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Hello all, I am hoping to get a British-style beer fest launched in the Montreal region for next summer/fall and need some advice. Does anybody here have experience of organising a festival? What do I need to know? Where can I source beer from? I realise some of this is licensing questions, so I'll need to take this up with Quebec's authorities, but any general advice would be very much appreciated. I'd like to feature beers from the US and Europe, if possible. The British-style fest model is a bit of a departure from most north American festivals, which typically charge high entry prices and serve only small samples. British-style fests usually are cask and keg-only. Entry is cheap and you pay as you go for beer. I believe it will be quite an experience for people who have only tried the north American style of festival. The ambiance is very different and companies don't need to spend four- or five-figure sums setting up tents, finding accomodation etc. Usually they are held indoors, which makes them immune to the fluctuations of the weather. Any comments or queries, please post!

Article in today's Wall Street Journal (I don't believe it's behind the subscriber wall, so try this link) discusses how the big three aren't identifying themselves on the label as manufacturers of "faux craft brews" they make and market, i.e., Blue Moon, Leinenkugel's. Some small craft brewers think it's deceitful on the part of the big brewers. The biggies respond, hey, if Kellogg's doesn't promote its ownership of Kashi and Toyota its Lexus, what's the problem? The article finishes by quoting one craft brewer as believing that, while the big guys may cut in to the small guys' market share, they are expanding the entire category to the benefit of all brewers, big and small. The fact I found most interesting, if largely irrelevant, is that Jake and Dick Leinenkugel, the fifth generation of the founders, manage their beer and brand for SABMiller. But while Leinie's doesn't mention its owner on the packaging, the Leinie's website tackles the issue head-on. PS: My wife thinks your basic Leinie's tastes pretty much the same as it did when she was in Madison in the 1960s and 70s; the family sold out to Miller in 1988. But then, your basic Leinie's was never considered a craft beer until SABMiller started expanding the brand a couple of years ago; before that, even under the big guy's ownership, it was just considered a decent quality cheap brewski.

My apologies if I should have put this in the Wine Forum... I'm setting up to make my first batch of hard cider. I found a brand at the local supermarket that seems convenient, pasteurized, no preseratives, "organic" apples as the only ingredient. I bought one to test it out, tasted pretty good. Seemed a bit better after a couple of days, but that might have been a flawed perception. Anywho, I'm wondering if I need to add sugar to the cider/yeast going into the fermenter. I'm not really sure how to predict the final alcohol percentage, but I'm hoping for around 8-10%. Most of the things I've seen predict 6ish% with no use of sugar. Any advice?

I love this time of year because of the special beers for the winter season. I'd love to know do you have a favorite? I am trying to make a list of seasonals to buy before they disappear. so .... whats your pleasure?

The brewing world is in a bit of an uproar right now: there is a serious shortage of hops on the market, and grain prices are climbing. The hops shortage is predicted to go 3 years, unless unknown and untapped hops sources come to light. I'm interested in seeing how the fight between economics and beer plays out in our pint glasses. I know that prices will climb a bit, but a 50%+ increase in raw materials cost won't result in a +50% end cost... I'm more interested in what is going to get brewed by the guys who just can't get enough hops from their suppliers to keep putting out hyper-hopped IPAs and northwest-style hop bombs. I am going to guess that low-hopped Belgian styles will come forward, particularly the very low hopped sour ales that intentionally use low-flavor low-bittering old hops. I foresee more herbs other than hops getting used in beers- maybe an absinthe ale bittered with wormwood rather than hops. I foresee old style non-hopped beers from the RenFaire cookbooks getting a chance on the market: nordic juniper beers, celtic heather ales, gruits and such. The big question is who will succeed in the new market conditions. Anybody who runs across new and wacky products that stretch the definition of beer, post 'em here. It will be an interesting collection, and maybe a good bit of compiling some history while living through it. I'll start with a beer that fits this model- Dogfish Head's Chateau Jihau. This is a beer from the hop-mad creators of Dogfish Head's famous 60, 90 and 120 minute IPAs that has no hops in whatsoever. It is a very interesting drink, but much more akin to wine or mead than beer. Off-dry, very grapey, not very beer-like at all. Your turn!

My brewing partner and i are going to attempt this in a couple of days time. He has some extensive experience brewing beer and has all the gear. We do not however yet have a recipe. Does anyone have any good ones and/or tips?

In the last few years it seems like a few of the traditionally bottle conditioned Belgian Beers have begun to push their beers on tap to restaurants and bars. Over here eGullet member plattetude had a bit of a rant: Does anyone else have thoughts on this matter? Are Belgian and Belgian style beers as good on tap as they are in bottles? Tangential to that, it seems like Leffe/Stella/Hoegaarden are really pushing their products in the US beer market right now, in advertising, on tap, and in 6 packs.

50 years ago almost every good sized city had a local brewery in Wisconsin. The beer was fresh, smooth and creamy on tap and one could purchase kegs locally right from the brewery. We lived in Neenah Wisconsin and Chief Oshkosh was just down the road and the beer was great, not complex and only one type but great! Well the world changed, brewing methods changed and economics closed almost all of these small breweries. But one is still around. Huber Brewery has been making good beer for almost forever. Thier Huber Bock when it was sold as returnables was a great dark and cheap. There are no more returnables and the price has esculated but its still good. Huber brews the Berghoff beers also. While the real Berghoff in Chicago is gone (the Stand Up Bar which served great sandwhiches used to be Men Only!) , the beer is still available. We recently had a 5 liter keg of the Berghoff Lager. This lager was smooth, creamy. lightly carbonated and reminded me of tap beer 50 years ago. They also produce a 5l keg of the thier Ocktoberfest which i will purchase as soon as available. I don't know the distribution on the 5l kegs but if you can get one, try it. Price here in Wisconsin is about $10.-Dick

Having been to the Vermont Brewers Fest last weekend and tasted a very good organic IPA from Orlio Organic (wholly owned by Magic Hat BTW), I have begun thinking more about organic beers and wonder if this community could help me. I'd like to build a list of all organic beers; so far, those I have tried or reviewed are Logique Bio, QC Mill Street Organic lager, ON Orlio IPA (excellent!), VT Orlio Common, VT Muskoka Dark (excellent!), ON Muskoka Cream, ON I also tried a couple of the Peak Organic beers at the VBF, but I can't remember which right now. Can anybody add to this list? If you know the brewer and location, then please include it. Thanks all!

Happy to be a new member here and I hope to become a fairly active poster on the beer forum... Whenever my 2yr old and twin baby sons allow me a little time off for good(?) behaviour, that is! Given that my job is reviewing beer (I'm learning fast, but can't compete with many of you, I'm sure) and that I'm based in Hudson, QC, I am well-placed to discuss Quebec-brewed beer at the very least! So I just wanted to begin a thread about QC beer. What's your favourite, what's your overall impression of Quebec beers and how widely available are they? I saw some in a shop in Burlington last week while visiting the Vermont Brewers Festival, but the breweries were conspicuous by their absense at said festival. Shame, we're about three hours away including border crossing time... I've reviewed lots of QC beers on my site. So far my favourites are (in no particular order): Blanche de Chambly, Unibroue Logique Bio organic Coup de Grisou, RJ St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout Boreale Blanche Looking forward to your views on QC beer. Cheers!

I pinched this from Stickman's weekly column for July 29 "For our numerous readers in LA, here is some good news. The finest beer from these parts, Beer Lao, is available in your neck of the woods. For those in the LA area, the grocery store with the large spirit offering in front, on Hollywood Boulevard in Thaitown, is the place to visit. Yes, Beer Lao is worth going out of your way for! The Thai Temple is the pride and joy of Thai people in America . So, maybe this is the natural first city they would introduce this product?" If anyone's come across this yet, I'd love to hear about how well it's travelled. If it's as good as in Laos, then I am seriously envious of the folks in LA. Cheers, peter

I could not find a thread that listed this in it and I was wondering if anyone else makes it here? it is not an alcoholic beer does not require anything more than ginger, brown sugar, a blender and a big glass jar to make so I am not sure if this is the right place to post this..( feel free to move it if it isn't) What it is ...is a fizzy and refreshing drink I grew up consuming as a child... we actually called it "kid beer" I just picked up some fantastic, fat, juicy ginger hands at the market, for a very good price... I was getting ready to make a batch today and thought I would see if anyone here shared my love of this drink? if you would like to try it this is the only way I have ever made it (although I just googled it and there are far more complicated recipes) ..this is easier to me than making lemonade!!! and a good summer drink as well as a nice mixer ... this recipe makes a bit more than half a gallon (and you can cut this down to whatever size you want) Ginger beer 2 lbs of fresh scrubbed skin on ginger ( you don't even have to peel it just cut it up a bit so it fits in the blender) 4 quarts of water blend it well in a blender then let it sit at room temp for 24 or so hours in a glass jar with a loose plastic lid I taste to see if it has fermented and if your house runs about 70 it works fine strain all the sediment out and add brown sugar to taste start with about 1/2 cup see how you like it then go from there I dont like mine sweet so that is about all I use ... this is the single most natural tummy soother on the planet I think I used to have my son drink some before we went on trips he was so car sick all the time and this worked like a charm!

Anybody been? Stopped in this afternoon and I think it's a great addition to the Manhattan beer retail scene. Mostly selections you can find here and there across the city, but centralized in one location. The growler option is nice. And a few selections that I haven't seen in town before.

This months Saveur has a recipe for making root beer at home Recipie It looked interesting enough so I obtained the necessary supplies and brewed up a batch. 4 days later I open a bottle and give it a try. It does not taste like any root beer that I've ever had before. Sasprilla taste, yes. But it isn't very sweet and has a very powerful molasses taste with a slightly medicinal finish. I don't really like the taste of molasses. I'm thinking of making the recipe again but with straight cane sugar instead of the molasses. Does anyone know where/how I should begin the substitution process? The recipe had 2 cups of molasses. Should I try 1 cup of sugar?

I thought you might like to read Lew Bryson's eloquent TRIBUTE to Michael Jackson on Bryson's website today. A sad day for any one who loves and appreciates beer.

Moderator note: The original What Beers Did You Drink Today? Or Yesterday? topic became too large for our servers to handle efficiently, so we've divided it up; the preceding part of this discussion is here: What Beers Did You Drink Today? Or Yesterday? (Part 1)] Today, a rare treat. Three Floyds Dark Lord. It's like a chocolate mocha milk shake, it's so thick.

My roommate brought me a sip of a brew done by one of my old customers from when I worked at a homebrew shop here in Charlotte---a dandelion IPA Nose reminded me distinctly of bubblegum, figured that was just the mixing of dandelion notes and hops. Tasted okay, not nearly hoppy enough from an IPA point of view, but the dandelions (flowers and leaves I believe) added an interesting floral note. I'd have never given good odds on that coming out well in a beer (I understand dandelion wine is pretty good when done right though) but it was good--I'd like to see how the flavors came through in a paler recipe with less to conflict with (what i'd imagine to be fairly subtle) dandelion flavor.

That's it? It's just beer, frozen? I'd love to make some of these. A hacker-pschorr and lemonade -sicle would be top notch! Obviously Lindeman's or Liefmans would work....

Im trying to find Sam Adams Utopias beer/liquor but im not getting anywhere with it. I bought a couple of bottles two years ago and really liked it, but it seems that there is no more supply for some reason. does anyone know where i can find it? either online or in NY would work for me thanks

I studied in Australia for a semester in '02, and I miss the taste of Fourex and Victoria Bitter, which I was told were Queensland's beers of choice. Does anyone know a place where I can get them?

The loving captive husband was sitting at the bar at Victory in Downingtown yesterday and noticed the well known bar fly order a Prima Pils, slow pour. The bartender filled the glass with mostly head, let it settle and continued on this path until the glass was full. It was too noisy to inquire there the flavor effect it has on the beer. My hypothesis is this reduces carbonation and mimics beer that comes from a beer engine as ooposed to the usual keg line. Can anyone offer insight? I know the man who ordered it is a serious afficionado so it's not just unnecessary drama similar to someone ordering an extra dry martini when all they really want is gin straight up.

Now I know this beer is far from new but until recently it was only available in bottles locally. I had it canned yesterday and the blueberry flavor was amazing, nothing like it is bottled. In my opinion the best bargain beer, not to mention its probably the most local beer available (New Ulm Minnesota). Drank way to many last night on the canoe.

Anybody tried, it was available last spring here on tap, and this year it is also bottled, similar to blue moon, but also has lemon and lime. Curious if anybody else enjoys. http://www.anheuser-busch.com/press_room/s...eat_022707.html

Slate quotes Lew Bryson extensively on the slide beer's been experiencing in the marketplace lately. It seems the attraction of connoiseurship is bringing people to wine, and the low-brow market niche the megabrewers have carved for themselves is starting to feel a bit constrained. There is a great big world of beers out there, but the industrial manufacture of absolutely consistent and unchallenging product has become beer's identity in the market. Can craft brewing pick up some of this slack and head off a mass defection to wine? Lots of beers outclass wines in terms of tradition and backstory... and flavor and complexity as well. How do we get the mass market to notice and stop expecting beer to be bland yellow fizz with a trucker hat attitude? http://www.slate.com/id/2167292/nav/tap1/

So I walk into this bar in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin to order up a Spotted Cow from New Glarus Brewing, and affixed to the wall, among many other bumper stickers, is the following from the aforementioned brewer: Buy Local, Drink Yokel So I did.