Triumph Brewing Review

The Princeton Triumph Brewing Company Location:
Not "JUST" a brewpub!

Back in 2011 I was fortunate to celebrate my nine year anniversary with my wife Heather by embarking upon a day trip to a few New Jersey breweries.  We began our adventure with high hopes at the Triumph Brewing Company located in Princeton, New Jersey.  Knowing that Princeton is a college town (albeit an Ivy League one) had us expecting a relatively upbeat, lively environment at the first stop of our journey; we couldn't have been more wrong.

If you look carefully at the photo above, you'll notice something that seems innocuous upon first glance.  After some contemplation however it will grow ever more disconcerting.  Figure it out yet?  Bingo.  It's the fact that, right above the entrance to their establishment, the good people at Triumph (Princeton) feel the need to note that you are entering a brewpub and a restaurant--as if the former couldn't simply be enough to stand on its own.

Granted, this might not seem like that big of a deal but it serves as an omen for what was to come.  We arrived early--shortly after they opened as a matter of fact--with the expectation that we might grab a quick bite to eat along with whatever samplers we wound up ordering.  As soon as we walked inside though I began having my doubts.  You can often tell a lot about an establishment by something as obvious as the decor and as minute as the type of napkins that are used.  In this case, I knew I was in for a wannabe four-star-dining type of experience.

My suspicions were confirmed as soon as we reached the hostess' station.  Her verbiage and diction belied someone who was used to dealing with gastronomes of incredibly delicate palettes and supremely refined tastes.  To be fair, we were in Princeton, literally across the street from one of the world's most revered universities, so I'm sure that this woman has dealt with her fair share of snobby professors and students alike.  With that said, we were lead to the dining area (of course we were) and seated.  I don't remember what the food specials were but they would have turned a hipster tumescent at the sound of all of the buzzwords flying around--things like "free range, locally grown, fully organic, etc."

Flipping open the menu, I had to stifle a laugh.  The least expensive item was some bizarre sort of goat cheese pizza that ran more than ten dollars for an über-small portion.  Not looking to blow thirty bucks on food that would hardly sate even the most peckish of patrons, we decided simply to order the sampler of beer.  Needless to say, the waitress was horrified.  You could see her attempting to calculate her tip in her head based upon a meager flight of beers.  I shit you not when I say that she stood there stammering for a full thirty seconds before composing herself enough to ask if that was really all that we wanted.  It was pretty clear that we were the first people in history to order only beer.  Then again, this wasn't just a brewpub, right?

A brief aside: there's nothing that pisses me off more as a beer traveler than visiting a brewery or brewpub in which the beer isn't the star attraction.  Seriously--if you're into food first then open a restaurant.  If it's some sort of attraction or diversion that interests you, then why not build something around that instead of transforming beer into the bastard stepchild of the family?  This has happened enough times for me to be able to pass judgment on the spot about the quality of the place's beer AND of the eating/drinking environment that I can expect.  Basically, if I go to a brewpub (it's pretty rare for this to happen at a brewery) and I'm given the eyebrow for ordering either only a flight of beer or a flight and some small snack AND/OR I ask a question about the beer and the server either doesn't know or doesn't care about what's on tap, I know I'm in for a shitty experience.  Basil T's was far and away the worst (the only time in my life I truly considered not leaving a tip at all (I think I went with 3%)) but the Princeton Triumph location makes the top/bottom five.

Once she recovered from her initial shock, the waitress seemed to undergo a metamorphosis right before our eyes.  Gone was the florid soliloquies she had theretofore been using to describe the food and the location.  Suddenly, she was just an ordinary person--one who seemed to understand that we were not some strange neanderthal heathens sent from a far distant past to wreak havoc upon this haven of the elite, reclaiming it for the hoi polloi one tiny sampling glass at a time.  I can't stress this transformation enough though: it was as if she was changing before our very eyes.  The tightness of her features relaxed and she actually smiled with genuine light.  She explained to us that the brewing actually took place upstairs and that we were free to stroll about the premises while we waited for our samplers if we wanted to explore and to take pictures.  No longer did she hover, returning every few minutes as if at our beck and call to see if we were ready to decide upon a dish to indulge upon.  In fact, I think she brought us the beers and then brought us the check when we were done maybe twenty minutes later.

Of course, lost in all this is the caliber of the beer--the raison d'etre for our even being there.  Despite the fact that the Princeton location of the Triumph Brewing Company is an aspiring upscale eatery masquerading as a brewpub, it brews some damn good beer.  With a clear slant towards English styles of beer, I enjoyed seven different offerings that represented an uncommon cross-section of microbrews.  Though the American Amber / Red Ale and Irish Dry Stout represent two of the more ubiquitous denizens of the brewpub realm, the inclusion of an English Porter, English India Pale Ale, a Dortmunder / Export Lager, and a Roggenbier (my first encounter with that particular style) helped to diversify the tap list to a high degree.  Though the American Blonde Ale tends to make a few too many appearances, the fact that it was brewed with local wildflower honey served to render it different enough that it stood out on its own as a solid offering.

Now, if my only experience with Triumph was in Princeton then I'd be pretty confident in saying that I'd never be going back.  Fortunately, later that same day, we visited the second of three locations in New Hope, Pennsylvania.  Located almost directly across the Delaware River from River Horse brewing in Lambertville, New Jersey, Triumph of New Hope serves almost as the antithesis of the Princeton location.  Open, inviting, and clearly favoring a more welcoming vibe, this Triumph location featured excellent views of the river, pool tables and other entertainment opportunities, and an environment far more conducive to enjoying some high quality microbrewed beer.  We wound up eating here and the food was brewpub fare par excellence.  Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so because if you Google "Triumph Brewing Company," the Princeton location received a Zagat score of 16 / 30 and the New Hope one earned 20 / 30--25% higher than its ritzy titzy brethren.

Once again, the beer was phenomenal and varied.  There were a few overlaps between the offerings from Princeton and those at New Hope but I was able to try a German Pilsener, a Rye Beer, and an English Bitter, the latter two of which received scores of A and A- respectively.  The waitress here was extremely accommodating and enthusiastic about the beer.  It was obvious that she didn't treat her job as merely another paycheck but rather was a fan herself of the great suds being brewed up in New Hope.  It was evident from the way she spoke about the beer that she was a dedicated drinker of at least one or two of the brews--a surefire endorsement on her part that she believes in what's coming out of the taps.

Finally, exactly two weeks later we took a beer road trip to Philadelphia and once more began our day at Triumph Brewing.  On a gloomy, overcast day, Triumph Brewing of Philadelphia served as a bright beer beacon shining out to us through the darkness.  Located literally up the block from Penn's Landing--one of Philadelphia's best spots to visit and hang out in the warmer months, Triumph is a prime location not just to grab a few beers and a bite to eat but rather to be the place that you go to with your friends.  Family-friendly, open, and featuring live music regularly, the Philly location of the Triumph Brewing Company is the perfect destination for a night out.  The food was great, the beer was consistently excellent, and the environment really set this place apart.  Receiving a Zagat score of 20 / 30, this along with the New Hope location are CLEARLY the spots to visit if you're looking to check out what Triumph has to offer.

GRADING

The Triumph Brewing Company, as a whole, serves as the quintessential brewpub but transcends the typicality of the standard experience, particularly with the live music in Philly.  The food menu is diverse and will please a wide variety of folks from kids to foodies while the beer menu will be a refreshing departure from the norm for any craft beer fan.  The environments of two of the three locations render those spots wholly worthy of your time and the collective of that, the beer, and the food is worth your money as well.  I would say that you should DEFINITELY visit the New Hope and Philly locations and avoid the Princeton one.

Philly Grade: A-

New Hope Grade: A-

Princeton Grade: C- (though the beer would receive a B+ on its own)

BEERS SAMPLED

Princeton
Honey Blonde ( B )
Amber Ale ( B+ )
Dortmunder Export ( B+ )
Irish Dry Stout ( A- )
Bengal Gold India Pale Ale ( A- )
Roggenbock ( A )
Porter ( B- )

New Hope (new beers only)
German Pilsner ( B- )
Jewish Rye Beer ( A )
Best Bitter ( A- )

Philly (new beers only)
Kinder Pilsner ( B+ )
Belgian Double Rye PA ( A- )
Hefe-Weizen ( B )
Munich Dunkel ( B )
Belgian Golden ( A- )

For more information about the Triumph Brewing Company please visit their official website here.

Cheers!

Matt

Review of Love2Brew Home Brewing Supply Store

Adding the extract to my first home brew

I can say without hesitation that my recent thirtieth birthday was the most exciting one of my life.  I was absolutely and utterly spoiled by my wonderful wife who got me everything that I wanted and more, including what might just be the most awesome present ever: home brewing supplies and a one-on-one home brewing course with the guys over at Love2Brew.  It wasn't exactly a surprise since I had informed her as to the exact kit that I was hoping to get (http://www.love2brew.com/Complete-Beer-Making-Kit-p/bbek002.htm) as well as the desire to take the course but it was still thrilling to be told that I'd be spending a few hours ON my birthday learning how to brew beer.

My buddy Dave--a fellow craft beer lover and burgeoning home brewer--had received nearly the identical package from his wife a few months ago and thus blazed the trail for my own experience.  He raved not simply about the quality of the goods or of the class itself but also about the caliber of the guys running the show.  Based upon his enthusiasm, I finally decided to put my reservations aside and pursue my quasi-dream of home brewing.

To offer a quick bit of back story, I received a Mr. Beer kit from my parents a few years back as a jocoserious sort of gag gift.  They knew that I was into craft beer, they saw the kit, and they thought of me; it was as simple as that.  I was simultaneously daunted and invigorated by the prospect of brewing my own beer if for nothing other than the fact that the kit didn't seem legitimate.  The instructions were vague, leaving too much guesswork for an inchoate home brewer like myself and the quality of the kit components themselves were suspect at best.  Needless to say, I eventually tried to brew up a batch of beer and failed miserably.  Truth be told--it was likely as much a result of horrific temperature fluctuations in the apartment (I tried doing it during warmer weather where the temperature on that particular floor routinely eclipsed 80 degrees) as it was my own lack of discipline (I didn't perform my due diligence in researching how best to use the Mr. Beer kit on home brewing forums).  Still, I was left intimidated about the process.

Though I am fortunate to have a wealth of knowledge about the brewing process as a whole, I am not well-versed in the equipment used to brew at home nor am I completely familiar with some of the inherent terminology.

Enter Love2Brew. 

The first thing that's great about these guys is how thorough and informative they are.  As soon as I arrived, I was handed a slew of papers that held literally all of the instructions that I would need to brew up my first batch of beer.  Ron (Witkowski--co-owner of Love2Brew and easily one of the most enthusiastic/knowledgeable home brewers I've ever met) explained what I would be receiving in terms of my kit and my class experience.  He offered me free range of the large warehouse space while Bobby (the gentleman providing my instruction that day) finished his preparations for the course.  I didn't get the chance to wander very far but I did notice immediately that there was a book case stacked with books about home brewing.  A veritable treasure-trove of knowledge, the collection of books included many of the texts that I've come across in my research that have been referred to as THE de facto home brewing writings with John Palmer's How To Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time.

When he was ready, Bobby came over and led me towards the demonstration area near the back of the facility.  Along the way, we stopped and I was given a sample of their Irish Dry Stout.  From there, we headed over to the display of items that I would be receiving in my kit.  Over the course of the next hour and change, Bobby walked me through the process of home brewing itself along with each piece of equipment.  He gave me some great advice including the decision to upgrade to a larger brew pot (not included in the kits).  What I loved most about the advice is that I never felt like he was upselling me; it was a sound decision that came from his own experience and his own mistakes.  I'm much more inclined to take purchasing suggestions from someone at a store when I feel like a) they're not pushing something on me either as an upsell or a bait-and-switch and b) they admit openly that a more expensive/intricate item might not be the best thing for me for whatever reason.  Though the second element isn't an absolute truth, I feel that it is a very solid indicator of the reliability of the person I'm working with.  In Bobby's case, he actually started out as a customer at the store who came in so frequently that he eventually was able to earn a coveted position within the business.  A beginning home brewer one day and an instructor at the same location merely a year later.  His passion for his job and his co-workers nearly matched that which he holds for brewing solid craft beer!

What was great about the class was that I was able to ask a bunch of questions about things that I was genuinely curious about AND my instructor was able to answer them all.  The thing that I'm really interested in is bourbon aging beer and, evidently, Bobby, Ron, and a few of the other guys have had great success doing just that.  What impressed me though was the fact that Bobby consistently reiterated the fact that I should start small and work my way up to more complex brewing techniques.  Instead of setting himself up for a bigger sale he instead opted to set me up to be as successful as I could be with brewing up my first batch; I really appreciated that.

After the class was over, I tried a sample of their Irish Red Ale, which was TREMENDOUS.  I'm not a terribly huge fan of red ales anymore because they're ubiquitous at brew pubs and, generally, are the most boring offering on the beer list.  This one was super hoppy and is actually something I can see myself brewing down the road.  Once we finished up, I was able to explain what I wanted to brew: a stout (the Irish Dry Stout that I sampled, incidentally, is what I went for because it was just that good) and an IPA.  The guys were more than willing to throw together a custom recipe for me for the latter but ultimately I opted for their Imperial IPA ingredient kit with some additional hop purchases to ratchet up the aroma and flavor of the hops without juicing up the IBUs too much.

In total, I was there for more than two hours, mostly just talking beer with Bobby and Ron.  Their enthusiasm was infectious and their knowledge served only to bolster my own confidence in my ability to cook up a great first batch.  After thanking them for their time and loading up my goodies, I headed home intending to brew sometime over the weekend.  Needless to say, one 30th birthday party and a recovery day later, the workweek began anew and I had to wait until the following Saturday to make my first attempt.  When I finally did get everything set up, I felt completely prepared for the challenge ahead of me.

The best part about Love2Brew is the commitment that all of the guys demonstrate to informing their customers about the brewing process and about making individual beers.  Each ingredient kit comes with a fool proof set of instructions that will walk you through the process leaving very little in the way of grey area.  I say very little because when it came time for me to use the hydrometer, I realized that I had no idea how to do it (it was one of the few things that Bobby and I didn't go over in great detail during my class).  A testament to the aforementioned commitment to keeping customers in the know, I called the retail store in New Brunswick and spoke with Ron who not only explained how to use the hydrometer but who essentially walked me through that entire segment of the brewing process on the phone.

Seriously: the documentation that they provide you with is as simplified as you could imagine while still serving as a professional set of directions.  You're told what to do, how to do it, and at what precise time to do it at.  Short of overlooking the importance of sanitizing, there's almost no way that you can screw it up (though I guess I'll have to wait and see as my first batch is still fermenting at the time of this writing!).  To give you a better idea of the extent of their dedication to promoting better home brewing education, I'd like to share some links to things on the Love2Learn section of their website.  The following three links are to further reading that will help elucidate the brewing process for beginners and further the skill set and techniques of advanced brewers:

http://www.love2brew.com/Articles.asp?ID=424   (Beginner reading)

http://www.love2brew.com/Articles.asp?ID=428   (Intermediate reading)

http://www.love2brew.com/Articles.asp?ID=433   (Advanced reading)

More important though is the following link to the set of instructions that I was provided with upon walking into the store:

http://www.love2brew.com/v/vspfiles/love2learn/basicsofhomebrewlong.pdf

Believe me--if you've never brewed before and know little to nothing about the process, reading that pdf linked above will set you up with everything that you'd need in the way of information to brew up a solid batch of your favorite beer style.

In total, at the time of this writing there are over ONE HUNDRED links to informative articles and documents in the Love2Learn section (https://www.love2brew.com/love2learn-a/250.htm).  It's insane how dedicated these guys are to sharing the world of home brewing with aspiring aficionados.

Though I'm still awaiting the results of my first batch, I'm confident that I will be satisfied.  Not only that, I'm looking forward to returning to the retail location once I've got the stout bottled up to get my ingredients prepped for my next batch and to pick up some more equipment.  The assortment of things offered for sale is mind-boggling and I'm really looking forward to exploring a variety of hops and malts as I work towards developing my own recipes down the road.

So with all of that said, I honestly cannot give these guys a more rave review.  Love2Brew offers everything you could want out of a home brew supplier: great equipment, fresh ingredients, and, best of all, a bunch of helpful, knowledgeable, enthusiastic guys who love what they do and are incredibly talented to boot.  Easily the best home brewing supplier in New Jersey, I'd go so far as to say that they're among the best in the northeast if not further.  If you're looking to get into home brewing, are already into it and are looking for a better experience overall, or if you're even remotely curious about craft beer in general, then you should make it a point to visit Love2Brew's website (https://www.love2brew.com/) and, if possible, their retail location in North Brunswick, New Jersey.  You will NOT be disappointed!

Thanks again to Ron and Bobby for making my first home brewing experience so awesome.  I'm really stoked about the prospect of what lies ahead for me as I continue to pursue my brewing aspirations and explore all of the possibilities that home brewing offers.

Cheers!

Dogfish Head's Weekend of Compelling Ales and Whatnot (WOCAAW) 2013 Review

The month of March has always held a special place in my heart.  For one, it's when my birthday occurs and, for another, it's when I get to put my Irish pride on display come St. Patrick's Day.  Last year added a new wrinkle with the 2012 WOCAAW--my second ever Dogfish Head festival.  That was an especially exciting event for me because it was the first time I had ever been recognized there and the day that I found out that my picture had made it onto their coveted wall in the gift shop.  My buddy Carlos and I had an absolute blast hunting down the various brews that comprised the beer log and I knew without a doubt that I wanted to make the WOCAAW an annual tradition.  Fortunately, with the event selling out in mere hours, my wife and I were able to secure a single ticket.  Needless to say, I felt like Charlie opening up that Wonka Bar when my wife handed me the printed ticket that would grant me entry to the magical realm that is the giant white tent housing the bulk of the WOCAAW brews.

The excitement surrounding last year's event stemmed mostly from the novelty of the experience; it was my first time attending that particular festival.  This year, though, the thrill came from the fact that my wife and I took part in the weekend aspect of the event.  In the past, we've gotten up super early to make the trip down on the day of an event.  Ordinarily, we would arrive at the brewery, stay until we had had our fill, and then make the pilgrimage over to the Rehoboth Beach brewpub.  Seeing the slew of brews slated to be on tap at the 'pub on Friday night, we decided to make the trek down the night before the actual event and to stay over somewhere in Lewes.  Fortuitously, Heather had already taken the day off to tend to some other business so it was the perfect setup for us to go down early.

Now, though I will review both days fully, I will admit up front that my favorite part was actually the brewpub and its insane array of offerings on Friday night.  As you can see from the photo above, the selection was multifariously intoxicating.  I'm always thrilled when I'm able to sample a BUNCH of beers and the brewpub did not disappoint.  Between my wife and I, we were able to enjoy a whopping fifteen different brews (in five ounce sampler glasses) with a total of twelve serving as brand new entries into my list.  I literally (and quite embarrassingly) cheered aloud when I saw that the first beer (History of Past Years) was a Kvass.  Using Beer Advocate's list of beer styles as a reference, there were only six different ones that I had yet to try before heading down to Delaware; after leaving the brewpub, that number dropped to five.  The Kvass style, as noted in the blurb pictured above, is traditionally brewed with stale bread and has one of the lowest alcohol yields of any style of beer; at a spartan 2%, History of Past Years certainly fits right into the category.

All of the beers that I had on Friday night were incredible but there were still a few standouts that are worthy of some greater attention.  Ghost of Shinobi, a Black IPA brewed with American hops and Japanese Yuzu fruit, offered one of the most eclectic palettes, balancing the traditionally delicious hop-heavy bitterness of the style with the unique Yuzu flavor.  The Test Batch 61 was almost different enough from its numerical namesake to be a completely different beer.  The addition of Syrah grape must added a vinous presence that metamorphosed into a rich, complex assortment of flavors that spread throughout the mouth.  The Syrah grape juice that was added to the Audible Ale, in turn, rendered that a deep, brooding brew that brought my taste-buds to life.  The Nordicthern Europe (the latest addition to the Ancient Ale line) was also great, drinking more like a smooth mead than a typical beer.  In a similar vein, the D.N.A. 2012 was also very meady but the addition of Fifer Orchards blueberries ascended the brew to new heights.

Without question, though, my two favorite beers of the weekend were the Palo Santo Ahumado and the I'll Brew You If You Brew Me.  Sadly, my recent streak of klutziness was on full display at the brewpub as I knocked my sample of Palo over onto the floor (in my defense, we were at a relatively small table with a giant appetizer plate, two entree dishes, extra dishes and silverware, two full glasses of water, and ten samples of beer.  When I tried to slide one of the sampler sheets over to make room for the newly arrived food, I didn't notice that the glass closest to me was teetering on the edge of the table.  When it fell, it poured almost entirely on my lap, which served me right given the fact that, not a half an hour later, I then knocked over a full glass of water all over the table.  UGH!)  Getting back to the beer, the year-round Palo Santo Marron has slowly become one of my favorite go-to beers--an American Brown Ale that offers sweet caramel and vanilla notes while punching you in the face with a whopping 12% abv.  A session beer for sure if that session is meant to be very, very brief!  The Palo Santo Ahumado, by contrast, elevated its requisite porter style to new heights.  The Palo Santo wood smoked malt unleashed a bold, bustling burst of some of my all-time favorite flavors: coconut, vanilla, and a hint of roasted chocolate malts.

Similarly, the I'll Brew You brought the concept of a coffee porter into an entirely new realm.  I've had plenty of coffee beers--whether porters, stouts, or other styles--and very few manage to marry the intense coffee flavor with the complementary flavor elements in the beer.  Founders' makes two incredible stouts that feature pronounced coffee presence and Surly Bender is unquestionably one of the best...but this beer?  The I'll Brew You?  It just transcends, man.  The chocolate flavors are simultaneously subtle and strong, dominated by but working in concert with the ridiculously decadent coffee elements.  Honestly, it's the closet beer I've ever drank that tasted so much like coffee that I forgot that it was actually beer.  That might be a turn-off for some people, especially if they're not into coffee, but this beer was just mind-blowingly awesome.  I'm just grateful that I was able to fight the temptation to ask for some milk and sugar to add to it!

The next morning, we headed over to Milton to attend the Weekend of Compelling Ales and Whatnot main event.  After checking in, I received the items pictured above: my new favorite small-size sampling glass, my 2013 WOCAAW Beer Log, and a beer koozie made out of a recycled wetsuit.  No joke--it was part of a sleeve!  When I turned it inside out, I found the brand logo of whatever company it was that made the wetsuit.  Trippy!

The back of the beer log

Now, with this being my second WOCAAW event, there was an added dimension that hadn't existed during my first foray: reflection.  When I went last year, I had no expectations and nothing to bounce my experience off of save for the 2011 Analog-A-Go-Go, which was a very different event.  Unfortunately, this is where the dreaded "but" comes into play.  I had a TREMENDOUS time at the event on Saturday...but...it just didn't measure up to last year's.  Here's why: part of what made the event SO incredible in 2012 was the attention to detail that Dogfish Head paid to damn near every aspect of the event.  From the special coasters handed out (replaced this year by the koozies) to the hidden brews that had to be hunted down, the aged beers, and the specialty beers with their respective pairings, everything about the 2012 WOCAAW screamed INNOVATION!  INGENUITY!  INCOMPARABILITY!  This year, with a much narrower theme, it just felt like the beers and their pairings fell a bit flat.

With that said (another "but," of sorts), the unequivocal star of the show was the food that was paired with the beer (which, in its own way, presents a problem).  From the delicious chicken liver mousse crustini to the absolute, hands-down winner of the day--the hop pickle cheese dip with homemade sesame crackers, the food really stole the show.  Even the spent grain pretzels--one of the only blah moments of last year's event--came back with a vengeance, offering a spicy bite at the end and a salty, doughy, delicious beginning.

But therein lies the problem!  The food really shined while the beer fell sort of flat.  Don't get me wrong--the 120 Minute IPA Randalls (specifically the Mosaic Hops but also the #644 hops) were UH-MAZING but they were rendered all the more remarkable because of the dearth of memorable beers.  I was STOKED when I saw that there was going to be a hops focus but, though the bulk of the brews were hop forward, I guess I just felt like there was going to be something more--some uniquely Dogfish aspect that was going to make me climb atop that tent and sing my praises to the beer gods, smiling down upon me from their Hopanalian paradise!  Instead, I had a string of beer samples that could've just as easily come straight out of my fridge rather than the coolers at the festival: 60 Minute IPA, 75 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, Burton Baton, Indian Brown Ale, Aprihop, Tweason'ale, and My Antonia.  Maybe I'm spoiled or a bit jaded given the unimaginably consistent way in which Dogfish Head seems to top itself year in and year out...but, at the same time, when eight of the fifteen beers offered are easily obtainable from my corner bottle shop (nine, if you include the Sixty-One, which is already hitting shelves)...I dunno, it just left me wanting.  I mean, I can still picture the nachos from last year and the Diablo Verde that paired with it.  The Dirty Fermentini and the smooth, lusciously aged brews that rounded out the roster from 2012 can all be conjured up as well.  Come this time next year?  I'm honestly not sure what I'll remember beer-wise from the 2013 event.

It's funny though because, for all my bellyaching about a lack of variety or experimentation, I really have nothing to complain about.  The beer was all great, the food was even better, and the overall experience was as good if not better than last year's.  After all, I got to try a TON of amazing beer over the course of the full weekend, I got to meet a few fellow beer aficionados, I picked up some GREAT swag including my St. Paddy's attire for this year (a green AHOPECLIPSE t-shirt) and a new Dogfish Head-designed IPA glass, a four-pack each of 120 Minute IPA and 61, a copy of the record that goes with it (not to mention a free hug at the register for making that particular purchase!), AND, best of all, a copy of Sam Calagione's Extreme Brewing Deluxe Edition.

Though the beer itself might not have been as memorable as that of the 2012 incarnation of the WOCAAW, the 2013 event will certainly be remembered for the overall experience that I had that weekend and, truthfully, that's what it's really all about anyway.  The reason my wife and I love coming down to Dogfish Head isn't just for the beer (or the food, in the case of the brewpub) but for the camaraderie and the great times that we always wind up having.  Case in point: this year's small batch brewing demonstration.  Last year, I didn't really take advantage of the presentation but, after some nudging by my wife Heather, I decided to approach the guys and ask some questions.  An aspiring homebrewer, I was blown away by the fact that they were using a recipe straight out of Sam's book.  I thought initially that it was some sort of secret Dogfish Head tome but when the guy told me that it was available in the gift shop, I made a beeline inside to procure a copy for myself.  In a way, obtaining that book was the final impetus that I needed to spark my homebrewing endeavors.  A few days later and I'm anxiously looking forward to my first homebrewing class and picking up my equipment from a local spot.  If it wasn't for that small batch demonstration and that copy of Extreme Brewing, who knows if I'd have the motivation that I do now to pursue my dream of homebrewership?

So thanks to Dogfish Head for providing yet another weekend of incredible beers, great food/food pairings, and for constantly raising the bar and pushing the proverbial envelope.  I'm really looking forward to the A-Go-Go later this year and to see what changes are in store for the 2014 WOCAAW.

Cheers!

--Matt

My completed beer log that spelled out
AHOPECLIPSE NOW!

Fordham Brewing: Where The Beer Whisperer Was Born

Me with Jim Lutz, President & CEO of Coastal Brewing
DISCLOSURE: The t-shirt I am wearing in the photograph was a gift from Jim

In March of 2011, I decided that I wanted to celebrate my birthday with a beer road trip to Delaware.  I had also been mulling over the idea of starting a beer blog where I could recant some of my beer travels and offer some reviews of beers that I've enjoyed.  As with most creative ventures, coming up with a catchy name was paramount.  Given all the multitude of "Whisperers" that there were on television at the time (horse and dog whisperers chiefly among them), it seemed to be a term lodged firmly in both the collective conscience of the viewing public at large and also in my own personal creative conscience.  Though at this point I cannot say for sure whether or not I had heard the term "Beer Whisperer" somewhere and clung to it deep in my subconscious recesses or if it was truly an epiphanic moment of epic proportions, the irrefutable truth is that the solidification of the name--and indeed the affirmation that I suppose I was looking for--were both born at the Fordham Brewing Company in Dover, Delaware.

Fast-forward to March of 2013.  On Saturday I found myself sitting in the passenger seat of my car reflecting both upon my earlier review of the brewery as well as the absolutely awesome time that I spent there two years earlier.  Realizing that we were only five miles away from Dover (and with my wife driving), I decided to whip out my phone and conjure up directions to the brewery.  The last time I had been there occurred during a time of great development for Coastal Brewing (the aggregate of the Fordham Brewing Company and Old Dominion Brewing): with a mere two years at their current location, they were still sorting out the details of their operations.  Tours were limited as was the availability of tasting room hours.  Now, another two years later, things have blossomed wonderfully: the tour schedule, along with the distribution radius, has expanded considerably and there's a much more confident air surrounding the brewery.  It's as if they were getting settled between 2009 and 2011, searching for a footing in the burgeoning Delaware beer market and now in 2013 have carved out their niche.

Thinking of how fateful my first visit was (that sign above the door served as a figurative sign as well that I was on the right path), I decided to swing by the brewery and see what was going on.  Though my primary motive was to assuage my curiosity as to whether or not the sign was even still there (spoiler alert: it was (pictured above), I was also looking forward just to enjoying some all-around great beer.  As my wife and I pulled into the parking lot, it was immediately apparent that things had changed.

"Wow.  It's REALLY packed!" Heather noted.

When we came back in 2011, we essentially had the tasting room to ourselves.  In fact, the only other people that had come in before the tour began was another couple with a small child.  It was great though because we felt like we were receiving a private, personal tour of the facilities and were treated not as disdainful inconveniences but as valued visitors and guests.  This time, both the tasting room bar and the tour waiting area were popping with activity.  When I informed the gentleman pouring the beers that I was interested in a tasting, he directed me over to a new area where I would pay for my samples (an extremely reasonable five dollars that also nets you a souvenir pint glass).  Though I was struck first by how eerily similar he was to The Governor from The Walking Dead (both in looks and voice), I was rendered even more surprised by the change in the facility.  An entirely new area had been built to handle sales and samplers.  Brand new sampling glasses were provided and a slew of new products adorned the walls of the waiting area.  Conversation abounded among employees and guests alike.

In a word, the place felt alive.

Upon returning to the bar area, I was absolutely thrilled to see not one or two but five brand new beers that I had never tried before.  My mouth watered as I eyed tap handle after tap handle of deliciously decadent sounding brews--many of which were stouts--arguably my favorite beer style.  After ordering the Rosie Parks Oyster Stout as my first sample, I got to talking with the server about beer in general and Fordham's / Old Dominion's offerings in particular.  It was clear that he was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the beers and he elucidated some key differences between the Fordham and Old Dominion lines.

A few samples later, I was thrilled when Jim Lutz, the President & CEO of Coastal Brewing, came up to the bar to discuss some business-related things with a few of his employees.  In the midst of their conversation, he turned to me, said hello, and introduced himself.  I thanked him for making some of the best beer around and informed him of the nostalgic aspect of my visit.  Celebrating the month of my thirtieth birthday and finding myself in a reflective spirit, I explained that I knew that I had to stop by Fordham--the birthplace of The Beer Whisperers.  He, in turn, proffered some back-story about the sign and some other elements that comprise the decor of the tasting room.

Though I felt terrible for keeping him from his work, I was floored by a number of things simultaneously.  The first thing that struck me was his affability; he was, after all, taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk beer with me--a mere beer peasant in the grand scheme of things.  The second thing though was arguably more powerful: his passion for beer and for his product.  I reiterated my love of Fordham's Scotch Ale (#61 out of the 725 beers I tried in 2011!) and found out that it was the winter seasonal release for the Fordham line.  More interesting though was that Old Dominion also had a winter seasonal: the Millennium Barleywine.  It struck me as brilliant that one company (Coastal) would have two completely different but utterly complementary beers running at the same time both in conjunction with and competition against one another.  Most breweries offer four steady seasonal offerings (like Dogfish Head) and many offer variety packs that are comprised of a few seasonal brews (like Samuel Adams) but rarely is there any connection between the beers.

Many beer drinkers have strong opinions about both the scotch ale and barleywine styles and tend to like one over the other.  Complaints about the latter tend to be a too-powerful alcohol presence as well as a fruitiness while the accusations thrust upon the former tend to lean towards its malt-forward, heavy-bodied identity.  Still, there is an undeniable crossover between the two: both are malty, uncloyingly sweet styles that are potentially difficult to warm up to but ultimately complex and enjoyable once the palette adjusts.  The odds are that the shortcomings of one will be made-up for in the other, thus rendering the dual-offering of the beers as seasonals all the more ingenious.

After reflecting for a bit with Jim on the meteoric rise of Fordham's popularity both in the state of Delaware and surrounding states as well as plans for future distribution into new markets (information that I will keep to myself as I am unsure of its confidentiality), he asked that I hang tight for a second, promising that he'd return with a special treat.  While I waited, I couldn't resist returning to the gift shop area to pick up a newly-offered variety pack of soda.  Covered in my previously-linked review, Fordham's soda is made using real cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, along with other all natural, awesome ingredients.  I was stoked because, along with the already-established Ginger Ale and Root Beer, there were now both Creamy Orange and a Black Cherry sodas.  I purchased a variety pack, placed it in the car, and returned just in time to meet up with Jim.

What he handed me left me floored.

As excited as I am about it and as antsy as I am to divulge, I want to defer that gratification until a future entry.  All I will say is that it was something from his personal beer collection at the brewery and it was very, VERY good--easily in the lead for #1 beer of the year thus far.  The only hint that I can give is that it ties into the beer theme of 2013 that I established in an earlier entry.  Can't WAIT to do a review of the brew soon!

DISCLOSURE: The spirit of this entry is a reminiscent one that hearkens back to my first trip to Fordham and when I first saw the sign.  Though I was treated with great generosity by Jim and the other gentlemen at Fordham, having received both a free t-shirt and a bottle of beer, my enthusiasm for their products and their locations was in no way influenced by the items that I received during my most recent visit as said enthusiasm had already been cemented by my first visit during which I encountered the Beer Whisperers sign thus influencing the blog that this entry is a part of.

Getting to talk beer with the President & CEO of one of my favorite breweries--and indeed, the one that is arguably the nearest and dearest to my heart--was indescribably rad.  I was left with a new-found respect both for Jim (who has already established a reputation in the beer world as a hands-on, customer-oriented guy, attested to in numerous articles like this one by insidebeer.com: http://www.insidebeer.com/articles/20120118_2), for the histories of the Fordham and Old Dominion breweries, and, perhaps most importantly, I was filled with excitement for the futures of both.

One of the biggest changes that Jim made upon taking the helm of Coastal Brewing in 2011 was to reduce the distribution radius so as to serve the core supporters better, thus rendering Fordham & Old Dominion more customer friendly.  Now, his adherence to that mission is evidenced by a number of great events that seek to establish Coastal Brewing not simply as a major player in the Delaware beer market but as a fun, great place to visit and to enjoy beer.  From their par excellent Rams Head Tavern and other brewpub locations throughout Maryland that feature live music and other wonderful entertainment to some exciting upcoming events like their "Movie Night at the Brewery" occurring on March 27th, 2013 ($10 will get you admission, three beers, and popcorn!), it's quite evident that Jim is steering his brands in the right direction.

So if you're a fan of great beer and great people, make it a point to stop by Fordham Brewing in Dover, Delaware to say hi, to enjoy a few stellar samples, and to experience an inimitable tour experience.  More importantly, though, if you're attending the upcoming Firefly Music Festival in Dover June 21st-23rd, make it a point to swing by Fordham.  Located barely THREE MILES away from where the festival is being held, it's the perfect place to take a respite from the raucous rock music and to pregame before the shows.  Word on the street is that Fordham might be holding their own party in concert with the Firefly festivities at the Fordham location, so be sure to pop in to see what's going on that weekend.

Thanks again to Jim, The Governor, and everyone else at Fordham Brewing who helped to make my most recent visit another unforgettable one!

Cheers!

--Matt, The Beer Whisperer

Maloney's In Matawan--A Craft Beer Fan's Nightmare

A buddy of mine recently came across a list of some must-visit craft beer bars in New Jersey.  He suggested that we scope out Maloney's Pub & Grill--a spot in Matawan that's only a ten minute drive from our neck of the woods.  After seeing their beer selection online, I was stoked and so we decided to make the short trek over there this past Friday.  Parking proved to be a breeze and so things were looking up.  We entered the establishment and right away I was hit with a great vibe: part Irish pub, part local watering hole, part family restaurant.  We walked up to the hostess' station and waited to be shown to a table.

And waited.

And.

Waited.

Red flag number one was the fact that we stood there like two sore thumbs for more than five full minutes before someone came over and asked us where we'd like to sit.  I know that five minutes might not sound like a long time but we're talking 300 actual seconds--not "oh, it was only like five minutes or so."  I wouldn't have minded if the place was packed but it wasn't.  Most of the tables were empty but neither of us felt comfortable plopping ourselves down when we didn't have the lay of the land.

Eventually, the hostess returned, seated us, and gave us menus.  Red flag number two came immediately thereafter when I tried to confirm that Maloney's offered beer flights.  A horrified look sprung to her face and she stammered, "Oh...um.  I'm only eighteen ::nervous chuckle:: I don't know anything about that."  For those of you keeping score at home, that's two strikes against the hostess: she failed to greet both my buddy and me AND two people ahead of us in a timely fashion and then she couldn't answer a simple question about an integral element of her establishment's business.  I don't buy the "I'm only eighteen and don't know anything about that" line because it shouldn't have anything to do with her level of knowledge about her job.  Granted, she's not serving beer either as a bartender or a waitress but at the same time, if beer is a big draw for your spot then you should know something as basic as that.  Still, even if I give her a pass for not knowing, she certainly could've handled it in a much more professional manner.  I can't imagine something like that ever happening at Cloverleaf where, in the worst case scenario, the hostess would say something akin to, "You know what?  I'm not really sure.  Let me ask someone for you."  Simple, honest, but ultimately resolving the question at hand.

After the hostess split, Dave and I pored over the beer menu.  I can't speak for him but I know that the first thing that I noticed was the ridiculous array of prices.  How Manhattan beer prices made it into a Matawan, New Jersey bar is beyond me but there was an inexcusable number of $10 beers--many of which frankly didn't warrant the premium pricing.  The menu made no mention of the flights so, when the waiter eventually appeared almost ten minutes later, I made it my first question.

Let me say that I hope somehow that there was a gross misunderstanding between he and I because if there wasn't, then Maloney's might just be one of the most expensive places to drink beer in the entire country.  I asked if they did samplers of the beers and he said yes, three, four, and five beer flights were available.  When I asked what the price was he said, and I shit you not, "Well, the five beer flight is $23, the four beer flight is like $16 or $18, and..."

I don't even know what he said after that.  I was too stunned to speak so Dave asked if we could choose any beer on the list.

"Actually, no.  You can pick only beers that are less than $10 and less than 11% abv."

Okay...seriously?  Great Lakes pulled this shit with a few of their "high" abv samples, giving a 9% beer in what amounted to a shot glass.  We're all grown-ups here, folks, and we can handle our liquor.  The only justification I can think of for curbing the high abv brews on flights is the fear that patrons will get drunk and unruly but let's take a step back and look at the issue with clearer heads, shall we?  If someone's going to a bar to get gobsmacked--I mean seriously shithoused, I cannot imagine that they'd be doing it with expensive, high abv beer.  They're either going for rot gut if that's the way they roll or they're going to be pounding back shots.  The people who are most likely to order a flight of beer that might include high alcohol beers are probably more interested in beer exploration than blacking out from a night of binge boozing.

So right away Dave and I nix the plan to grab a few flights and make a split second decision to order a pint apiece of something else.  I ask the waiter for a Guinness.  Now, by this point, things were already heading south fast but it was what happened next that transformed me from mildly annoyed patron into "contemplating whether or not we're leaving soon" guy.  His response to my request was, "If you're going to have a Guinness then you should have this instead ::points at North Coast's Old # 38::--it's Guinness perfected."

I was proud of myself for biting my tongue though at that moment, I wanted to explain to him that there exists only one thing that is "Guinness perfected" and that's a fresh pint of goddamn Guinness.  Now, the intent was there, I'll give him that but the waiter lacked sorely in execution.  If a customer orders something specific then you don't just blow them off and tell them what they should be ordering.  It'd be one thing if I said, "I'll have a stout--something like Guinness."  He'd be completely justified in responding as he did.  But that's not what I said.  I would've been cool with, "Hey--if you're a fan of Guinness then you might want to try the North Coast Old # 38.  I think it's Guinness perfected but that's just me" or even "Well, if you're up for trying something new then I'd recommend the North Coast.  I hear it's Guinness perfected."

Dave and I had intended to kill a few hours at Maloney's--grab a few flights of beer and some food.  By this point, while we were waiting for our FIRST PINTS, we were already talking about whether or not we should just pay and leave after finishing the beer.  I was still hungry and the food menu looked decent so I said that I wanted to stay.  I looked over the menu again and was just appalled by the beer pricing.  I started rethinking the plan when my North Coast Old # 38 arrived...

...in a Guinness pint glass.

I know we're splitting hairs here and that it's the bartender who served the beer and not the waiter but, really?

Dave and I resumed our discussion about the insane sampler pricing.  We decided that the samples themselves might be a lot bigger than the typical four ounce ones that we're used to.  At least that would account for the absolutely insane pricing for the flights.  When the waiter walked by, I stopped him and asked about the sample size.  Once again, I hope that there was a misunderstanding because he said three ounces.  THREE.  OUNCES!!!

If you'll indulge me, I'd like to do some quick math here.  If it costs $23 for five three-ounce samples, then you're getting fifteen ounces--less than ONE PINT OF BEER--for $23.  Twenty-three bucks for almost a full pint of beer.  It comes out to almost five bucks per three ounces, which is insane because some of the beers cost six or seven dollars for a full pint!  So instead of spending $7 for 16 ounces, you'd be spending $5 for 3 ounces.  Is that ludicrous or what!?  Hell, MANHATTAN prices aren't even that bad!!!

Finally, I finish my North Coast (which was far from Guinness perfected, for the curious among you) and decide to order another beer.  The only brew that seemed worth the $10 that I hadn't already had was the Harviestoun Old Engine Oil.  I had asked the waiter previously if they had it available and he had said that they did, so I said simply, "I'll have the Old Engine Oil."  I thought the waiter had floored me with my first order but he outdid himself this time.  He said, "Okay but that should be your last beer."  He paused only long enough for me to think first, "Wait--are we getting kicked out?" and then immediately afterwards "He's going to say that it's high in alcohol."  Wrong on both counts!  "...last beer...because it will coat your palette and will ruin everything else that you have afterwards."

I don't hate many types of people but somewhere behind Knicks fans near the top of the list is beer snobs.  Wine has built up its cache over thousands of years.  I get that beer is the new kid on the block--the little brother trying to prove to its big brother that it's worthy--but part of what makes people roll their eyes at craft beer and its legitimacy is people like this waiter and, evidently, places like Maloney's.  Craft beer is classy and fun where wine is bougie and stuffy.  It's about enjoying every aspect of the beer and its brewer while wine focuses more on how refined its drinkers' palettes are.  Sure there's a beer palette and naturally there are different levels of experience but it's asinine bullshit like what the waiter spewed at me that gives craft beer a bad name.

It'll coat my palette and ruin everything else thereafter?  Is that right?  Ever hear of something called "water," hoss?  It's this miracle tonic that will help to wipe that palette clean and get it shiny and new--you know, all magical like!

At that point, my appetite was shot because I was so aggravated and I wound up not even enjoying that last beer as much as I should have because of how huge of a dick the waiter proved to be.  I'll give him this though: he sure was a prophetic dick because you bet your ass that that was my last beer at Maloney's!

Oddly enough, we paid our bill and went on our way, winding up ultimately at a T.G.I.Friday's where we chowed down and ordered exactly what we wanted to drink in the first place. 

The bottom line: if you're a craft beer fan looking for a great beer bar in Monmouth County, avoid Maloney's in Matawan like the plague.  It is an abject failure that will lure you in with an extensive, variegated beer list and then browbeat you with wannabe upper crust high class beer bullshit.  AVOID.

A Call For Fair Craft Beer Practices

Scary fact: you might not be drinking what you think you're drinking.

See, most craft beer fans enjoy drinking the beers that they do for two reasons: the beer is superior in quality to the swill pumped out by Big Beer AND it's a way to keep their hard earned dollars out of the hands of megaconglomerate brewers and to place them into the hands of smaller, brewer or family owned breweries.  It's the beer equivalent of the "Mom and Pop Grocery" versus "Big Box Stores" debate.  Many people want to support local/small businesses and so they choose to shop at individually owned establishments rather than corporate driven entities like Wal*Mart, Target, and the like.

But what if Wal*Mart actually owned that Mom and Pop store?  What if Mom and Pop were just a front--imposters hired to put a good face on a misleading--some might say nefarious--business venture?

That's just what the problem is in the world of craft beer.  Some people think that they are supporting smaller brewers when they order a pint at their favorite pub when, in fact, they're just lining the pockets of some executives, helping the literal rich get richer.  Of course, sometimes it's just a case of mistaken identity--brands like Hoegaarden and Stella Artois that might seem like they are microbrewed beer but that are actually just another rib of the Big Beer umbrella.  Other times, though, it's a little more surreptitious.

Blue Moon is the biggest offender in this category.  I know a LOT of folks who drink Blue Moon and think that it's a microbrewed beer.  But it's not.  And what's worse is that it's not clear that it's not.  Ever see a commercial for Blue Moon?  Take a look at the bottom of the screen.  You'll sometimes see "Blue Moon Brewing Company" captioned.  Ever notice the city that appears?  Golden, Colorado.  Know what else comes from Golden?  Coors, which, incidentally, happens to be the owner of the Blue Moon Brewing Company (according to the Blue Moon Wikipedia entry, Blue Moon Brewing is, "...a part of Tenth and Blake Beer Company, the craft and import division of Chicago-based MillerCoors."

Landshark Lager and Shock Top are two more, though both of those play for a different team: Anheuser-Busch.

Think about it: these beers are marketed as being micro or, worse, craft brewed when in fact they're nothing more than another moneymaker for a colossal corporate entity.  I'd wager that there's more Blue Moon, Landshark, and Shock Top spilled over the course of a year than beer brewed by Dogfish Head, Stone, and Sierra Nevada combined. 

Here are some sobering statistics:

According to the Brewers Association, as of 2011, craft beer represents approximately six percent of the total American beer market.  The other ninety-four percent?  Big Beer.

In 2011, Anheuser-Busch and SABMiller--the two largest, top-selling brewers in the United States combined to earn $58.454 BILLION DOLLARS (19 billion by SABMiller and 39 billion by Anheuser-Busch).  Seriously--$58,454,000,000.00!  That's the ENTIRE craft beer market revenue multiple times over.

The Boston Beer Company is the largest microbrewery in the United States.  It shipped out 2.5 million barrels of beer in 2011; this amounted to slightly less than ONE PERCENT  of the entire U.S. beer market.  According to an article on CNN.com (linked here: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/15/big-beer-craft-brewers/), "the average craft brewery shipped 5,911 barrels while the median barrel count was just 550 barrels."  To explain those numbers, that means that if you added up the total amount of beer shipped out by craft brewers and then divided it by the number of breweries in total, you'd get 5,911 barrels.  This number is skewed though because there are far fewer microbreweries making a ton of beer and far more making less.  That's where the median number comes into play.  If you were to lay out each individual brewery's production from smallest to highest and then look at the number in the middle, it would be 550 barrels.  That means that half of the nearly 2,000 craft breweries in the United States produced LESS than 550 barrels of beer in 2011.  Multiplying the average by the total number of breweries reveals that, in 2011, the ENTIRETY of the craft beer market amounted to 11,468,152 barrels of beer.  That's nearly TWO THOUSAND BREWERIES' WORTH.

Keep that number in mind--it took roughly 2,000 breweries to sell approximately 11.5 million barrels of beer.  By comparison (and, again, according to CNN's previously linked article), it took only 2--TWO!!!--breweries (Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors) to brew about 157,624,318 barrels of beer.  One Hundred Fifty Seven Point Six MILLION barrels. 

It took 0.1% of the total number of craft breweries to make nearly 14 times the amount of beer.

So what's the issue?

The problem is that Big Beer isn't satisfied with dominating the U.S. beer market; it wants complete control.  Despite the fact that craft beer accounts for barely 6% of that market, it represents enough of a threat that companies like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors have taken to a number of methods to combat the problem.  The most troubling is mere acquisition.  When Goose Island was taken over a few years back, it stirred panic among the craft beer community.  What would stop other microbreweries from going under the giant corporate umbrella as well?  Sure there are antitrust laws that might interfere with a total acquisition of the biggest microbreweries but who's to say that others won't give in?  Imagine having more money waved in your face than you, your kids, and their kids would earn collectively in their lifetimes?  It's easy to say that you won't give into the pressure or even that you'd never go public with your brewery...but you just never know.  If some of the bigger microbrewers were to go down--places like the Boston Brewing Company, Stone Brewing Company, or, worst of all, the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, who knows what would become of the craft beer realm.

The likelihood is slim that such a craft beer apocalypse would ever come to pass simply because of how many breweries there are and how many continue to open annually.  I'm convinced that, within an hour's drive of nearly anywhere in the country, you'd be able to find either a microbrewery or a brewpub.  That's crazy when you think of what the beer scene was like only fifteen years ago!  But therein lies the problem: there are so many craft breweries that it's hard to keep up.

This is where Big Beer plays the dirtiest.

Brands like Blue Moon and others are marketed or at the very least implied to be craft brewed when they are anything but.  But just what does "craft brewed" mean?  Essentially, it boils down to beer production and brewery ownership.  In order to be a small, independent brewer, for example, the Brewers Association says that it must have, "...an annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less...and...less than 25% of the craft brewery...owned or controlled...by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer." (http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/business-tools/craft-brewing-statistics/craft-brewer-defined) 

That's just a definition, though.  What really identifies a craft brewery is the perceived quality, innovation, and, in some cases, the civic-mindedness of the proprietors.  Many people love Sierra Nevada's beers because they are among the gold standard for quality-produced, microbrewed beer in the United States.  I'd say the bulk of Dogfish Head and Stone's cult followings derive from their individual dedications to innovative ingredients and brewing methods.  And as for breweries whose popularity stems in part from their dedication to "green" brewing practices including using solar and/or wind power, reusing spent grain, or otherwise producing their own harvestable ingredients?  Take your pick.

Thinking mostly of the elements of the previous paragraph, Big Beer companies just doesn't exemplify any of them.  If anything, they represent what some people believe to be the worst aspect of capitalism: a soulless, greed-driven entity that cares more about its bottom line than it does its consumers.  Of course this is certain to elicit eye-rolls from some people--mostly the "I want beer that tastes like beer" crowd--but there's undeniably something to be said for getting behind something you believe in and supporting it financially.  It's how a ton of bands have remained active in light of the devastating changes that have occurred in the music realm.  It's also how there can be so many bagel stores, pizzerias, and any other number of small, local businesses.

At the end of the day, people want quality.  If they didn't, you wouldn't see any Victoria's, Angela's, or Romeo's; they'd all be Papa John's and Dominos.  Lit and Eve 6 would never be at the Stone Pony; it'd only be another cookie-cutter pop or rock act following the established formula.

Ditto for beer.

So what do we do?

In light of beers like Blue Moon and Batch 19, their vague promotions, and their misleading marketing campaigns, craft beer supporters need to stand up and make their voices heard for more transparency in brewer identification.  On a bottle of Dogfish Head beer, I see "Dogfish Head" and I know that Sam Calagione and his crew made that luscious liquid.  On other bottles, I might see a carefully-crafted brewery name that is really just a front for one of the big breweries.  Maybe it should be required that the majority owner of the brewery is also listed.  This way, you'd know that Goose Island brewed the beer but that Anheuser-Busch/InBev financed it.

An even better idea, of course, is to push for craft beer certification--a designation that is bestowed upon a brewery and its beers only after a clearly identified set of criteria is met.  A system already in place for organic beer could be the perfect starting point for such legislation.  According to craftbeer.com's page about organic beer (http://www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-muses/the-big-omdash-defining-organic-beer), there is a sliding scale of Organic Certification ranging from "100 Percent Organic" to "Organic," in which at least 95% of the ingredients used are certified as organic.

Why couldn't the craft beer industry as a whole follow suit?  Knowing that a brew is "100% Craft Beer" would be great but so would a "50% Craft Beer."  I don't like to drink anything Big Brew makes because of its deceptive advertising and its shitty ingredient quality.  If, however, it was listed clearly on the bottle that it was brewed at a Big Beer facility and included absolutely no adjuncts and ONLY high quality ingredients, then I'd be more inclined to consider trying it with an open mind.  After all, not every beer produced by Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors has a piss-poor rating on BeerAdvocate and RateBeer.  I just can't get myself to like certain beers because I feel like I'm being duped by their misrepresentation.



So what do you think? 

The Beer Whisperers' 100th Entry: A Look Back and A Look Forward

As The Beer Whisperers nears its second birthday, I find it pretty wild to reflect back on the journey towards this hundredth entry.  With more than 45,000 page-views and counting, it's humbling to realize that most if not all of those views were made by fellow beer lovers.  There are probably millions of beer drinkers worldwide but this blog has shown me that there is a strong community of beer devotees who are loyal to any number of craft/microbrewers and to the experience of building one's palette through the exploration of some damn good beer.  That, after all, is what this blog has been and will continue to be all about.

Looking back, this blog began as a way for me to explore my passion for craft beer and to share my experiences with other like-minded beer drinkers.  I never imagined how prolific my beer travels and beer sampling would become but it's awesome to think of how integral a role The Beer Whisperers has played in the last two years' worth of drinking.  There were times where I would have a beer and think, "Man!  I've gotta write an entry about this to let people know that this is out there!" and other times that I was repulsed and decided to write an entry of warning.  Now, admittedly, there is a noticeable dearth of the latter but there is solid reasoning behind it: people don't want to read about bad beer!  I've had plenty of C+ and under brews since the blog began...but how compelling would those entries be?  Sure it would be fun to challenge my descriptive prose skills, coming up with innovative ways of conveying just how repugnant some of these beers are--"Tastes like wet cardboard soaked in cat urine and then aged within the confines of hot, sweaty sneakers"--but the purpose of the blog is to share the word about good beer.

As rewarding as it is to take a peek at the rearview, it's what lies ahead for The Beer Whisperers that really has me stoked.  Though I'm bummed that it's taken so long to reach this one hundredth entry and I can't say for sure that I'll be able to adhere to any regular posting schedule (having a three year old, a six month old, and a burgeoning writing career makes it difficult to sit down for any stretch of time and bang out a slew of worthy entries), I do know that I am looking forward to continuing the mission that I set out upon back in March of 2011.  I can say this with certainty because there are already a number of incredible things lined up for the next few months alone and I'm confident that there will be many more beer experiences to come that I will want to write about.

Nearest and dearest on the aforementioned list is the upcoming 2013 iteration of Dogfish Head's Weekend of Compelling Ales and Whatnot (WOCAAW).  The 2012 event was AWESOME with a panoply of delicious beer pairings that included some crazy cheeses that I had never had before.  I dreamed of the apricot cheese for days afterwards, regretting heavily that I didn't take down the information of the dairy that made it.  With Dogfish Head's attention to detail and knack for innovation, I'm sure that the alterations to the upcoming event will serve only to enhance it.  The only thing that is bittersweet is the fact that my wife and I were able to get only one ticket.  Registration for the event was surprisingly insane.  I had been lucky that I checked my email only a few hours after tickets went up for sale because it was already sold out by then--barely four hours later!  I don't think that anyone expected that--certainly not from the disappointed comments made by other craft beer enthusiasts.  I say that it's bittersweet though because it shows how great Dogfish Head's events are and how much their popularity has grown over just the past year alone.  With the 2013 Analog-A-Go-Go event, though, I hope that they'll take a cue from how things went with the WOCAAW registration and offer an accurate time at which tickets will go on sale (the way Beer Advocate did for the Extreme Beer Fest) rather than saying "sometime in late March/April/whenever."

Something I'm even more excited about though is the 2013 Beer Bloggers Conference in Boston.  If you click on the link, you can check out a welcome video made by the Boston Beer Company's founder, Jim Koch.  I don't want to get my hopes too high but if the evening winds up transpiring as described by Jim, it could very well be one of the greatest nights of my life!  Brewery Open House has a nice ring to it...but drink beer out of the tanks and fresh Kosmic Mother Funk STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BARREL ROOM TANKS!?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?  And then special beers and really nice food pairings!?  PINCH ME!  And, I'm not sure about this one, but perhaps the opportunity to meet Jim Koch--one of my brewing idols!?

That's all just the first day!!!

Aside from all of that, I have a bunch of beers that I've been aging that will reach varying levels of maturity at multiple points throughout the year.  I'm looking forward to a six year old Raison D'Extra in March, a two year old 18 Year Ola Dubh in July (that one's sort of tough to wrap your head around), and then two more XS Old Crustaceans--one in each of the aforementioned months.  So far the aging experiment hasn't gone quite as well as I thought it would have but it's still been interesting to see how some of my favorite beers change over time.

And, of course, there's simply the chance to try as many new beers as possible.  Last week, I enjoyed two likely Top Twenty-Five if not Top Ten beers of the year courtesy of Kane Brewing.  It was a random decision to head out to the brewery that day, which just goes to show that you never know when you'll encounter some truly memorable beers.

So thanks for joining me on my journey thus far.  I hope you've enjoyed whatever entry or entries you've perused or that you at least found something useful in them.  I'm always open to suggestions so if anyone has an idea for a way that I can improve the blog--either in terms of what I cover in my reviews or perhaps new topics to explore--please don't hesitate to drop me a line.

Sláinte

--Matt