Victory for Missouri

BeerNews.org just dropped a solid lead that Victory Brewing, out of Pennsylvania, is eying Missouri as part of its next expansion.  In a video interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, Victory President/Brewmaster, Bill Covaleski indicates that Missouri is "ready for their beers." 

This shows once again that Missouri is such a solid craft beer market that an established and well distributed East Coast brewer wants to gain access.  It will probably still be a while before anything is finalized.  As of now nothing from Victory has been submitted to the Missouri Brand Label Registration.  That means that if we ever do see anything from Victory in Missouri, it won't be until next year at the earliest.

For a while I was trading for Victory beers on a regular basis, so I am a familiar with a few of their offerings.  There are a few Victory beers that I would be eager to get on a regular basis.

• Storm King Stout - This is a top Russian Imperial Stout that ranks in BeerAdvocate's Top 100.  Rich with dark malts, it still has a peppery bite from the hops.
• Prima Pils - A super hopped Pilsner, great for the summer
• Old Horizontal - The Old Ho' will put you horizontal.  A very tasty barleywine.
• Wilddevil - I haven't had this one yet.  This is Victory's wild yeast ale so it should be interesting.

Boulevard Amber Six-Packs coming in September

Boulevard just announced on their Facebook page that six-packs of Amber Ale started going into production.  Product should be on shelves by mid-September.

Amber Ale started out as test product in the Nebraska markets and in the sampler 12-packs.  Response was strong so it is going into the regular line up.

image courtesy Boulevard Brewing

More MO Brewers Expanding Distribution

A while back I had mention Cathedral Square had released an Iglesia Agave Ale. I finally found it at Red X. Red X set up a wine rack display featuring all three of the Cathedral Square offereings. I really liked the Belgian White Ale, so I was interested to try this newer offering.

While at Red X I noticed the Hermann, MO brewer Tin Mill was on the shelves.  Tin Mill had always distributed in central Missouri and part of Saint Louis, but until now I had never seen them in the KC area.  Good for them!  I had always heard pretty good things about Tin Mill, and that their Rythem and Brews fest was worth checking out.

Back to the Iglesia.

22 oz bottle poured into a wide stemmed tulip. About a half inch of tight, cream colored head that recedes pretty quick. No lacing on this one. Color is a murky and hazy light brown. No clarity, no light gets through.

Smell at first is a malty sweetness with an odd fruitiness that I think is coming from the agave. With the second pour that sweetness becomes funky, and not in a good funky way. It is more of a stale fruit, way past its prime kind of funky. Strangely, the smell does not translate into the taste. Taste has more of the malty character that has a fruit juice added to it. Taste is much better than the smell.

Mouthfeel is pretty good. It has a thick and creamy texture, though the body is more medium bodied. The carbonation is mild and is barely noticeable. Over all I would say this has been a disappointment.

Pumpkin of Ages - Schlafly Pumpkin Ale 2009 & 20010

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale, unlike last year's jack-o-lantern, ages incredibly well.  If you recall last year, I nearly worked myself into a frenzy waiting for Schlafly Pumpkin Ale to come out.  I did manage to stock up and save a six-pack worth to age. 

The 8% ABV combined with the spices preserves the beer, where lesser beers would develop a not-so-fresh flavor after the Best-By date.  I have been waiting for this year's vintage to hit the shelves before opening the cellar.  Now that I have this year's in the fridge, the time has come.

I pour the 2009 vintage into one of my Schlafly pint glasses.  There is still a strong carbonation in the body.  The head comes up to the rim of the glass with about and ounce or two left in the bottle.  I can smell the nutmeg and cloves right away.  The body is a clear dark orange color.  Very active tracers of carbonation rise from the bottom to the top.

The spices make up the core of the aroma.  All of the pumpkin pie spices you should expect.  Nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger spark together.  In the back there is a sweetness that is like caramelized pumpkin and sweet potatoes.  There is some brown sugar to mellow out any burnt flavors.  It gives a sense of pie crust.

The body is still creamy, though it may have thinned out with time.  Crisp carbonation keeps the sugars from being too sticky.  Still, there is a lingering sweetness in the back of the mouth.  I love this beer!

Now to compare to this year's vintage.  Poured into a new glass, surprisingly the head and carbonation is not as active.  It could be that the aging prolonged the bottle conditioning to create more carbonation.  The body still has a clear dark orange color.

Smell has more of a pumpkin aroma, a sweet, meaty vegetable aroma.  Spices are still there, but they seem to pop in the nose after the swallow.  There is more cinnamon, then nutmeg, and I don't really get any cloves this time.

The mouthfeel has a more crisp carbonation.  Still there is lots of body on this one.  The great thing is that it is so balanced that it doesn't feel heavy.  It feels satisfying, like that last bite of pie after a home cooked meal.  It feels good all around.

It's the Greatest Pumpkin Ale

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale is out and about, but just not at my local shop.  My shop seems to be at the end of the distributor's delivery route.  That's OK, I can wait.

...

OK, I'm done waiting.  After a few calls I find that a couple of my back up shops have recieved their delivery.  A six-pack is running about $8-$10, and worth every cent.  Guess where I'm going after work.

Amazingly, I still have a few bottles left over from last year so I can do a side-by-side comparison.  I can't wait.

Cheers!

Boulevard to Host Fundraising Dinner for Team LUCY

As a parent, I would loose my mind if one of my kids got a terminal illness. I can't even imagine the mental torture of watching my child die. My wife is active on Wish Upon a Hero, and I've seen some of the blogs parents have put together to document an illness. They do that as a way of reaching out to family and friends, as well as building awareness and seeking support. It tears your heart out during the last few days. Right now I'm getting a little emotional just thinking about it.

Tony Lux, Boulevard's Purveyor of Technology, is friends with a family who is going through this ordeal.  Lucy was diagnosed with Pediatric Low Grade Astrocytoma (PLGA) in 2006 when she was one year old. That is a brain tumor on her optic nerve.  Her family's life change forever that day. 

PLGA is the most common type of brain tumor diagnosed in children, yet there is virtually nothing known about it..  There is no cure and there have been no significant improvements in treating it.  This was not acceptable to Lucy's parents.  They were not going to sit around and just watch.  They formed Team LUCY in conjunction with the PLGA Foundation to raise funds for medical expenses and build awareness.  Even though PLGA is the most commonly diagnosed brain tumor and represents the largest cause of tumor deaths in children, yet regretfully, it remains an "orphan disease":

• no advocacy organization,
• no change in survival rates,
• no steady stream of funding for research, and
• no meaningful change to the state of understanding of this disease.

Tony wanted to do his part, so he organized a fundraising beer dinner at Boulevard.  "We're trying to get as many tickets sold as we can. I know the family enjoys reading feedback on their carebridge site. Bev (the mother) said it makes her day when people post kind words. So something as simple as that would go a long way if you know people who care to read through the families ordeal

Brain cancer is a tough thing especially for a one year old. The dinner was my idea to at least do something to help with medical expenses. The dad has basically stopped working to take care of Lucy full time. This can be tough on a family."

The dinner will be held September 12th, 5-9pm, in Boulevard's Mueglebach Suite.  This four course meal will feature three courses by award winning chef Michael Smith followed by a signature dessert by Christopher Elbow.  Individual tickets for the dinner are $100, however larger ticket packages have already sold out.  After the dinner there will be a silent auction to raise additional funds for Lucy's medical treatment.  Tickets can be purchased at: http://teamlucy.eventbrite.com/

Is the King of Beers Dead?

STL Today just posted an article asking if Budweiser could ever make in-roads with the hipster crowd.  It seems Budweiser is having a hard time getting a tap handle in at some of the cooler venues in Saint Louis, their home town.  Beer drinkers are preferring craft beer, like Schlafly, or cheap beer, like PBR or Miller High-Life.  Now AB-InBev wants to know how to get in the young hipster crowd.

I can think of two ways off the top of my head: Slum it way down or put more focus on the craft.

PBR became popular not because it was the greatest beer, it's because it was cheap. Plus it was "ironic" to drink an "Old Man" beer. Same with High-Life. There is practically zero advertising with these two. I don't see TV spots or hear radio adds for either one. Budweiser looks like a scared old man when they have to buy up all the ad spots on SNL. It looks like the beer isn't good enough to stand on it's own without a giant marketing push. I don't think the hipster crowd is responsive to that. "Don't tell me what to drink!"

I think Budweiser's image is tainted by things like Bud Light and Bud Light with Lime. The ads for BL and BLw/L are awfully douchey, but that's the market they are going for. Those two are beers for people who don't like the taste of beer.  Sure, there may be some of those people in hipster crowd, but it's marketed to the fratty crowd. The "Real Men of Genius" radio ads, while amusing, are not targeting the hipster crowd. Bud Light is primarily an alcohol delivery system, so it doesn't really matter what it tastes like. Budweiser does taste like beer, and as far as an American Lager, it is pretty good. Better than PBR or High-Life.

To focus on the craft there are a few key points. Look at the history, look at how it's made, look at how it tastes. The first two points are pretty obvious and A-B has always touched on it. I don't think they have ever marketed the taste. They have tried to market the experience of drinking Bud and that's where they failed. Sam Adams has a great line of commercials where they describe the flavor and ingredients of the beer. A-B seems to be afraid to tell people Budweiser tastes like "beer". 

Budweiser is actually a pretty good table beer. If they want to get the male audience, tell them this is a beer that goes well with steak or BBQ. Show that Budweiser isn't just for getting plowed at a tailgate party, or just something to drink at the bar. To enhance the craft factor, show people drinking it from the proper glassware. Not a plastic cup and definitely not straight from the bottle or can.  Not from a frozen frosty mug.  Show it in a Pilsner glass.  I know it's not a real Pilsner, but that style of glass makes a difference.  And forget that "perfect pour" crap.  That makes you sound like an elitist tool.  Just ask Stella Artois.  Show drinking Budweiser from a glass is better for one simple reason.  It tastes better.

After all of this soap-boxing you may be wondering why I'm even bothering with a beer that's not a craft beer.  The truth is even though A-B merged with InBev, and not technically an "American" company anymore, they are still the largest brewer in Missouri.  Budweiser has over 100 years of history in Missouri and that does count for something.  Budweiser may not be my go to beer, but every beer has a time and place.

The Beer Ice Cream Man

News broke that Glace Artisan Ice Cream was gong to start making Boulevard Beer Ice Cream and all the local beer geeks started doing that dance you did as a kid when you heard the Ice Cream Truck's jingle a block away. I am no exception, I instinctively started asking my mom for ice cream money. It is no surprise that the initial offering, Sixth Glass and Bob's 47, sold out right away.  Luckily, as Christopher Elbow explained to me, Glace can have a new batch out and ready by the next day.

I sat down with Christpher Elbow today at Glace to talk about beer, ice cream, and beer ice cream.  I am happy to report that he is one of us, a craft beer "geek".  Elbow did some homebrewing in college, and tells me Belgian Sours are his current favorite.  "The funkier and sour the better," says Elbow.  When Elbow goes out to San Francisco to visit his other Elbow Chocolate location, he enjoys the many Russian River sour offerings.  He is also fond of Three Floyds Gumballhead.  "It's about the perfect summer wheat," he says.  "I have to stock up on that whenever I'm in Chicago since we can't get it locally."

When Glace first opened, I thought I heard talk that Elbow wanted to pair up with Boulevard.  That just made sense.  The Elbow Chocolate/Boulevard pairings were mind-blowingly good.  The big question was which ones.  "Stouts were kind of the obvious choice," says Elbow.  "Anyone could come up with that one.  I wanted to do something a little different.  Sixth Glass has a nice profile, and it uses Belgian candy sugar.  The guys at Boulevard wanted to do Bob's 47 to feature it's malty character.  Steven (Pauwels, Boulevard Brewmaster) really helped me out.  Now that we have the base formula down we can take it a step further."

I don't know how he could possibly take it a "step further" than delicious, but I know he can.  While we chatted Elbow treated me to a cup of the Bob's 47 ice cream.  The malt character of the beer does blend amazingly with the ice cream.  Elbow explained it was more than just adding beer to the mix.  Sometimes they use the beer ingredients, like the malts, to get the flavor they wanted.  They still do add the beer, but right before it goes into the ice cream mixer.  He said he was worried that if they heated up the beer it would loose some of it's flavor.

After it is all mixed, the ice cream will still have a little alcohol in it.  "It's diluted, so it might me the same as a non-alcoholic beer," says Elbow.  "Maybe a little more with the Sixth Glass.  We do tell people there's beer in it.  I don't think these are flavors kids will want, they go for the flavors with stuff in it.  Chocolate chips or something."

Elbow says that Boulevard's Long Strange Tripel will probably be the next pairing, maybe with banana  Some of the ideas Elbow has include using those Belgian Sours and Kreiks paired with a fruit sorbet.  A Raspberry Sorbet and Boulevard's Dark Truth Imperial Stout would be amazing.  The possibilities are endless, and Elbow is out to prove it.

In addition to the beer pairings, Glace puts out 5-6 new flavors a week.  "We goof around in the back, but I don't think anything we do is crazy-crazy," says Elbow.  "If it doesn't taste good we're not going to put it out.  We don't do flavors for the sake of being exotic."  However there are some pretty exotic flavors on the menu.  Like Thai Peanut Curry.  "I do like to watch people wrap their brains around what they are experiencing," admits Elbow with a smile.

I tasted the Thai Peanut Curry, and I'm sure my face told the story.  It starts with a coconut creaminess, but as the ice cream melts the curry kicks in.  It's not very hot because the sugars and milk helps negate the heat.  Still, it is a very nice heat and sweet combo.

There have been some flavors that didn't catch on with the customers.  "I thought the tomato sorbet was really good, but I guess it was too weird," says Elbow.  "I also liked the cucumber, very light and airy.  That one didn't catch on either.  That is a benefit of our small batches, if something doesn't work it will be replaced quickly."

One downside to small batches is when something catches on quick, like the beer flavors, some customers will feel left out.  That doesn't bother Elbow too much.  "If we sell out of a flavor, we still do have 23 other flavors," says Elbow.  "And we should have more of that flavor the next day.  It's not the worst problem that we can't keep up with demand."  To help solve that problem, Elbow says he is wanting to expand into other parts of the Metro.

As we were finishing up, we started bouncing around a few other Boulevard/ice cream combos like:

• Nutcracker and pecans
• Unfiltered Wheat and lemon sorbet
• Bully Porter with coffee
• Tripel and Blood Orange sorbet

Beer Floats to a Whole New Level

Glace Artisan Ice Cream just posted this image on their Facebook page.

We have been working on Boulevard Beer Ice Creams. We had an impromtu tasting down at the brewery today and some fun things happen. Salted Pretzel Ice Cream and Sixth Glass Quadruple float was amazing. Look for Bob's 47 ice cream and Sixth Glass ice cream out in the shop this weekend.

 Oh!  My!  God!!!!!

Glace Artisan Ice Cream is the latest stroke of genius by local chocolatier Christopher Elbow.  Elbow Chocolates have been paired with Boulevard beer before, notably with Dark Truth.  It was just a matter of time before beer and ice cream were paired.

image courtesy Glace Artisan Ice Cream

Holy Mole - New Holland El Mole Ocho

One of my favorite Mexican dishes is Mole Poblano de Pollo, or Chicken in Mole Sauce. No, that's not a sauce made of ground up ground dwelling rodents.  Mole (MO-lay) is a traditional Mexican chili sauce that is made with over 20 ingredients, including chocolate.  Traditionally this sauce was reserved for celebrations like weddings and brithdays because it is very time consuming to make it.  The sauce is rich and has a complex layer of flavors.  It has a very earthy flavor.  It is not very sweet, nor is it very hot.  The heat usually kicks in as a slow burn.  I'm usally two or three bites in before the heat catches up to me.  These days most grocery stores will have a premade paste in the Latin Foods section. Doña María is a common name brand from Hormel. Nothing says authentic Mexican like Hormel.

When I came across New Holland's El Mole Ocho I was mucho excited.  El Mole Ocho is part of Hew Holland's High Gravity Series.  It clocks in at 8% ABV, but it's the mole that really gets me going.  I've enjoyed other beers with chocolate, coffee, and spices.  With the mole combo I had very high expecctations.

22 oz bottle poured into a wide mouth chalice. Not much head and lacing is very sparse. Body color is a hazy garnet. The initial pour is dirty looking, though clarity comes through as it settles. In all honesty, not much to look at.

Smell has a muted coffee aroma mixed with some chocolate malts. I was expecting more intensity. It is mellow and mild like many mole sauces. Also like many mole sauces, there is a slow burn from the chilies. At first it feels like it is just the carbonation, but then there is a little bite. It's not hot, just a bit bitey.

Mouthfeel is a little thinner than what I expected as well. There is still a strong medium body that has a malty stickiness. This is a subtle beer. The spices are not overwhelming. I would like to cook with this beer. I bet it would make a great base for a mole sauce.

Out of My Gourd for Pumpkin Ales

Some mark the return of Fall with the return of Bob's 47.  I'm as excited about Ol' Bob as the next guy.  But that's not my Fall beer.  It's Pumpkin Ales.  The malty sweet and spicy concoction of pumpkin pie in a bottle.  Today's ales are nothing like the colonial brews made with pumpkin. Due to lack of availability of traditional ingredients (barley and hops) colonials put all kinds of twigs and berries into the mix to make beer.

The book History of Hadley, by Sylvester Judd gives an accurate account of beer making with pumpkin in Colonial days

Beer.—Household beer was made in most families in these river towns more than 150 years, and some strong beer was brewed. Malt was used more freely in early than in later times. When cider became plenty, beer was still drank. In Hadley, 60 years ago, beer was generally brewed once a week; malt, hops, dried pumpkin, dried apple parings, and sometimes rye bran, birch twigs and other things, were put into the brewing kettle, and the liquor was strained through a sieve. This beer was used at home and was carried into the meadows by the farmers.*
*Yeast to make dough light, was taken from the settlings of the beer barrel, and called "emptyings." The old leaven, sour dough, was formerly used by some. Yeast from distilleries was first brought to houses in Northampton not far from 1830, and to Hadley about 10 or 12 years later.
Hops grew wild in the valley of the Connecticut but not in sufficient quantity; most farmers had a few hop vines and poles as long as family beer was brewed. The price of hops was commonly from 6 to 8 pence per pound from 1700 to 1800, in N. E. currency.

Mmmm, that sounds good.

Modern Pumpkin Ale begin with Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale in the 1980s.  They found that the trick to a pumpkin ale really isn't in the pumpkin, it's the spices.  Pumpkin by itself really doesn't taste like anything.  In fact, butternut squash can often taste more like pumpkin than pumpkin.  The trick with the spices is the balance.  To my mind, a dense malty base ale is needed to balance out the spices.  In this area, I think Buffalo Bill's comes up a little thin.

Missouri offers a couple of fantastic Pumpkin Ales from O'Fallon and Schlafly.  I have already picked up a sixer of O'Fallon and will crack open one tonight.  Here is what I though of last year's offering:

12 oz bottle poured into a standard pint. A thin inch of white head drops down quickly to a filmy cap. Specks of lace stick to the glass. Real delight is in the color. It is a hazy copper orange that looks like spices are suspended. I think that's pretty cool.

Smell is subtle in the spices. There is your standard pumpkin pie spices, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, with a hint of the actual pumpkin. That is the smell when you pop the lid of a pumpkin to scoop the guts out. It's a mushy vegetable sweet. The spices pop a little bit more in the taste, but the pumpkin really jumps out. It's more squashy than pumpkin pie, like a butternut squash.

Mouthfeel has a creamy texture, and for me that is a must for a pumpkin ale. Texture should be reminiscent of pumpkin pie. This isn't the creamiest pumpkin I've had, but it's close enough. Nice mild carbonation tingle mixes with the bite of the spices. I do like to age pumpkin ales to see how the spices develop, but I'm not sure this one would hold up. I'll give it a shot.

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale will be out in a week or so. I had it fresh on tap and it was amazing. I'm waiting to sample the bottled version to give it a post of it's own.

Canadians Like Schlafly

Well, this Canadian anyways.  Paul A. Ner of By the Pint and KC Beer Blog fame recently shared this pic of famous funnyman Dan Akroyd holding a bottle of Schlafly Pale Ale.  I'm guessing by the sheen on Mr. Akroyd forehead that this was taken at a House of Blues location.  Mr. Akroyd is a known wine aficionado and vodka spokesperson.  If he is now setting his sights on craft beer, I can only think it would help the industry overall.

Has anyone else spotted a celebrity drinking a craft beer, or more specifically, a craft beer from Missouri?

image courtesy Paul A. Ner

Zona Rosa Microbrewfest Recap

It was hot.  Sun blazing, 110 degree heat index hot.  Sweating buckets hot.  In other words, the perfect day for Zona Rosa 2nd Annual Microbrewfest.  The weather decided to do a complete 180 from last year's rainy fest.  Maybe next year we will hit some middle ground.  This year they had the beer tents spread out onto two streets.  I don't think there were any more tents from last year, but it felt nice to not be squeezed into one block.  This setup allowed more room for the Elders to play in the central plaza.  There was almost as many Elders groupies as beer drinkers.

Beer highlights for me were:

• Schlafly Pumpkin Ale!!  OMG I love this beer so much, and it was only about two days old.  Talk about fresh beer.  The spices were so crisp and delicious.  A few sips reminds you that Fall is just around the corner.  Schlafly Rep, Gary Briggs, brought this keg in from Saint Louis and had to keep it on ice to protect it from the heat.  Bless you Gary.
• Boulevard Dark Truth.  This dark and roasty imperial stout is another reminder that Fall is near.  If I heard correctly, bottles should be on shelves in a few weeks.  I did hear incorrectly, Dark Truth won't be out for a while.  Wishful thinking
• Weston Hot Pepper Ale.  I wasn't so sure about this beer the first time I tried it, but I think it is growing on me.  I would love to marinate some chicken with this.
• Crown Valley Brewing Old School Pilsner.  Maybe it was the heat, or maybe this beer was made for this kind of heat, but it was really refreshing.

Now for some photos!

Give a Left Hand to International Left-Handers Day

Not only is today Friday the 13 (scary), it is also International Left-Handers Day (double scary).  In the Dark Ages before 1976 left handed people were considered witches or spawns of Satan.  In 1976 the LHLA, Left Handed Liberation Army, decreed that every August 13 would be International Left-Handers Day.  It would be a day to bring awareness of the inconvenience of using scissors with the wrong hand.  The 90-93% of the rest of the world allowed the South Paws to have this day so as to avoid the Evil Left Hand of Death.

To keep the South Paws at bay today, it is recommended to be seen drinking a beer from Left Hand Brewing.  I grabbed the first Left Hand beer I saw, which was a display of Oktoberfest Märzen Lager. I know, Oktoberfest comes earlier and earlier each year.

12 oz bottle poured into a Franziskaner .5 L glass.  As a side note, this glass has been getting a lot of use lately.  It's great for lagers and wheats.  I recommend getting one.  An inch of rocky looking head quickly recedes to a tight cap of foam on the surface.  Marbled lacing surrounds the glass with each sip.  Body color is a bright and clear amber orange.

Smell is a spicy noble hops with a dry biscuity hops.  There is some hints of cloves, but not very strong.  Taste is more malty.  More bready with a touch of uncut oranges.  Hops give a subtle spicy tone.  It starts off citrusy and finishes with more of a spice bite.

Mouthfeel is a medium body, maybe a little on the lighter side.  Carbonation could probably use a little extra kick to cut the sticky texture, but overall it is mostly in the right place.  Very nice drinkability, I could easily get into the Oktoberfest spirit and put a few down in short time.

UNICO Microbrew Festival at Zona Rosa Tomorrow

As a reminder, the UNICO Microbrewfest at Zona Rosa will be held tomorrow from 3-9pm.  I would say get your tickets today for $20, they are $25 at the door.  This is the second year for this fest, and I had a lot of fun at last year's inaugural event.  The Elders will be playing, who I consider to be Kansas City's best Celtic band.

Here are additional details from the UNICO Microbrewfest Faacebook page:

Whether you prefer amber or pales, ryes or stouts, the UNICO Microbrew Festival at Zona Rosa will serve more than 40 brews from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, August 14, 2010.
The Microbrew Festival, a first-of-its-kind event at Zona Rosa, is a production of UNICO, Kansas City’s Italian-American service organization. The cost is $25 at the event or attendees may purchase advance tickets for $20 at the Zona Rosa guest services office.
The price of admission includes a commemorative sampling glass which can be used for beers on tap, live music and custom tasting notes.
This year’s breweries include Ameristar Brew Pub, Bootleggers Restaurant and Brewery, Boulevard Brewing Company, Crown Valley Brewery, McCoy’s Public Brew House and Brew Kitchen, Ninkasi Brewery, O’Fallon Brewery, Schlafly Tap Room, Weston Brewing Company and more.
The Microbrew Festival will feature live music, The Elders, Celtic music from the Heartland. The Elders will play from 3 to 9 p.m.
In addition to sipping suds, a variety of food also will be available at the festival. Food vendors will offer Italian sausage, hot dogs, lemonade, cherry limeade, Italian steaks, Italian nachos and more.
Zona Rosa is an urban town center located at the northwest corner of I-29 and Barry Road in Kansas City. Visit www.zonarosa.com for more information.

Yet Another New Brewery Coming to STL - Perennial Artisan Ales

I step away for dinner and another brewery gets announced in Saint Louis.  This time Evan Benn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch announced that Phil Wymore, head brewer for Half Acre Beer Co. in Chicago, will open Perennial Artisan Ales in 2011.  According to Wymore, Perennial Artisan Ales is going to be more of a "Beer-Geek" brewery.

We feel that our offerings will differentiate us. Our beers will be very "brewer-driven." Ironically, this is a case where a craft brewer is opening a brewery, which seems to be a rarity these days. As much as I'm a beer geek, I'm also a brewing geek -- that is, I get excited about brewing techniques, pushing the envelope and trying to create something new. As much as we would like to appeal to the first-time craft-beer drinker, we're really brewing with the seasoned, adventurous craft-beer drinker in mind.


Perennial will be crafting small batches of beer with a lot of variety. Our goal is to produce 12-15 different beers in our first year. We will be focused on farmhouse ales, barrel-aged styles, and fruit beers -- basically, the styles that we and our beer geek friends get very excited about.


We're not interested in brewing wheat beer and pale ale as we feel these styles are well-covered by others in St. Louis. The way we see it, why be the 9th or 10th brewery in St. Louis making a fine pale ale when we could be the first making a Blood Orange Wit or a Blackberry Lambic, for example.

Saint Louis truly has become the Beer Mecca for Missouri.  There is so much "beer culture" going on right now in that town.  Kansas City's beer culture seems to be in an infancy by comparison.  Kansas City is taking steps to improve the culture.  The KC Beer Blog has just announced that One80 in Westport has closed doors to do a remodel and format change.  It will reopen as The Beer Kitchen, which will focus on rare beers and have a gastro-pub menu.  Already they are working on getting a Resident Cicerone.  More on this as it is available.

Cheers and beers!

KC Flying Saucer 1st Annual Fall Beer Fest Announced

The Kansas City Flying Saucer just announced they will host a new Beer Fest this fall. In addition to the information in the above flier, Matt Gardner, Kansas City Flying Saucer General Manager sent me the following update:

• Festival is at the surface parking lot diagonally across the street from the Saucer
• $20 for 10 pours - 4oz pours
• Full Pint tent is for anyone the may not want to purchase a ticket, but still wants to enjoy the environment. They can buy pints of beer and still drink without spending the $20
• Breweries featured include: Boulevard, Schlafly, Tallgrass, Free State, Bell's, Founders, Southern Tier, Avery, Breckenridge, Goose Island, Lagunitas, New Belgium, and Sierra Nevada amongst others.
• We will be tapping special beers in the store throughout the day as well.

The Flying Saucer has become one of Kansas City's premiere beer location. They consistently bring in rare and exciting beers for the beer geeks while maintaining a warm and casual drinking environment for the non-geeks.  Using the parking lot across the street is an innovative way of using the tight space in the Power & Light District.  I'm guessing that street corner will be blocked off to accommodate the foot traffic.  More updates will be posted on the Flying Saucer Facebook as we get closer to the date.

In addition, this will be held on my birthday weekend.  Happy birthday to ME!

UPDATE!
This just in from Flying Saucer:

Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 12, 2010 – Flying Saucer Draught Emporium will host its first Kansas City Beer Festival in the Flying Saucer parking lot at 101 East 13th Street on Saturday, Sept. 11 from noon to 10 p.m.
Flying Saucer’s Kansas City Beer Festival will feature six beer tents, each with crafted brews chosen by Flying Saucer’s own resident beer guru, Keith Schlabs, and Kansas City Flying Saucer general manager Matt Gardner. Featured beers will include rare special releases from Boulevard, Southern Tier, Avery, Ska and Founder’s.

In total, there will be more than 24 beers plus special rare beer tappings throughout the day, including Avery 17, Founder’s Black Biscuit and Dieu du Ciel Peche Mortel Attendees also can go inside the Flying Saucer to sample other special-release beers.

Each tent is dedicated to special selections including Local, East, West, You’re Not Worthy, a Full Pint tent and the Captain’s Picks tent.

The Captain’s Picks tent is scheduled to feature, among others, Schlafly Pumpkin Ale, Big Sky Double IPA and Ska Modus Hoperandi.

“We’ve had a great response to the Fall Beer Festivals in other cities, and we feel that Kansas City is really going to enjoy this festival,” Gardner said. “Captain Keith and I have chosen some great beers for this year’s event, including some very rare samplings that Kansas Citians cannot get regularly. It’s an event beer enthusiasts won’t want to miss!”

Cathedral Square Brewery Announces Hail Mary Belgian IPA

Cathedral Square Brewery out of Saint Louis just had a new label approved for their new Hail Mary Belgian IPA.  This will be Cathedral Square's fourth release after the Belgian Style White Ale, Belgian Style Abbey Ale, and Iglesia Agave Ale.  I really liked the White Ale, yet I have not had the Abbey or Agave Ales.  The Agave must be a newer release as well, since I haven't noticed this on the shelves.  Contacts at Cathedral Square tell me it is out and about in KC, so I will have to grab one soon.

One other point of interest, Cathedral Square is still being brewed at Weston Brewing.  I think this is a turning point for Weston.  They had been plagued with quality issues with their bottling line for some time.  However, with the last few releases I have noticed a drastic improvement.  Especially with the Weston Brew Labs #2 Hot Pepper Ale.  A couple of my friends have told me that they really like the Hot Pepper Ale.  I'm going to have to give it another shot.

Those Crazy Alström Bros--BA Top 100 Switches Again

Todd Alström of BeerAdvocate revealed today that the Top 100 Beers list recalculation yesterday was an "Experiment" to see what the best way to adjust the lists.

More like an experiment to see how many beer geeks they could get worked up into mouth-frothing hysterics.

Requiring a minimum of 1000 reviews to qualify was a drastic measure that started heated debates both for and against.  Personally I did see a benefit to limiting Über-limited release beers from the list. Oak Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Coco Puff Imperial Whatsits may be the best beer ever made, but if there are only twelve bottle ever made I am never going to get a chance to try it. I'm looking at you, BrewDog.

Todd states that based of follower feedback, the following changes with be made to the lists:

* Lists now include limited releases; but after 1.5 years beers tagged as "limited" are retired and no longer listed in top lists; this feature has been basically brought back, but extended by 1/2 a year. (These were purposely removed the first time around.)

* For all lists other than the Buzz list, (m) minimum reviews required to be listed is not some number we pulled out of our asses; like 1,000 for the experiment. It's now the average number of reviews of all of the beers within the set and will grow as the set's overall number of reviews increase. We feel this is fair vs. constantly having to pick an (m) that seems right for years to come. For example: Top Beers on Planet Earth (m) is currently 105, but will dynamically change, as will the list as a result; achieving what many want. This is up from a fixed (m) of 10, which we can all agree was way too low.

* Buzz list was unchanged; though we're looking at ways to tweak this and will continue to have fun w/ it.

So, what does this mean for Missouri? Not much really. Lists are fun to have, but just because a Missouri beer isn't on a list doesn't take away that we do have some really fantastic beers.  It does mean that Boulevard's Saison-Brett has made it back onto the list at #98.  Lists also help us know which beers to keep an eye out for, so I have boiled down the new list to just what is available in Missouri and their ranking on BA.

5 Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
American Double / Imperial Stout / 11.20% ABV
Founders Brewing Company
6 Trappistes Rochefort 10
Quadrupel (Quad) / 11.30% ABV
Brasserie de Rochefort (Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy)
8 Founders Breakfast Stout
American Double / Imperial Stout / 8.30% ABV
Founders Brewing Company
9 Bell's HopSlam Ale
American Double / Imperial IPA / 10.00% ABV
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
11 St. Bernardus Abt 12
Quadrupel (Quad) / 10.50% ABV
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
15 Péché Mortel (Imperial Stout Au Cafe)
American Double / Imperial Stout / 9.50% ABV
Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel
18 Canadian Breakfast Stout
American Double / Imperial Stout / 9.40% ABV
Founders Brewing Company
20 Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
Hefeweizen / 5.40% ABV
Brauerei Weihenstephan
22 Bourbon County Brand Stout
American Double / Imperial Stout / 13.00% ABV
Goose Island
24 Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
American Double / Imperial Stout / 13.00% ABV
Goose Island
25 Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Doppelbock / 6.70% ABV
Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying
29 Duvel
Belgian Strong Pale Ale / 8.50% ABV
Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
30 La Fin Du Monde
Tripel / 9.00% ABV
Unibroue
31 Schneider Aventinus
Weizenbock / 8.20% ABV
Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
34 Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Russian Imperial Stout / 9.00% ABV
North Coast Brewing Co.
36 Trappistes Rochefort 8
Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 9.20% ABV
Brasserie de Rochefort (Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy)
37 Hop Rod Rye
American IPA / 8.00% ABV
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
40 Two Hearted Ale
American IPA / 7.10% ABV
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
42 Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue)
Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 9.00% ABV
Bières de Chimay (Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont)
44 Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Russian Imperial Stout / 9.50% ABV
Great Divide Brewing Company
47 Chocolate Stout
American Stout / 6.00% ABV
Rogue Brewery / Brewer's on the Bay
53 Yeti Imperial Stout
Russian Imperial Stout / 9.50% ABV
Great Divide Brewing Company
54 Choklat (Imperial Stout)
American Double / Imperial Stout / 11.00% ABV
Southern Tier Brewing Company
58 Westmalle Trappist Tripel
Tripel / 9.50% ABV
Brouwerij Westmalle (Adbij der Trappisten van Westmalle)
59 J.W. Lees Vintage Harvest Ale
English Barleywine / 11.50% ABV
J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd
61 Old Ruffian Barley Wine
American Barleywine / 10.20% ABV
Great Divide Brewing Company
62 Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout / 6.10% ABV
Rogue Brewery / Brewer's on the Bay
66 Cuvée Van De Keizer Blauw (Blue)
Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 11.00% ABV
Brouwerij Het Anker
68 Founders Imperial Stout
Russian Imperial Stout / 10.50% ABV
Founders Brewing Company
71 St. Bernardus Tripel
Tripel / 8.00% ABV
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
72 Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout
Russian Imperial Stout / 7.00% ABV
Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)
73 Bell's Expedition Stout
Russian Imperial Stout / 10.50% ABV
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
80 Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
Belgian IPA / 9.00% ABV
Brasserie d'Achouffe
83 Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison)
Saison / Farmhouse Ale / 7.70% ABV
Brewery Ommegang
84 Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout / 5.00% ABV
Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)
85 Founders Red's Rye PA
Rye Beer / 6.80% ABV
Founders Brewing Company
86 Samuel Adams Utopias
American Strong Ale / 27.00% ABV
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
89 Trois Pistoles
Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 9.00% ABV
Unibroue
90 Tripel Karmeliet
Tripel / 8.40% ABV
Brouwerij Bosteels
91 Racer 5 India Pale Ale
American IPA / 7.00% ABV
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
94 Maharaja
American Double / Imperial IPA / 10.30% ABV
Avery Brewing Company
98 Saison - Brett
Saison / Farmhouse Ale / 8.50% ABV
Boulevard Brewing Co.
100 Night Stalker
American Double / Imperial Stout / 11.70% ABV
Goose Island

O'Fallon Belgian Dark Strong Ale Aged in Port Barrels Images

O'Fallon Brewery just posted photos on their Facebook acount showing them filling Mount Pleasant Tawny and Vintage Port barrels with their new Belgian Dark Strong Ale. The Ale will age for five to six months and should debut the end of December or early January 2011.

all images courtesy of O'Fallon Brewery

New St Louis Brewery Announced - Urban Chestnut

It seems a new brewery is getting announced in Saint Louis almost every day, which is awesome.  The Urban Chestnut Brewery just submitted a massive press release to BeerAdvocate and there is excitement over at STL Hops as well. Scheduled to launch in late 2010, UCBC is operated by two former Anheuser-Busch employees: Florian Kuplent, UCBC's brewmaster, and David Wolfe, UCBC's marketing and sales principal.

 UCBC says they will have a 'unique' brewing philosophy that they call "Beer Divergency"

A 'new world meets old world' brewing approach wherein UCBC contributes to the 'revolution' of craft beer through artisanal creations of modern American beers, and pays 'reverence' to the heritage of beer with classically-crafted offerings of timeless, European beer styles.

UCBC Brewmaster, Florian Kuplent, uses his nearly two decades of brewing experience to develop this philosophy. Born in Munich, Germany where beer culture is a national pride, Florian developed a passion for artisan craft beer.  In 1994 he was accepted as a 'brewer's apprentice' at Brauerei Erharting, the first apprentice in decades. From there he enrolled at the Bavarian College of Food and Beverage Science, and later at the prestigious brewing University of Munich-Weihenstephan, where he earned a Master’s degree in malting and brewing science.  His dedication to the brewing arts eventually lead to Anheuser-Busch, where he was influential in developing the Michelob craft beer series.

In addition to brewing and bottling, UCBC will also have a Beergarten, "a casual place to hangout and experience a selection of local craft beers accompanied by small plates of cheeses, meats, and other little eats that pair well with beer." To enhance the authentic German beer drinking experience, they have imported beergarten tables from Europe.

UCBC is using the philosophy of Beer Divergency to brew two different lines of beer.  The Reverence Series is a celebration of beer’s heritage—brewing classically-crafted, timeless European beer styles. The Revolution Series is their contribution to the renaissance of craft beer—brewing artisanal, modern American beers. The initial plan is to bottle and distribute around the Saint Louis area.  No beer styles or names have been announced yet, so stay tuned for those announcements.

BA Restructures Top 100 Means More Are In MO

BeerAdvocate just restructured the way their Top Beers on Planet Earth are calculated. For a beer to qualify for the list it now must have at least 1000 reviews entered. This means that for the first time, top beer Westvleteren 12 has been bumped from the list because it only has 921 reviews. Westvleteren 12 has been in high demand by beer geeks for years, mostly because it can only be legally purchased in person at the Westvleteren monastery in Belgium. Unfortunately the few Missouri beers, like Boulevard Saison-Brett, that were on the old list have also been bumped. Boulevard does make a showing in the Top Buzz Beers, recent additions to the database that have been scoring well, with Rye-on-Rye at #28 and Collaboration #1-Imperial Pilsner at #58. Not surprisingly, many Anheuser-Busch beers are listed in the Bottom of the Barrel, with Bud Light scoring the worst over all.

The new list puts an emphasis on accessibility, some beers may still be difficult to obtain due to season and distribution. This is the Top 100 as of today, and I highlighted the beers that are available in Missouri. As you can see, there is a lot of really good beer available to Missouri.

1. Pliny The Elder American Double / Imperial IPA / 8.00% ABV
   Russian River Brewing Company
2. Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout American Double / Imperial Stout / 11.20% ABV
   Founders Brewing Company
3. Trappistes Rochefort 10 Quadrupel (Quad) / 11.30% ABV
   Brasserie de Rochefort (Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy) 
4. Bell's HopSlam Ale American Double / Imperial IPA / 10.00% ABV
   Bell's Brewery, Inc.
5. Stone Imperial Russian Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 10.50% ABV
   Stone Brewing Co.
6. St. Bernardus Abt 12 Quadrupel (Quad) / 10.50% ABV
   Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
7. Founders Breakfast Stout American Double / Imperial Stout / 8.30% ABV
   Founders Brewing Company
8. Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Hefeweizen / 5.40% ABV
   Brauerei Weihenstephan
9.  Péché Mortel (Imperial Stout Au Cafe) American Double / Imperial Stout / 9.50% ABV
   Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel
10.  Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock Doppelbock / 6.70% ABV
    Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying
11.  Duvel Belgian Strong Pale Ale / 8.50% ABV
    Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
12.  Dreadnaught IPA American Double / Imperial IPA / 9.50% ABV
    Three Floyds Brewing Co. / Brewery & Pub
13.  Tröegs Nugget Nectar American Amber / Red Ale / 7.50% ABV
    Tröegs Brewing Company
14.  La Fin Du Monde Tripel / 9.00% ABV
    Unibroue 
15.  Bourbon County Brand Stout American Double / Imperial Stout / 13.00% ABV
    Goose Island
16.  Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 9.00% ABV
    North Coast Brewing Co.
17.  Two Hearted Ale American IPA / 7.10% ABV
    Bell's Brewery, Inc.
18.  Stone Ruination IPA American Double / Imperial IPA / 7.70% ABV
    Stone Brewing Co.
19.  Schneider Aventinus Weizenbock / 8.20% ABV
    Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
20.  Double Bastard Ale American Strong Ale / 10.50% ABV
    Stone Brewing Co. 
21.  90 Minute IPA American Double / Imperial IPA / 9.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
22.  Hop Rod Rye American IPA / 8.00% ABV
    Bear Republic Brewing Co. 
23.  Trappistes Rochefort 8 Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 9.20% ABV
    Brasserie de Rochefort (Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy)
24.  Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue) Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 9.00% ABV
    Bières de Chimay (Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont)
25.  Stone IPA (India Pale Ale) American IPA / 6.90% ABV
    Stone Brewing Co.
26.  Arrogant Bastard Ale American Strong Ale / 7.20% ABV
    Stone Brewing Co. 
27.  Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter American Porter / 5.80% ABV
    Great Lakes Brewing Company
28. Chocolate Stout American Stout / 6.00% ABV
    Rogue Brewery / Brewer's on the Bay
29. Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 9.50% ABV
    Great Divide Brewing Company
30.  Ten FIDY Russian Imperial Stout / 9.50% ABV
    Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery 
31.  Storm King Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 9.10% ABV
    Victory Brewing Company
32.  Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout Oatmeal Stout / 6.10% ABV
    Rogue Brewery / Brewer's on the Bay
33.  Alpha King Pale Ale American Pale Ale (APA) / 6.00% ABV
    Three Floyds Brewing Co. / Brewery & Pub
34.  Westmalle Trappist Tripel Tripel / 9.50% ABV
    Brouwerij Westmalle (Adbij der Trappisten van Westmalle) 
35.  Yeti Imperial Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 9.50% ABV
    Great Divide Brewing Company
36.  Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison) Saison / Farmhouse Ale / 7.70% ABV
    Brewery Ommegang 
37.  Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout Oatmeal Stout / 5.00% ABV
    Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)
38.  Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 10.10% ABV
    Brooklyn Brewery 
39.  Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 7.00% ABV
    Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) 
40.  Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale American Strong Ale / 7.20% ABV
    Stone Brewing Co.
41.  Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale American Strong Ale / 8.70% ABV
    Stone Brewing Co. 
42.  Trois Pistoles Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 9.00% ABV
    Unibroue 
43. Bell's Expedition Stout Russian Imperial Stout / 10.50% ABV
    Bell's Brewery, Inc.
44. Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale American IPA / 6.80% ABV
    Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
45. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale American Barleywine / 9.60% ABV
    Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
46. Racer 5 India Pale Ale American IPA / 7.00% ABV
    Bear Republic Brewing Co. 
47. Orval Trappist Ale Belgian Pale Ale / 6.90% ABV
    Brasserie d'Orval S.A.
48. Hercules Double IPA American Double / Imperial IPA / 10.00% ABV
    Great Divide Brewing Company 
49. Maharaja American Double / Imperial IPA / 10.30% ABV
    Avery Brewing Company  
50. Maudite Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 8.00% ABV
    Unibroue 
51. Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop Ale American IPA / 6.70% ABV
    Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
52. Palo Santo Marron American Brown Ale / 12.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery 
53. Hop Stoopid American Double / Imperial IPA / 8.00% ABV
    Lagunitas Brewing Company  
54. Ommegang (Abbey Ale) Dubbel / 8.50% ABV
    Brewery Ommegang 
55. Anchor Porter American Porter / 5.60% ABV
    Anchor Brewing Company
56. HopDevil Ale American IPA / 6.70% ABV
    Victory Brewing Company 
57.  World Wide Stout American Double / Imperial Stout / 18.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
58. Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend (Quadrupel) Quadrupel (Quad) / 9.80% ABV
    Brewery Ommegang  
59. Young's Double Chocolate Stout Milk / Sweet Stout / 5.20% ABV
    Wells & Young's Ltd
60. Smuttynose IPA "Finest Kind" American IPA / 6.90% ABV
    Smuttynose Brewing Company
61. Stone Smoked Porter American Porter / 5.90% ABV
    Stone Brewing Co.
62. Chimay Première (Red) Dubbel / 7.00% ABV
    Bières de Chimay (Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont)
63. Indian Brown Ale American Brown Ale / 7.20% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
64. Chimay Tripel (White) Tripel / 8.00% ABV
    Bières de Chimay (Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont)
65. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA American IPA / 7.20% ABV
    Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
66. Prima Pils German Pilsener / 5.30% ABV
    Victory Brewing Company
67. Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrüb Hefeweizen / 5.50% ABV
    Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG
68. Hazelnut Brown Nectar American Brown Ale / 6.20% ABV
    Rogue Brewery / Brewer's on the Bay
69. Hop Wallop American Double / Imperial IPA / 8.50% ABV
    Victory Brewing Company
70. Gonzo Imperial Porter Baltic Porter / 7.80% ABV
    Flying Dog Brewery  
71. Fuller's ESB Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB) / 5.90% ABV
    Fuller Smith & Turner PLC
72. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale American Pale Ale (APA) / 5.60% ABV
    Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
73. Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale English Brown Ale / 5.00% ABV
    Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)
74. Delirium Tremens Belgian Strong Pale Ale / 8.50% ABV
    Brouwerij Huyghe  
75. 60 Minute IPA American IPA / 6.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
76. Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Hefeweizen / 5.00% ABV
    Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu  
77. Sierra Nevada Porter American Porter / 5.60% ABV
    Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
78. Anchor Liberty Ale American Pale Ale (APA) / 6.00% ABV
    Anchor Brewing Company
79. Samuel Adams Cream Stout Milk / Sweet Stout / 4.69% ABV
    Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) 
80. Dale's Pale Ale American Pale Ale (APA) / 6.50% ABV
    Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery  
81. Mocha Porter American Porter / 5.30% ABV
    Rogue Brewery / Brewer's on the Bay
82. Dead Guy Ale Maibock / Helles Bock / 6.50% ABV
    Rogue Brewery / Brewer's on the Bay
83. Salvator Doppel Bock Doppelbock / 7.90% ABV
    Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG
84. Spaten Optimator Doppelbock / 7.20% ABV
    Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
85. 120 Minute IPA American Double / Imperial IPA / 18.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
86. Hoegaarden Original White Ale Witbier / 4.90% ABV
    Brouwerij van Hoegaarden  
87. Punkin Ale Pumpkin Ale / 7.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
88. Bell's Oberon Ale American Pale Wheat Ale / 5.80% ABV
    Bell's Brewery, Inc.  
89. Anchor Steam Beer California Common / Steam Beer / 4.90% ABV
    Anchor Brewing Company
90. Guinness Extra Stout (Original) Irish Dry Stout / 6.00% ABV
    Guinness Ltd.
91. Samuel Adams Black Lager Schwarzbier / 4.90% ABV
    Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
92. Samuel Adams Boston Lager Vienna Lager / 4.75% ABV
    Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)  
93. ApriHop American IPA / 7.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
94. Midas Touch Golden Elixir Herbed / Spiced Beer / 9.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
95. Golden Monkey Tripel / 9.50% ABV
    Victory Brewing Company 
96. Samuel Adams Winter Lager Bock / 5.80% ABV
    Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)  
97. Pilsner Urquell Czech Pilsener / 4.40% ABV
    Plzensky Prazdroj, a. s.
98. Raison D'etre Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 8.00% ABV
    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
99. Samuel Adams Octoberfest Märzen / Oktoberfest / 5.40% ABV
    Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
100. Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager Czech Pilsener / 5.00% ABV
     Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 

Show-Me Social Networking

Show-Me Beer has gotten all Social Networky.  There is a Facebook page, you can follow me on Twitter, and now there is a one-stop shopping for all of your Show-Me Beer apparel and gifts. 

It seems to be the It thing to do with your blog.  I really have to thank The Beer Budda for showing me how easy it is.  He put together some designs for his blog which looked great.  By the way, everyone should be following The Beer Budda.  He has one of the best beer blogs out of New Orleans ever! 

I'm still tinkering with some designs and logos, so let me know which ones you like the best.  I don't make any money off of this, but I thought this would be a fun way to build awareness.  If I see you wearing a Show-Me Beer shirt in public I will buy your a beer.

Cheers and beers!

Happy International Beer Day - Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew

Happy International Beer Day!  Yeah, I just heard about this myself.  Some guys in San Francisco decided back in 2007 that August 5th is the day to celebrate the makers, servers, and drinkers of beer.  So far it seems the majority of the celebrations are still centered around San Francisco, with small pockets spread out thanks to the internet.  The founders state that the purpose of IBD is:

1) To gather with friends and enjoy the deliciousness that is beer.
2) To celebrate the dedicated men and women who brew and serve our beer.
3) To bring the world together under the united banner of beer by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures together on this one remarkable day.

How can you argue with that?

To do my part in Missouri I thought I would go out of the ordinary.  We have lots of European beers available to us.  Plenty of English, Irish, Scottish, German, Belgian beers, as well as some French, Italian, Dutch offerings.  I think we can get something from every member of the European Union, so that's almost too easy.  Instead I'm turning Japanese.

We don't hear much about it, but there is a very active craft brew scene in Japan right now.  Oddly enough, the only Japanese craft beer I can find is Hitachino Nest offerings from Kiuchi Brewery.  Kiuchi uses some sake brewing methods in making their beers.  It's a nice signature touch.

With summer going full blazes, I thought the Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew would hit the spot.  12 oz bottle poured into a Dogfish Head narrow pint glass. A light colored head gives about a half inch. The head is light and airy, quickly recedes to the surface. No lacing on the glass. Body color is a hazy reddish brown. It is dense through the center with no clarity.

Smell is a tart raw ginger. The malt comes off as a little spicy with hints of cinnamon. No hops presence here. Taste is a puckering tart raw ginger. It's tart but has a spicy bite. The malt flavor gives off an amber ale quality. Slightly sweet but not too heavy.

Mouthfeel is a light/medium body that finishes clean. The tartness makes this a refreshing summer beer, even at 7% ABV.  I must seek more out from this brewery, and would like to see more Japanese craft beer in Missouri.