Two thousand and nine already?!

Happy New Year!
I love fresh starts, new beginnings, clean slates and alla that. I love shiny happy hopeful opportunities, inspirational quotes, and the like. So when I wake up tomorrow, hungover or not, I will remember that I have 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months, or however you like to look at it, all clean and blank and stretched out before me to make amazing. Before I snarl at anyone and bitch and moan about how bad I may or may not feel, I will lay in bed and remember that it's a new day and a new year and it will be as awesome and amazing I allow it to be.

K, had enough sunshine blown up your wazoo? Have a marvelous time tonight, doing whatever you do, and remember, Holiday Cab is back up & running in KC. Call 816-777-1115 for a safe ride home. Driving around on NYE is a bad idea, no matter what. Morons. You know. I will stick to drinking beer tonight. Last time I drank anything else it was a bad plan. V. bad plan. Am grounded from red bull and vodka for life, I am sorry to say.

John's Upper Deck

Someone who lives near John's in downtown KC says there is something shady going on. They've apparently been closed for over a week for "renovations," but clearly there has been nothing done except to turn off the lights since hanging the sign. So, is John's the next casualty?

Crawling home

Lee is in town, Lee is in town! Freezing his mild Texas behonkey off in our sub-zero climate, I am sure. He's going to be at McCoy's tonight. Sadly, I will not be at McCoy's tonight. :( If you see Lee, tell him I said hi, and I'll catch him another eve. With beer. I promises.

Tonight my co-workers and I are embarking on what sounds like a Very Bad Idea. We're doing a pub crawl, on a Monday night, as our own little holiday party. All full-time employees and all contract field staff are welcome to attend. We're starting at the office, and heading out into the frigid night around 6 ish. This is what the work fridge looks like right now. Boulevard Pale Ale, Schlafly & Breckenridge Christmas Ales, and a little Hoegaarden, not to mention the Bailey's, Bud Light, Jose Cuervo margaritas, or the bottles of random booze below. I heard that someone is bringing their own 30 pack of Busch Light. A little something for everyone, then. The little mustard bottle looks a little out of his element, don't you think?

Sometimes I just steal things

Found via DP, who got it from TastyBooze, and reposted here because if you don't know, now you know. Aren't you glad you aren't a girl?

Space Beer?

Stolen directly from BLDGBLOG:

Last week, Sapporo announced that they would soon be serving space beer, "the world's first beer made with barley descending from plants grown inside the International Space Station."

The barley used in the new beer is a third-generation offshoot of the original plant stored for five months in a Russian laboratory in the station. The company has made only 100 liters of the new brew, named Sapporo Space Barley, which is not for sale. Sapporo says the beer is safe because it has tested microbes in it and did tests with lab animals and Sapporo employees, too. It also says that the space beer tastes just like regular beer.

For obvious reasons, this brings to mind China's space seed project, in which "space breeding" puts astronomy to work in the service of contemporary agriculture.

Plant seeds have been blasted into orbit in the hope that "space breeding" holds the key to improving crop yields and disease resistance. Wheat and barley strains developed by the Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia (WA) have just landed back on Earth following a 15-day orbital cruise on board China's Shijian-8 satellite. "Space-breeding refers to the technique of sending seeds into space in a recoverable spacecraft or a high-altitude balloon," said Agriculture WA barley breeder Chengdao Li. "In the high-vacuum, micro-gravity and strong-radiation space environment, seeds may undergo mutation."

While this certainly offers landscape architects an unearthly way to boost their horticultural repertoire, it also shows that specialty foods cultivated through genetic interaction with the universe might yet find a comfortable place in the human food chain.
Sipping space beer, ingesting astronomical influence, welcoming literally non-terrestrial nutrition into the planetary web of caloric intake, we'll find that Sapporo's newest beer brings a suitably alien tenor to the local amnesia of alcoholic intoxication.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Postal Experiment

I think I may be breaking the law. I bought a bottle of both Boulevard's Saison Brett and Bourbon Barrel Quad, wrapped them in 900 layers of paper, and shipped them off to my brother & sister in law in NYC. I just placed them in the care of the US Postal Service tonight, using the self-service kiosk at my post office so no postal worker could detect my guilty red face when they ask if the package contains any liquids and I say "NO!" Considering the current temperatures, I am taking bets on the likelihood of both bottles arriving in whole condition, with no explosions, breakage or leaking.

The BBQ Review

Boulevard's Limited Series Bourbon Barrel Quad
Bottle # 03963

Also posted on BeerAdvocate:
I ran straight down to Cellar Rat over my lunch hour today to fetch a couple bottles of the new limited Smokestack brew.

I do not own a beer goblet. I need to buy one. In the meantime, I decided to experiment with the gorgeous but useless crystal wine goblets received as a wedding gift 6 years ago & once or twice used.

Poured into the goblet, the head bubbled up quickly, brown and effervescent and dissipated quickly. The inch & a half of head left just a thin lace around the edge of the glass in minutes. The color is dark, brownish reddish maroon.

The initial sniff smells strongly of cherries, and the first sip gave a pretty strong hit of the same. A little, fizzy, cherry hit, followed by with a slightly bitter, tangy, vanilla-y taste. This definitely falls in the fruit beer category for me, but I like it. (This is unusual.)

After the initial few sips, I start noticing the bourbon influence, and it takes on a slightly woodsy element. It's warming. I think I like this beer a lot. It's an unusual beer.

Scavenger Hunt - GO!

Boulevard's Smokestake Series limited run of Saison-Brett appears to have run it's course, so if you can find any, now is the time to start hoarding.

Boulevard's Smokestack Series limited run of the Bourbon Barrel Quad has begun. Go, go now. (pic stolen from MuddyMo who beat us all to it last night.)


A little reminder for you all from a July 1st release (BeerNews):
Saison-Brett will be released to the tune of less than 12,000 bottles and BBQ even more limited at approximately 7000. Each bottle will be individually numbered. The beers will be released into the same distribution channel as the other Smokestack beers. According to John Bryan, Director of the Artisanal Division, that channel includes the following states: MO, KS, NE, IA, ND, SD, MN, WY, IL, AR, OK, TN, and TX. Perhaps most remarkable about this group of limited releases is that they are released in a number of states that have traditionally not been known for carrying a great selection of higher quality craft beers.

Snow Cap Review

I bought a sixer of Pyramid's Snow Cap Ale last week, and I am a fan. It is a winter-warmer ale, and has an ABV of 7%, so I never drank more than one at a time. The Pyramid sites says:

A rich, full-bodied winter warmer crafted in the British tradition of holiday beers. This deep mahogany colored brew balances complex fruit flavors with a refreshingly smooth texture, making Snow Cap a highly drinkable and desirable cold weather companion.

Beer Advocate members rate it as a solid "B," not amazing, but not bad. I gave it an "A-." It's smooth, malty, toffee-coffee goodness, with a tiny bit of spiciness. It is good. I dig it. I love amber, malty, yummy goodness meant for chilly evenings. And I am extremely happy that I didn't pick up the Shiner holiday brew instead. Even though Lee is a fan, I can guarantee I wouldn't have the same reaction. Me & fruity beers just are not a match.

Hell's Bell's, people

PR people want my readers to know things. They email me, so I post them. It's practically a public service I provide here. Jessica, from Obsidian PR, which apparently handles either the Flying Saucer or Bell's, sent me the following email. Consider yourselves invited.

The Flying Saucer will present a beer tasting featuring Bell’s Brewery next Monday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. I thought you might be interested in this for your blog.

The event will be hosted by Jim O’Connor, a territory manager for Bell’s Brewery. O’Connor will host the two-hour tasting, which will feature six of Bell’s Brewery’s beers – the Third Coast Old Ale, the Porter, the Kalamazoo Stout, the Special Double Cream Stout, the Cherry Stout and the Expedition Stout. The beers will be paired with four select cheeses and a dessert. Tickets for the event can be purchased at The Flying Saucer and are $30 for U.F.O. Club members and $35 for non-members.

Stay Thirsty, My Friends

Has everyone seen the Dos Equis ads, featuring the World's Most Interesting Man? He doesn't always drink beer, but when he does, he prefers Dos Equis. Well, I was channel surfing last night, and apparently a couple of moons aligned, with HD Channel Mojo needing content and Euro RSCG, the agency for Heineken (aka Dos Equis) needing a place to air a branded show, looking for an assistant for the fictional character, the World's Most Interesting Man. The site is here, where you can vote for who should win the assistant spot. (I voted for Ella on principal, since she was the only chick.)

Beer Drinkers = Individualists

According to some crazy study done by some marketing professors at the University of Texas at San Antonio, the stereotype of the rugged individualist who enjoys tipping back a few might not be so off the mark. They found that places where individualism is valued over the collective good also tend to be places where a lot of beer is consumed.

Read it all here, you rugged individualists.

Aaaaand, I'm back

Still digging out from Unread Email Mountain, trying to convince the dog that we really were always going to come back for him, slathering lotion on burned skin and dieting from spending that much time at an all-inclusive. But it was awesome. Just the right balance of sun, sand, sea spray & beverages needed to get me thru the next handful of crazy weeks before a long holiday break.

Back to the Beach

Our entire company is picking up and headed to Cancun next week. There may be some good beer available. There may not be. I might stick to brightly colored blended drinks served frosty on the beach. Catch ya on the flip side.

Friday Fun Day

Crappy camera phone pics from the Brooksider, sometime after 2 pm. Yes, we're retarded.

Numbers night for a numbers geek

I am watching the results roll in with a Boulevard Pale Ale, with one eye on a very sick dog and the other on the TV. No matter the results of the election, I am damn proud of our "young americans" who turned out in historically shattering numbers to rock the vote. I proudly wore my "I Voted" sticker all day, even though I did not take advantage of the freebie offers from Chik-fil-a, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, McCoy's Public House or that body piercing place in Kirksville, MO.

Let's Go To The Movies

Let's go to the movies
Let's go see the stars.
Red lights holler
deep Depression
What do we care?
Movies are there!
Only happy endings (boy gets girl, yes)
that's our recipe!
Welcome to a lovely
M-O-V-I-E!

Yeah, I was 6 years old when Annie came out in theaters, and this song is ingrained in my memory, shuddup.

Last night I was invited to a sneak peek event for the new AMC Theatres Fork & Screen concept in Olathe. It officially opens to the public on Friday, October 31st. I got to bring the husband, and we raced home to let the dog out and get all the way out to Olathe by 6:45, when we were to check in. We loitered around the lobby with a collective of other bloggers while we received a press kit, were highly encouraged to snap pictures, twitter and post anything we wanted about the event and venue. Being the lazy blogger you all know me to be, I twittered some, snapped some camera phone pics, and am posting a review almost a full day after the fact. There are a lot of super dedicated bloggers that took high res pics you can view, like I, Shane 's Flickr feed, Scene Stealers' blog, KC Word of Mouth blog, etc, etc.

First of all, let me say that MacGuffins, the bar, looks really really cool. Glamorous, even. I posted the beer list here earlier, along with links to their menus, and yes, I did have a Guinness. I paid for it too. Which they unfortunately poured into a frosty glass, but hey, you can't expect everyone to be a beer snob, can you? The bartender was nice & friendly, which overwrites many sins in my mind. Next time I'll ask for a pint glass that wasn't just pulled out of a freezer. Lucky for me it warmed up quickly.



So why is it called MacGuffins? According to AMC's wonderful tour guide Andy, AND the walls where it was clearly spelled out for all to see, a MacGuffin is a term Alfred Hitchcock coined, and no one outside of film students & movie theater corporate employees probably know. But that might change if more people go to MacGuffins. Wikipedia has an entry for it. It is a plot device that advances the story line, motivating the characters, but the specifics of the object matter very little. Perhaps that is true about the bar as well. It motivated me to love the Fork & Screen, but the specifics of it didn't matter all that much to me.

We were given a buffet of appetizers to sample, which beyond quesadillas and pizza, consisted entirely of fried items. Tasty, to be sure but still all fried. The booths at MacGuffins are borderline sound proofed, so you really get the sense that no one in that cavernous space would hear an intimate conversation.

After that interlude, the well spoken Tour Guide Andy, who I strongly suspect did a stint at Disney at some point in his life, took us into a premium CinemaSuites theatre, where we all plopped down in big, red, leather, cushy recliners and celebrated our luck. Unfortunately, we were not to be able to STAY in the nice theatre, and were escorted back to a Fork & Screen theatre, minus the recliners. Sigh. But honestly? You pay $10 extra for a big cushy chair, and have less people in the theater with you. Roughly 70 people less. It's quieter. But it's still $10 more, each. The Fork & Screen experience is still good, by all theatre standard. There is something like 4 feet of clearance between the back of your chair, and the next row. There are NO feet on the back of your chair. There is a little cocktail table/counter that runs across the front of each row, and servers swing by to see if you'd like a drink, a little snack, anything. It's awesome. Slightly distracting, but you get over it quickly.

We got a $10 appetizer order of chicken fingers, and the husband ordered another beer, and our total in the theater was $14. Considering we can drop $20 for big drinks & popcorn on a usual outing, this is not bad at ALL!! As a childless couple that do not go to the movies all that often, or at least not in the evenings/at night, this really might get us to consider it more often.

I had to do it. I Googled it again. God almighty, KC bloggers are some timely bastards.I swear I am the last to post. But on the other hand, I found a picture of myself being an antisocial geek. That's the problem with some "social" media people. More media, less social. So here I am twittering, playing with my phone, Guinness waiting for me on the side. Sorry ramseym, I stole your pic.

A post in which I bite the hand that feeds

I got ANOTHER tasty present in the mail this month, from the PR company that does work for Newcastle. I appreciate presents. Who doesn't?! So I'll tell you all about what I got, and I am going to offer my personal 2 cents on the whole thing.

Every now & then the life of a beer blogger includes a good smack on the forehead with the realization that you simply forgot about a brand of beer. Like wiped it out of your memory. Like it was one of your gateway beers in the 90's, when you were labeled a snob for not drinking frat party keg beer, and you haven't tasted it since. Newcastle, Fat Tire, and JW Dundee's Honey Brown all fall into this category for me.

I received a full 6 pack of Newcastle, along with a few sample tips and pages from Newcastle Brown Ale's Holiday MAN-ual. Meaning it's a manual for men to get thru the holiday season. Tips include how to toast (do tell, don't tell), how gifts say a lot about how you feel about the recipient, personal attire tips (Don't wear a sweater that screams, "Look at me, I'm a walking parade float.") and the basics of hosting a party. The funniest thing, IMO, was their recommendation to include wine & liquor in any party, and not JUST serve Newcastle.

The other pages seemed to be printed off of a master book (the Man-ual) included a recipe for something called a beer-nog shooter (yes, a separated shot of beer & egg nog) and a cheese and beer fondue. The fondue DOES include both bacon and beer, and that's manly, right? I want to know, gentlemen readers, would you really make a fondue for a party at your place?

My feedback is personal, because I work in marketing, in the WOM arena, did interactive advertising for years, and still work with others who do blogger seeding now. I'm outing myself, and possibly limiting future presents of the tasty variety. I apologize to Liz in advance, and DO thank you for the free brews. I enjoyed them, and will definitely post a dedicated review.

I appreciate the sentiment, and probably even the brainstorm that took place somewhere in El Segundo to come up with the idea overall. But the name "Man-ual" strikes manly-man beer connotations for me, more like the MGD audience, not Newcastle's perceived refined, educated target. I also strongly believe that the full MAN-ual really should be living online if bloggers are to leverage it well, with the capability for links, for traffic drivers, to generate more interest from a like-minded audience of beer blog readers. It would have been much more beneficial if it had been further fleshed out. I got super busy, & didn't ask for high res images to post here, although they offered. Maybe it would have helped just to post them to a site, and let bloggers access them if they were willing?

Perhaps I am critical because I only see a small window of the whole effort. I hope the MAN-ual gets more support than this small blogger outreach. I still enjoyed Newcastle Brown Ale more than anything else in my fridge, and I PROMISE to post a dedicated review of the beer soon.

Fork & Screen

If anyone has been out to the AMC Theatres Olathe Studio 30 location in the Kansas City area in the last few months, you are aware that there are some changes coming. They are adding a movie & dinner experience, called the Fork & Screen, to an entire wing of the multi-plex. I've been invited out to a sneak peak/tour at the end of October, so I thought I would pass on what I know so far.

A bar/lounge called MacGuffins will be located next to the auditoriums, and their future menu is already posted here. I figured their pricing would be high, based on the fact that we can spend $20 on drinks & popcorn for 2, but it isn't quite as scandalous. They have a large number of specialty cocktails, but I skipped straight to the beer. A pint or bottle of premium beer is quoted at $4.89. Premium means Boulevard, Sam Adams, Fat Tire or Guinness on tap or Boulevard, Sam Adams, Stella Artois, Amstel Light, Bass, Corona, Guinness, Heineken or Blue Moon in bottles.

The other concept is called CinemaSuites, and features reserved seating, recliners, and in-theatre dining. This is the high end part. Cinema Suites will feature in-theatre Seat-Side Service and is reserved for guests at least 21 years old. Pricing for the Cinema Suites experience is $15.00 Monday through Thursday and Friday, Saturday and Sunday before 4:00pm, and $20.00 Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holidays after 4:00pm. Cinema Suites guests will also receive a $5.00 coupon to be used toward their dining experience. So what does the food look like for this part? Menu is here, and looks like general casual dining - sandwiches, burgers, lots of apps and a few entrees.

Oktoberfest @75th Street

Bring your friends & fraus for:

Outdoor Seating
LIVE local music
All the wurst German Eats
[bratwurst, knockwurst, sauerkraut, braised cabbage, German potato salad, GIANT Bavarian pretzels & chocolate cake]

Pints of stein-wothy beers
[75th Street's Imperial Oktoberfest, Bitburger Pilsner & Warsteiner & Paulaner Oktoberfest brews]

Boulevard gives the best presents

Boulevard is like the childless aunt and uncle you had when you were a kid. They give the BEST presents. (Although admittedly, as a really young girl, I didn't fully appreciate the Sergio Valente jeans my aunt gave me for my birthday one year. I could have only been 5 years old at the time.)

But Boulevard did better than Sergio Valente jeans. They gave beer bloggers a big Smokestake Series-sized bottle of a stout they are working on. It was available for pickup after 3 pm yesterday, and I lost track of time, as I am prone to do. I called their front desk at 5 minutes before 5 pm and begged Amy to wait a few minutes past 5 for me. I was there in 4 minutes. :) THANK YOU AMY!!


I really wanted to enjoy it while watching the debate last night, and graciously shared it with my husband. (I am not so gracious w/beer at times, so I felt I earned extra points for this.) The bottle included a note of thanks for blogging about Boulevard (of course) and some info about the brew contained within. It is a non-release brew that may become a Smokestack Series beer over time. It is based on an Imperial Russian Stout, fermented w/Belgian yeast, and contains a whole variety of hops, malted barleys, rye and oats. Imperial Russian Stout definition from BeerAdvocate:

Inspired by brewers back in the 1800's to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volumes and plenty of malt character. Low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavours. Often dry. Suggestions of dark fruit and flavors of higher alcohols are quite evident. Hop character can vary from none, to balanced to aggressive.


It poured prettily, with a thick pillowy head that took some time to settle down. Good! It left lacing along the glass throughout. Good! It smelled like roasted goodness, with a healthy hint that this beer has teeth. I could tell it would be heavy in ABV from a sniff. It was 9%, which makes sense with the style. First sip was good, echoing the roasted, burnt smell, a little bitter, perhaps from a hops bite, and dry. Very dry. I kept associating the alcohol burn with the bitter taste, but I couldn't tell you if that is really what it WAS. I thought it was MUCH more bitter, bite-y, and dry in the first few sips. By the time we finished the bottle, I was really enjoying it, finding more sweet and roasted elements than harsh.

I really liked this beer. My husband REALLY liked this beer, and that doesn't always happen with ye old beer blog selections. More often than not, one glass is more than enough for him, but this time he wanted half of whatever was left. Which, again, graciously, I shared. I think it was the bite. He's always been a decent hop head, just not into Belgians, I suppose.

Thank you SO MUCH, friends at Boulevard. The Big Stout was awesome, and I am so happy to hear that you all are working on new artisan beers to add to the Smokestack Series over time. It was cool to be included in that process, even to a small degree.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Fire strikes Free State's production plant

I received the following email today from the Free State Brewery in Lawrence, KS. While I am happy for them that no one was hurt, this must be a big hit. I doubt that hops are insurable.

Dear Friends,

I’m sure that by now many of you know that a fire struck our nearly completed production plant in East Lawrence this morning. The damage was extensive and we do not know the full extent or implications of the fire damage as yet. The structure is intact as near as we can tell, although we will not know the full story until we are able to have engineers come in for a full assessment.

The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation and we are leaving that evaluation to the experts. Fortunately, the building was not occupied at the time and there were no injuries to anyone involved in the fire fighting effort.

Although we lost a substantial inventory of raw ingredients stored in the building, we are still able to continue production at our current levels downtown. What is now on hold is the planned expansion of our wholesale production and distribution. Needless to say, this is a significant setback, as we were hoping to begin brewing in the next couple of weeks.

Finally, our heartfelt thanks to all of our friends who pitched in or offered their help as we struggled to evaluate the situation today. Our thanks also, to the Lawrence Fire Department who handled the situation with professionalism and kindness. We were impressed with their efforts. As a community, we should be proud of these men and women for their service. We will keep you apprised as we move along and as answers appear.

Sincerely,

Steve Bradt

Notes and stuff

I received a happy note via MySpace this week. (This is why I keep a MySpace profile around, to all of you people who tell me about how they delete their profiles from "dead" social networking sites!)

We have a special treat that we're making available to a select number of bloggers and beer reviewers who have covered Boulevard in the past. If you can send me your full name & address I can mail it to you, or if you would prefer I can leave it for you to pick up at our front desk. Hint: it's delicious.
Cheers,
Marketing & Communications Manager

Cheers, indeed! I love delicious presents, offered to me for no reason other than the fact I have a beer blog that some misguided individuals check on from time to time. I promise to report whatever it is they share with me.

I went to a dinner party last night. It was all very grown up and perfect, with awesome food, fabu wine, even dishes being washed while dinner was being made. Very impressive, you two. When people come to my house, I give them pizza or something else from a box, and still manage to end up with a sink full of dirty dishes the next morning. I know, I don't know how I do it. But it was quite fun, and I can't thank them enough. There was even a chocolate cake made with Fort Collins Brewery Chocolate Stout. That was the best, ever. I had a beer too many, didn't ask for the recipe, and probably didn't thank my hosts enough for all of the trouble. Nice, eh?

Tonight we're sipping on some Avery Redpoint Ale. Yes, drinking it because of my previous post. Neither me nor my husband can face more drinking any more of the pumpkin beers in the fridge, and we had more than a few Octoberfests lately. We needed something different, but still fall-appropriate. The Redpoint is a filtered, coppery ale that foamed up out of the bottle as soon as I flipped the top off, but resulted in a relatively thin head when poured into a glass, and disappeared entirely shortly there after. The nose is malty and nutty, with the promise of some kind of hoppiness to compensate. It is an APA, after all. The first sip is caramel and toastiness, and then with a slightly dry bit of hops. Maybe something sweet and fruity? It isn't terribly complex, but it is good. I dig it. The husband digs it. Hurray. Another beer to add to the "we both love this beer" list, beyond Sam Adams Light and Boulevard Pale Ale.

Flying Saucer on Monday the 13th

I received the following email, and thought you all might like to know. In my own long standing tradition of working too much and being totally overscheduled, I won't be able to attend. If you do, let me know how it was!


The Flying Saucer in the Power & Light District will be hosting “The Avery Experience” on Monday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. The event will be hosted by Adam Avery, president and brewmaster of Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colo. It will be a two-hour event featuring 15 of Avery’s beers.

Featured beers will be distributed in sample-sized servings and will include Karma Belgian Ale; White Rascal Belgian Wheat Ale; India Pale Ale, an American IPA; Ale to the Chief, Avery’s new “Presidential” Pale Ale; Fifteen, Avery’s latest anniversary ale; Salvation Belgian Strong Golden Ale; The Reverend Belgian Quadrupel Ale; Hog Heaven Barleywine; The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale 2008; The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest 2008; The Czar Imperial Stout 2003; Samael’s Oak-aged Ale 2008; The Best Grand Cru Ale 2004 and Mephistopheles’ Stout 2006. The beers will be paired with select meats and cheeses.

As Avery is one of the country’s leading craft breweries, it’s pretty exciting to have the president of the company host this event and for customers to be able to taste so many Avery beers in one sitting.

All you can drink for $5

GenKC is a group of “professionals” in KC who decided that networking groups are stupid and boring, and they really just wanted an excuse to meet cool peeps in KC, you know, and drink. Their first event was in the River Market in June, and over 1,200 KC people in their 20s & 30s showed up. They’ve deemed this idea a success, and are starting to pick up steam.

The next event is tomorrow, at the Power & Light, under the canopy. It’s $5 to get in, free Boulevard beer, and a guaranteed way to meet a ton of people in KC. Link for info is here:

http://genkc.org/event/event_details.htm

If you're gonna drive me crazy, drive me to drink

I am in the middle of closing out my company's fiscal year, so I've been a little caught up. (I know, it doesn't even sound cool. It isn't. Imagine spreadsheets and accounting software and budget projections and nail biting. I fear the tax man. I really do. Did you ever see Stranger Than Fiction? I wanna pull a Maggie Gyllenhaal and scream, "Get BENT, Tax Man!") Soooo, anyway...I haven't been doing the old blogging thing well. There are reviews a-brewin, I promise, so hang in there with me until October. There's a silver lining, and it happens to be good beer.

What's up with the Bulldog?

I will look over there tomorrow, but does anyone know what's up with The Bulldog on Main? The building is listed as up for lease on Block & Company's website. Screen shot of the listing above.

My name is Kiiiiiiiddddddd

Stolen from The Centre Daily Times.
Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd (OTCBB: DKAM), a leading owner, developer and marketer of premium beverages, today announced that the Company has signed an agreement with American icon and rock and roll musician Kid Rock to develop and market a premium domestic beer. Drinks and Kid Rock will work together to develop and bring to market a product targeted to beer drinkers who appreciate value with an easy to drink, traditional, good tasting American manufactured beer.

Bwahahahahahahaha. I can't wait. They think it will be ready by spring. They are, and I quote, "interviewing breweries," now.

It's All About the Benjamins

Right outside of Wrigley Field in Chicago are a number of buildings and rooftops visible from inside the stadium, for both live audiences and those watching on TV. One of them is the "Budweiser Building," a bright rooftop that A-B has used to run a giant billboard for Budweiser since 2004. The building has been sold, and the new owners are using a paperwork excuse to kick Budweiser out, and open the space back up to the highest bidder. In 2004, A-B agreed to pay the previous building's owner about $350,000 a year for the space, with a contract that extended thru Feb 2009. I can only imagine what the new owners think they can get for the space now. From the story in the Chicago Tribune:
The new owners failed to send an invoice for September's lease payment to the Chicago office of Jef Schmidt, Anheuser-Busch's director of marketing, according to the brewer's lawsuit. Schmidt contacted the owner's attorney, who then faxed an invoice, but the letter lacked a contact phone, fax and federal tax identification number needed before a check could be cut, according to the beer maker's lawsuit.
The new owner is saying A-B defaulted because they paid their bill 5 days late, which they only did because they didn't have any information on WHERE to send the money. The building owner just wants to be able to open it up, make it available to whomever will pay the most money each month.

What it used to look like from inside the stadium:


Now the rooftop is all covered up:

Down on your knees

I know! Twice in one year. That's asking a lot.

The 4th annual Falldo Waldo Crawldo is tomorrow, Saturday, September 20th. It is almost exactly like the earlier Waldo Crawldo, except now with more Falldo. And the music on the site was cool in 1997. So apparently it is meant for people in their late 20s/early 30s. Come out! It's safe. It is in Waldo (duh), and now includes TEN of the Waldo bars - 75th Street Brewery, Lew's, Kennedy's, Bobby Bakers, Tanner's, Waldo Pizza, & the Waldo Bar. It starts at 6 pm and goes on as long as you can remain standing.

Blogging is so 5 minutes ago

MillerCoors declares blogging dead.


Discuss.

Holla!

I wanted to say thanks to Jules Crittenden. His apparently QUITE popular blog put me & my silly little blog in a post, and he's been sending me traffic. Muchas gracias! I hope he sees this, because WordPress doesn't like me today, and I couldn't comment. Boo.

I've been extolling the virtues of the Milk Stout quite heavily lately. I think I've sold a few 6 packs. You're welcome, Left Hand!

Men's Journal has an article in their Oct issue that contains the Best Beers of 2008. I haven't read it. And they haven't posted it online. But I will find it, and share what I can, whenever that is. In the meantime, let me know if it is worth the "newsstand price."

Oh No They Didn't!

I saw this on Fuggled , and it was in the New York Times, last week. All I can say is if I got a ticket for drinking a beer on my own front step, I would be angry. Drinking in public = wandering down the street. Sitting on a deck, a stoop, or in front of an open window of your own home shouldn't be considered "public," IMHO.

A 39 year old Prospect Heights resident, who lives in a four-story, 20-unit co-op building with his wife and two children was ticketed for drinking a beer on his own stoop. He had watched Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s speech at the Democratic convention on television, helped put his sons to bed and washed the dishes. The time was 11:52 p.m., the date was Aug. 27, and the beer, for the record, was a 12-ounce bottle of Sierra Nevada.

A police car slowed to a stop, and the police officer in the driver’s seat said something to Mr. VanRy. He left the stoop, walked to the car and, several minutes later, was handed a small pink slip — a $25 summons for drinking in public. The officer who gave Mr. VanRy the summons asked him what brand of beer he was drinking. “I thought it was strange why it mattered,” Mr. VanRy said.

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Like Chocolate Milk

I grew up as an allergied kid. I always had the sniffles, and had to have some dramatic surgery to make my head all better when I was about 6 which involved my nasal cavity. I know, gross. Turned out that I and my younger brothers are allergic to bovine dairy. Yeah. Milk. And all milk products. Don't tell me about your lactose intolerance, it is NOT the same thing. Children that can't eat ice cream or cheese pizza are going to live their entire adult lives feeling like something was missing.

I try to fill that void with beer, apparently, and I found one I think I heart. I picked up a grab bag of goodies from Rimann this weekend, after a co-worker asked me how she could find a beer that tasted like chocolate. Since I had it on the brain, I picked up some random chocolate stouts, and one Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout. I drank it, I didn't share it, and if I bought a 6 pack, I might have to protect it from the Husband like a mother bear protecting cubs. It is seriously that good. AND, it is a dark, sweet, CHICK beer. I promise.

It poured out of the bottle into a pint glass very dark brown, almost black coffee. It had puffy and cappuccino-like head. The smell was awesome, like spiked sweet coffee in a glass. Some maltiness, coffee and hot cocoa-like scents.

Taste was sweet. No joke. Not candy-cloying, but definitely sweet. What I found astounding was the real milky taste and mouth feel. I liked the ever-so-slight slight bitter finish.Overall just so smooth. Like chocolate milk. As a kid who could never, ever, drink a whole big tall glass of chocolate milk, this was like manna to me. I loved it. I will drink more.

But in the meantime, I plan to turn my attention to pumpkin and Oktoberfest brews in the immediate future. We're already well into September!

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Buckbean Brew Review

It is about darn time that I posted this review! I had a most enjoyable 3 day weekend, but I left my camera cable at work, and I wasn't about to head into the office on a holiday weekend, just so I could retrieve some beer pics. I hope you all understand. Now, on the the beer! As you may remember, the Buckbean Brewing Company sent me some free beer. This was most exciting.

I also received a large "media kit," aka a folder full of official propaganda on the company. The gist of it was that people who adore beer start their own brewery, and decide that cans are much better for the environment. Probably cheaper too. They seem to only brew two styles/flavors of beer, and I got 2 of each. My husband Paul & I sampled the first two cans on Tuesday. My friend Sheri came over last week to help me finish reviewing the last 2 cans the Buckbean Brewery Company sent to me. I wanted to see if different people had different opinions. The bottom result was not really - Sheri, Paul & I all had similar opinions.

First up was the Original Orange Blossom Ale
The materials sent by the brewing company stated explicitly that this is not a fruit beer. It is made with orange blossom water, but not oranges. Both Paul & Sheri were a bit confused as to why it is not a fruit beer. It tasted like a fruit beer. It smelled a little reminiscent of BLVD's Lunar Ale, a little zesty, like orange flowers. When poured from the pint can into a pint glass, the first can had no head, and the second resulted in a thin head that ended up with minimal to no lacing down the sides of the glass. The taste was also zesty, fruity, a little hoppy, and very much like summery, chick beer. Paul preferred the other beer, so I drank the rest of this one on our first taste test. Sheri liked it a lot, so drank it during the second round. If I lived in Reno, this would probably be my favorite.



The second beer I received was the Black Noddy Lager. Poured into a pint glass, it was suprisingly dark for a lager. I KNOW it has Black in the name, but it reminded us of a Coke pouring out of the can. It smelled like dark caramel mixed with licorice. The mouthfeel was interesting, because due to the dark color, everyone expected it to be thick, but it is not. Very smooth, however. The taste was the great divider. It tasted like malts, and licorice. The after taste was odd and lingering, almost like Good & Plentys. Paul liked it, I thought the after taste was a little too chemical for me, and Sheri despised it, being a non-fan of licorice in any form. Anything dark & chock full of flavor like this works better for me when it is cooler out. The end of August wasn't probably the best time of year to try this one on for size, but all in all, it was still pretty tasty.

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Buckbean Brewing

I received my free cans of Buckbean's Orange Blossom Ale and Black Noddy Lager (2 of each) on Monday. I was so excited, you would think that I would have tried them that night, right? No. I left them in my office overnight. Du'oh! I took them home yesterday & refrigerated them for a bit. The Husband & I both sampled each type of beer last night, and I am saving the last 2 for tonight. Unfortunately, I left my camera with beer pics at home today. (Why yes, there is a theme to this post, and it is forgetfulness. I also drop stuff often, if it makes you feel better to know that too. Awkward turtle, right here. ) So I am going to save any further review/unveiling until I am sitting down with another pint of each all to myself tonight. Stay tuned...

75th Street Brewery

So the 75th St. Brewery is turning 15 years old this week. And there are specials galore. The little blurb below should give you plans for the week. I'd especially like to point out the Home Brew contest on Saturday and 2 for $15 growlers all week long!

Schlitz is making a comeback

It has been all over the papers this month, especially in the Mid-West. This snippet is ripped from an Associated Press article from August 1. Leaning heavily on nostalgia in packaging and marketing messages, I think this could make a splash.

It's the beer that made Milwaukee famous. Now Schlitz is making the city nostalgic.

That beer with the old-time mystique is back on shelves in bottles of its original formula in the city where it was first brewed more than a century and a half ago.

Schlitz was the top-selling beer for much of the first half of the 20th century. But recipe changes and a series of snafus made the beer — in many a drinkers' opinion — undrinkable, turning what was once the world's most popular brews into little more than a joke.

But after decades of dormancy, the beer is back.

Schlitz' owner, Pabst Brewing Co., is recreating the old formula, using notes and interviews with old brew masters to concoct the pilsner again. The maker of another nostalgic favorite, Pabst Blue Ribbon, it hopes baby boomers will reach for the drink of their youth, otherwise known as "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous." They also want to create a following among younger drinkers who want to know what grandma and grandpa drank.

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Saturday in Denver

I ripped everything below from Home Brew Beer, who received an email from Flying Dog directly.

"I just got this message from Steph at Flying Dog...

Hey,

I don't know if you have heard, but our longest standing employee and brewery manager, Mike Freeman, was recently diagnosed with a very serious brain tumor and the most aggressive of its kind! Due to Mike not being able to work and to offset some medical expenses, Mike’s friends and family are hosting a fundraiser. The fundraiser, Rock the Mike: The Freeman Brainefit, is on Saturday, August 23^rd at the old Flying Dog warehouse (24^th and Blake) from 7-2am. We are going to have several bands, free beer from Breckenridge, Great Divide and Flying Dog, free food and a raffle with a $20 cost at the door. All of the proceeds from this event are going to Mike and his fiancée Jennifer.

I was hoping you could help me spread the word in your blog, paper, to your friends, etc. The more people we get in the door, the more money Mike gets!

Please check out the website we set up for him at mikesupport.com.

Thanks for your support!

Cheers,

Stephanie Kerchner

PR and Event Coordinator

www.flyingdogales.com

www.flyingdognews.com

Great Taste, Less Filling

MillerCoors is bringing back the classic “Great Taste, Less Filling” advertising tagline for Miller Lite. “Research has shown the two factors that matter the most to mainstream light beer drinkers are taste and refreshment,” MillerCoors said on Tuesday in a message to distributors.

-- ripped directly from MillerCoors' BrewBlog

The quiz question for you, dear readers, is this.

If Miller Lite = Great Taste, then Coors Light = ___________?

Lunch

I had a BLT and a Fat Tire. What?

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it

My blog traffic is back up to the levels I had in 2005. Who says blogging is dead? It is just now part of a family of things like twitter, plurk, brightkite and the ever present spaces & books. My little beer blog even appears on AllTop's site, under BEER. Which is why we got the glassware giveaway. Yay. This week I was contacted by a PR person, on behalf of the Buckbean Brewing Company, located in Reno, NV. Right now their beers are really only available in Nevada, and not even widely available at that. But they are beating their drums well, and getting good reviews, so who knows what will happen in the future. The best part is that they are going to SEND ME SOME BEER! Whee! I've been at this for 4 years now. This is my first freebie. I'm so excited.

Part of the email I received from Constance, on behalf of the brewer:

Buckbean Brewing Company
We specialize in microbrews, two in particular, The Original Orange Blossom Ale and Black Noddy Larger. Our company prides themselves in being environmentally friendly by packing the beer only in cans. Beer in cans brings a positive spin on the environment because:

• Cans aren’t packed in cardboard, so they don’t have to be rinsed of packing dust, which cuts back on water use
• Cans are lighter than bottles, so they require less fuel to ship. When bottled beer is shipped a truck cannot be completely filled because of weight issues.
• Unlike bottles, cans don’t require energy to be expended on producing and applying glue and labels.
• A case of cans uses about 70% less paper and cardboard than a case of bottles
• Cans are the most easily recyclable material

Locally, we're featured in over a hundred bars and stores, and we're quickly expanding into other regions.

Winner winner chicken dinner

The free glassware contest, sponsored by AwesomeDeals911.com, is closed. All entries were written on scraps of paper, by me.
Then they were folded in half.
Put into this very classy plastic pink hurricane glass left over from the DZ Summer Party.
I stuck my hand in there, and pulled out ONE entry.
Ta da!
sCrockett, you are now the lucky winner of two Piels pilsner glasses! Just shoot me an email with your address, and I will send it on to our lovely giveaway sponsor, AwesomeDeals911.com.

Guaranteed we bring the brouhaha

The American Royal thinks that many Kansas Citians will pay $22 in advance and $27 on the day of to attend a wine & beer tasting event. The first annual “Wine and Brew Ha-Ha” on Saturday, August 9 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm will take place in the Hale Arena on the grounds of the American Royal.

So for $22 you can taste as many as 100 different wines & beers? Interesting. Something for the weekend!

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Free Beer

I was contacted by someone from Awesomedeals911.com, and they'd really like to give something away to the readers of this blog. They offered up a lanyard, two choices of bottle openers, and glassware. I thought the glassware might be the most popular, so that's what I chose.
That means one of you, readers, will get to win some glassware. A set of 2 Tall Pilsner Glasses, 22 oz each, with the Piels brand name emblazoned on the side.

So we need to have a contest. I thought of resuscitating the old name-that-tune game we used to play here, but any mistakes I make in correctly awarding the winner would be a bigger deal now that there really is a prize. So instead, I say leave your answer to my question below in the comments. In one week, on Wednesday, August 6th, I will write down the names of everyone who had the correct answer on pieces of paper and put them into a hat, and pull one winner. We'll document the process. Whoever wins just needs to supply name and shipping address to the people at Awesomedeals911.com, and they'll ship the glasses to you!

Cool?

OK, here's the question:

Piel Bros Beer was founded in what year, and in what city?

ALL ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED 8/6 1:36PM

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Dream Vacation - Beer Town USA

So, who wants to go to Colorado with me before it gets snowy? The "Napa Valley" of beer is Colorado. Denver ranks first in the nation in beer production per capita and second in the number of breweries. There are more than 100 breweries statewide. Breweries include Coors, Anheuser-Busch, Rockies Brewing Co, Bristol, Breckenridge, New Belgium, Aspen, Avery, Great Divide, Odell, and more.

The Great American Beer Festival, in Denver hosts thousands of people every September for tastings, live music and entertainment. **correction - it is Oct 9th-11th, per Lee**Brewmasters compete for coveted medals in more than 58 categories. Farther north, visitors can enjoy the Annual Colorado Brewers' Festival, June, in Fort Collins. Enjoy music, food, games, entertainment and beer sampling. Don't miss the Annual Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, every September. This Colorado favorite combines the best brews with the finest in traditional blues music.

Happy Hour Tonight

I won ANOTHER happy hour at Howl at the Moon in the Power & Light. Sadly, I don't really have 100 friends. Maybe acquaintances. Maybe blog readers. So I will be there, with a small contingent of friends, but with room for many more. If you are interested in free admission, first 2 drinks for $1 each, a complimentary hors d'oeuvres buffet, and live entertainment, please c'mon by! Drink Specials after the first 2 $1 drinks include: $2 Margaritas, Long Islands, Domestics, and $3 House Wine!

Just say you are there for the happy hour with me. :)

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InBev could bring variety to US

There was a story in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend about how InBev's deal with A-B might actually improve the offerings on US store beer shelves. Much like how microbrew fans in the US do not love mega brewers, Europeans who enjoy small local brews also resent InBev for bringing watered down beverages.

At any rate, entertaining read about taste-testing several InBev offerings that could, maybe, someday, make their way to a shelf near you.

MillerCoors keeps a beer blog

And it all about beer industry news. It can be found here.

Today's news is that Bud Light Lime is the top growth brand in supermarkets during the first half of the year, according to beer sales statistics from Nielsen. (Yes, that says supermarkets, meaning that this doesn't necessarily account for TOTAL sales. In some states, you can ONLY buy beer at supermarkets, while in others you cannot at all. SO the kind of people that pick up beer at the grocery store, tend to like Bud Light Lime. I don't buy beer at the grocery store, but I AM a fan of Bud Light Lime.)

The new lime line extension -- (which follows MillerCoors is quick to note debuted WELL after Miller Chill) -- moved nearly 1 million cases in the period ended June 28, according to beer market analysis from Nielsen. What makes that more impressive is that Bud Light Lime didn’t hit the market until late April.

Overall, A-B placed nine brands among the fastest growing brands in the first half of the year. Besides Bud Light Lime they were: Michelob Ultra (5), Busch Light (6), Land Shark Lager (7), Bud Light Clamato (8), Michelob Golden Draft Light (12), Bacardi Silver (16), Bud Clamato (17) and Busch (19).

MillerCoors placed seven brands on the list, including three of the top five. They are: Coors Light (2), Keystone Light (3), Miller Chill (4), Blue Moon seasonals (5), Blue Moon Belgian White Ale (13), Coors Banquet (14) and Miller Genuine Draft Light (24).

Mexican imports had a strong showing: Tecate Light (18), Tecate (20), Modelo Especial (22), Coronita Extra (23) and Dos Equis (25).

Other brands on the top 25 include: Yuengling (10), Stella Artois (11), Heineken Premium Light (15) and Samuel Adams seasonal (21).

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Blondes in Prairie Village

Prairie Village Beer Tasting Thursday, July 17th

THE BLONDES OF SUMMER Rimann Liquors of Prairie Village
3917 Prairie Lane Thursday July 17, 2008 6:00 - 9:00 PM Come meet the "Blondes of Summer"... the Belgian Blondes... along with other light, summer ales to quench your thirst during the Dog Days of Summer. Join us in the Party Shop for a tasting of these refreshing brews: Brigand Blonde, Kastel Rouge, K-O Blonde and Kastel Blonde Tripel. We will also be tasting Unibroue Ephemere, an apple ale reminiscent of Granny Smith and McIntosh Apples. And since it's the Dog Days, man's best friend is invited also! Mark your calendars in the weeks to come for the following fun "Third Thursday" events in Prairie Village: "Class Act on Tomahawk" on Thursday August 21, "Girls' Night Out" on September 18 and "Harvestfest" on October 16.

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Alcoholism is not funny

Summer Beer Cocktail

Part shandy, part bug-juice, part WT answer to sangria, and always a good time, below is the recipe for summer fun in a big pitcher, ripped directly from Thomas Lin's Facebook note:

12oz can of frozen lemonade
12oz Vodka
6 cans of beer

Stir together the lemonade and vodka to dissolve the lemonade well. Pour in 6 cans of beer and give it a light stir to mix.

Feel free to use cheap vodka and cheap beer. You can't tell with the lemonade in there. It's tasty and has a kick.

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Summer beers

The deck is open for the season at the Casa de Soseman. Which means you're welcome anytime, just bring a sixer of something interesting with ya! I have a stockpile of beer koozies, and a yard that dogs love to play in.

To date, our backyard tastings have included the following fluffy beers:

Bud Light Lime - Domestically produced, sweeter Corona, good with Tex Mex
Coors/Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale - Sweet, lightly carbonated, good with spicy BBQ
Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy - Totally tastes like lemonade & beer. Dangerously easy to drink. Light and not too sweet.

Most of these are borderline beer cocktails. Light, girly, sometimes fruity or sweet, but always refreshing and kept well chilled. They all seem to go well with KC humidity and fresh off the grill eats. They also make good use of the limited hops available this year.

Here are all the beers I still want to consume before this deck season gets much later:
Boulevard's Zon
Pyramid's Curve Ball
Sam Adams Summer
Sierra Nevada Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

So what have you seen lately you want to try? What have you tried and want to share with the class?

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Beer for the weekend?

Matt Gardner was on the local KC Fox morning news show, talking about pairing the right beer with your weekend munchies. Catch the video here


My recommendation is to BBQ, and to drink some ice cold beer. Put it in a koozie, enjoy the sunshine, and say Happy Birthday America by blowing something up.

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On your knees

Waldo Crawldo is this Saturday. It is in Waldo (duh), and includes all of the Waldo bars - 75th Street Brewery, Lew's, Kennedy's, Bobby Bakers, Tanner's, Waldo Pizza, & the Waldo Bar. It starts at 6 pm and goes on as long as you can remain standing. Tickets are on sale now at any of these locations for $5, and will go up to $10 on the day of the event. The bars will have drink specials all crawl-long, and there will be many chances to enter to win gift cards, limo services, spa days, pub crawls for friends, etc.

If you haven't been back to Kennedy's since the fire, now would be a good time to go! It'll be fun, there will be lots of your friends there, and no shortage of taxis to get you home. Or someone else's home. Whatever.

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Right in my own backyard

What kind of a midwestern beer blogger would I be not to weigh in on this news? I know everyone heard about it already, and everyone has an opinion, from Bull @ the KC Beer Blog, to George Parker over at AdScam

I think big, old, American business institutions, including our friends in STL, have probably created some sort of giant corporate hairball over the years, and I am not above believing they should probably get some sort of a "correction" like this. I am not touching the topics of Unions, American pride, US owned companies, etc. Not with a 10 foot pole. I think anyone trying too hard to fight for US only production of anything is fighting a losing battle. We're global consumers already people. ANYway.

I know no one in STL would like for their big brewer, the supporter of 90% of all their professional sports, the fun cash cow, to be taken over in a hostile bid by a foreign company. So for their local economy, and the feeling of ownership over a monster that holds 48.5% of the national beer sales, I know it is not a fun prospect for them. Did you know that Auggie Busch managed to take home $12.2 million dollars in 2007? Yeah. Article doesn't mention the helicopter...

I think Modelo has to have a very vested interest in all of this, knowing that AB owns a significant share of their company now. What does that mean for Modelo if InBev is successful? Would Modelo really just sit back to see what happens? Would a merger with AB be beneficial for them, or more for AB? No idea. But it is all interesting. If you're more educated on all of this than I am, please, share your thoughts.