December 27, 2008

Organics and their beer

I have never intentionally dallied into organic foods. Call it apathy or laziness and you'd probably be correct. I haven't ever concerned myself with pesticides and preservatives even though I know I should. It might be important to me since I do have a watershed feeding my water supply that drains quite a bit of farmland.

The only aspect of organic (if it is indeed to be included)that I do actively participate would be free-range meats and eggs. I love to eat meat. I am not ashamed of that fact but I do feel empathetic for animals. I do pony up some extra money to buy animal products that are produced from animals that lived a fairly normal life up until we killed them. Sadly that is currently limited to free-range eggs and chicken and free-range hamburger. I should frequent a place like the James Family Farm in Sherman. I don't yet. It's that apathy and laziness again.

But you didn't come here to listen to me whine about why I can't get into organic foods. You came here to listen to me talk about beer. So here is what I am talkin bout:

Organic Beer!

Your choices if you are truly into organic products can be limited but not when it comes to beer. There are truly some quite worthwhile organic beers to be had that really don't taste any different than other craft beers of the same style. That is unless you include the smug satisfactory taste of making the Earth a better place one beer at a time.

You can find some these beers at your local beverage emporiums. I'll reference Friar Tuck's since I am well acquainted with it but try Famous Liquors and/or Party House and if they do not carry organic beers then request them (The caveat being that if you do request them then make sure you become a regular buyer or they will drop them if there is no interest).

Our first beer is: New Belgium's Mothership Wit



This New Belgium's first organic beer and is good if you like wheat beers. It was nigh omnipresent with the Fat Tire and 1554 for a period of time at some of the better-rounded restaurants but I think it has been dropped at some. I do not believe this will be the only organic from New Belgium for long. The brewery itself is doing some interesting things with sustainability at their own facilities. It might be worth drinking their products to support those efforts even if it is one of their non-organic offerings.

The second option (of which I believe some is available at the Tuck) is Otter Creek Brewery's sub-brand Wolaver's. Otter Creek is a brewery in Vermont and, after it was bought by the Wolaver family, it began producing beer that was certified as organic. Their three year-round beers are a Pale Ale, an India Pale Ale and a Brown Ale.



Ther ya go. If you are interested in oragnic foods and were lamenting the fact that you had no beer choices, you can now find several interesting options at your local stores. It is up to you now. Organics don't survive without being proven viable. Buy these beers, request them at stores and restaurants. Share them with friends. Do or Do Not, There is No Try.

December 24, 2008

Yeast-ridden beer and Da Bomb!

Beer is created through the action of yeast upon the sugars contained within the malt. This yeast while alive and in an environment where it can survive will process its food. If you have ever had a beer where the yeast has not been filtered out may have experienced the results: gas.

Hazed and Infused, an unfiltered dry-hopped IPA by Boulder Beer Co., which is tasty most, is one such beer. Thank you BFS. You enabled me to sicken my wife on our morning commute after merely having one beer the night before.

December 19, 2008

Beer = the new wine

According to some dude who contradicts himself in the next bullet point, but I'l take it.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Bistro-Barbecue-Beer-Top-List/story.aspx?guid={55D4CCA1-0109-4476-B2D4-48D2E20BDCA3}

Also, be sure to catch Discovery's 'How Stuff Works' beer special over the weekend! It aired last night so I'm sure they'll repeat it a few dozen times this weekend. They spent some time at the Dogfish Head Brewery (or as I call it, Heaven)

December 4, 2008

Oh yeah, the link . . .

http://www.sloshspot.com/blog/11-19-2008/Around-the-World-in-116-Beers-80

Rookie mistake!

Diatribe

Hello all!

I'd like to thank Gish for the glowing introduction! I'd like to second his mourning at the passing of the Grape and Grain. I was college roommates with the original owner's son and got to know Jon Walz very well over the years. Sadly he passed away last year. He was a very good man and is sorely missed. However, we can keep some of his spirit live by maintaining the spirit of quality brewmaking here in Springfield!

On a lighter note, I have come acrossed a list some enterprising blogger put together showing the most popular, domestically produced beers around the world. As many in the comments section of the page noted, this not a list of the BEST beer in that country, meerly the most popular. You will notice a distinct pilzer/horse urine trend to the list.

I have tried a few on the list besides those widely available in the states. Kronenburg 1664 is a decent light lager, Baltica kind of sucks. Particluar shout out to the people of Sri Lanka for liking Lion Stout! I have a sneaking suspicion that it is the most popular beer made there because it is the only beer made there. Nevertheless, it is one of the finest beers made in the world. Also, poor Eritrea. I'm thinking a decade's long civil war and grinding poverty leads to the top beer in you country being made in someone's basement.

I'd like to invite the commenters, how many of these have you tried? What do you think SHOULD be at the top a nations list?

Budweiser, we can do better America!

Diatribe

December 1, 2008

A Diatribe for the Common man

Soon, my poppets, you will be introduced to Red of Red Cobblers Brewery. The Yin to my Yang. The Up to my Down. The Black to my White. (Technically for those of you who see color. We are both white.)

He will post whatever he sees fit and beery because together we might just be prolific enough to keep your attention.

Welcome the Biumvirate!