Malt River Brewing closes

Breaking news: Malt River Brewing closes

January 27, 2009 at 1:20 pm by Steve Barnes, senior writer http://blogs.timesunion.com/tablehopping/

Malt River Brewing Co., the last of four Capital Region brew pubs that opened within a few months of each other in 1996, closed after dinner service on Sunday night. Owner Marc Weiss tells me the decision hinged on a new landlord at Latham Circle Mall, where the restaurant is located. Earlier this month the mall was taken over by its lender, which foreclosed on the struggling property because of $25 million in debt. The mall had been owned since the late 1970s by Weiss’ father, Eugene Weiss.

“It was time to move on,” said the younger Weiss. He said he is devoting his time to a his new venture, the local franchise of the Texas-based Keller Williams Realty, and has no plans to continue in the restaurant business.

Malt River Brewing was announced  in late 1995, around the time that other operators were working to launch The Big House Brewing Co. in Albany, the Original Saratoga Springs Brew Pub in Saratoga Springs and a brewery-restaurant at The Van Dyck in Schenectady. All are now closed.

Utah Brew Pubs. Who Knew?

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/travel/25journeys.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

A few Words from Jim Mahar

MAHAR'S WILL BE OPEN THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 25 FROM  2PM TO 8PM

 

IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS, MAHAR'S WILL CELEBRATE OUR TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY.

A FEW SPECIAL EVENTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AND WE WILL BE OBSERVING ON THE ACTUAL

DATE FEBRUARY 14 AS WELL AS SUNDAY FEBRUARY 15.  FOR NOW I CAN TELL YOU THAT SEVERAL

 VERY SPECIAL BEERS WILL AVAILABLE

 

MAYBE BECAUSE WE OPENED ON VALENTINES DAY, I'M ALWAYS PLEASED WHEN FOLKS PAIR OFF AT MAHAR'S FOR MORE THAN A FEW HOURS OF CONVERSATION AND ALE SHARING.  I KNOW OF A SURPRISING NUMBER OF COUPLES WHO MET AT MAHAR'S AND WENT ON TO MARRY, CO-HABITATE AND (SHUDDER) PROCREATE

 

IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE TALES OF BLISS OR IF YOU KNOW OF A COUPLE WHO MET AT MAHAR'S, AND YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE YOUR STORY, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT LMAHAR@MSN.COM INCLUDE PHOTOS IF YOU CARE TO BUT PLEASE, PLEASE, NOTHING SORDID.  WHILE LAURIE AND I DIDN'T MEET AT MAHAR'S, WE WERE MARRIED THERE ONE COLD AND BLUSTERY NEW YEAR'S EVE, SO I'VE A SOFT SPOT FOR TALES OF LOVE AND ALE

 

I WAS PLEASED PERSONALLY WITH THIS YEAR'S ADVENT AND I HOPE YOU WERE AS WELL.  A VERY FEW OF YOU HAVE NOT PICKED UP THE REMAINDER OF YOUR BOTTLES AND IT WOULD HELP GREATLY IF YOU DID SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THEY AREN'T INADVERTENTLY SOLD "MISPLACED"

 

IN ADVANCE - THANKS FOR 20 GREAT YEARS AND THOUSANDS OF GREAT BEERS

 

PINTS VOBISCUM - MAHAR

Mahar’s to celebrate 20th anniversary

 Mahar's to celebrate 20th anniversary <http://blogs.timesunion.com/tablehopping/4153/mahars-to-celebrate-20th- anniversary>  January 21, 2009 at 10:01 am by Steve Barnes, senior writer  The Albany beer bastion Mahar's, normally closed on Sundays, will be open from 2 to 8 p.m. this Sunday (1/25) as a run-up to the bar's 20th anniversary, coming on Feb. 14. It will also be open the day after the anniversary, another Sunday, for continued celebration. In keeping with Mahar's famous play-by-its-own-rules quirkiness  The announcement promises only that "several very special beers will be available." Mahar's, located at 1110 Madison Ave., is open 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday (and on the Sundays noted above).

Breweries of Brotherly Love

By BETSY ANDREWS

Published: January 18, 2009

From historically minded breweries to bohemian pubs, the city is undergoing a beer renaissance.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/travel/18surfacing.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

More fun @ Obama Foodarama

Obama Foodorama: Sam Chapple-Sokol, Barack Obrewer

Audacity of Hops, InaugurAle Edition

http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2008/12/sam-chapple-sokol-on-obama-beerorama.html

Great Belgian Beer Site

http://belgianstyle.com/mmguide/

Check the how it sounds page

New Sierra IPA

January 07, 2009 - (Probrewer.com) - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. announced the release of Torpedo Extra IPA as the newest addition to its year-round roster of beers. This is the first full-production IPA to come from the brewery and the first change in its year-round lineup in over a decade.  Torpedo Extra IPA has been offered in limited draft form for awhile, the the addition of the IPA to the year-round lineup is a big move for the Chico-based brewery. The brewery has spent years experimenting, searching for a way to highlight bold flavors without resorting to hop extracts or pellets. Sierra Nevada has brewed with 100% whole-cone hops for 29 years. Whole-cone hops offer subtle flavors and complexities that are unavailable in processed form.  The name itself comes from a device called the "hop torpedo" that was conceived, designed and developed at the brewery. The result is a revolutionary method of dry-hopping that harnesses the vital hop oils and resins that lead to an unusually flavorful and aromatic beer featuring the full, nuanced range of spicy complexity that hops have to offer.  Torpedo Extra IPA will be available nationwide in 6-pack bottles starting late January 2009.  Story provided by Probrewer.com

Beer Fridge

 

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Talking about YouTube - Beer Fridge

Back at the Portsmith Brewery

New Years Day we entered via the back door of the Portsmith Brewery.  Where we encoutered some very nice things.   

The Imperial Pilsner was delicious. The Saphir hops add a very nice spicy hop note and the malt is sweet in the front with a slight acidy that finishes clean and dry. At 9% it's a lot like a very hoppy  Belgium Triple. More brewerys should be making this style of Pilsner.

At $7.95 the RHODE ISLAND STYLE CALAMARI is a bargain.

Beer battered calamari, fried & tossed in a spicy cherry pepper, garlic & Cream Ale sauce. Served with marinara & lemon.  

And Kara loves the Mussels!

Pretty Things for the New Year

News Years Eve at the VP's house was a beer event with many new beers the VP procured from Julio's.

Ale Smith Yulesmith “08

Port Brewing - Santa's helper

Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop Ale  

St Bernardus Christmas Ale 

Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux 

LaChouffe N'ice

Maredsous Triple

One of the more interesting beers of the evening was Pretty Things Jack D’ Or Saison 

A very rustic and hoppy saison indeed.  We liked this beer very much and look forward to there next effort.