Beer News

First State House With A Bar?

Ohio is is debating putting a bar in the basement of the statehouse.  That would be a political first.  Of course, it has been met with immediate criticisms for all the reasons you can possibly imagine.

Let’s break down this issue Continue Reading →

Dogfish Head Land Purchase Annoys Locals

Dogfish Head recently purchased 4 parcels of land in “Cannery Village” the land development adjacent to the brewery in Milton, Delaware.  DFH is asking for the land to be zoned to light industrial.  So what’s the big deal?

The land purchase, Continue Reading →

Fantome Magic Ghost

A new Fantome will find U.S. shores – Magic Ghost.  This saison is brewed with green tea.   This beer doesn’t appear in Fantome’s beer repertoire online, and has had very few appearances stateside.

Availability: 750ml bottles

8% ABV

 

 

Not All Breweries Safe From Irene

We almost made it.  Irene making it’s way up the coast, causing power outages and other various annoyances to breweries and brewpubs all over the east.  One didn’t survive.

The Alchemist Brewery and Brewpub tweeted this 9 hours ago:

The Alchemist Pub Continue Reading →

Posted in Beer News

First State House With A Bar?

Ohio is is debating putting a bar in the basement of the statehouse.  That would be a political first.  Of course, it has been met with immediate criticisms for all the reasons you can possibly imagine.

Let’s break down this issue a bit.  Currently, there is a cafeteria/restaurant in the bottom of the statehouse.  (Just built, alcohol free.)  The catering company that built and pays rent on the place, thought it might be a good idea to sell some suds, offset the cost of rent/produce extra state revenue.  Lawmakers leave the statehouse everyday and hit up bars around Columbus.

But what about the children???

This issue has been raised that with so many school kids and tours roaming the capitol building, it would send a bad message.  Maybe, but the bar wouldn’t serve during business/legislative hours.

Money.

This is the absolutely wrong time economically to turn down revenue.  A few beers to help pay for police/fire/sanitation/teachers? Plus the 1996 renovation to the statehouse is still being paid off.

Alcohol and Politics.

Alcohol and politics are all but married to each other.  There are many lawmakers offices that have liquor and beer in plain view.  Beer and wine is prevalent in late night sessions in state & even Congressional sessions.  Opening a bar at 5 pm might keep the lines of communication open between partisans.  I’m a firm believer that a lot of issues in life can be solved over a beer.

A statehouse bar is thinking outside of the box for sure, with potentially large rewards financially and politically.  Next up should be the statehouse brewpub. Left wing/Right Wing Ales.  The onus is on lawmakers to behave. And keep their cars out of the Chappaquiddick er… Ohio River. [ABCNews]

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Williams Sonoma Offers Home Brew Kits

Williams & Sonoma makes it really easy to get into homebrewing.  For a mere $40, you are 2/3 of the way to brewing at home.  The kit is really manageable too, a mere 1 gallon.  You still need a stock pot to mash/boil with, but at 1 gallon yield the pot doesn’t need to be very big.

The kit comes with the following:

1 gallon carboy
Stopper
Airlock
Racking cane
Tube Clamp
12″ Thermometer
Sanitizer
Grain/Hops/LME

Kits come in 2 recipes, IPA and summer wheat.   Although, once you have the equipment it would be easy to make your own mini recipes using something like BeerSmith.  You don’t have to make expensive commitments in order to brew anymore. [WilliamsSonoma]

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Buffalo Cody: A Man, 2 Beers, 2 Owners, 2 Brewers & A Legal Battle

Wrestling legend Eric Bischoff recently hired a brewery to create Buffalo Bill Cody Beer to “capture the spirit of the wild west.”  The Bischoff Family has been homebrewing since the ’90s and found owning a beer brand to be a natural extension of that passion.  The small Wyoming launch was quite successful.

Anyone who has spent 1 week on this earth knows good things don’t last very long.  A legal battle over Buffalo Cody beer is brewing. (Pun intended.)  Buffalo Bill Irma Hotel owner Mike Darby says there’s already a Buffalo Bill beer.

It’s going to be a little tough to sort this one out.  The hotel has been ordering blank bottles of lager, and pouring it into Cody glasses. Viola! Buffalo Bill Beer. And he BEAT Bischoff to market by a whopping 2 days.  Darby did NOT receive Federal approval for his Cody Beer, even though it is required by law.   (He stated in a July hearing that he thought the lager producers took care of that.)

Bischoff took it a step further and had the recipe specifically created for Cody Beer, labels and all. Even applied for a trademark.  Legal and above board.  BUT! 2 days too slow.  Soooo…which one is right?

In a beyond interesting twist/ life is freaking ironic, Bischoff’s brewer of choice is Buffalo Bill Brewing in California.  Not named for Cody, but the owner.  The legal battle gets larger now, with 2 breweries and 2 businessman involved.  (Or soon to be involved.)  This one’s going to court. [WSJ]

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Alchemist Heady Topper Will Ship, Despite Irene Damage

The Alchemist Brewpub in Waterbury, Vermont was devastated by flooding due to Irene Sunday night.

The brewery announced today that plans to ship Heady Topper will go on, despite what seems to be massive brewery damage.  The cannery exists outside the flood area, away from the brewpub.

Disaster strikes Waterbury. The Alchemist Pub and Brewery was ruined in a once in a generation flood on Sunday night August 28, 2011. While the cannery is fine and on target to open this coming Friday, the Pub will be closed for the foreseeable future. With our endless thanks and gratitude to our loyal and returning friends, customers and fans, we will be back. Stay tuned…

Heady Topper is an Imperial IPA

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Dogfish Head

Dogfish Head Land Purchase Annoys Locals

Dogfish Head recently purchased 4 parcels of land in “Cannery Village” the land development adjacent to the brewery in Milton, Delaware.  DFH is asking for the land to be zoned to light industrial.  So what’s the big deal?

The land purchase, spanning 43.5 acres, is about 1/3 of Cannery Village.  If zoned to industrial and used by Dogfish, it would result in the loss of 170 homebuilds. Ok?

Fewer homes means less money that would go to the homeowner’s association, that would maintain the on site recreation center.  Yearly upkeep is close to $80,000.  The homes that do remain would be forced to pay a larger share of the $80K.

The only thing Dogfish has planned for the site is a warehouse for storage, covering just 1/2 an acre.  [DelmarvaNow]

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Fantome Magic Ghost

A new Fantome will find U.S. shores – Magic Ghost.  This saison is brewed with green tea.   This beer doesn’t appear in Fantome’s beer repertoire online, and has had very few appearances stateside.

Availability: 750ml bottles

8% ABV

 

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Not All Breweries Safe From Irene

We almost made it.  Irene making it’s way up the coast, causing power outages and other various annoyances to breweries and brewpubs all over the east.  One didn’t survive.

The Alchemist Brewery and Brewpub tweeted this 9 hours ago:

The Alchemist Pub & Brewery. 2003-2011 Like a phoenix from the flames, we shall be reborn….. the floodwaters have inundated the pub…..

According to the Burlington Free Press, the Winooski and Missisquoi rivers spilled over they’re banks on Sunday displacing over 50,000 residents.  One reported fatality when a woman fell into the river.

The Alchemist is situated on South Main Street near the river.  No word on the extent of the damage.  The brewery just received a good bit of national beer attention with the recent announcement to can Heady Topper, a double IPA.  The Cannery aka – the offsite production facility is further away from the flood zone.

No statement has been made by The Alchemist on the fate of The Cannery, or the future of Heady Topper.

Fingers crossed it’s not as bad this morning as it looked last night.  Developing…

Some video of Vermont Flooding

Pic: Steve Logan

by Reid Ramsay