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This appeared today on Business Wire. edit to rework link

From the 01/06/04 Washington Post business section: Frederick Brewing, makers of Wild Goose and Blue Ridge beers, will be sold to settle about $3.1 million in debts, the company's court-appointed receiver said. Mark Dottere said he expects to conclude a sale of the Frederick Brewing building and sox-acre property inthe Wedgewood Business Park to an unidentified buyer by late January or early February. The brewing equipment would be sold separately to an operator who would then lease the plant and continue producing beer, Dottroe said. Let me also add that Frederick also brewed the Crooked River line and was the contractor for the 12 oz. bottles for Stoudt's Brewing. In 2002 FB took home a GABF gold for the Crooked River ESB and a bronze for the Wild Goose oatmeal stout. The Crooked River Yuletide Ale was one of my favorite new beers of 2002.

Some of us folks in California are sick of the Arnold-hype. Yet I guess a beer producer in Oregon is going to ride some of the coattails. Story here - in USA Today.

I know, I know, most purists will usher in the New Year with a bottle of bubbly, but for those of us who appreciate beer, New Year's Eve provides an excellent opportunity to crack open a special bottle of BEER! What will it be for you? For me, well I have a case of Lindeman's Cuvee Rene (1994 vintage) that will probably see some damage tonight, as well as a bottle of Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus, as a prelude to the midnight toast I will probably savor the flavor and aroma of an old Thomas Hardy's that is stashed in the back of my beer shelf. Oh, boy, I can't wait! I'm getting thirsty as I post this

Hi folks! At the invitation of our esteemed moderator (Rich), I jumped in here to see what's going on. Looks like fun! I noticed several mentions of DeuS (great beer, BTW). I'm in need of a DeuS glass. I found one during a shopping trip to Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA, but need a second. There'll be no drinking of DeuS around here until my beerdrinking significant other and I both have a glass. Has anyone seen them for sale in your beer shopping? Cheers! Cornelia

Here is my list of my favorite beers I had for the first time in 2003. Bottle: Gold: Deus Silver: Old Dominion Baltic Porter Bronze: MacTarnahan's Blackwatch Bourbon Porter Finishing out the top 10: Three Floyd's Dreadnaught Avery 10 Victory Grand Cru Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA Allagash Summer Ale Stoudt's IPA Tap: Gold: Rock Bottom Arlington 4th Anniversary Ale (imperial IPA) Silver: Fordham's Wizard Wheat (weizenbock) Bronze: Gordon Biersch (DC) Schwarzbier Finishing out the top 10: GB Vienna lager GB hefeweissen Sweetwater Tavern belgian wit RB- Arlington imperial stout John Harvard's DC - imperial stout Sweetwater Tavern (Centreville branch) winter spruce beer Sierra Nevada Rauch beer

Hubby said I didn't need to buy the beer called for in my southwestern chicken stew recipe. Said we had plenty. Well, we have pale ale, Bass ale and some kind of belgian dubble(?). We also have Guinness - which he said not to touch! What would be a suitable substitution here? Since I don't drink beer, I have no idea what taste differences I'm dealing with here. Can I use the ale?

Sampled this while in Philly this past weekend (at Eulogy). Man is this stuff good for the price (found out it's selling here in DC for $5.99 for the large bottle and $8.99 for a six-pack). Will have to try it again before I can really describe it, but it's a nice spiced, darkish brew that reminds me of a mellower abbey-style beer. Complex and interesting.

Saturday, I made the trip up to State Line Liquors in Elkton, MD mainly to but some Old Horizontal (it's having trouble making it to DC). And lo and behold - State Line had Deus. I just had to get some (pricey at almost $24 a bottle). This is a champagne like beer. It goes through a traditional fermentation and maturation in Belgium. Then is goes through a remuage and degorgement in France (can any wine people translate for me?). I am having trouble describing the taste, mainly because I have never tasted anything like it before. All I know is that it is one of the best beers I have ever had. I am friends with the owners of Breaux Vineyards in Virginia. I can hardly wait to share a bottle with them and see how they like it.

Was anyone able to get any of this stuff? They're sold out (in bottles) at the brewery and the one distributor I figured would have it (Beeryard) is also sold out, with a good sized waiting list for the next run of bottles.

From today's Sacbee, an article on holiday brews: Holiday Brews This reminded me of my time working at a brew pup in Victoria and the two seasonal ales available: barley wine (Christmas ale) and ginger ale. Now that I'm living in the bowels of Hell (AKA Sacramento), I'm wondering if there is anywhere to buy ginger ale locally. Can anyone help?

Article here. I particularly like Julie Bradford's (editor of All About Beer magazine) view:

Aside from the monthly beer dinners at Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia, and a less formal monthly one at Waterzooi on Long Island, NY, there are fewer and fewer beer dinners these days, it seems to me. But prove me wrong; tell us about any good beer dinners in your neck of the woods. I was inspired to post this by a menu I received today from Todd Ashman, perennial medal winning brewer when he was at Flossmoor Station in Flossmoor, IL, and now the new brewer at Titletown Brewing Co. in Green Bay, WI. To welcome Ashman, this is what Titletown BC will serve up as an Inaugural Beer Dinner with Todd, for, get this, $17.50 per person. And I hear the weather there this time of year is just special. To wit: Inauguration Dinner Invitation Join us in welcoming Brewmaster Todd Ashman to Titletown Brewing Company. Enjoy a gourmet Wisconsin meal where each course is coupled with the perfect ale to complement and contrast the complex flavors in both the food and brew. Prior to seating Wisconsin Craft Cheeses and Assorted Sausages with Railyard Ale Beer Mustard Beer Pairing - American style Wheat Ale and India Pale Ale Soup Stilton Beer Cheese soup Beer Pairing – Old Fort Howard Pale Ale Salad Baby Spinach and Endive with Wisconsin “Blue” Cheese, Door County Cherries Caramelized with Toasted Oats and Molasses Brown Ale then Topped with Raspberry Honey Ale Vinaigrette Dressing and Walnut Crustini Beer Pairing – “400” Honey Ale Entrée Smoked Pork Chop served on a bed of spent grain stuffing with warm German Potato Salad and fresh vegetables Beer Pairing – Johnny Blood McNally Irish Red and Railyard Ale Dessert Warm Bread Pudding Topped with a Russian Imperial Stout Bourbon Sauce Beer Pairing – Russian Imperial Stout and / or Toasted Oats Molasses Brown Ale Starts at 3:30pm with Tours of the Brewery and Historic Train Station with dinner served promptly at 5:00pm After Dinner: Hang out with Todd and Talk Beer!! Cost: $17.50 plus gratuity For those of you who have never sampled Ashman's beers, they are extraordinary, and I would imagine that will far outshine the decent, starightforward menu they have planned above. So, are beer dinners a dying breed or what?

Which forum? Beer? Soft Drinks? In the News? Japan? Well, move as needed, but here's a Kyodo news story right here. Call me crazy, but these things never seem to taste very good.

As suggested by fresco on a separate thread, I might as well do a drinkblog. This suggestion is particularly timely, as tonight I will be attending Bell's Brewing Co.'s annual "Eccentric Ale" bash, held at the brewery in Kalamazoo, MI. This is an event wherein many Kalamazoo-ians consume mass quantities of the highly alcoholic (and noxious) Eccentric Ale. Many also vomit in the streets. I do not vomit! I promise to keep faithful track of everything that I drink from today (Friday) until the end of my weekend, which is Tuesday. I will not have access to a computer every day, but I will post as often as I can. This is going to be fun and educational! So far, Friday, December 12: I have not had anything to drink which contains alcohol. Of course, I am still at school here in Chicago. But in an hour, I will board an Amtrak train bound for Michigan, and no train ride is complete without a visit to the Club Car. Cheers.

Since 1997, when I was first invited to participate, a jolly bunch of us in the Philadelphia area have gathered every holiday season to assemble what has come to be called The Christmas Mix. Steered and organized by beer writer Lew Bryson, with help from several other passionate beer geeks, its has been, for us, the ultimate beer Christmas present: 24 winter/holiday/Xmas beers, one per case, a case of joy for 24 lucky people. We are doing the same this year, assembling at the Grey Lodge Public House in Philly(www.greylodge.com) on Monday, December 29 and making up these cases. This is not a money-making venture of any kind, and several of us are already out purchasing the cases at distributorships all over the place, as far away as Maryland, to be ready for Dec. 29. The case price every year has averaged between $32-35 usually, and I expect, from initial purchasing so far, for that price to continue. We have some slots available this year, and I want to open it up to the folks here, especially to the ones within geographic range for pickup on Dec 29. For those interested who live further away, I'm sure we can calculate shipping, but there is always the risk of damage, and, of course the consideranble expense of shipping a case of beer. It's been done, but that's just the caveat. Just to whet your whistle, this is what we have planned for the Christmas Mix, with some possible changes due to availibility etc.: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Troegs Mad Elf Wild Goose Snow Goose Bert Grants Deep Powder Anchor OSA River Horse Frost Bite Harpoon Winter Warmer Victory Old Horizontal Old Dominion Winter Appalachian Susquehanna Stout Monk's Cafe Sour Clipper City Winter Pyramid Snow Cap Penn St. Nikolaus Avery Old Jubilation Geary’s Hampshire Winter Bell’s Java Stout North Coast Wintertime Weyerbacher Winter Pivovar Winter Lager Otter Creek A Winter’s Ale or Alpine Ale Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Harvey Christmas Ale Heavyweight Old Salty Flying Fish Grand Cru Lancaster Winter Warmer E-mail me here for details on payment in advance when possible, and get a case of beer like no other. Joining us all at the Grey Lodge, on December 29, will be (check out their current beer menu!) even more special and fun, if you can.

Hi all, fellow beer lover here... I'm trying to find a beer tasting to bring some people to as a holiday gift. We're looking for something adult, but still fun. That is to say that we're not going with the intention of partying and getting plastered (although that may happen by the time we're through), but would love to try some unusual or seasonal brews. I know there are many wine classes in New York, but I haven't been able to find a beer tasting that isn't a huge festival. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks! -ral

I'm trying to track down the current brewers of Macksons and have been all over the 'net but cannot find any reference to the parent company...Thanks !

I probably have the name wrong, but hey, it was a long time ago! I was an exchange student in Hannover Germany once upon a time ago back in the early 80's. We took a side trip to West Berlin and stayed in a youth hostel for a week and also some bar nearby within stumbling distance, whose name escapes me now, for obvious reasons. I enjoyed a drink I was told was unique to Berlin. It was a beer of some sort, mixed with a raspberry (I think) syrup. It was kind of frothy and pink in color. Has anyone ever had, or heard, or knows how to make such a thing? I'd like to recreate the taste if I can, if only for nostalgia's sake.

Susan and others, I stopped by Old Dominion earlier today and talked to one of the brewers. OD has received permission from the ATF to start bottling their bourbon stout and selling kegs to restaurants. For now, OD just be selling the kegs and will sometime in 2004 start bottling it.

I've finally been starting to buy up some of the winter and holday beers out there, starting with Saranac's "12 Beers" collection (the first without a new or exclusive beer in the mix since I can remember buying this holiday pack), from F.X. Matt Brewing in Utica, NY, filled with some of their regular styles, and beers like their Caramel Porter, Single Malt ale, and their Season's Best nut brown ale. I popped the Season's Best last night. It had a nice dark copper color, chunky khaki head and terrific candy/burnt sugar aroma. The head faded fairly quickly, and as the beer warmed, I sipped. Kinda thin actually, but with some peanut and almond flavors up front, and a light vanilla in the finish. I was expecting something a little more robust, but that's often the way with Saranac beers, they're a little light in the loafers. A pleasant enough quaffer, but nothing here to make you want to open another and salute the holiday. So what winter and holiday brews ave you been drinking? Post your TNs here.

article here Brewed Holiday cheer!

Just got the online newsletter from Bill Covaleski, with lots of good news, including that soon they will no longer be classified as a microbrewery, and instead, a regional craft brewery... Way to go, Victory Brewing Company, who makes my all-time favorite beer in the world. Cheers, and Congratulations!

My friend Jeanne just sent this to me. When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar, and the beer. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two bottles of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. "There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. "Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

More crafty marketers utilising the low-carb approach to product promotion. Can Coors Catch Up?