Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The TU's Steve Barnes says Beer Land coming soon

 

Beer Land headed for former Ballingers space

Following up on a tidbit I reported a month ago, the former Ballingers nightclub in downtown Albany is being redeveloped as a brew palace called Beer Land. A February opening is projected.
The business is leasing the building, at Howard and Lodge streets, home for decades to the restaurant Ogden’s, from Douglas Ballinger. Ballinger, who with his brothers has owned the New York City club and music venue Webster Hall for more than 20 years, bought the building in 2006 and handsomely renovated it over the course of a year. Ballingers was able to make go of it as a nightclub for three fitful years beforeclosing for good in January 2010.
The owners of Beer Land are Ballinger’s brother Lon, Lon’s son Kaelin and Kenny Schachter; the latter two are responsible for the booking, marketing and and promotion of Webster Hall.
“We want to add something totally unique to the city in a building that is already historically unique,” Schachter tells me.
A 2006 graduate of the University at Albany, Schachter says his familiarity with Albany nightlife, combined with the hard lessons learned at Ballingers and the singularity of Beer Land, will combine to make the new venture succeed where its predecessor did not.
In particular, he says, Beer Land will draw a wider section of the population than Ballingers did, with separate floors of the building targeted at different demographics, and the owners have arranged for free parking in a lot nearby. As the diverse clientele of Wolff’s Biergarten proves, it’s possible to attract a large, diverse clientele to a location off the main drag if the atmosphere is broadly appealing.
As Beer Land, the building will house three distinct environments, Schachter says, including a traditional, albeit not exclusively German, beer hall on the main floor. The basement, a cool grotto clad in Helderberg bluestone, right, will largely retain its look but have a separate theme from the main floor, as will the second floor. Schachter says the partners are not yet ready to release full details of the themes, food service or programming.
Beer Land has been granted conditional approval of its liquor license for bars on all three floors, according to the State Liquor Authority, and plans to install dozens of draft lines for an eclectic selection of beer on tap, to be complemented by a large array of bottled brews.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Duvel acquires de Koninck


Duvel Moortgat has announced its takeover of the iconic Antwerp based beer: De Koninck, literally ‘the King’ in Flemish. Located in the heart of Antwerp, Brouwerij de Koninck has been brewing since 1933. Its present owners, the Van den Bogaert and Van Bauwel families, have built the brewery into a valuable brand with a solid reputation both nationally and internationally. The brewery reached the peak of its success during the 1990’s with an annual production level of 130,000 hectolitres. More recently, it has struggled against a shrinking beer market and a strong decline in a demand for pale ale. The current annual volume is around 65,000 hectolitres. Bernard Van den Bogaert of De Koninck states: "Because of the small size of our brewery, we have experienced a lack of commercial strength and distribution channels. But this acquisition is a logical step as, during the last couple of years, Duvel Moortgat has proven that it possesses the right experience; and the fact that the two breweries have maintained an excellent relationship for generations adds an extra dimension to this acquisition."

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Ommegang to open Belgian café

This just in from Steve Barnes at The Times Union

Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown is building a new visitors pavilion; this presumably is the “state-of-the-art facility” that will contain a Belgian café mentioned in a job posting for a kitchen manager that is on Ommegang’s website. More details when I have them.






The brewery, located five miles south of Cooperstown on County Route 33, is open noon to 5 p.m. daily for tours.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Que Syrah Syrah

Golden Ticket Baltic Porter.
Golden ticket is an opaque dark brown lager with big roasted-malt flavor with notes of raisin, and milk chocolate.  This Baltic Porter is profoundly smooth with a full, flavorful body, making it both drinkable and satisfying with slight hop presence and clean finish.
Taproom 20th Anniversary Ale. 
Taproom 20th is a hoppy golden ale with a surprising light body. A mild fruity aroma barely hints at the flavorful, resinous American hops inside. This easy drinking beer finishes slightly sweet with a moderate hop bite.

Juniper Black Ale.
This dark russet-colored beer has an intricate aroma of roasted malt and fruity esters, with a touch of resinous pine note from the use of juniper berries. The flavor is deep and complex with an upfront sweetness and flavors of dark baking chocolate, which give way to a dry finish from a mixture of hops, and a mild touch of juniper. Juniper Black Ale is very drinkable and perfect for a cold winter night.
Old Cantankerous
Old Cantankerous is an interesting example of the nearly extinct Stock Ale style of beer. It is full-bodied with sweet malt aromas reminiscent of raisin and toffee. The flavor is rich with complex malts with notes of caramelized sugar and toasted walnuts. This English-style ale is clean and balanced with a restrained hop finish.

HopStar
This classic West-Coast style India Pale Ale is loaded with pronounced citrus and grapefruit rind hop notes with a hint of sweet malt in the aroma. The smooth malt flavor is backed by an assertive hop character from generous amounts of "new-school" aromatic hops including the Amarillo and Simcoe varieties used during dry hopping. This bold and aggressive IPA remains drinkable and will keep you coming back for more.
Weizenbock
During a recent visit to Germany, our brewers had the good fortune to meet with the hefeweizen masters at the Brauerei Fritz Gutmann. Last fall the Gutmann brewers returned the visit, and while they were here, brewed up an exceptional Weizenbock beer. This Weizenbock is a strong hefeweizen with pronounced banana and clove aromas with layers of complex malt flavor.

Biggar Beer.
Made with our malt growers from Biggar, Saskatchewan, this golden ale is a perfect session beer—medium bodied, and perfectly balanced. Mild sweetness and delicate malt flavor play smoothly against an understated backbone of hops, offering a dry finish and superb drinkability.

Hellraiser—Chocolate Chili Imperial Stout.
This massive Imperial Stout is infused with cocoa and dried ancho chilies. Rich and complex aromas, heavy with roasted grains, mask the layers of flavor within. Notes of bittersweet chocolate, mocha, and a mild smokiness give way to a tingling and complex finish from the influence of the peppers.

Que Syrah, Syrah—Syrah Barrel-Aged Brown Saison.
Our unique saison, spiced with star anise, curaco orange peel, and juniper, and aged for 8-months in French oak barrels used to mature syrah wine.  This beer has layers of delicate flavors and complexity that a modest period of barrel-aging has made even more refined and interesting. The dry straw-like finish with fruity top notes of spice and farmhouse yeast character, blends well with the tannic fruitiness of the wine, combined with a mild tartness, and earthy character from native yeasts living in the barrel. This is one of only two kegs produced at the brewery at this time, with the remainder of the barrel continuing to mature.

Brandy Barrel-Aged Belgian Trippel.
Our Belgian Trippel aged for 5-months in California brandy barrels. Made with an authentic abbey-style yeast strain, our Trippel is full of flavor but surprisingly light-bodied and drinkable. A balanced beer with a mild, bready character from the malt, combined with subtle floral flavors from the use of European hops. The Belgian yeast strain produces a complex bouquet of spicy and fruity flavors and aromas. The brief barrel aging adds to the beer’s flavor and complexity with subtle notes of vanilla, and wine and a touch of a toffee finish.

Vintage 1994 Bigfoot Barleywine. 
From the brewery’s private library, this is the oldest keg of Bigfoot we have ever tapped. Extended aging of Bigfoot refines some of the barleywine’s notoriously bold character. Famously for its aggressive hopiness, vintage Bigfoot, gains more subtlety over time. As the hops fade to the background, the robust malts take over and notes of brandied cherries, dates, cocoa, leaf tobacco, and caramel come to the fore. Over time, Bigfoot becomes less of a beast and more of beauty suitable for serving as an after-dinner drink in your favorite cordial glass or snifter.

Mersey Cream Stout
Named after the Mersey River that runs through Liverpool, England this cream stout is the definition of a “session” beer—low in alcohol, light in body, and big on flavor. This ebony colored ale has a heady mix of sweet-malt and roasted coffee flavors, which offer complexity without weighing heavy on the palate.

Rhymes Wit.
Our take on a traditional Belgian Wit or “white” style of beer named for its hazy, pale straw color. This beer has interesting aromas of spicy Belgian yeast, wheat malt, and a hint of citrus. It has a silky smooth body, slight black pepper character, and a malt graininess that fades into a mild tart finish from the use of locally grown mandarin orange peels.

Dark Forces Baltic Porter
Brewed with help from our friends at Pizza Port near San Diego. This beer is a deep russet-brown with heady malty aromas. It has layers of roasty, malt-driven flavors, with notes of chocolate and smoke and hints of black cherry-like fruity highlights. The beer finishes medium-dry and is surprisingly drinkable for something so complex.

Nautilus Dry-Hopped Pilsner.
Nautilus is a Czech-style pilsner infused with dry-hopped aroma and flavor from our unique hop-torpedo process. The beer is brilliant golden in color and has an intriguing mix of malty lager-like aroma blended with light fruit-forward hop notes. It has a medium body with a touch of biscuit-like malt flavor and fruity and floral hop flavors.

Europale.
Made with our Italian distributor partners, this beer is a unique European/American hybrid pale ale. Europale is a brilliant golden color, with interesting floral and grassy hop aromas. The flavors are a balanced mix of toasty malt alongside crisp and spicy noble hop flavors from the use of German Tettnanger and Spalt Select hops.
ExPorter
 ExPorter is a dark and mysterious brew, pitch-black in color, with a heady aroma of wood smoke, and roasted malt. The flavors are complex, but milder than the aroma suggests, with light malt sweetness, and notes of milk chocolate, molé, and caramel, balanced by a moderately full semi-dry finish.
Almond Märzen Project. 
This unusual beer is based on a traditional German-style Märzen lager, but with an added twist—the addition of locally grown almonds added during fermentation. It is a polished copper color, with delicate and sweet lager aromas. The flavor is an interesting mix of moderately sweet toasted malt, with hints of marzipan and roasted almonds coming through on the finish.

FestivAle
Brewed with our friends at High Sierra Music Festival, FestivAle is a beer in perfect harmony. A beautifully balanced golden ale with high notes of bright and floral hops and a driving baseline of complex but drinkable malt flavor. It's perfect for a weekend in the hills with good music and great beer.

Wood-Aged Porter.
This beer is rare barrel-aged treatment on our classic American-style Porter. It is dark chocolate brown in color, with rich, bittersweet and roasted toffee flavors enhanced with decadent notes of vanilla and toasted coconut aromas from extended aging in Kentucky bourbon barrels.

Vienna Lager
Vienna lager is our take on the classic European amber lager. It has bright reddish highlights and a pronounced bready malt aroma reminiscent of its Austrian counterparts. The flavor plays slightly toward caramel and toasted lager malt but remains balanced and drinkable with a clean finish perfect for a summer session.

Diving Blackbird Black IPA
A juxtaposition of the senses, this beer has the appearance of a dark porter but with the flavors of an American India Pale Ale. The rich ebony-brown body has a strong hop aroma with hints of orange peel combined with roasty malt aromas. The flavor is an interesting mix of resinous American hops and a light milk chocolate and slight smoky character from the dark grains. The finish speaks to IPA with a bold and bracing blast of citrusy hops. 

Ghidorah Double IPA.
An American Double IPA that is almost as formidable as its Sci-Fi monster namesake. Ghidorah is golden-amber in color, with a pronounced hop-forward presence. Grassy, resinous, and citrus-peel hops dominate the aroma. It has a significant malt body, which adds balance to the beer, but the malt quickly subsides toward a firm bitter finish.

Back Porch Lager
Made with the folks from the Telluride Blues and Brews festival, this easy-drinking lager is available exclusively at the event. Perfectly balanced flavors of malt and hops make this beer the perfect drink for all-night, back porch jam sessions and plenty of the blues. Enjoy!

Barrel-Aged Life & Limb
This new version of our sought-after collaboration brew with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton Delaware rested for 10 months in American Bourbon barrels. Barrel-Aged Life & Limb is dark mahogany-brown in color with massive aromas reminiscent of rich roasted malts, with heady notes of vanilla and toasted coconut from the oak. Round and early flavors dominate this full-bodied beer, with hints of maple, toasted pecan, and raisin.
Pro-Am Old Ale
Made with local homebrewing whiz Doug McLendon, this Old Ale is dark ebony-brown. Old Ale has aromas of dark cherry and cocoa powder with a faint whiff of hops. It features layers of roasted malt flavors with rich chocolate and plum notes and a clean, lasting, malty finish.

Hoppy Camper
Created by Taproom regulars, Hoppy Camper is an easy-drinking hoppy amber ale. This medium-bodied beer has an engaging fruity and floral aroma, anchored by sweet hints of malt. The flavor is an interesting mix of caramel-like roasted malts balanced by a solid dry and hoppy finish.

Writer’s Block
Made by influential beer industry scribes, Benj Steinman and Harry Shumacher, this hoppy golden ale should encourage creativity. Beautifully balanced toasty malt flavors work well against a crisp hoppy backbone, making this medium-bodied ale approachable, drinkable, and enjoyable. 

Knightro – Celtic Festival Beer
A fully Nitrogenated beer designed as our take on the creamy dry stouts of Ireland with a decidedly Sierra Nevada twist. Knightro is black in color but surprisingly light in body with rich caramel and chocolate malty flavors.  It has a creamy mouthfeel and gentle carbonation from the use of a high percentage of Nitrogen instead of the typical carbon dioxide.

Westnatte Lupulus
This is our take on a Belgian-style ale ramped up with plenty of whole-cone American hops. Westnatte Lupulus is copper in color with complex aromas of spicy clove, black pepper and stone fruits, from the use of a traditional Belgian yeast strain. The beer is hopped with Sierra Nevada estate-grown hops, and features some Ohio-grown Cascades from the heartland.

20th Street Ale
Once a year we release this extra special, American ale generously dosed with estate-grown Sierra Nevada hops. ESP is medium-bodied, amber in color, and packed with flavor and complexity from the use of premium malt and whole-cone hops. It has a bright flowery, citrus, and earthy flavor from the abundance of whole-cone hops, picked wet from our field adjacent to the brewery. 

Wood-Aged Old Ale:
Old Ale is a blend of Imperial Stout aged eleven-months in oak bourbon barrels, and our malty Scotch Ale. This black beer has an intense aroma of roasted malt with pronounced vanilla and toasted coconut notes from wood aging. The flavor is smooth and bittersweet, with hints of caramel, toffee, and mocha. This full-bodied beer is filled with deep, rich, and warming flavors tailor-made for wintertime enjoyment.

Stein-Alt
An old-style German hybrid ale, brewed using super-heated river stones to boil the sugary wort which encourages kettle caramelization and enhances malt complexity. Stein Alt is golden in color with an interesting toffee-like malt flavor, paired with fruity aromas and balanced by a moderate dose of whole-cone hops. Clean, complex, and amazingly drinkable.

Imperial Smoked Porter
Sierra Nevada’s Imperial Smoked Porter is a complex tapestry of rich, dark, flavors, tailor-made for the cold months of winter. Imperial Smoked Porter is dark espresso brown with a full body and strong depth of flavor. The bouquet is big, with pronounced roasted malt and hints of hardwood smokiness. The flavor is reminiscent of dark chocolate truffles that greet the palate with moderate sweetness that gives-way to a satisfying dry and warming finish.

Brown Saison
Sierra Nevada’s Brown Saison is a nod to the rustic farmhouse or “country” style beers of Belgium and France. Traditionally, Saison is brewed in the cool months of spring for enjoyment throughout the summer.  Our Brown Saison is remarkably complex from the use of roasted malt, a unique Belgian yeast strain and exotic spices including, coriander, orange peel, star anise and juniper berries.  The beer has an intriguing interplay of flavors ranging from earthy straw character and bright peppery spiciness, to deep notes of dark fruit and black currants. Brown Saison is bright and refreshing with a dry and mildly tart finish.

Belgian Trippel
Sierra Nevada’s Belgian Trippel is our interpretation of the traditional beer style invented by monks of the Trappist monasteries in Belgium.  A deep golden color, Belgian Trippel is full of flavor but surprisingly light-bodied and drinkable. A balanced beer with a mild, bready character from the malt combined with subtle floral flavors from the use of European hops. The authentic Belgian yeast strain produces a complex bouquet of spicy and fruity flavors and aromas and the use of ground coriander adds a light touch of citrus.

Imperial Oatmeal Stout:
Sierra Nevada’s Imperial Oatmeal Stout is a massive ale that is overflowing with flavor. This pitch-black brew pours thick and full with a decadent syrup-like viscosity. The aroma is profound and pronounced with a touch of rum, cocoa, coffee and loads of dark roasted malts. On the first sip, the overwhelming flavors of blackstrap molasses, dark chocolate and raisins greet the palate. The hearty sweetness soon subsides and the beer finishes quite dry with the taste of bakers cocoa and espresso lingering on the tongue.
10.5% ABV

Octoberfest:
Octoberfest is a rich mahogany colored beer with an inviting toasted malty aroma. The beer has a medium body and a delicate sweetness with a rich nutty malt flavor. Octoberfest is made with our lager yeast and aged cold for a smoothness that eases well into a slightly dry finish and great drinkability. Come help us celebrate the transition from summer to fall with a glass of our Octoberfest and a warm autumn spirit in mind.
Chico IPA:

Chico IPA is our answer to the calls for a big “west-coast” style double India Pale Ale. This beer is a big hop-hearty bruiser packed with flavor. A deep, tarnished-penny color, Chico IPA is brewed using massive amounts of Cascade and Chinook hops. The beer has a full body and flavor from the malt, which balances perfectly against the assertive citrus, pine, and spicy herbal notes in the hops. Chico IPA is dry-hopped late in the brewing process to harness all of the thick resinous aromas and flavors of bold whole-cone American hops.

Double DeBOCKel:
Double DeBOCKel is brewed in the style of the traditional German doppelbock but with our original Sierra Nevada spin. At the start, our Double DeBOCKel is robust and malty; it has a rich caramel character, a light bready flavor and mild, pleasant  sweetness. It has a silky-smoothness resulting from a long aging period at near-freezing temperatures, and hides its hearty strength with modesty. Double DeBOCKel is a boisterous beer that finishes clean; and in true Sierra Nevada fashion the use of a healthy dose of hops leaves the beer surprisingly dry, with nothing but a full-body warmth and a faint malty memory left behind.

Best Bitter:
The name Best Bitter is a bit of a misnomer, in fact, bitter refers to English-style pale ale that tends to be far more malty than its American counterparts. Sierra Nevada’s Best Bitter is true to its British roots.  Brewed with English Maris Otter malt, Best Bitter has a medium fullness and a slightly sweet, bready character that balances flawlessly with the deep green and earthy flavors of Challenger hops. Best Bitter is one of the lightest Sierra Nevada offerings, and while modest in alcohol, is an easy drinking beer that is full of flavor

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sierra Nevada anniversary party in hop field


Sierra Nevada Brewing has announced plans for its 30th anniversary party, Nov. 15 at the brewery’s hop field.

Come and celebrate this American craft beer renaissance at the Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Party in our very own estate-hops field.
The party kicks off at 4 pm with sampling of 30 beers including some of your favorites from the last 30 years, plus a few unique finds from the cellar. Many of these beers never have been, and never will be, released to the public – this may be your only chance to sample them! They are available in limited quantities, so arrive early to ensure that you get to taste the ones you are most looking forward to. We will be posting the full beer list in the coming weeks.
The evening will also feature the musical stylings of Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings featuring two very special guests! The Joe Craven Trio will kick off the evening’s festivities, followed by Houston Jones.
The Sierra Nevada Taproom is catering dinner from 5-8 pm, which costs $15. You can purchase dinner tickets onsite at the event.
MENU
Fresh Baked Breads – Straight From the Sierra Nevada Ovens
Sierra Nevada Salad – Mixed Organic Greens Tossed In Balsamic Dressing with Cherry Tomatoes, Crumbled Gorgonzola and Candied Chico Pecans
Fall Vegetables -Tossed In an Estate Garden Herb Butter
Garlic Mashed Potatoes – With Sweet Creamery Butter and Roasted Garlic
Estate Herb Rubbed Tri Tip – Pale Ale Bbq Sauce
Sweet Pepper Polenta – With Roasted Estate Tomatoes And Peppers, Onions Carrots And Chives

* Date: Monday, November 15th
* Time: 4:00 – 9:00 pm
* Place: Sierra Nevada Brewery, 1075 E. 20th St, Chico CA, 95928 – The party will take place in the Sierra Nevada Hop Field.

Tickets are only available online, in the Sierra Nevada Taproom, and the Sierra Nevada Gift Store.
Remember, you must be 21 or older to attend! Photo ID will be checked on site and there are no in and out privileges.
How to get to the Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Party?
1. FREE SHUTTLE – from downtown Chico. The shuttle will run on a continuous loop from 3:30-10 pm. Pick up and drop off are at the transit center across from Madison Bear Garden.
2. RIDE YOUR BIKE – there is plentiful bike parking at the brewery!
3. PARKING AT SILVER DOLLAR FAIRGROUND – complimentary parking available at the fairgrounds, a shuttle will run back and forth from the brewery from 3:30 pm – 10 pm.

**THERE IS NO PARKING ON-SITE AT SIERRA NEVADA.**
“This may be your only chance to sample them!”

Friday, September 24, 2010

Monday, August 9, 2010

Sierra Nevada partners with Trappist monks


August 9th, 2010 | Posted by Real Beer
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has announced a partnership with the Trappist-Cistercian Abbey of New Clairvaux to create a new brand of Belgian-inspired beers called Ovila.
A press release from the brewery states, “Sierra Nevada and the Trappist-Cistercian Abbey of New Clairvaux are working to bring this centuries-old tradition to America with Ovila — the nation’s only authentic Trappist-style Abbey ale.”
Each of three beers in a series will be available on a seasonal basis. The first is scheduled for release in March of 2011, a Belgian-styleDubbel. The second beer in the series, planned for July, will be aSaison, the traditional Belgian-style farmhouse ale. The third will be released in time for the holidays. It will be a “Quadrupel,” rich with dark fruit flavors and the unique wine-like characters of dark strong abbey ales.
Proceeds from this project will benefit the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux in their efforts to rebuild an architectural marvel — a 12th century, early-gothic Cistercian chapter house — on their grounds in Vina, California a few miles north of Sierra Nevada’s home in Chico.
The medieval chapterhouse — Santa Maria de Ovila — was begun in 1190, near the village of Trillo, Spain. Cistercian monks lived, prayed, and worked there for nearly 800 years. In 1931, California newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst purchased the abbey and shipped it to Northern California. Hearst’s plans were never realized, and the stones fell into disrepair. In 1994, the Trappist-Cistercian monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux, gained possession of the ruins, and began the stone-by-stone reconstruction of the historic abbey.

Brussels Bar Crawl

http://www.brusselsbarcrawl.com/

Duvel gets De Koninck

Puurs, 5 August 2010) Duvel Moortgat nv has reached agreement on the acquisition of 100% of the shares of the Brouwerij De Koninck group. With this acquisition, Duvel Moortgat expands its portfolio of specialty beers; it also aims to reinvigorate the De Koninck beer brand.

Brouwerij De Koninck is located in the heart of Antwerp and has a unique bond with the city. The De Koninck "Bolleke" is most popular in Antwerp and the surrounding area as well as in the Netherlands, but it also enjoys strong brand recognition throughout Belgium.

Brouwerij De Koninck started its activities in 1827 when Jozeph De Koninck bought a coach house on the border between Antwerp and Berchem, currently known as "Afspanning De Hand". These premises were converted into a brewery in 1833. Since then, the image of a hand has been immortalized in the brewery's logo. Over the years, the Van den Bogaert and Van Bauwel families succeeded in building De Koninck into a valuable brand with a solid local reputation.

Bernard Van den Bogaert states: "This acquisition is a logical step. Because of the small size of our brewery, we have experienced a lack of commercial strength and distribution channels. During the last couple of years, Duvel Moortgat has proven that it possesses the right experience. And the fact that the two breweries have maintained an excellent relationship for generations adds an extra dimension to this acquisition."

Brouwerij De Koninck experienced its greatest success during the nineties, achieving a yearly production level of 130,000 hectoliters. As a result of a shrinking beer market and a strong decline in the pale ale segment, today less than 50% of that volume remains.

Duvel Moortgat is also acquiring significant real estate, mainly located in the Antwerp region. This comprises the brewery site, about seven other properties and 63 cafés, including Antwerp icons such as "Den Engel" at the Grote Markt and the "Boer van Tienen" at Mechels Plein.

The acquisition also includes beer trader Brouwerij De Valk, based in Wijnegem. De Valk has grown to become a key supplier in the Antwerp region, delivering to hundreds of cafés and restaurants on a daily basis.

Michel Moortgat (CEO of Duvel Moortgat) states: "We are very pleased to be able to incorporate Brouwerij De Koninck into the Duvel Moortgat Group. The "Bolleke" is not only a strong brand but also a quality specialty beer that fits perfectly into Duvel Moortgat's range (Duvel, Chouffe, Maredsous, Liefmans, Vedett, Bel Pils). Our international distribution, including our own branches in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the UK and the USA, provides an ideal operating base to progressively develop De Koninck. It did not take us long to reach agreement: family values and traditions are concepts that both breweries feel strongly about."

The history of Duvel Moortgat dates back to 1871. Duvel Moortgat is an independent brewing group, and differentiates itself with its focus on specialty beers. Duvel Moortgat is renowned worldwide as the preeminent producer of bottle-conditioned, top-fermentation beers, a dominant position it owes largely to the success of its best-selling Duvel brand.

A pioneer in fermentation and re-fermentation techniques, Duvel Moortgat has grown to become not only the 4th largest brewery in Belgium but also the absolute market leader in terms of operational profitability.

Duvel Moortgat nv has been listed on Euronext Brussels since June 1999.

 http://www.duvelmoortgat.be 

Posted by: Todd on Sunday - August 08, 2010 - 14:47 UTC
Topic Origin: Beer News

Monday, August 2, 2010

Sebago

The VP and RC will be going to a Sebago tasting in September and will report back at that time with there findings. But first an unbiased review of there IPA.

Hampton Falls

When in or around Hampton Falls be sure to check out the Hampton Falls Village Market.  Owner George Prive and his son Mark (the beer manager) have over 350 craft and import beers.  Mark is one in the photo.
On your way to Hampton beach or going on to Maine it's a very good beer stop.  The day we were there they were having a Sebago tasting. 82 Lafayette Rd, Hampton Falls, NH 03844 603 926 5840

Armsby Abbey

After a long weekend with the VP.  Discussing the finer points of beer. Putting a hurt on the local lobster population and attending a Sebago tasting.   More on the Sebago in the next post.  We still managed to stop in Worcester MA to check out the Armsby Abbey.  Some of you may have read Landman’s  glowing post from a year ago.  Well Landman does not lie.  What a great place.  Downtown Worcester was dead.  Armby Abbey at 144 Main Street was hopping for brunch.  No waiting, but most of the tables were full.  We got a table out side so Ringo could enjoy the place as well.  Started off with a Pretty Things Jack D’ Or.  They say it's an American saison style beer.  Not very saison to me but I lean to the Hennipen side of American saison.  A very well made beer nun the less.   Any who.  Beer two was from the 21st Amendment Brewery called Bitter American.  I have not heard of this brewery and was very pleasantly surprised.  Here is a class of beer very under represented in these United States.  Very well crafted and just a little more hoppy than a English bitter.   It went very well with the pulled pork quiche.  A lot of the food is sourced locally.  The bride had mac and cheese and it was excellent.  The Boy had the Belgian waffle. Very nice as well.    They own a second bar in Worcester called The Dive Bar.  Looks like I need to go back.   Oh and I see they are having a Allagash beer dinner on my birthday.

Friday, July 23, 2010

"The End of History"


MSNBC says: You'd expect a lot from a bottle of beer costing $765. 

What you get is 55 percent alcohol — and served in a squirrel.

According to Scottish firm BrewDog, "The End of History" is the 

"strongest, most expensive and most shocking beer in the world." Just

 12 bottles were made and the company has already sold out. They

 will be shipped out to buyers in the United States, Canada, Italy

, Denmark, Scotland and England next week. The dead animals which

 were used to create the beers' unusual appearance were four

 squirrels, seven weasels and a hare. All were roadkill, James Watt,

 co-founder of BrewDog, told msnbc.com. The name of the blond 

Belgian ale is taken from the title of a book by philosopher Francis

 Fukuyama, "The End of History and the Last Man" which the

 company said had been chosen to imply "this is to beer what

 democracy is to history." Watt said the beer should be treated with

 care when drinking. "It tastes more like a whisky and you have got
 to handle it in that way as opposed to the way you would handle a

 normal beer," he told msnbc.com