Beer News

Funkwerks Maori King Now Southern Tropic

Funkwerks (Ft. Collins, CO) has changed the name of Maori King to Southern Tropic.  The name change follows a recent controversy that arose over the label.

The label features a stylized facial moko on the bottle, which is culturally offensive to Continue Reading →

North Dakota Slipping From #1 Barley Producer

North Dakota holds the #1 spot in barley production.  Soon they could find themselves settling for 3rd, behind Idaho & Montana.

Barley for malting is is considered higher quality, and fetches a higher market payoff.  Lower grade barley feeds cattle.  Malting Continue Reading →

America Gets Some Amstel Wheat

Amstel is adding a wheat offering to the United States – Amstel Wheat.   The beer is described as:

Amstel Wheat Bier is a deep golden color with orange and amber hues. The aroma is rich with fruit and floral notes Continue Reading →

Wittekerke Winter White in 750mls

Brouwerij Bavik will be shipping an double version of their white ale stateside this winter, Winter White Ale.   A double wit ale, appearing in 750ml bottles.

Style: Witbier

7.5% ABV 

 

Beer Belly? Run.

Yeah, I know what you are thinking. Duh.  Yeah, but what helps more? Running or weights?  As it turns out? Running. (both are ideal.)

An 8 month study done at Duke University Medical Center found that jogging & running is better Continue Reading →

Nogne-O’s Norwegian-Australian Collaboration

Nogne-O (Grimstad, Norway) is importing a hoppy saison.  Brewed with Bridge Road Brewers in Australia.  Founded in 2005.  This beer is described as – “A Dry Ale fermented with Belgian Yeast and Assertively Hopped with Rare Australian hops.”

Label:  India-style Saison is the hoppy, Continue Reading →

The Most Badass Beer Label Ever Made

Yeah, I just said it. And you know it’s true.  Surly Brewing just updated the Darkness label with what you see here. It’s demonic, badass, and just makes me thirsty.  I think I just broke a sweat.

Label:
October 22, 2011

I can Continue Reading →

Posted in Beer News

Funkwerks Maori King Now Southern Tropic

Funkwerks (Ft. Collins, CO) has changed the name of Maori King to Southern Tropic.  The name change follows a recent controversy that arose over the label.

The label features a stylized facial moko on the bottle, which is culturally offensive to the Maori.  Maori are indigenous Polynesian people from New Zealand.  Funkwerks has apologized for the offense, stating it was meant to celebrate the culture, not demean it.

Funkwerks mentioned on their website:

Our goal at Funkwerks is to make good beer for our customers. Our intention was not to disrespect the Māori people or their culture in naming our Māori King beer. Out of respect, we are re-branding this beer as Southern Tropic.

Southern Tropic went on sale this month.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

North Dakota Slipping From #1 Barley Producer

North Dakota holds the #1 spot in barley production.  Soon they could find themselves settling for 3rd, behind Idaho & Montana.

Barley for malting is is considered higher quality, and fetches a higher market payoff.  Lower grade barley feeds cattle.  Malting barley requires cooler temperatures and drier conditions.  The last few seasons it has been warmer and wetter, not ideal for beer barley.  It all comes down to price.  Farmers planted a season low of just 460,000 acres of malt barley.  It all comes down to price.  If a crop like soybeans brings in more at market, you plant it.  [TheRepublic]

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

America Gets Some Amstel Wheat

Amstel is adding a wheat offering to the United States – Amstel Wheat.   The beer is described as:

Amstel Wheat Bier is a deep golden color with orange and amber hues. The aroma is rich with fruit and floral notes and a subtle tease of freshly baked bread while the taste is slightly fruity with soft hoppy undertones.

Select markets will receive Amstel Wheat first.  Expect cities like New York, Boston, Providence, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Chicago, San Francisco in late August – September.

Quoting Heneken USA’s recent Press Release:

“This is the perfect time to introduce American consumers to Amstel Wheat Bier, the newest gem in the Amstel family,”  “The wheat beer category, at +25% sales, is growing 3X faster than import, craft and micro beers. Combine this impressive growth with Amstel’s strong consumer awareness and stellar reputation of quality and craftsmanship, and the result is a wheat beer that offers consumers a great new product from a trusted brand and on-premise operators a new way to grow their import beer sales. It’s a natural fit and a win, win for all.”

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Wittekerke Winter White in 750mls

Brouwerij Bavik will be shipping an double version of their white ale stateside this winter, Winter White Ale.   A double wit ale, appearing in 750ml bottles.

Style: Witbier

7.5% ABV 

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Beer Belly? Run.

Yeah, I know what you are thinking. Duh.  Yeah, but what helps more? Running or weights?  As it turns out? Running. (both are ideal.)

An 8 month study done at Duke University Medical Center found that jogging & running is better at fighting beer belly syndrome than hitting the weights.  Visceral fat – what makes up the beer belly, is significantly reduced by running.  67% more calories were burned durning running than weightlifting.

2/3 of America is overweight. Want to get back into the 1/3 healthy elite? Run like you’re being chased. [NPR]

 

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Nogne-O’s Norwegian-Australian Collaboration

Nogne-O (Grimstad, Norway) is importing a hoppy saison.  Brewed with Bridge Road Brewers in Australia.  Founded in 2005.  This beer is described as – “A Dry Ale fermented with Belgian Yeast and Assertively Hopped with Rare Australian hops.”

Label:  India-style Saison is the hoppy, crisp and refreshing  result of a north south collaboration.  Classic Belgian malts and yeast, pungent Australian new hop varieties and clean Norwegian water.  Serve chilled and enjoy with cheeses and charcuterie.  This product is bottle conditioned and has a slight sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

Style: Saison/Belgian Strong Ale  (Uses Belgian ale yeast, saison?)

Availability:  16.9oz bottles

7.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

The Most Badass Beer Label Ever Made

Yeah, I just said it. And you know it’s true.  Surly Brewing just updated the Darkness label with what you see here. It’s demonic, badass, and just makes me thirsty.  I think I just broke a sweat.

Label:
October 22, 2011

I can hear them outside again, pounding at the gate.  This marauding army of undead can’t be held back much longer.  Their thirst for Darkness is unrelenting and my fuel and rations will be gone by nightfall.  Only the robust flavors of this massive Russian Imperial Stout will appease them.  I must give them what they want. I just hope we have enough.  No! The gate has been breached.  I hope that help s o o n…..

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Hops: Columbus, Amarillo, Simcoe
Malts: Pale, Golden Promise, Crystal, Oats, Black, Chocolate, Roast
Dark candi sugar
Yeast: English Ale Yeast

Taste Expectations: Waves of flavors; chocolate, cherries, raisins, coffee, and toffee.
Availability: 22oz bombers, limited release October.

9.8% ABV, 85 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay