Beer Wars

Beer Wars is a documentary that provides a behind-the-scenes examination of the ultra competitive beer industry. Director Anat Baron, former General Manager of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, reveals the obstacles small breweries must overcome to make their mark in an industry dominated by an evil empire of mega breweries.

The documentary reviews a brief history of the beer industry in America over the past century. Highlights include Prohibition, the rise of TV advertising, the decline of the local brewery, and the emergence of the three mega breweries – Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing, and Coors Brewing Company (movie filmed before recent mergers). This is the real story of beer in America – how it went from good to bad, and how demand for good beer is changing the market once again. If you like cold hard facts and random statistics, this movie is for you.

Anat Baron features the stories of micro and craft breweries. One of the craft breweries highlighted is Dogfish Head, a personal favorite. Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head founder) discusses his passion for beer as well as the unruly competitive tactics of the three mega breweries. He has created a niche market for beer drinkers that appreciate not just good beer, but great beer. Dogfish Head stands out from the competition by creating quality beer made from the highest quality ingredients. They also focus on taking an innovative approach to old world recipes. “If it’s already on the market, we aren’t interested in making it,” says Sam Calagione.

Dogfish Head and every other brewery featured in this documentary tell the same story – an unfair marketplace for small breweries in North America. It’s truly David vs. Goliath. These mega brewers have an unlimited amount of resources in terms of marketing and advertising budgets, but they also seem to control much more, i.e. politicians in their pockets?

What’s to come for the privately-owned craft breweries and micro breweries in America? Only time will tell, but there has definitely been an emergence of new breweries entering the marketplace since this documentary was created. Could the rise of social media sites like Twitter and Facebook be the ultimate tool of promotion for smaller breweries? Maybe Beer Bloggers and Beer Evangelists will continue to gain the attention of beer drinkers in America? Let’s hope.

Beginning today, Beer Wars is available to rent On Demand through Digital Cable and Satellite providers Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Cablevision, Charter, Insight, Bresnan, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Dish Network and DirecTV. It is also available for download on iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand, Xbox 360 and PS3.

Beer Wars definitely opened my eyes to the challenges that micro and craft brewers face when taking on the mega breweries. Here’s an idea, count how many beer commercials will be featured in the Super Bowl next weekend? The cost of one commercial airing during the Super Bowl outweighs the typical marketing budget of a micro brewery for an entire year. This is a movie that all beer drinkers need to watch.

Beer Wars website: http://beerwarsmovie.com/

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

I had a few of these outstanding copper-orange colored brews before Monday Night Football (check out the post under events) in DC this year. Being 9% ABV, a few of these will definitely put you in the mood to watch a live sporting event.

According to the label, the 90 Minute IPA “is an Imperial Indian Pale Ale featuring a single, constant 90 minute hop addition. It’s balanced by a ridiculous amount of English Two-row Barley. Then we dry hop it in every tank.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

The 90 Minute is a magnificent copper color with orange hues and a shallow, light tan head. The combination of citrus fruits and spices give this beer a distinctive flavor and a strong, spicy aroma. It is a bit tart as you first sip, but mellow and smooth towards the back end. I personally enjoy the aftertaste, but there is a definite alcohol presence. This is not a beer for the faint of heart.

Dogfish Head produces high quality, interesting beers, and the 90 Minute is no exception. This is one great tasting beer that will definitely get the party started.

Brewery website: http://www.dogfish.com/

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

Since today is Halloween, I think it is only right to start the day with one of my favorite seasonal beers, the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale.

I have always enjoyed the fall. There is Halloween, my birthday, the changing leaves, the crisp and cool air, and last, but certainly not least, the seasonal beers!

Let me start off by saying this, I love all things pumpkin, but have never been a huge fan of pumpkin flavored beer, until now. This may have been because I was over exposed to seasonal beers like Blue Moon, that never really hit the spot. The day I tried the Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head, was the day my impressions of beer and pumpkin combinations changed forever.

The Punkin Ale has the classic Dogfish Head label. There is the picture of a shark at the top and text describing the beer and its ingredients.

It is a full-bodied, 7% brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. The beer pours out with very little head. It is light amber and copper in color and has a crisp, light hearted aroma of pumpkin and spices. I knew after the first smell that this beer was going to be delicious, and I was right.

More often than not, in my opinion, pumpkin beers are completely overpowered by pumpkin flavoring. Dogfish Head does a great job of combining a brown ale with the natural flavors of pumpkin and spices that compliment, not dominate, the taste of the ale. If you like seasonal beers, and want to try a real pumpkin ale, look no further.

The Dogfish Head Punkin Ale gets it right. A very well balanced brown ale that is good on all levels.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Brewery website: http://www.dogfish.com/