Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Enjoy a beer!

I am thankful for the ability to enjoy being with family, eating great food, and drinking great beer. I am thankful for my friends near and far. I hope to see each of you soon. I hope all of you enjoy your day and remember to be thankful for the blessings that you have.

 Today I am going to have Stone's Arrogant Bastard Ale. I will try to get a review of it up in the next few days.

While I am drinking and having quality family time I will be coming up with a few poll questions to ask over the next few weeks. I want to know what you guys think. If you have a question to put out there let me know.

Examples of questions would be:

1. When would be the best time to try a new beer?
2. What kind of beers are you afraid of?
3. What kind of beers interest you?
4. Who influences my beer choices the most?

Let me know! Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy a beer for me!

Founders Breakfast Stout

Some of you out there asked me to take a look at Founder's Breakfast Stout. So here it is!

I got this beer as I went to hang out with some of the guys. I didn't really know what to expect from a beer called a 'breakfast stout.' I found out quickly what it means when I opened the bottle and poured it into my glass. The beer poured very creamy, which looked like a black tomato soup. When I took a whiff of the beer, I couldn't quite place the smell right away. After a couple sips, I realized that I was being reminded of old school oatmeal. I felt like I had taken a bowl of oatmeal with the flavors of chocolate and coffee from the roasted malts it into a beer without all the chunks. The beer is not even really filling, especially for a oatmeal stout. All these flavors came together awesomely.

Next time I feel that I might take the beer out of the fridge for a little bit before I open it so the flavor profile might change and improve. I will let you know how that goes. 

There is one drawback. This beer is around $10 per four pack. This is a little steep but I think it is worth it for a great beer that tastes great. I would definitely keep an eye out for this beer in a liquor store near you.

I would give this beer an 8 out 10.

Founders Brewing company started in 1997 as Canal Brewing company in Grand Rapids, MI. Their early bottles had a the word Founders on it referring to the original breweries on Canal Street (now Monroe Avenue) in Grand Rapids. They soon became known as Founders Brewing company instead. As of 2013 Founders is in 25 states and is according to the Brewers Association, 30th largest craft brewer in the US and 41st overall.

After having this beer, I will be trying a lot more of Founder's beers such as Backwards Bastard (that is not the only beer named bastard out there).

What is a craft beer?: Part II: Artistry in a glass

In my last post I told you what craft beer isn't and that it shouldn't matter to you who makes the beer as long as it tastes good.

A few of my friends asked me if that definition says what craft beer is not then what IS craft beer? I had to think about this for awhile and this actually became a deep thought. (Right now I can hear my father saying ""Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handy".)

The best way for me to figure this out was to define the qualities that I find in common with beers that I consider to be craft beers.

• Quality
• A beer should be made with quality ingredients
• With the first drink a "Wow!" should be possible
• When drinking a beer I shouldn't feel like I am drinking flavored water. 
• Innovative
• Each beer I have should bring something new to the table
• This could be how the beer feels in my mouth, the aroma, or even just the taste should be unique
• Seductive
• I am still talking about beer, and not a woman in this case.
• A beer should always leave me wanting more (Kind of like a woman)
• Not to get drunk, but to keep me coming back

This to me are the qualities of a craft beer. Craft beer is all about the flavors, aroma, and experience. When drinking a craft beer, I love to take my time and enjoy unique profile of the beer. Beer to me is an art form. Some pieces of art are better than others. But I will appreciate the art, like some would appreciate a painting or sculpture. When it comes to beer, I have been called an elitist, particular, and even a beer snob.

Frankly, I am okay with these terms. Not that I look down on other beers (I do sometimes but that mostly to make fun of my friends). No, I am not going to settle and I will always look for the best beers I can. I get excited to walk into a bar or liquor store to find a new beer to try. This leads to me finding new beers from different areas, with different stories, profiles, ingredients, and experiences. This is why I don't drink the run of the mill, vanilla style beers of the masses.

This sampler of beer is from Flat Branch Brewery in Columbia, MO. If you are in the area, you should make a stop because the beer is wonderful and the food is a close second to the beer. 

Next time I will review Founder's Breakfast Stout.

What is a craft beer?: Part I: Craft vs big beer acting like craft

My parents would say that I was raised better than to drink cheap beer, because life is too short to drink cooking beer. Now by cheap beer, I don't mean that I have to spend a lot of money per beer for it to be a beer worth drinking. Cheap beer for me is a beer that has no real flavor. The only reason to have a light beer is to simmer a bratwurst in, that's why I call it cooking beer. But what is craft beer?

According to the Brewer's Association, you have to define an American craft brewer who by default makes craft beer. Their definition is that a craft brewer must be:

• Small:
  • Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less.
    • This is equivalent to 12 million kegs or 42 million cases of beer.
• Independent:
  • Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.
• Traditional:
  • Generally uses ingredients to improve and enhance the flavor of the beer rather than lighten it.

In my opinion, this definition is very restrictive and categorizes a lot of beer as not craft beer.

1. A craft beer shouldn't be restricted to who makes it. Craft beer is craft beer.
• The contention that a large company can't make a quality product is similar to saying the Beatles couldn't write quality songs at the height of stardom.
2. The definition only allows for a brewer to produce 6 million barrels. This is only 0.1% of US annual beer consumption.
• The US consumes 20.3 gallons of beer per capita!
• A successful brewer by this definitions is no longer a craft beer maker.
• This punishes brewers who strive to allow more people to enjoy their craft.
3. According to the Brewer's Association, a sometimes wise business move to fund a life's passion means you are no longer a craft brewer.
• My local craft brewery gets an amazing infusion of capital and is able to expand it's market share and without changing their product, they are magically no longer a quality craft brewer.
• My favorite local restaurant expands with multiple franchises, am I not supposed to like them any more?
• Boulevard, Goose Island, Leinenkugel's wouldn't be considered craft beers by this definition.

I recently saw this image floating around the internet and twitter. This poster makes the argument that the Big Beers (i.e. Anhesuer-Busch/InBev, MillerCoors) are trying to grab market share in the craft beer segment. These Big Beer Companies have a wide range of brands, most of which used to be independent brewers before being acquired. As you can see this poster paints these brands in a very negative light.

WRONG!

I will start off by agreeing with the idea that quality or traditional ingredients that enhance the flavor of a beer are paramount to a craft brewer. However past that I would have to disagree with the conclusions and generalizations made by this poster. Defining a brewer strictly on how much it can produce, where financial assets come from, and where the ownership tree happens to go is kind of a ridiculous standard. If you wanted to stick to 'craft beers' that followed this definition you would miss out on a lot of beer, and you would spend more time researching breweries, than drinking beer. Leave the research to me.

Morals of the story: 

1. Drink beer that tastes good to you. 
2. Try new beers.
3. Read this blog to find them! <<< VERY IMPORTANT MORAL!!

Part II: Artistry in a Glass

Southern Tier Creme Brulee

I went out last Saturday night to a few bars with some friends and I couldn't decide what I wanted to drink at a particular bar that had quite a few taps. If you know me, I know you are shocked but sometimes this is a dilemma for me as I will take a long time considering what beer I will choose, not wanting to pick the wrong beer. Coming up with a way to make this easier for me might be a topic for another post.

Anyway, my choice last Saturday night was made easy when a friend Amy asked for a Sam Adams stout and the bartender said they didn't have the beer. He then suggested for her to try another beer, a Southern Tier Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout. Amy was kind enough to let others in our group try her beer, including me. I was so floored by the sip I had, that I had to get a glass of my own to get a full appreciation for the beer.

This beer pours with a deep black hue with brown frothy head on top. You can immediately smell the vanilla and the sugar that makes you think of a desert. With the first sip, most wouldn't know that this beer was a beer, because the common beer characteristics of bitterness and hoppiness weren't present. Any bitterness tasted like a coffee that would get from Starbucks. Think a creme brulee mocha frappuccino exchanging the caffeine with alcohol.

Whenever I look at a menu of beer and read the words imperial milk stout, I hesitate to order the beer as I feel sometimes a stout can be a meal by itself. This beer will make me reevaluate this preconception and I might drink more stouts in the future.

I would give this beer a 9 out of 10.

For those wondering Southern Tier Brewery is located in Lakeland, New York just outside Syracuse. Operating since 2002, Southern Tier has expanded steadily due to an increasing demand for their quality craft beers. You can usually find these beers in most beer coolers and bar taps that have more than six taps.



What has been the craziest beer you have had? Either by name or taste. I might have to try a few of them.

My next post will be about deciding what a craft beer is and who can make a craft beer.

The next beer I review will be Founder's Breakfast Stout.

Goose Island Lolita American Wild Ale

I recently had a Goose Island's Lolita, their American Wild Ale. This sour beer came in a wine bottle that was trying to make the beer have a classier feel with a white label and even a white wrap around the cap, like the one you would find on a wine bottle.

The beer came out a deep red and I could tell right away that this beer would be an interesting experience. I first noticed the smell as it confused my nose. I couldn't decide if the smell was good or overwhelming. I took a sip and was summarily punched in the mouth by the flavor of this beer. I was hit by the fruit flavor with an infusion of raspberry and hints of a wine. This is understandable because the beer spent the fermentation process in an French oak barrel that had previously been used to make Cabernet Sauvignon. While this wasn't my first sour beer, this would be a good beer for those that want to try a good sour beer to get their feet wet. The only hesitation would be that the beer is $20 for 765mL or a little more than a wine bottle's worth.

I will be looking for a more affordable starter sour beer in the near future. If you know of one let me know!

Goose Island Brewery is a brewery that has quite a few similarities to Boulevard. Goose Island was founded in May of 1988 in Chicago after it's founder John Hall went to Europe and experienced the regional beers of the different countries he visited. Demand for their craft beer grew and they had to expand rapid. By 2011, Goose Island attracted the Attention of Anhueser-Busch and InBev, so much so that AB/InBev acquired the Chicago company. Since then it appears the company has kept its quality beer and identity.

I give the beer a 7 out of 10 mostly because of the price even though it was all around good beer.

My next post will be about a dessert beer I found last weekend, Southern Tier Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout.

The sky is not falling and a look into the farmhouse

The social media fallout about Duvel's recent purchase of a controlling stake in Boulevard Brewing Company has been enormous and filled with fear and hurt. These feelings most likely stem from the loyalty to a hometown icon of the past nearly 25 years and the uncertainty of the future.

 I was very surprised by the news. I will admit that I was afraid. I didn't want one of my favorite beers to change. You hear of mergers and acquisitions, where the company was purchased just for the name and the rest being dismantled and discarded. That would be horrible!

However, I did some research approaching the subject with a business framework. I came up with some positives and negatives for the move by John McDonald.

Negatives?

• Does it suck that Boulevard sold from a Kansas City pride standpoint?
  • Yes, but not for John McDonald. He got his American dream. He got paid very well for all of his hard work, and now can spend time with his family.
    
• Does it suck that Boulevard is no longer wholly domestically owned?
  • Yes, but that is more a pride issue where you should be more proud of the accomplishment.

Positives?

• Should I be scared that the quality of Boulevard beer will decline?
  • No. I don't need to worry because historically Duvel, while acquiring similar craft breweries, has kept them in intact, but more on that later. The really exciting part is that Duvel will give Boulevard an influx of cash allowing the brewery to make more of my favorite beer and then open established distribution lines allowing me to have my favorite beer in New York, California, Florida, and eventually internationally.
    
• Should I be worried that Duvel will move Boulevard operations out of Kansas City?
  • No. In fact the owner of Duvel is eyeing Kansas City as the center for company operations in the US. This could be interesting for me as it might provide me an opportunity to one day work in the brewing industry.

There are quite a few of positives and very few negatives for this transaction for everyone involved, but I will let you do some additional reading from the Kansas City Business Journal.

If you still feel the Boulevard sale is bad thing here is some reading from the magazine Esquire.

One of the domestic breweries that Duvel had previously acquired is Ommegang Brewery out of Cooperstown, New York. I recently picked up a bottle of their Hennepin Farmhouse Saison. I wanted to see the quality of the beer to help assuage my fears of declining quality for Boulevard.

For those who aren't familiar with a farmhouse ale or a saison beer, this is a beer that used to be made in 19th Belgium and France as a refreshing drink for farm workers during the heat of the summer. During this time the alcohol content was around 3.5%. Over the next couple of centuries that alcohol content has more than doubled in most farmhouse ales.

Ommegang's Hennepin is a very crisp beer which slight different from other farmhouse ales. You can taste the citrus flavors and I would consider this a hoppy beer, but not in your face like an IPA. This 7.7% beer is very similar to Boulevard's Tank 7. I would definitely suggest this beer for anyone wanting to try something new.

I would give this beer a 7 out of 10.

Have a night and go try something new!

Manifesto

Every beer has some combination of grain, hops, yeast, and water. This is true for every type of beer from the mass produced Bud Light and Miller Lights to the small batch brews that people will make in the comfort of their own home. When I have a nice cold brew in front of me I really like finding the differences that develop the spectrum of colors, flavors, and aromas.With this blog, I am going to explore the all of these beers, the jargon of the industry/science of brewing beer, and other topics that come to mind and inspire my fingers to move across the keyboard. My endgame of my ranting would to be help others find new beers to try, breaking preconceived notions of what 'good' beer is and is not. I want to help people find an appreciation and understanding of craft beers.

I will start with a simple concept but one that is not very well known. All beers fall within two categories; ales and lagers. Every style of beer can trace it's attributes to either one of these archetypes. Here are a few of the different styles of beers out there.

Amber Ale American Double / Imperial IPA American IPA American Pale Ale (APA) American Porter American Stout Lambic Saison / Farmhouse Ale Tripel Witbier English Brown Ale India Pale Ale (IPA) Porter Russian Imperial Stout Hefeweizen Kölsch Irish Red Ale Scottish Ales

American Lager American Adjunct Lager American Amber Lager American Pilsner American Malt Liquor American Pale Lager Light Lager Czech Pilsener Bock Doppelbock Eisbock German Pilsener Maibock / Helles Bock Oktoberfest

Most people in this country keep only to one style that being the American Adjunct Lager (i.e. Bud Light and Miller Lite). 

In a country that calls its self the land of the free, we certainly seem to be slaves to Big Beer producers and afraid to step outside of the norm and try the lesser known beer. 

So join me on my journey through the world of beer. Or if you are too scared you can live vicariously through me.

I am just saying...