Beer News Blog

I have written a lot about the Anchor Brewing Company because it and its owner Fritz Maytag have long been icons in the craft beer movement. For instance, it was to Fritz Maytag that Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi turned for advice and start-up equipment in the late 1970s to get the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company off the ground. He looked back at the traditional brewing styles that were being neglected by the American industry during that era an began producing a barleywine, a porter, and the first wheat beer brewed in the US since Prohibition began on January 16, 1920.

Maytag also helped revive the custom of brewing heartier ales during the winter known as Christmas Ales. In 1987, he went to the fullest extent possible in that style by making a spiced winter ale known in Britain as Wassail, and by design its recipe was to change each year.

Here’s where I come in. Those who have read some of my tales about “back in the day” might have gotten the slightest whiff of a self-ascribed air of infallibility regarding my instincts and vision about the craft beer movement.

Believe me—this episode certainly exposes me at least once as a total dunderhead who completely failed to appreciate what would turn out to be one of the most beloved beers that ever graced my little pub.

In the autumn of 1987 I got a call from Anchor Brewing representative Bob Brewer. I was planning my first tour of the brewery and he let me know he had “something special” to taste when I got there.

The tour ended and I was headed for the airport when Bob pulled me aside and stuck a plain brown unmarked case of beer in my arms. “It’s our Christmas ale this season,” he explained. “It’s spiced…although I can’t reveal the recipe its got stuff like nutmeg and clove and orange flower water. It’ll be like nothing you’ve ever tasted,” he said proudly.

Boy, was he right about that part.

I arrived at SFO carrying the case of beer in my arms, so excited to taste this new miracle I could barely breathe. I talked a bartender there into opening a bottle and I drank. Bob’s words echoed back…”like nothing you’ve ever tasted.”

It was the strangest sensation I remembered ever having. What was promised as nectar of the gods was the scariest stuff I’d ever encountered. It didn’t taste like beer at all. It was so strange that I knew when I tried to sell it at Father’s Office I would be laughed right out the door.

It couldn’t be!! What were they thinking?! It tasted ridiculous! Not just me, but the entire Anchor Brewery would be a laughingstock.

I had to get word to Bob Brewer right away! I had to find a pay phone fast! My flight was boarding as I searched! Finally I found a phone! But I had no change! I found some fast! I dialed quickly! Bob answered!

“Bob!” I yelled, “I don’t think I can sell this!”

He calmly and patiently let me rant, then said “Just relax, People who know this style very well have tried it. It’ll do fine. Get on your plane and we’ll talk when you get home.”

Bob’s words always have had a very calming effect on me. I flew home and waited with dread for the day when the first kegs would arrive.

The big day came and I tapped one, looking at the eager young faces at my bar waiting for what they thought would be Nirvana, and what I knew would be the biggest fiasco of my career.

One by one they tasted. Their eyes and faces told the story—their socks were knocked off. The excited buzz started. “Another, please,” it began, and by the end of the day we’d sold the entire keg.

That winter we sold 35 kegs of Anchor’s 1987 Christmas ale, making it to this day the fastest selling beer ever poured at Father’s Office, which became the largest seller of Anchor Christmas Ale in the entire world. Bear in mind that thirty other drafts were offered beside it, and Father’s Office only seated 49.

How good it felt to be right once again.

Beer cures all.  Beer heals all.  Beer prevents all.  Beer will make you more money.  That’s right beer drinkers, you know it’s all true.  Well now scientists are putting together some so-called “research” to prove what all of us already know - that beer is the world’s greatest beverage!  Recent studies show that beer can lower your risk of heart disease, reduce hay fever and promote job success thereby making you more money.  Really?

Sure we’ve all known for years that beer can be the cure for numerous things: a bad day at work, your favorite team losing the big game, your girlfriend just dumping you, etc.  We’ve also been privy to the fact that beer makes us all “appear”: more attractive, cooler, more fun, interesting and a good person to go home with for the evening.  Well today we’re talking about real “proof” that suggests beer has tangible benefits.

A recent study conducted by Harvard University Researchers found that beer can reduce the risk of heart disease just as well as wine. The study showed that moderate alcohol consumption, 2-3 serving a day in men and 1-2 servings a day for women, could significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in both genders.  Harvard Associate Professor, Ken Mukamel, stated, “It’s really the alcohol that seems to make the difference, because the alcohol is what raises the HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol.”

In a study conducted by Sapporo Breweries Ltd. of Japan, researches claim they have proven that their beer can alleviate hay fever symptoms.  The researchers claim that hop flavonol glycoside found in their beer blocks histamines that cause hay fever symptoms.  According to their results 60% of their patients experienced a reduction in sneezing and 55% experience reduced runny nose.  The company is seeking a patent for the beneficial effect of their beer.

And finally a study conducted by economists Bethany Peters and Edward Stringham suggests that people who consume beer in social settings are more likely to earn more money.  Their research found that a person’s “social capital” could be increased by engaging in activities like social drinking. People who drink socially are more likely to meet new business contacts and achieve higher earnings through networking.  Their study shows that women who drink socially earn 14% more than their non-drinking counterparts and men earn 10% more when they go out for few pints. 

So if you’ve got someone telling you to put down the beer or stay away from all those happy hours with co-workers, tell them to enjoy their heart disease, hay fever and lower income.  Tell them they won’t find you lying in a hospital bed, blowing your nose or clipping coupons.  Nope, you’ll be out with your friends - having a beer!

Goose Island Brewing Co. of Chicago, IL has seen some big numbers lately from their latest product launch, 312 Urban Wheat.  The small Chicago brewery has seen great success with the unfiltered American-style wheat ale due in large part to clever marketing in their own backyard.  Targeting the people who share a city with the brewer’s headquarters has helped the small brewery gain national attention.

Drawing on Chicago natives’ love for all things Chicago, Goose Island opted for a name with a little nostalgia.  “312″ is the original Chicago area code, labeling the product with the numbers has found resonance amongst Chicago’s beer drinkers.  The hope for the new brew was that Chicago’s consumers would feel an immediate connection and familiarity with the brand.  

Based on the company’s recent data, they’ve achieved just that.  Since its release in 2005, 312 Urban Wheat has been steadily growing in popularity in the Chicago market.  Goose Island claims that sales in Illinois are up 60% this year, proving that their marketing efforts are paying off in their home town. 

With slogans like “you are what you drink - no matter where you live” and “get some digits”, 312 Urban Wheat has earned instant credibility from its target audience.  “The ingenious marketing plan, which was put together before I joined the company, links the brand to the original Chicago area code,” says Goose Island’s new Marketing Specialist, Constance Cooper. “Chicagoans are a proud bunch, who generally love anything Chicago.” 

This is a story I love. It began in the long ago when I was just getting my beer joint up and running in the mid 1980s…1987 to be exact. The Anchor Brewing Company was producing its legendary barleywine “Old Foghorn” and packaging it in six-ounce bottles due to its extremely high alcohol content—12% by volume. This size package has long been traditional among barleywine brewers due to the strength of the brew, which is about three times stronger than Budweiser or Coors.

When beer is brewed the grain (in this case malted barley) is cooked in a giant kettle (called the mash tun) like your morning Malt-O-Meal. Everything that’s going into the beer except the yeast comes out of this mash…all the sugars, proteins, amino acids, complex carbohydrates…everything. And these sugars, by the way, are going to feed the yeast and be converted into alcohol during the fermentation, so the amount and concentration of sugars determines the amount and concentration of alcohol in the final brew.

Now typically after the initial mashing, the liquid (called wort) is removed from the mash tun and sent on to the fermentation vessel where the yeast is added. In order to achieve the proper balance and also to extract all the above-mentioned goodies from the mash, water is added to the spent grain and everything is rinsed off the barley into the fermenter. You usually end up with about three or four times as much water as was in the original mash.

Here’s the kicker with Old Foghorn—no water is added after the initial mash, which results in that whopping 12% alcohol by volume.

Many of my regulars were so familiar with Old Foghorn that they saved bottlings from year to year in order to have vertical tastings.

My dream, of course, was to somehow offer it on tap.

I called the brewery in early 1987 and asked about getting it in kegs. I don’t know who I spoke with, but my request was met with a hearty laugh.

“Old Foghorn on tap!” he chortled. “I don’t think so!”

The angel on my shoulder went into action. Eight or nine months passed. I got a call from the brewery.

“So, you were curious about Old Foghorn on tap? We have a little bit of a problem right now. Our bottling line has to be shut down and re-configured every time we bottle it because we have to switch over from 12 ounce bottles to the much smaller 6 ounce bottles of Foghorn. Anchor Steam is in such demand at the moment we just can’t shut down the line to bottle Old Foghorn. We’ll have to throw away a whole batch unless we can keg it. Can you take some?”

Of course I would take some! Everyone at Father’s Office waited in breathless anticipation for the first keg to arrive. It was special delivered at about 4:00 in the afternoon. I, of course, had the first glass. We let everybody have at it for a while and at about 8:00 I realized I’d had about four mugs or so and was feeling it.

I walked home and went to bed, even though 9:00 was very early for me. But I woke up about 1:30 AM feeling refreshed and thought, “Maybe I’ll have just one more glass.”

So I walked back to Father’s Office. It was dark. I unlocked the door and went in. There was the Old Foghorn handle…I had one more delicious glass and went back home to bed. Anytime you see Old Foghorn on tap…get one!

That’s right, soon everyone will be able to see the type of viewing A-B thinks is appropriate for the masses.  Bud TV is the beer industry’s latest cross-over utilizing brand-driven content, advertising, and entertainment all found online.  The web-based network is expected to kick off sometime in February.  A-B hopes they will be able to launch Bud TV in conjunction with the Super Bowl, the sporting event A-B has a long and storied relationship with; remember the Bud Bowl played during halftime of the Super Bowl? 

The Bud TV site will launch with content such as homemade Budweiser commercials, reality shows focused on beer as well as programming intended to air during the nation’s happy hours.  A-B’s intention is to corner an un-tapped market of programming that runs while individuals wind down from work at their local happy hour.  What better way to encourage someone to purchase a Budweiser than by running Bud-inspired programming as they are purchasing beer?

Opponents of the web-based channel are coming out in droves the beer giant.  While A-B contends the channel will cater to the 21-27 mostly male demographic, some are arguing that A-B is aiming their marketing efforts at younger audiences.  Currently the largest audience of web-based entertainment is teenagers.  Many are contending that since the internet does not have the same rules about marketing certain items to children like beer, alcohol and cigarettes, the King of Beers is trying to sneak their message in to a dangerously impressionable age group.

We will have to wait and see the impact that Bud TV makes on the world of entertainment, but for now I think it’s safe to say that Budweiser is not consciously trying to influence individuals under the age of 21.  As we all know the internet is quickly growing as the new entertainment medium.  With thousands of companies broadcasting programming on the net, A-B is simply jumping into new and exciting territory.  All they have to do is have an age verification sign-in on the front page, like any other website not intended for minors, and they will prove to this writer their foray into internet broadcasting is on the up and up.  So keep your web browsers open and stay tuned!

After a career in food and beverage service of over 40 years, owning one of the nation’s premier draft beers establishments for 15 of those, and tending bar since 1969, I finally got all the vital information about dispensing draft beer I’d needed for decades.

Sure, I knew about a Beer Clean Glass, proper serving temperatures, and creating a beautiful creamy foam head, but the Micro Matic Dispense Institute I attended last week taught me the science behind what I had thought for decades to be “beer voodoo”. It’s not that I couldn’t have tried to gather the information on my own, but the Micro Matic Dispense Institute packed all the best practices on creating and installing draft systems for perfect dispensing into two-and-a-half days.

In addition, I learned that there can be a lot of bad information in the field, which means you can’t just ask any draft beer technician employed by a distributor or wholesaler to answer questions about installations gas blending, pressure at the gauge, dispensing and storage temperatures, run length, restriction, and line diameter.

But the Micro Matic Corporation is a world-wide company specializing in the manufacture and sale of almost anything related to draft beer and has been working with major brewers for decades to refine it all, and is the world’s foremost authority on all these issues.

Our class began at 8 AM sharp each day. We had an outstanding instructor, Scott Zuhse, a 10-year veteran of the Coors national draft service department. He patiently and methodically layed out our theoretical curriculum, and ended two days later with a hands-on installation of a glycol-cooled long draw system right in the Micro Matic laboratory.

I’d thought the mechanics of dispensing draft beer were far more complicated than they in fact are, especially technical issues around long-draw glycol systems.

In my next post I’ll share some of my experiences and the experiences of some of my classmates—one of whom came all the way from the United Arab Emirates, and yes, you can get a beer there. In fact, along the way we’ll specifically discuss some of the more interesting problems he encounters there.