beergirl

We're big fans of Rogue. We stayed almost a week in Newport last December and had a great time with the "Rogues" in town. Between Thanksgiving, 2003, and Easter, 2004, we managed to visit all the Micro Meeting Halls (Newport, Portland, Issaquah, San Francisco.) A couple of years ago, we stayed at the Rogue Bed & Beer in Newport - can you imagine having Rogue as your living room! I think John Maier is a wonderful brewer. Over the years he has created some truly great beers. My favorite is still Old Crustacean (but I admittedly love barleywines.)

I suspect that beer discussions on this board aren't necessarily indicative of the average beer enthusiast's discussions. The focus of this board is food. The wine industry has done a bang-up job of getting folks to think of wine and food together. The idea of beer and food pairings is really in it's infancy in the US (and I suspect the make-up of this forum is largely US). I hesitate to point to other forums in this type of discussion, but you may want to check out some of the "beer focused" forums out on the web: Beer Advocate Burgundian Babble Belt Rate Beer

I found it and several folders from trips that haven't been gone through/cleaned out - now I have work to do. It was at the Monk's Cafe 2002 Holiday Dinner. The second course was foie gras salad (foie gras, roasted beets and gogonzola cheese with Aass Juleol dressing). The beers served with that course were Aass Juleol and Gouden Carolus Speciale.

And, as we discuss this look what is happening in West Palm Beach - The Beer Guy

Wow, you ask great questions that require some thought. I'm not sure comparing beer and wine this way really works. As you noted, wine producers are at the mercy of nature (i.e., the main raw material, grapes, can vary greatly from harvest to harvest.) That really isn't the case with most of the ingredients in beer. Yes, hops and grain will vary some but not quite like wine. So, once a recipe is designed it tends to be static. I think if you change a variable (hop variety, grain bill, etc.) what you have is a new beer. There are some small brewers who brew beers under the same label but knowingly make changes each brew. A couple of examples are Fantome (Belgium - practically every beer Dany Prignon brews ) and Dogfish Head (Delaware - World Wide Stout). Another way that brewers do something like you suggest is to create a "one-off" beer based on a standard recipe. These are most often draft only (limited market). But, even in those cases they come up with a new name. Additionally, beer is a food stuff. The shelf life of the average beer really isn't that long. It's brewed to be served and gone - not much time to create a buzz that has folks looking for more. And, generally, beer doesn't travel well. There is a lot of truth in the phrase often seen in breweries, "Think globally, drink locally." As to regulatory reasons, there are a lot of strange rules for labelling alcohol. I wouldn't be surprised that if you start showing ingredients (which you would want to if you're trying to create interest by varying them) you have to reprint labels and go through the approval process once again which can be incredibly frustrating. Most small breweries could not afford to do that for every batch of beer brewed. Well, those are my thoughts. BTW, give Orval another try or three. It tends to grow on you.

As we all know, you can put anything on a label but it doesn't necessarily make it so. Based on BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) guidelines, Bass falls into the Bitter and English Pale Ale category - reference BJCP Style Guide From the AOB (Association of Brewers) style guideline for 2004, it seems to fall into the Classic English-Style Pale Ale category. The ABV (alcohol by volume) and IBUs (International Bitterness Unit) are a little low to be classified an India Pale Ale. Many of you probably know this but just in case you didn't, Bass is now owned by Coors.

A possible start would be to write your local newspaper's food editor and request more articles on beer. I'd be willing to bet there is at least one column a week on wine. Of course, you may have to educate the food editor first! (BTW, I admit I've thought about doing this but never gotten around to it. Maybe this will give me the push I need to write something.) Of course, you're in the Philly area so you do have Joe Sixpack's column. And, Philly is a pretty beer rich area.

Definitely Pale Ale, see Bass Pale Ale Description/Reviews

I would assume so as Anheuser-Busch does it all over the world. And I believe one of their marketing points is that Bud tastes the same no matter where you drink it. A lot of folks don't realize that the Foster's they drink here in the US is brewed in Canada. There are surely many other examples. I don't follow what is going on in the beer factories very closely. It has been years since I had one of the mainstream lagers. I guess I treasure my beer calories too much to use them for something that really doesn't appeal to me.

First, the chains.... We don't really frequent any of them as there's not one really close to us. It probably wouldn't be fair to comment on them (although Ray may!) But, we do have several favorites around the country that we make it a point to visit and revisit and revisit, etc. In no particular order (so no feelings get hurt), they are: Nodding Head in Philadelphia - great on all three counts (beer, food and atmosphere). Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - it's hitting on all three cylinders as well. Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, PA - another one we love to spend hours in that has all the bases covered. Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver, CO - good beer, great food, great atmosphere. Bull & Bush Pub & Brewery in Denver, CO - another one shining in all three areas. Rogue Public House in Newport, OR - loads of Rogues on tap and fun atmosphere with good (not great) food. Jack of the Wood Pub/Green Man Ales in Asheville, NC - super atmosphere, good beer, great food. Hunter-Gatherer in Greenville, SC - great atmosphere with good food and beer.

Here are some beer styles that I think make good "training" beers and examples you might be able to find of each. I hesitate to suggest a specific beer as I don't know what is available in your market. Belgian Wit (or white) Beer: Wit Beer Choices Saison/Bière de Garde: Saison/Bière de Garde Choices Alt Beer: Alt Choices Kölsch: Kölsch Beers Hefewiezen: Hefewiezen Choices Scottish Ale: Scottish Ale Choices Pale Lager: Pale Lager Choices Those should keep you busy for a while!

How's about one word: eSaver!

Blackened Voodoo is a dark lager. Here's a great list of other dark lagers to choose from: Top 50 Dark Lagers Dos Equis is referred to as an amber or Vienna lager. Check out these other beers in the same style to find more to try: Top 50 Vienna/Amber Lagers And, Bass Ale is designated a pale ale (and definitely a shadow of its former self). Comparative pale ales to choose from: Top 50 Pale Ales Choose your poison!

For starters, I don't remember Boddington's being hoppy - more like bland. As to PNW beers, no they are not all overhopped. There are many fine beers from the PNW that I don't consider hoppy - Pyramid Hefeweizen, Pyramid Tilted Kilt Scotch Ale, Pyramid Apricot Ale, Dick's Belgian Double, Dick's Silk Lady, Dick's Double Diamond Winter Ale, Dick's Barleywine, Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger Christmas Ale, Bridgeport Old Knucklehead Barleywine, Deschutes Jubelale, Full Sail Wassail, Hair of the Dog Rose, Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws, Rogue Chamomile Ale, Rogue Half-a-Weizen, Rogue Honey Cream Ale, Rogue Yellow Snow, Widmer Der Uber Tuber, Widmer Hefeweizen, Pelican Bridal Ale, Pelican Kiwanda Cream Ale, Siletz Spruce Ale, Laurelwood Vinter Varmer, Lucky Lab Ludwig's Alt, McMenamin's Kris Kringle, Far West Ireland Belgian Tripple, and so on and so on.......

Let's just say uninformed. Believe it or not many beer enthusiasts and a few chefs out there, have come to the conclusion that beer is quite often the better choice as an accompaniment to food. I can't enter that argument first because I don't care for wine (yes, yes, I am a Luddite) and second I'm not much of a foodie. To really learn more about it, I must again suggest reading The Brewmasters' Table by Garrett Oliver (there's nothing in it for me). It is a great way to learn about beer styles AND foods that go with them.

Ah, cellaring...if you have room and want to, go for it. Most of the higher gravity beers can hold up to cellaring. Many old ales, barleywines, imperial stouts, etc. are intended to be held for a while - Thomas Hardy as an example was barely drinkable (pre-O'Hanlon and my opinion only) upon release. Given a few years it matures and becomes very nice. I have, however, come to the conclusion that highly hopped beers are not the best candidates regardless of gravity. If you liked the beer initially because of the hop aroma and taste, you're likely to become disappointed as these characteristics mellow. Small breweries (which are the ones that tend to brew beers suitable for cellaring) generally do not have the facility to store/age beers prior to release. They rely on the consumer to decide when to break one open. We have been party to the occasional vertical tasting. It is quite fun to see the differences and share thoughts with others. A few beers that I know folks have used in vertical tastings are vintages of Thomas Hardy, Fuller's Vintage Ale, George Gale's Prize Old Ale, Victory Old Horizontal Barleywine, Victory Storm King Stout, Anchor Our Special Ale, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine, and Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. Most of these (if not all) are seasonally released so one can track their age. Other beer styles that have been successfully cellared are lambics and gueuzes. On a personal note, we've really decided that cellaring isn't our thing and have begun "clearing out".

I believe MJ has done more for craft beer than any other writer that comes to mind. He's been at it a long time. He is still one of the most entertaining speakers we've had the pleasure of hearing (even with or because of the digressions.) I believe he is becoming another victim of that all too American past time of trying to discredit someone who has managed to become successful.

This probably won't come as a big surprise to other women, but my number one pet peeve in a pub is a poorly maintained restroom. Come on, how difficult can it be?! A great pub to me has a good selection of beer - meaning styles - not quantity. Listing Bud, Bud Light, Miller, Miller Lite, Coors, Coors Light, Michelob, Michelob Light, Heineken, Amstel Light, Stella Artois etc. isn't a selection - it's all the same beer with a different marketing program. The area should be reasonably tidy and clean - not anticeptic. I like well-worn pubs that have a cozy feel. I really like there to be hooks under the bar to hang my backpack or jacket on. (I actually look and usually comment on whether there are any or not.) I like there to be a size selection in the beer served (10 oz, 16 oz, 20 oz). I don't always want an imperial pint's worth. I'm sure more will come to me after I post this!

Well, admittedly I'm not much of a foodie. I appreciate good food but it's not really my focus. That said, I think we own almost every beer-themed cookbook published. I've used them rarely as there is little cooking done at home. We often choose to eat where we know we can get a beer we consider worthy. There are many good restaurants with very good beer lists scattered around the world. A couple of our favorites are Monk's Cafe (Philadelphia, PA) and Higgin's (Portland, OR). I'm not sure what you consider "fine". We don't usually indulge in the very expensive, must be dressed to impress types of restaurants as we don't travel with that type of apparel! Probably the best book I've read in a long while about beer and food was published last year. The Brewmasters' Table by Garrett Oliver is well worth the read.

The one that bothers me the most is from your list - huge beer factories buying quality small producers and sucking the life out of them while increasing distribution. But it is one we have little control over. And, the small producers have every right to "cash in" when the offer is right for them. I would like to see the market support them more so they don't feel they have to sell in order to make a living. The lack of distribution doesn't really annoy me as much as it once did because I've come to really enjoy going to another city, state, region and sample the locally produced beers. We've taken to calling our beer hunting "drinking beer in its natural habitat." What would be the point in traveling if I could get everything without leaving home? Now, the three big changes - tough one as I'm not a business type. First, the marketplace (consumers, distributers, etc.) for craft beer needs to accept that a bottle of Dogfish Head Immort Ale SHOULD cost more than a bottle of Budweiser. Many craft or artisinal beers are under-priced. These products generally take more time, ingredients, etc. to produce but are placed in direct competition with beer from the beer factories. Second, the restrictions for mail order and shipment of beer (and wine for that matter) should be loosened to allow small producers to sell directly to their customers. Third, there should be more of an effort to market craft beer to women. I believe there are large numbers of women who would take to craft beer if the current image of beer drinking wasn't being dominated by the big three's view (babes and balls - football, baseball, golf ball, etc.)

Taste is definitely personal but I don't really think there is a gender bias, contrary to popular belief. (I sometimes get annoyed when a server suggests to me that I would like the fruity, light beer.) I believe women may be actually be more adventurous in tasting. I recently read about a study that indicated women in general perceive more subtle flavors and aromas.

My top 5 imperial stouts are Victory Storm King, Rogue Imperial Stout and North Coast Old Rasputin, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Dogfish Head 1999 World Wide Stout. We've done quite a bit of beer shopping over the years and have more in the cellar than we can reasonably drink. The Dogfish Head (4 vintages) and the Victory (3 vintages) were purchased at the breweries. The Brooklyn was most likely purchased at Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits in the DC area. Alas, we are out of the North Coast and the Rogue.

We (my beerdrinking soul mate & I) recently spent 4 nights in San Francisco. The Anchor tour is a good one but you must call in advance (Anchor Brewing Company tour info). Thirsty Bear and San Francisco Brewing are brewpubs and worth at least a stop by for a beer or few. We did not go to Gordon Biersch. Our favorite brewpub of the trip in the city area was Magnolia Pub & Brewery. We spent Sunday brunch there and enjoyed the beers. And, not far from Magnolia is a SF beer institution, The Toronado. It's a bit scruffy and the beertenders aren't always the most entertaining but the beer selection is superb. We learned it was also possible to take a ferry over Marin Brewing Company. We ran out of time or we would certainly have made that trek. We took a tour of some outlying brewpubs and one brewery during one of our days. If you have time, a trip to Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa would be well worth the time as well as Moylan's in Novato. Enjoy the trip. We can't wait to get back there!

Reissdorf Kolsch is imported to the US. I've even found in on tap at Zum Schneider in New York - a great German restaurant and beer bar.

Mountain Sun opened a second location in Boulder called Southern Sun.