Auction Prices Impress

Just checked out the Liquid Solutions vintage auction, this one for Fred Fest. Hair of the Dog Dave is currently at 200 bucks for a bottle (1994). Ironically, Westvleteren 12 (the world's top rated beer on RateBeer), this particular bottle from 1997, is right at 45 bucks. I suppose the logic is there's more Westy out there, Dave... that's another story.

If you've got the money and love collecting rare beer, this is the auction for you. Bidding closes Sunday (mother's day), starting at 3:00 PM Pacific Time.

Remember: All proceeds to benefit National Parkinson Foundation.

We've Asked For It

For years there's been a debate about what would happen if "the big guys" decided to throw their hat into the craft market. We've beat them mercilessly for introducing half-assed attempts at the market, especially when it came to "craft done light" most recently. But now it seems that A-B "might" actually be doing craft, done right. I can't help but wonder what would happen if that's true.

First off, this is in regard to their newly approved label for Budweiser American Ale (thanks Brew Blog). At first blush I didn't think much about it, but then I looked at the application for a few more details. This beer will weigh in at 5.3% ABV, which certainly departs from the 'light' brands. Next, the label boasts the use of Cascade hops - they're clearly pushing the American nature of the brew. Finally, there's only one thing I am curious to find out, will this be an all-malt beer? There's no mention of rice or corn anywhere that I've seen, but that doesn't always mean a whole lot. I will say this about adjuncts, not sure it's been said here before, I love a proper cream ale - and these beers frequently use corn. Done correctly, I don't have an issue with adjuncts. Sadly, A-B has a history of overdoing the rice use for my taste.

Again, I just wonder what would happen in the upper-class of the beer enthusiast world if A-B came out with a beer that boasted a full flavor experience? First off, would it have an impact on the craft beer market? My gut says no. Next, will we - the beer enthusiasts - give it a fair shake? Again, my gut says no, but we'll see. For my curiosities, this whole thing has a great appeal. I would personally love to see A-B come out with a product that offers the flavors and body I look for in a beer. I don't imagine this will be my beer of choice, I simply don't see them adding the late hop additions I like for flavor and taste - but wouldn't it be great to be proven wrong on this?

Now, making a good beer won't make A-B a better company (not saying they're necessarily bad). I still have issue with their marketing, distribution and stuff - but hey, they're a publicly traded company and these things happen, the folks there aren't evil, just having goals that are more financially motivated than anything else (and, by the way, these goals are appropriate for companies with investors). It would certainly be a good thing for them, in my eyes, to do craft beer justice. So, count me among the interested.

You would be right, at this point, to remind me that they'll never be a "craft" brewery, as defined by BA. I know that, but I would ask if it is possible for a non-craft brewery to create a craft beer? If not, why not?

Drinking with Satan

I've got a backlog of things to discuss, many will fall off the plate, but this had to be posted. This is a stand-up comic, Mikey Mason, singing a great beer drinking song, "Drinking with Satan". This guy's clearly been around some good beer - not surprising, he's a friend of JeffreyT at The Good Beer Show.

Drinking with Satan from Jeffrey Meyer on Vimeo.

Saying Goodbye, My Open Letter to the World

This is going to be more than a little personal, but something I hope you can indulge me on for a few minutes.

I am writing this in Oregon, stealing away a few moments from my own grieving family after losing a young man over the weekend to suicide - my young cousin, Danny. Though he was only 19, he had been struggling with depression for some time, but most of his friends, and even his family, were unaware to what extent he was suffering. Many of us knew he had been diagnosed and was being treated for depression, but we clearly had no inclination how deep this ran. In the days before his death, Dan made honor role in college for the first time in his life, had completed another great piece of art and was spending time with friends. In my last conversation with him days before his death, he was excited - genuinely excited - at the prospects of his summer jobs and perhaps a bit of travel. I've heard again and again this week the same stories of happiness from Dan's closest friends. All seemed well, and then he was gone.

This isn't an obituary, but more of an open letter. People, if you're suffering from depression, if this disease has any sort of hold on you, please don't be ashamed to tell someone. When I was younger I thought long and hard about taking my own life, it was a miracle I didn't come to think of it. It took years, but eventually I told someone about this, and shortly thereafter I found myself in counseling for the first time in my life. I won't go on to claim I'm the most mentally fit person in the world, but I feel miles away from where I was.

If you need help, don't be ashamed to ask, there are a number of affordable services available to you. If you need medication, don't be embarrassed or angry, our bodies are more complicated than we'll ever fully understand.

Finally, if you have been through this yourself, losing a loved one to suicide, know that if you did everything you possibly could, if you were with someone every day... sometimes that isn't enough. Our family has been reading up on this a lot lately, the theories surrounding suicide are varied as can be. We really don't understand. I figure it's best for us, our family that is, if we don't dig so deep to find answers - there simply may not be one. Also, the more we ask, the more we probe internally, the more we think of things we might have said or done, things we might have been able to hear differently given the final outcome. Asking, probing our minds, is natural I suppose - I am still doing that today - but ultimately I know that the "what if" game doesn't have an ending, there simply aren't any answers.

On a more practical level, if we're here on this earth for any amount of time, we know that we'll come face-to-face with death at some point, and too often that includes an untimely death. There is nothing right to say to the grieving, nothing that will comfort or make any sense. That said, the comfort comes in your being there. We've had a lot of calls and visits this week and while each carried a new wave of sorrow, each also provided a level of comfort that may seem so minute it hardly seems worth it. Trust me though, it is worth it. If you don't have the words, don't have any idea how to behave (should I hug, shake hands, stand there) do not let that stop you.

Oh, tell those you love that you love them today. Tomorrow too.

Also, on that practical level, there are two items that seem appropriate to bring to the grieving: bottled water and Kleenex.

I appreciate the kind thoughts you have. I am disabling the comments on this post, I really don't want this to be more than an open letter, a baring of my soul to my beer drinking friends. Many of you have been such a big part of my life the past several years, and I count you among my friends. Really. Thank you.

Are You a Beerdo?

Are you a beerdo (pronounced 'beer-doe')? Today's thought comes from Robbie Fulks' song, "Roots Rock Weirdos":

Well, they looked the band gear over and they noted with delight
The guitar amp was a Bassman, and the bass man played upright
Then they looked 'round at each other, and they cried, "We Are The Best!
For we like unpopular music, and just look at the way we're dressed!"

Does this not sum us up when we walk into a bar, noticing with delight, that the bar taps have [insert good beer here]? Not only that, the sentiment of "we are the best" is one too many of us who like craft beer carry, we may not say the words, but we'll certainly challenge the tastes of those around us - especially when they choose a mega-beer over a craft version we enjoy.

The song is full of references to the music weirdos, and I swear we could just replace 'roots rock' with 'beer' and it would be equally appropriate. In fact, Fulks kills me when he says the weirdos are "dressed up like it's 1951". How many caricatures have we seen about beer geeks in flannel with beards? Sure, may not be a '51 style, but we have a look to us, don't we? And it ain't the most up-to-date fashion now, is it?

I only thought of this after hearing the song again, thinking back to Lew's pondering of the proper way to address ourselves - geeks, enthusiasts... beer-dos!

Finally, if you haven't listened to this song or heard of the artist, you really ought to. He's a great song writer, his tunes very easy to listen to time and time again. I'd start with "The Very Best Of", good mix of songs.

Patrick Adds a Note

Patrick, owner and brewer at The Bruery, was kind enough to drop me a quick note in order to get you all some information. I had asked him to look things over and make sure I didn't screw anything up on the previous post - he was kind and quick to reply.

The only addition I can think of is we're focusing on Belgian-style beers. We have three year-round beers: Orchard White (witbier); Black Orchard (black witbier); Saison Rue (saison with rye & bottled with brett). There will be four seasonals, and three to four one-off / limited-releases year-round as well.

Saison with rye and bottled with brett? Witbier and a black witbier? Oh dear, he's got my attention. After reading his blog too, about Batch One, it seems this guy's got it going on. You can safely bet my next SoCal trip will include a stop in at The Bruery for a tour and tasting.

Orange County's Newest Brewery

At last year's Sam Adams Longshot judging in San Francisco I met a young and energetic couple named Patrick and Rachel. Over the course of that weekend I learned they had driven up from Orange County, I believe they were picking up brewing equipment, and he told me he was working on opening a new brewery down there. In the midst of life swirling by I had forgotten about Patrick and his lovely wife, that is until I ran across them again in San Diego for the Craft Brewers Conference. Patrick looked a bit more intense down there than when I saw him last, but though his eyes were more focused he still couldn't wipe away the grin - I assume that must be his signature look.

Good news for the people of Orange County, Patrick has beer! The Bruery had at least one beer down in San Diego I got to try, and I appear to not have any notes on it, other than it was on the trade floor. In going through my notes, however, I figured I'd check them out online and see if there was any good information about the place and the beer. Turns out Patrick has a blog and he's got several posts of the process and several great pictures of the brewery - and a bunch of barrels! According to their blog, folks down south should start seeing his beers around town, at least in local bars.

We'll be kicking off our first releases at Hollingshead Deli, currently scheduled for either Monday, April 28th or Tuesday, April 29th. In early May, we'll be going to beer bars, beer friendly restaurants, and good beer stores in Orange County, Los Angeles County, and San Diego County letting people know we're around and open!

By my understanding of that quote, this is right about the time you all in Southern California should be looking to find Bruery's beer.Here's a picture I borrowed from Patrick's blog, he's the one in the green shirt. That, my beer loving friends, is a happy group of brewers. We wish these guys all the best, in a county longing for better beer options, I can't imagine how they can't be a smashing success. Cheers guys!

The Bruery
715 DUNN WAY
PLACENTIA, CA 92870
Phone: 714-996-6258
www.thebruery.com