Cool Stuff

Posted in Cool Stuff

Star Trek Fans Prepare for Vulcan Ale

Star Trek fans (in Canada) will be able to drink like a Vulcan in this May. CBS Studios has licensed a new Star Trek brew, a first of a few in a new lineup. Alberta, Canada is home to a town called “Vulcan” where there a Star Trek Festival dubbed “Spock Days” is is held each year. The beer will be featured at the fest.

Delancey Direct Inc. (DDI), an importer of craft beer in Western Canada helped bring the beer to fruition. It is brewed at Harvest Moon Brewery in Montana. The style? Irish Red Ale. The aim is to make the beer year round in Alberta.

Style: Red Ale
Availability: 120z bottles, Canada only
Arrival: May 1, 2013

5.4% ABV 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Cool Stuff, Mother Earth Brewing

Mother Earth Brewing to Proudly Display Brewer’s Assoc Logo

It’s no secret that the craft beer industry is growing exponentially every day. With the ‘craft vs crafty’ argument continuing to heat up with no end in sight many breweries and consumers are looking for information to make an educated beer purchase.

In an effort to clear up who’s doing it craft and who’s doing it crafty, it was suggested by the Brewer’s Association that craft breweries display their logo on product packaging as a way to differentiate. A craft brewery is defined as “a small and independent operation with annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less. 

No more than 25 percent of the craft brewery can be owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.” Mother Earth Brewing has taken said suggestion and added the BA label to all over their packaging from here on out.

“After talking with the Brewers Association and having them give us permission to do that, we are happy to say we support the BA on all our packaging and are really thrilled to be one of the first true craft breweries to do so.”

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Cool Stuff, Troegs Brewing, Videos

Troegs “Hop Rocket” Explained [VIDEO]

Troegs Hop Rocke

Troegs Brewing (Hershey, PA) has a brewing contraption dubbed “The Hop Rocket.” Above is the rocket on display last week at the Craft Brewer’s Conference in D.C.   The rollable rocket looks like something from a 50’s space movie, but serves an integral purpose – making your beer more hoppy. See the propaganda video below.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Cool Stuff, Videos

Beer: “A Beautiful Artistic Symphony” [VIDEO]

If you don’t want a beer watching this video, I don’t know why you are are here. The “Pope of Foam” UC Davis brewing science professor Charles Bamforth explains why beer foam is important. Smell is just as important as taste when you’re drinking a pint.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Cool Stuff, Videos

This Is Founders New Canning Line In Action [VIDEO]

Founders Brewing (Grand Rapids, MI) announced last week they will start canning for the first time in their 15 year history. Interestingly, the actual canning line was on display at the Craft Brewer’s Conference in Washington D.C. This is the actual machine at work. Because the announcement was so new, there were no prototypes of the cans. Wisconsin based Stevens Point Brewing apparent has a similar canning line to this – the one Foundershas purchased.  The Brew Pack 150 by the Switchback Group.

This is the canning line in action. (Using Point cans as an example.) Look for All Day IPA by the pool this summer.

More: Exclusive Beer Street Journal Video

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Cool Stuff, Videos

Beer Break. Just Watch This.

KABOOYOW! KAPOOYOW!  Best weather interview ever. 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Cool Stuff

The Hoppiest Bracket You’ll See This Month

Paste Magazine is doing their own version of a March Madness Bracket, the Top of the Hops Paste IPA challenge. A total of 64 American IPAs are going head to head to see which beer is a slam dunk.

The folks at Paste have broken it down into four regions. If you are thinking what I’m thinking – it seems like the southeast would already be behind thanks to the hop plentiful west coast. For this bracket, the southeast is Maryland to Texas. Other rules: No beer surpasses 7.5% ABV (no imperial IPAs), no pale ales, and each each beer must be available year round. (Sorry Hopslam, Pliny the Younger, etc.) 7 judges will choose who advances.

Fill out your choices, today and follow along. Hell, even drink along. This is bracket we can get into! [PasteMagazine]

 

by Reid Ramsay