The question that accompanied this old trivia answer is "name the three most famous things from Latrobe, PA." Rolling Rock was synonymous with Latrobe, PA -- ask your dad or your grandfather. However, in May 2006 the brewery was sold and the good old "33" will no longer be brewed in Latrobe. Take a guess at which brewing powerhouse flexed its muscles and shut down the brewery. Good guess, Anheuser Busch.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_454645.html
Monday, January 29, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
While I tell of YuleSmith treasure...
I just had a wonderful beer. YuleSmith Holiday Ale is the first beer I have tried from AleSmith Brewing Company in San Diego, CA. This beer was truly amazing. It is a Double India Pale Ale that looks, smells, and tastes absolutely fantastic. I gave it a whopping 4.7 out of 5 and if I had another bottle of this stuff, the rating might get higher. In fact, I think I will make a trip out to Julio's in Westborough, MA just to get another bottle to cellar for a couple of years - it has an incredible raw pine aroma - it may smell more like Christmas tree than any other beer seasonal brew I have tried. Here is my rating:
"8.5% abv - pours to a monster cauliflower head - lots of great Belgian lace - rich dark copper color - pure raw pine hop scent with a whiff of sweet caramel - slippery mouthfeel with a gentle tingle on the tip and sides of the tongue - dryish at finish - this beer smells more like Christmas tree than any other beer I have tasted - some sweetish dry fruit flavors try to help balance the bitterness - mild warming sensation from alcohol, but it is remarkable how well it is masked by the flavors of this beer - sweet caramel taste competes with the dry fruit sweetness at finish and really helps balance this beer off - it has plenty of hops, but it is not all hops - bottle fermented and superbly crafted - this is a tremendous double IPA - I wish I could get an air freshener that smelled like this beer, it smells so good - looks, smells, and tastes exceptional"
"8.5% abv - pours to a monster cauliflower head - lots of great Belgian lace - rich dark copper color - pure raw pine hop scent with a whiff of sweet caramel - slippery mouthfeel with a gentle tingle on the tip and sides of the tongue - dryish at finish - this beer smells more like Christmas tree than any other beer I have tasted - some sweetish dry fruit flavors try to help balance the bitterness - mild warming sensation from alcohol, but it is remarkable how well it is masked by the flavors of this beer - sweet caramel taste competes with the dry fruit sweetness at finish and really helps balance this beer off - it has plenty of hops, but it is not all hops - bottle fermented and superbly crafted - this is a tremendous double IPA - I wish I could get an air freshener that smelled like this beer, it smells so good - looks, smells, and tastes exceptional"
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Funny ads don't always increase sales...
SAB Miller has temporarily pulled its popular "Man law" commercials. Despite creating a buzz with the humorous ads that parody some of the ridiculous things "men" worry about, such as "is it ok to leave a sporting event early to beat the traffic" or "should the high-five be retired."
I have to admit, the commercials are pretty funny, especially those featuring Eddie Griffin. Although humorous, it seems the adds did not increase sales of Miller Lite last year, hence the decision to try something else.
Click here for a full article in the Houston Chronicle:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/4495088.html
Click here to check out the manlaw website:
http://manlaws.com/
I have to admit, the commercials are pretty funny, especially those featuring Eddie Griffin. Although humorous, it seems the adds did not increase sales of Miller Lite last year, hence the decision to try something else.
Click here for a full article in the Houston Chronicle:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/4495088.html
Click here to check out the manlaw website:
http://manlaws.com/
Monday, January 22, 2007
Brewing has gone to the dogs...
Elena beat me to it in her recent comment. I had intended on posting this hilarious and true link today. A brewery in The Netherlands has developed a non-alcoholic beer for dogs! Leave it to the Dutch, they love their beer and their dogs.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6288107.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16752671/
Friday, January 19, 2007
Beer Jingle Quiz
Ok, I know that this may be a somewhat generational post, since some of you younger folks won't have any idea what I am talking about -- let's see how many of the following beer jingles you can match to the beers. I will include a couple of current ones so everyone can have a crack at it:
"Darling when will you be mine, cuando, cuando, cuando, cuando..."
"Here's to good friends, tonight is kind of special...so tonight, let it be ____."
"Head for the mountains of _____ beer!"
"Don't hold back, cuz there's a party over here so you might as well be here where the people care..."
"People all over the world, join hands, start a love train, a love train..."
"After midnight, were gonna let it all hang out, after midnight, were gonna shake jump and shout..."
"Doobee, doobee do..."
"If you've got the time, we've got the beer. _____ beer."
"What'll you have? ______. Smoother, smoother, smoother flavor..."
"Ya da da da da da da da da da da...."
Post one or all of the answers. A little hint, youtube has lots of these beer commercials.
"Darling when will you be mine, cuando, cuando, cuando, cuando..."
"Here's to good friends, tonight is kind of special...so tonight, let it be ____."
"Head for the mountains of _____ beer!"
"Don't hold back, cuz there's a party over here so you might as well be here where the people care..."
"People all over the world, join hands, start a love train, a love train..."
"After midnight, were gonna let it all hang out, after midnight, were gonna shake jump and shout..."
"Doobee, doobee do..."
"If you've got the time, we've got the beer. _____ beer."
"What'll you have? ______. Smoother, smoother, smoother flavor..."
"Ya da da da da da da da da da da...."
Post one or all of the answers. A little hint, youtube has lots of these beer commercials.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Budvar sellout or shrewd business decision...
It looks like Budvar will be partnering with Budweiser in distributing the original "Budweiser Budvar" in the United States. However, as I read it, Budvar will still be labeled "Czechvar" in the US. Both sides agreed that this arrangement could not be used as leverage in their century old trademark dispute over the rights to the name Budweiser.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/08/business/beer.php
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/08/business/beer.php
Friday, January 12, 2007
What is the worst beer you have ever tried?
Sometimes I can be a bit of a beer snob. What can I say, give me the choice between a hand-crafted beer and crappy mass-produced swill and I opt for the former. I like to say that "I have never met a beer that I didn't like." What I mean by that is I would choose beer over just about any other beverage. So, when given the choice between Milwaukee's Best Light in a 16oz can or soda or water, I would generally take the beer.
However, three beers standout as the worst I have ever tasted. The first was called Sweet China. I doubt they even make this beer anymore. It was 95% lager and 5% pineapple juice. Now why in the hell would someone go putting pineapple juice into a beer.
The second is Cave Creek Chili Beer. Ok, picture a Corona Light (which is bad enough) with a chili pepper crammed inside the bottle. It tasted like the juice inside a jar of jalapeno peppers. I love spicy food, but this beer was completely unappealing.
The third worst beer is Southend Brewery Blonde Light from the Southend Brewery in Charlotte, NC. I am hoping that I got a bad batch, but I don't think that was the case. Here was the review I gave it:
“ This beer gets a whopping 0.2! - virtually no hop or malt taste at all – flat – no smell, but has a strange cheese doodle aftertaste – not a winning combination – they get .2 points for successfully making a beer that tastes like an artificial cheese product – that must be hard to do”
There are a bunch of beers tied for fourth and I bet many of you can guess which American companies make those beers. Now let me know the worst you have tried...
However, three beers standout as the worst I have ever tasted. The first was called Sweet China. I doubt they even make this beer anymore. It was 95% lager and 5% pineapple juice. Now why in the hell would someone go putting pineapple juice into a beer.
The second is Cave Creek Chili Beer. Ok, picture a Corona Light (which is bad enough) with a chili pepper crammed inside the bottle. It tasted like the juice inside a jar of jalapeno peppers. I love spicy food, but this beer was completely unappealing.
The third worst beer is Southend Brewery Blonde Light from the Southend Brewery in Charlotte, NC. I am hoping that I got a bad batch, but I don't think that was the case. Here was the review I gave it:
“ This beer gets a whopping 0.2! - virtually no hop or malt taste at all – flat – no smell, but has a strange cheese doodle aftertaste – not a winning combination – they get .2 points for successfully making a beer that tastes like an artificial cheese product – that must be hard to do”
There are a bunch of beers tied for fourth and I bet many of you can guess which American companies make those beers. Now let me know the worst you have tried...
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Welcome to The Bostonbeerman Blog
Feel free to use this site to ask me any questions about beer or the class.
Simple question to get things started! Of the 8 beers we have tried so far, which one is your favorite and why?
Simple question to get things started! Of the 8 beers we have tried so far, which one is your favorite and why?
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