Pacific Brew News

Prohibition. The word for most beer enthusiasts causes one of two reactions. The first is a sort of horrific dream we had, the kind where we almost think it really happened. The second is a roll of the eyes and a sentiment that says, basically, “that’ll never happen”. Well, I don’t think we’ll ever see a nationwide prohibition on alcohol, and I don’t believe the public will ever endorse such a ban anytime soon, but there is a trend I’m worried about – and at this point, it’s not even a trend really. What is it you ask? “Pilot Programs” or “tests”.

This week in California a new law was signed by our governor to approve a pilot program for ignition locks to be placed on all vehicles owned by people with a DUI. This isn’t a state-wide measure, but does effect very large population centers. I’m torn on this, personally, but mainly feel this is a stupid idea that won’t solve our state’s drunken driving issues, but will make those who install these devices a pretty penny. On top of that, I just don’t see how this will be enforced with any greater success than our current drinking laws. But, this is for another day. The bottom line is there’s a “pilot” program out there that is aimed at those who’ve had run-ins with alcohol and driving.

This comes just over a year after Pacific Beach in San Diego implemented a “test” of their own, one that banned all alcohol consumption on the city beaches. This program I have a much bigger problem with. Programs like this (and we’ve seen similar programs on riversides in Sacramento) are nearly laughable in that they are the pinnacle of arrogance that says “not in my back yard” – or maybe people really believe the drinking has magically stopped because it’s been prohibited in one place and not the other.

I’m just thinking here, something bloggers are good at (that’s just to say there’s not a lot of research here), but what I’m thinking is a bit alarming. How many programs are out there like this? How many cities, counties and public areas are implementing a no-alcohol zone under the guise of a “program” or “test”?

Then I thought of this crazy, “it’ll never happen” idea…

What if a progressive city in the US created another “pilot” program? What if a community of people were willing to test a crazy idea out, one that supporters are certain can work, but detractors see as doom and gloom? I’m talking about the Legal Drinking Age Limit.

You see, there is no national drinking limit in the United States, but any state that has a drinking age under 21 does not qualify for Federal highway funding – and that’s a lot of money. Is it possible to run a “pilot” program while still ensuring a state can receive their Federal funding? Again, blogging here, not researching – I really don’t know. But, I can’t help but think it’s possible. Here’s my thoughts, and you’ll find they’re very much in line with those touted by Choose Responsibility and the The Amethyst Initiative (related).

First, I’d never suggest just lowering the drinking age alone – not right now, anyway. For decades kids have been robbed of the important educational aspect of responsible drinking – you know, beyond the scary TV ads and horrific lessons of extreme abuse. That understood, adults (you know, those who are 18 and can drive, vote, fight fires and wars – those adults) under the age of 21 must complete an alcohol education course similar to that required to get a drivers license. This will be a mix of common sense, street rules, bio-chemistry and social responsibility (or, the shit we have to learn on our own as is).

Second, yes, I’m all for a drinking permit required for adults under the age of 21. Make it a special designation on a driver’s license or state ID, not its own card.

Third, if a driver under the age of 21 has an alcohol related infraction behind the wheel, all drinking privileges are removed for a set period of time. I haven’t thought this one out too much, sorry – a year maybe? Think of it as having your license suspended. I would suggest a stiffer penalty (much stiffer) for anyone with a drinking permit caught distributing alcohol to anyone under 21 who does not have a drinking permit, and all under that age of 18. Same with alcohol on campus – if caught with booze at school, there’ll be hell to pay.

So, that’s just me thinking about pilot programs and the “it’ll never happen” way we live. Seeing more and more 100% bans on alcohol in public areas makes me think that just maybe something equally offensive and promising could be tested out. Who knows, it might just work…

Last Sunday, in unplanned fashion as usual, another meeting of some of the S.O.B.E.R participants occurred at my house where some great food (thanks to Jose) and great beer was shared. Planned around tasting the Allagash Hugh Malone and my Belgian Pale Ale homebrew, the day evolved into much more than that. Attending this outstanding session were Jose, Grant (now of Sac Bee fame due to his Owl Club picture), Mark and myself.

 Our first beer of the day was the Maredsous 6, a Belgian Blond Ale. Mark and I were familiar with the Maredsous beers but had never had the 6. It had a great creamy body (maybe a little creamier than most typical blonds), had slightly fruity taste with a dry finish. It also was a little more orange/dark in color than most blonds. At only 6% ABV, you could a have few of these pretty easily. This was a great starting beer for the afternoon.

 Next up was my Hoppy Monk, a homebrewed Belgian Pale Ale, that I made using fresh Cascade hops from PBN friend Bob Silva’s back yard. Brewed as a Belgian IPA with 3 hop additions in the boil and one in the fermenter, the Cascade hops came out very well in the aroma and taste but the bitterness was too low for an IPA. Next time, a more traditional bittering hop will be used early in the boil. There was a definite fruitiness/juiciness and grapefruit from the hop, great aroma, and good body and head retention (Mark’s comments, not mine).

 After this, we moved on to the Allagash Hugh Malone, a true Belgian IPA. Brewed with Warrior and Simcoe hops, the bitterness was noticeable but not lingering and it had a slight sweetness up front. According to Allagash, the sweetness was due to the British 2- row and Crystal pale malts. Our own Beer Geek, Mark, however thought honey was used. We also noted that it had a very light body for 8.5% ABV. This was very good beer which we would have liked to taste head to head with another one of our favorite Belgian IPAs, Le Freak from Green Flash Brewing.

 At this point, we were enjoying the nice weather and began discussing what else Jose and I had in our “cellars” for tasting. Typically, this is what happens at S.O.B.E.R meetings and out afternoon only improved from there.

 Next up was a contribution from Jose, the 3 Philosophers from Ommegang. This beer, 98% Belgian Quad and 2% Kriek Cherry Lambic blend, has been around for awhile and is well-known by most Belgian beer lovers. Using wild yeast, this beer had enough hops to balance any malty sweetness and had definite notes of fig/plum, other dark fruits. The cherry was noticed more in the aroma than the flavor. This beer got several Wows and only motivated us to move on to more great beers. 3 Philosophers is 9.8% ABV.

 After the 3 Philosophers, we moved on to another Belgian Quad brewed with cherries, the Rorie’s Ale from a new brewer, Odonata Brewing in Sacramento. A combined adventure between PBN’s own Rick Sellers and master brewer, Peter Hoey from Sacramento Brewing, this beer is unique and truly one of a kind. When I tried my first one at Chef’s Table in Rocklin earlier in the week, my first thoughts were OMFG (oh my freaking god) this is good. This beer has been almost 2 years in the making and has been aged in oak barrels for a year with sour cherries. Our tasting panel notice rich caramel malt and burnt sugar flavors and noticeable oak and cherry in the aroma. I loved the slightly sour flavor from the cherries. The good folks at Odonata suggest cellaring this beer for 6-12 months longer but Mark and I wonder if it would lose some of that wonderful tartness if we did. 10.2% ABV, this would have been excellent with some dark chocolate.

 Just for the hell of it, before moving on to our last beer, we decided to taste the Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock. We did this to 1) cleanse our palates slightly and 2) because it was there. With a toasty bread aroma and biscuit flavors, this beer was missing the often typical “skunk” that is often present in imported beers. It also had a slightly spicy flavor probably from noble hops, and was very smooth.

 Finally, we made it on to our final beer, the Maredsous 10, a Belgian tripel. One of the great examples of the triple style, this had spent some number of months in Jose’s cellar.

A 10% ABV beer, it was very creamy, and had noticeable hops and tartness. There was some discussion around a “spicy” bite the beer had when cold and it was decided it was from the carbonation which seemed higher than usual. As it warmed, it took on a more fruity character and demonstrated why beers like this are meant not to serve ice cold.

 All in all, it was great afternoon. Tasting the beers with the marinated chicken, sausages, and cheese and bread Jose provided only added to the experience. Another successful chapter in the growing chain of S.O.B.E.R meetings!

Jesse, you’ll have to pardon me for not going in depth on this – I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Luckily, I have some pictures I can share to give a glimpse into Notoberfest, a food and beer orgy held at Mars Bar in San Francisco, put on by Beer and Nosh and featuring amazing meats from 4505 Meats, delectable ice cream pleasures from Humphrey Slocombe and crowd pleasing beers from Valley Brewing. This was a fairly casual affair, with different stations for folks to find their beer and ice cream, volunteers willing to bring finger foods out for the hungry mass and an overall sense of that Bay Area mellow. It was a unique event to say the least, and I seriously hope we’ve only just seen the first annual – of many to come, for years to come. If you missed out, well, better luck next time.

Special 3-liter bottle from Steve’s collection.

You have every right to wear that cheesy smile, Jesse – you put on a great show!

A special pouring by Steve.

Oh, yeah, the meat was fantastic!

Jesse finds his Nosh.

Ryan Farr slicing his creation.

Hungry?

Liver sausages – loaded with herbs – so good.

Ryan at 4505 Meats traveled back in time to kill a Brontosaurus

Ryan and Jesse thanking the volunteers.

The beast is cooking over an open fire. Wow!

To see more pictures from the event, check out our Flickr page.

We beer geeks have discussed beer’s rapid ascent (or slow, depending on what year you started keeping score) in today’s culture. We’ve often longed for beer to be on the table with fine wines, at celebrations like Champagne… well, I think that time has arrived. Check out this photo in the locker room of the LA Dodgers following their series sweep in the MLB playoffs.

photo from SportsIllustrated.com

Beer has arrived – in cans, nonetheless! What, not what you were asking for?

I’ve just re-read the 86 Rules of Boozing from Modern Drunkard, a list that’s been around some years now, but still very much applicable for folks who enjoy sidling up at the bar. I realized today, however, that the list does require some minor additions that take into consideration today’s bar blunders. I’ve been to a few bars, see a lot of things, figured I’d toss my hat in the ring with a few updates. Please let me know if I missed something obvious. Also understand, I could never write anything as cool or as thought out as those original 86 rules.

• It is OK to take pictures of friends and strangers while drunk. It is not OK to post them immediately on Facebook or Twitter. Give it a night and revisit. Thank me later.
• If your boss or co-workers are Facebook friends or follow you on Twitter – feel free to block or unfriend before a night of planned debauchery. This is especially true if you’re in a job you’re not happy with, working with people you barely tolerate. If you fail to plan this one out, you have nobody but yourself to blame for the consequences.
• If the bar is busy, you can’t geek out on your beer. Don’t ask for ABV or IBUs, hell, don’t even ask about the style of beer. Order promptly (Rule #74) and drink the damn beer.
• Even if the bar is empty, you cannot neglect rule #38 to take notes on your beer. If you can’t hold a casual conversation because of your precious notes, you really ought to drink at home.
• If you’re a doctor, principle or public figure – you must not be able to update any social media accounts via cell phone.
• It is never OK to take a phone call in a quiet bar. If you must talk on the phone, take it outside. (Like that at Erny’s Tin Bar you’re on the hook for a round if you answer your phone).
• Defacing the restroom in any bar, for any reason, only proves that you’re an asshole. There are no exceptions.
• Stealing a buddies iPhone to update their Twitter account with nonsense is OK, but you can never do it to a casual acquaintance or with someone’s work phone.
• If someone buys you a beer, you’re obligated to drink it – at least some of it – even if it’s crap. Some of life’s best moments occur with bland beer.
• A beer has to be really bad, obviously flawed, sickening in fact, before it’s OK to complain in detail to the barkeep. You’re allowed to say “this isn’t good” if needed, but further elaboration is unnecessary and won’t win any favors. Unless, of course, you’re asked to elaborate. Even then, be careful.
• It is never OK to tell someone you’re drinking with “I just Tweeted you”.
• You are always allowed to ridicule a friend for their choice of drink or fruit additions. It’s not OK to do the same with a stranger.
• You are not allowed to ask for a discount or any freebies because you have a blog or rate beers online. Ever. Business cards are great, and it’s always cool to tell someone what you do for a hobby. Just don’t expect a free beer from everyone you meet.

PICTURES TO FOLLOW.

Hard to believe some of the stats but beer clearly is a priority in Germany.

It’s that time of year again — the Oktoberfest statistics are in. The two-week beer festival that ended on Sunday saw visitor numbers drop 5 percent due to terrorism fears. But beer consumption was stable at 6.5 million liters. And the lost items list includes a toaster, a small dog and a set of dentures.

Germany’s most entertaining set of statistics is traditionally released on the final day of the annual Munich Oktoberfest, when the full extent of the world’s largest beer festival becomes clear with the quantity of beer guzzled, the number of oxen and chicken devoured and the intriguing array of items lost.

Number of visitors down

This year’s set of figures contains both good and bad news. The number of visitors during the 16-day festival fell to 5.7 million from 6 million last year due to terrorism fears which prompted police to throw a massive security cordon around the festival site during its second week.

Consumption Up (people still need their beer even in bad times)

But on a positive note, beer consumption remained unchanged at 6.5 million liters, meaning that this year’s visitors were more diligent drinkers, despite the 6 percent rise in the price of a liter to around €8.60 and the biggest economic downturn since the 1930s.

Who knows why oxen consumption is up and fried chicken consumption is down. Is oxen healthier?

The total number of oxen eaten in the 14 giant tents reached an impressive 111, up from 104 last year, while sales of fried chicken fell 3 percent.

The festival’s director Gabriele Weishäupl praised visitors for remaining patient despite the heightened security measures, which included increased bag checks and severe traffic restrictions. “Our guests voted with their feet and remained faithful to their Oktoberfest,” she said in a statement. “And everyone felt well protected.” Voting with their feet? I know what they mean but the phrase conjurs up funny images.

Our new favorite phrase – beer corpses

The Munich police reported collecting a total of 759 “beer corpses” — people who had drunk themselves into oblivion. That was up sharply from 2008, when 565 were reported. Two people actually died — an Australian man was run over by a local train after visiting the festival and a reveler from England died when he fell out of his hotel room window while trying to urinate out of it.

You already know this, but the 2009 Great American Beer Festival is underway in Denver. Compared to years past, the first session was pretty packed with beer enthusiasts from around the country – and beyond. I didn’t do a whole lot of sampling, but was fairly impressed with Sandlot’s lagers – the pilsner and Second Hand Smoke were both fantastic. The big names still draw the big crowds – Russian River, New Glarus, New Belgium and the like – but this year saw a whole lot of people clamoring to get their hands on The Bruery’s fantastic suds – one ounce at a time. On the floor, it’s GABF as normal – that much is for certain.

The abnormality for me was the ‘ribbon cutting’ performed by Marge and Homer Simpson dolls. This bit of freakish pop culture just seemed out of place and, well, train-wreck-ish. See for yourself.

Today is a busy day for folks waking up to headaches and alcohol induced nausea. There are events all over the city leading up to Session Two. If you’re in Denver, make the most of your day and experience as much as you can. Don’t get stuck in one place (Falling Rock), branch out and discover something new in Denver.

Mmmmm…. Beer….

Did I mention this was freakish?

An eager, thirsty crowd.

Ribbon cutting.

Deschute’s Ambassador pours Abyss

Fatheads

Collaborative Evil tasting

Even Oompa Loompas Love Beer

If you see this man today, please feel free to buy him a beer. This is Mike “The Hop Hunter” Sober – a major force behind PBN and founder of the SOBER group. Today is Mike’s birthday! To celebrate he and his lovely wife, Terri, will be heading out to do what a Hop Hunter would do – he’s on a trek to find hopped-up elixir from the region’s best beer joints: City Beer, Russian River and Toronado – If I’m recalling correctly. Mike’s hard to miss, the flowing beard is a pretty good giveaway. If you see him, wish him a Happy Birthday.

Recently all of us S.O.B.E.R. Group types gathered around the tall wood table in the Hop Hunters growler parlor and enjoyed a half dozen samples of beer from growlers that Rick and Tracy gathered on their latest crazed whirlwind jaunt into the North Country.  Considering Rick is a pretty picky bastard when it comes to properly handling and storing his beers we knew that any irregularities in the beer he collected would be due to factors beyond his control. Freshness, style, sanitation, new growler cleansing (or lack there of) along with a faulty cap seal can all lead to disappointment at the point of intended consumption. Fortunately the beers from Rick’s trunk survived the journey in drinking shape …… which is more than I can say about some of the samples I’ve had the misfortune to collect over the years.

I bring this up today because I am on the eve of a much anticipated and overdue growler filling expedition to one of the beer communities  Holy Grails….Russian River Brewing. As I was tending to the dozen growlers I intend to fill on Wednesday my mind wandered into some of the growler mistakes I’ve seen over the years and it occurred to me that perhaps I should mention them so that other mistakes can be avoided in the future. Because as we all know beer abuse is serious business. Anyway here’s a few items for thought.

1. Wash your growlers as soon as possible once you’ve drained them. Hot water works just fine, no soap required. In fact soap and glass aren’t really a good mix. I never use the stuff on any of my glassware. If you do have to use some soap because you were a moron and left them on your backyard picnic table then rinse them repeatedly until they smell clean.  Then rinse them again. And if the water isn’t hurting your hands it isn’t hot enough.

2.  Did I mention washing your growlers?  Actually, if you rinse your growler immediately after you empty it even cold water will do.  A really good plan when camping.

3. Wash your growlers after you’ve used them and BEFORE you take them out to be filled again. Very important for several reasons. Some breweries will inspect your growlers before they fill them and if your growlers are unfit for filling they will give you that look (and then the lecture) that identifies you as a beer gathering wanna-be and treat you accordingly. Worse yet is going to a big chain brewery where the servers know about as much about beer as your local 7-11 graveyard shift janitor and will fill them even if your science fair ribbon is still sticking out of it. If for some reason you have to deal with a really nasty, neglected and abused growler you can always resort to using a little bleach/hot water mixture and perhaps a stiff bottle brush. Once again thorough rinsing rules.

4. Unless you live right around the corner from the brewery (I should be so lucky) throw an ice chest into your trunk so that your growlers are chilled and more closely match the temperature of the beer when they’re being filled.

5. Inspect your caps. Some brewers use the metal caps with the rubbery seal. I’ve had the best luck with that style. The plastic caps with the paper seal are fine for the first initial use but I don’t reuse them. You need to wash the caps as well as you do the growlers….if they start to get discolored or bent up throw them away.

6. Inspect your growler….if it’s chipped throw it out. They only cost 3-7 bucks generally and aren’t worth the danger of breakage or fouling 64 ounces of beer when they fail to seal properly. If it’s an old and dear heirloom them just display it proudly on your custom growler shelf and get a new one to bring beer home in.

7. Did I mention to clean your growlers coming and going?  Just remember beer hates and does not play well with soap, dirt, improper temperature, air or light. …or limes for that matter….but that’s another story…..

I’ve also read and heard it said that you should always consume your growler-ed beer within two weeks of purchase and once opened within two days. Generally those time frames are … well… generally not quite correct but perhaps a good place to start. The style of your beer, the color of your growler, the environment it is in (if you keep it next to the light in your fridge in a clear bottle and have six kids opening the door fifteen dozen times a day)… well… you should have already consumed it. If I open a growler I plan to finish it off within one day… I’ve rarely had anything last longer than that although I must admit I do have limited experience with that situation. I will even admit to having growlers of huge beers like Barley Wines for up to and beyond a year and had tremendous luck with them.

So there you have it… just a few tips…  and remember to drink locally and interact with your local brewers… we’re all in this together.

In past years I’ve gushed about the genius and greatness of Sean Z. Paxton, the Homebrew Chef, and his dinners at the Northern California Homebrewers Festival (as well as Toronado and other locations). Well, I assume you’ve figured out this guy can cook. In fact, I hope you know he’s the best at what he does – incorporating beer as a meaningful ingredient in all the dishes he prepares, as well as pairing the most appropriate beer with the dishes he puts out. He takes the concept of a beer dinner to a whole new level – and I hope other chefs around the country are checking out Mr. Paxton in order to learn how to elevate the beer dinners put on around the land.

Instead of recalling the brilliance of each dish, I figured I’d just post some pictures for you to check out. The guy does good things and you know the whole “picture worth a thousand words” line already. Here you go.

Jesse Friedman of Beer and Nosh preps onions

Stuffed Tomatoes – a Vegetarian Option for the Meal

Homebrew Chef Cooking with Festina Peche

Beet Salad

Homemade Sausages

Homemade Sauerkraut Being Strained

Beet Salad Plated

“The Hassellhoff”

Sauerbraten

Stirring in the Dark

Sausages and Kraut

Hop Ice Cream over Strudel

Homebrew Chef does the Chef Thing

Happy Birthday to Don Barkley!

See the whole set of photos on our Flickr page