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By Scottie, February 21, 2010 12:10 pm

The Beer Wench

I recently had the privilege of participating in the Beer Wench’s beer blogger interview series. Click here to check out the full interview!

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By Scottie, February 16, 2010 10:41 pm

BrewDog's James and Martin with a couple bottles of Sink the Bismark

James Watt and Martin Dickie, those innovative and competitive Scots from BrewDog Brewery, have created the world’s strongest beer….again; but when is a beer no longer a beer? At 41% ABV, many question whether BrewDog’s latest high alcohol concoction should even be considered a beer at all.

Last year, BrewDog unveiled the Tactical Nuclear Penguin, a 32% ABV (alcohol by volume) brew that broke the record for the world’s strongest beer ever brewed by humans…or penguins for that matter. Recently, Kleinbrauerei Schorschbräu, from Germany, one upped the Scots with their ridiculously strong Schorschbock, a behemoth of an Eisbock with 40% ABV.

Not to be outdone, Martin and James have waged war on the Germans and their new weapon is Sink the Bismark. Sink the Bismarck is a quadruple IPA that is frozen four times to drive the alcohol content to an astounding 41% ABV (not that the previous record holder’s ABVs weren’t astounding).

So what is this new ABV champion all about? Here is how BrewDog describes their new beer:

This is IPA amplified, the most evocative style of the craft beer resistance with the volume cranked off the scale. Kettle-hopped, dry-hopped then freeze-hopped for a deep fruit, resinous and spicy aroma. A full-out attack on your taste-buds ensues as the incredibly smooth liquid delivers a crescendo of malt, sweet honey, hop oils and a torpedo of hop bitterness which seems to last forever.

How much alcohol is too much? Have the Scottish punks (they are the self-proclaimed punks of the beer industry) gone too far? Well, this isn’t the first time that BrewDog has created a controversial beer. Their Tokyo (an 18.2% ABV Imperial Stout) was removed from some UK retailers because the messaging on the label was said to promote binge drinking. One can only imagine what the “watchdogs” think of BrewDog’s latest super brew.

Not many people are going to be able to afford to binge drink the Bismark though, since this rare beer will set you back a cool £40 for a 330ml bottle. BrewDog also provides an explanation of their sometimes misunderstood approach to brewing.

We want to do all we can to promote a new and responsible approach to beers in this country. We want the public to learn to understand, appreciate and respect beer. At BrewDog, we want to highlight a different approach to beer, one which focuses on quality ingredients and craftsmanship and not marketing budgets, volume sales and binge consumption. Many fall down the monolithic corporate brewers rabbit hole, we are on a mission to open as many people’s eyes as we can.

So when is a beer no longer a beer? I say if a beer is brewed with the four traditional ingredients – barley, hops, water, and yeast – then it should be considered a beer, regardless of the ABV. These Scots are always pushing the envelope of what is possible. They create beers (whether it be 6% ABV or 41% ABV) that they want to brew and they certainly don’t give a damn what anyone thinks, which I find refreshing.

Congrats to BrewDog for once-again redeeming the crown as being the brewer of the world’s strongest beer! Now all I have to do is get my hands on one of these comatose-inducing concoctions.

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By Scottie, February 9, 2010 10:46 pm

Snowmageddon can't stop ChurchKey

Snowmageddon, Snowtorious B.I.G., SnowFuckYourself, Snowpocalypse – call it what you like – D.C. had one hell of a snowstorm this past weekend.

What do you do when record amounts of snow fall on a city that is ill-prepared for any type of winter storm (probably only 3 plow trucks total in the District)? Drink craft beer, bar hop, and get into a snowball fight with 3,000 Washingtonians of course.

Thursday night, before a single snowflake had even touched the ground, D.C.’s inhabitants were acting as if the Apocalypse was upon us. Lines in Whole Foods and Harris Teeter grocery stores were reportedly three hours long. People were buying enough food, water, and alcohol to last a nuclear disaster. It’s only snow people – let’s not overreact.

As the snow began to fall Friday, word of a massive organized snowball fight began to spread on Twitter and Facebook. Loving any chance to throw snowballs at complete strangers, I immediately accepted this invitation!

Saturday morning, we (myself and thousands of other DC residents) trekked down snow-filled streets towards Dupont Circle, the site of the snowball fight. En route, there were cars completely buried in snow, street lamps knocked over, and cars crushed by massive fallen trees. Not to mention plenty of tumbling pedestrians along the way.

Arriving at Dupont was an awakening; a crazed but fun-loving battle field. For the most part, people were not taking the snowball fight too seriously, although there was the occasional ice chunk being thrown here and there. At one point, a group of people stormed the center of Dupont with an American flag as if they were storming the shores or Normandy or raising the flag at Iwo Jima. The whole experience brought back fond memories of Spain’s La Tomatina (largest tomato fight in the world) from a few summers ago.

No snowy day in D.C. is complete without beer, so I decided to head to Pizza Paradiso, ChurchKey, and Bourbon for some craft beer goodness. First stop – Pizza Paradiso in Dupont Circle. This spot has a diversified offering of craft beers with 16 draft beer selections, 80 bottled beers and one casked ale. I sipped on Troegs Mad Elf and then tried some hot mulled wine; a specialty only offered in D.C. during wintery-weather.  The sweet aroma of wood fired pizza made the experience seem almost like a  ski lodge in the District.

Later, we made the snowy hike to ChurchKey on 14th street. ChurchKey, one of my new local favorites, has a collection of 555 different beers which cover the full spectrum of styles, regions and flavor possibilities. After a Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron and an Italian Saison by Piccolo Birrificio, I headed back to Adams Morgan to meet some friends at Bourbon for a couple of Stone IPAs.

The snow brings out the kid in everyone. Never before have I seen people snow shoeing up New Hampshire Avenue. People hugging, laughing, and frolicking through the streets of AdMo. Sledders using anything from trash bags to sheets of linoleum to slide down snow covered-steps. Trudging through the snow covered city and drinking craft beers made for one enjoyable and snowy weekend. Although, it looks as if Mother Nature and Jack Frost aren’t finished unleashing their hell upon the Nation’s capital – the snow is still falling and the wind is really howling!

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By Scottie, February 1, 2010 9:25 am

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/