing on their own.”

Various craft and import beers from around the region and the world are participating in the show to place emphasis on their commitment towards the innovation and brewing science behind beer making; partners include Pilsner Urquell, Lagunitas, Blue Moon, Grolsh and Blake Brewing. Additional breweries, brew masters and beer and food connoisseurs are participating as well.

While there’s no actual brewing in episode one, we do get to meet the teams and learn how the process will work. But don’t change the channel just yet, things will definitely start to pick up in episode two when the teams do their first batches of beer and things will just keep going from there. Should be fun.

Below is the trailer for the show:

Stephen Colbert Tastes Walgreen’s New Private Label Beer “Big Flats”

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colbert-report
Last month, you may recall, the drug store chain Walgreen’s debuted a private label beer brewed by Genesee, which they call Big Flats 1901. On last night’s Colbert Show, during his regular Tip of the Hat/Wag of My Finger segment, Stephen talked about the new Walgreen’s beer, and even tried a can of the beer. Wait through the British Superman story for the hilarious Big Flats piece.

The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Tip/Wag – British Superman & Big Flats Beer
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Casting Call: Homebrewing Meets Reality TV

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It was bound to happen, but at least it’s being done by someone we know and trust to treat beer and homebrewing with the proper respect. The Brewing Network has partnered with KOFY Channel 20 to create a new reality TV show about … homebrewing. The show, to be called Brew Your Own Beer TV, will take the form of a “game show-reality style program pitting teams of homebrewers and craft beer lovers against one another for some really great prizes. It will be shot all across the greater Bay Area in parking lots and bars and breweries.”

Here’s what they’re looking for:

We are looking for beer lovers of all types, men and women, couples, teams, bikini models — as long as they have a general understanding of how beer is made and a flexible schedule, they will be considered for the show.

Do you love beer? Are you a home brewer or craft beer enthusiast? Are you interested in learning more about the brewing process while competing with other brewers for great prizes?

We are casting for a reality show that centers around home brewers and craft beer lovers in the greater San Fransisco Bay Area.

Applicants must have a LOVE for beer, a desire to learn more about the brewing process, and a flexible schedule between February 20th and June 15th. A basic knowledge of how beer is made is required but home brewing experience is not a must — we want beer lovers of all knowledge levels.

21 and older only!

To apply: e-mail your name, recent photo, brewing experience (if any), an explanation or example of your passion for beer, and a reason why you should be a part of this TV show. If possible, you may also submit a link to a short video that further explains why we should select you and to help us get to know you better.

Deadline for submissions is February 15th!

The casting call is also on Craigslist and that’s where the e-mail address to use for applying can be found. Or you can simply e-mail the Brewing Network.

My understanding is that there will be ten teams of homebrewers competing, so not every team has to consist entirely of expert homebrewers. You’d need at least one, of course, but enthusiastic assistants that work well together would most likely make for the best team, rather than all homebrewers who might have trouble agreeing on how to proceed. There will be contests and competitions along the way to eliminate teams until one emerges victorious. Sounds like it could be great fun.

Good luck to everybody, and good brewing. But hurry up and apply, there’s less than two weeks to go.

“How Beer Saved The World” To Be Revealed January 30

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The documentary that the Discovery Channel was rumored to be working on, How Beer Saved the World, is now scheduled to air on Sunday, January 30 at 8:00 p.m. Pacific time. The trailer is a bit overwrought, but they appear to have some good people being interviewed on camera, such as Charlie Bamforth and Gregg Smith. This should be interesting.

If you want a good laugh, check out the ignorant comments on the YouTube page for this trailer. Their hilarity is only matched by their inanity. It’s certainly amazing how effective anti-alcohol propaganda is as evidenced by some of the nonsense being spouted. It’s also funny, and a little sad, to see the contrast between beer people, who can readily admit that there are some people who abuse alcohol and cause problems for themselves and others, and neo-prohibitionists who cannot bring themselves to concede that alcohol has any positive aspects to it whatsoever.

Sam Calagione Ready For His Close-Up As Date Set For TV Show Debut

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discovery
Mark your calendars. The date has now been set for the debut of Brew Masters, the Discovery channel television show that will star Sam Calagione. It will debut on Sunday, November 21 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Here’s part of the press release:

It’s cold, it’s comforting, it’s beer….but for Sam Calagione, founder of one of America’s leading craft brewers Dogfish Head Brewery, beer is a passion, a business and a personal quest for best, most imaginative brews. Premiering Sunday, November 21 at 10 PM E/P on Discovery Channel, BREW MASTERS follows Sam and his partners in suds as they travel the country and the world sourcing exotic ingredients and discovering ancient techniques to produce beers of astounding originality.

From chocolate to oysters to tomatoes, Sam is constantly pushing his team and himself to innovate and celebrate the amazing world of beer and beer making. The imagination of the Dogfish Head team is matched only by the fun they inject into every facet of their jobs. Beer tasting meetings in the conference room with co-workers, a bocce ball league in the parking lot, filming original rap videos in the brewery plant, its all in a days work for BREW MASTERS.

BREW MASTERS taps more than just kegs and barrels, it unlocks a fascinating history of beer making, showcasing the ingenuity and passion behind our love affair with those alluring suds and how it played a role in building civilizations, said Clark Bunting, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel.

Running a successful business also requires inspiration, so BREW MASTERS hits the road for the ultimate beer tasting road trip. Sam sets out to recreate ancient ales that have been discovered at sites around the world from Egypt to Peru. He travels to Rome to research old world Italian beers as inspiration for a new site in New York with Mario Batali. A visit to New Zealand introduces the idea of making the first tomato based beer. And back home, Sam is tasked to come up with a commemorative beer called Bitches Brew to celebrate the 40th anniversary release of Miles Davis famous recording.

Beer has always been my passion. It is so much more than what you see in the glass. I’m excited to share the diligence, daring and creativity that we pour into our work, said Calagione.

BREW MASTERS is produced for Discovery Channel by Zero Point Zero Productions. Chris Collins and Lydia Tenaglia are executive producers. Tim Pastore is executive producer for Discovery Channel.

And Channel Guide magazine also mentions the new show for the fall lineup.

Sam Calagione To Star In Discovery Channel Show

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discovery
It’s been all over the series of tubes that is the interwebs all morning, but in case you missed it, Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Delaware, will be starring, along with Patrick McGovern from the University of Pennsylvania, in a new series on the Discovery Channel this fall. The show will be called BREWED.

Below is a portion of the press release.

Beer is the drink of the masses. If you look into a glass of beer you can see the past, present and future of mankind. Cicero lauded it, Genghis Khan fought for it and now Discovery Channel celebrates it with a world premiere series, BREWED, exploring the culture, history and variety of beer.

Meet Sam Calagione: maverick entrepreneur, family man and owner of Dogfish Head Brewery in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. As an ambassador to the world of craft beer, Sam travels the world to experience what every culture brings to its own special brew.

In BREWED, Sam shows viewers the other side of the bottle, sharing the stories of beer sub-cultures as well as exploring life inside The Dogfish Head Brewery. BREWED goes behind the scenes at Dogfish Head as Sam’s merry band of creative brewmasters concoct new taste varieties.

“BREWED taps more than just kegs and barrels, it unlocks a fascinating history of beer making, showcasing the ingenuity and passion behind our love affair with those alluring suds and how it played a role in building civilizations,” said Clark Bunting, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel.

Running a successful business also requires inspiration, so BREWED hits the road for the ultimate beer tasting road trip. Along with archeologist and beer expert Pat McGovern, Sam sets out to recreate “ancient ales” that have been discovered at sites around the world from Egypt to Peru. He travels to Rome to research old world Italian beers as inspiration for a new site in New York with Mario Batali. A visit to New Zealand introduces the idea of making the “first tomato based beer.” And back home, Sam is tasked to come up with a commemorative beer called “Bitches Brew” to celebrate the 40th anniversary release of Miles Davis’ famous recording.

“Beer has always been my passion. It is so much more than what you see in the glass. I’m excited to share the diligence, daring and creativity that we pour into our work,” said Calagione.

The show is being produced by Zero Point Zero Production, the company responsible for Anthony Bourdain No Reservations and Diary of a Foodie. I like the fact that Pat McGovern is involved. His book, Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages, is fascinating and he has a very interesting take on the history of beer. It’s certainly great to see beer finally getting a high profile television show.

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Sam Calagione in the back room of the Toronado when I interviewed him for an Uncorked piece I wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle two years ago, and I also posted some questions that didn’t make the newspaper article.

KVIE On Tap

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I keep forgetting to share this, but as it’s a slow news day, I figured today would be a good time. The PBS station in Sacramento, California, KVIE, created a show they called “On Tap” all about beer, and specifically beer in Sacramento. It was hosted by local sports announcer and television host Gary Gelfand. He interviewed Fritz Maytag, Charlie Bamforth (Professor at U.C. Davis), Ken Grossman (Founder of Sierra Nevada) and Don Barkley (founder of Mendocino Brewing and currently brewmaster at Napa Smith Brewing), along with presiding over a tasting of Sacramento beers with Rick Sellers (Draft magazine and Pacific Brew News), J.J. Jackson (owner of the Original Homebrew Outlet) and myself. The show aired in August (I think) and you can order the show on DVD online. You can also watch the full tasting that we did online, only a portion of which was used in the show that aired. Click on “Bonus Video” and then “Extended Beer Reviews” at the KVIE Viewfinder.

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Rick Sellers, me and J.J. Jackson tasting beer at the Fox & Goose Public House in Sacramento.

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This is the logo they created for the show.

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I’m sure I was making some point here. That or practicing my goofy hand gestures.