Craft beer finds growing US fan base

Posted on June 18, 2012 by bilrob

Craft beer finds growing US fan base

After a long day in the classroom, middle school teacher Melissa Repsch likes nothing more than to sit down to a fine dinner with beer — craft beer, that is.

Like a growing number of Americans, she has developed a passion for full-flavored beers from small-volume, fiercely independent local breweries that are redefining how the United States takes its favorite tipple.

“It’s something we enjoy,” said Repsch, 37, as she and husband Jake, 38, also a teacher, sampled some of the 149 different beers from 74 craft breweries at this year’s edition of Savor, the nation’s biggest beer-and-food event.

“The more (varieties of craft beer) we try, the more it seems we’re pushing for something unique and rare,” she added.

Beer is a $96 billion industry in the United States, dominated by three multinationals — Belgium’s Anheuser-Busch InBev, best known for perennial best-seller Budweiser, Britain’s SABMiller and Canada’s Molson Coors.

But while overall beer sales dipped one percent in 2011, craft beer sales — which account for five percent of the entire market — surged 13 percent by volume and 15 percent by sales value.

What’s more, the total number of breweries in the United States now exceeds 2,000 — more than at any time since the 19th century, let alone the prohibition years of the 1930s.

“Americans have come of age now, wanting diversity and choice in the beers that they enjoy,” said Julia Herz, program director at the Brewers Association, the craft beer industry’s trade group.

“No longer does a light American lager satisfy every beer-lover’s occasion,” she told AFP in an interview.

With 4,000 attendees over two days, Savor — which takes place amid the soaring Corinthian columns and terra cotta friezes of the National Building Museum — is an event not to be missed for craft beer aficionados.

With tasting glasses in hand, chic professional women in smart cocktail dresses, and younger men who could have made more of a sartorial effort, put such brews as Curmudgeon Old Ale, Hardywood Mocha Belgique, Rosemary Swamp Fox, Skookumchuck Wild Ale, Idiot IPA and Hop’solutely to the taste test.

“I wouldn’t say people are giving up on Budweiser, but there is certainly a trend towards more full-flavored beers,” said Steve Kuftinec of Utah’s Uinta Brewing, makers of HOP Notch IPA, a “nicely balanced” India pale ale, and Labyrinth, a “ridiculously big barrel-aged Russian imperial stout.”

IPA, a hoppier version of conventional pale ale, first brewed in England in the 19th century for export to the Indian sub-continent, is far and away the most popular style of craft beer in the United States today.

From distant Hawaii, Garrett Marrero, founder with his wife Melanie of Maui Brewing, brought CoCoNut PorTer and Savrehumano Palena ‘ole as novel examples of their penchant for beer-making with quirky Hawaiian flavors.

“We look a lot to fruits and spices that we have locally,” such as coconut, guava, mango, papaya, passion fruit and pineapple, Marrero told AFP. “We’ve even used Maui onions.”

The Marreros used to work in finance before they put every penny they had into launching Maui Brewing seven years ago — at one point sleeping on the floor of their apartment because they couldn’t yet afford a mattress.

“It’s not something for the faint of heart,” Marrero told AFP. “It’s a lot of hard work… but we had passion and we knew what we wanted to do. We have a very clear vision.”

Social networks help spread the craft beer gospel. So do a raft of specialist publications and smartphone apps like Untappd, a kind of Twitter for hardcore beer fiends.

“It’s fun stuff,” said consultant Rick Silver, who reckons he’s tried more than 6,000 individual types of beer — on top of the ones he brews at home — since he started keeping track in the mid-1980s.

From Durango, Colorado, co-owner David Thibodeau of Ska Brewing was still in a celebratory mood after its Steel Toe Stout took a gold medal at the World Beer Cup in San Diego last month.

Considering how sluggish the US economy has been, he said, “it’s pretty nutty” that the craft beer sector has thrived as it has.

“This term gets thrown around a lot,” he said, “but I would say it’s an affordable luxury. It’s something that people can treat themselves to without breaking the bank. I think that’s what got us through the downturn.”

Damian McConn, a Dublin native and master brewer at Summit Brewing Company of Saint Paul, Minnesota, found the American craft beer scene so promising that he immigrated 10 years ago to be part of it. He has no regrets.

“In terms of creativity, and innovation, I think the US is the place to be right now,” he said.

“In Germany or Belgium or Czech Republic, you’re seeing some of the most technically outstanding beers in the world — but we’re not seeing the range of beers that we are now seeing in the United States in the craft brewing sector.”

All About Beer with Bill & Sheila

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Boulevard Chocolate Ale could be a sweet sellout again

Posted on January 20, 2012 by bilrob

Boulevard?s made more than twice as much of the special brew, which was a big hit a year ago for Valentine?s Day.

Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale is a collaboration between brewmaster Steven Pauwels (right) and chocolate chef Christopher Elbow (left). They brewed the first batch together last year. It’s back in Kansas City starting Jan. 31. The suggested retail price is $8.99 per bottle.

Boulevard Chocolate Ale could be a sweet sellout again

ON THE WEB

• Go to inkkc.com to read an interview with Steven Pauwels and Christopher Elbow.

• Go to KansasCity.com for tips on how to get Chocolate Ale.

How to get Chocolate Ale

Although there’s more than twice as much Chocolate Ale to go around this year, there’s a good chance that the beer will sell out. Here’s how to maximize your chances of scoring some.

Do: Chat up the people who work at your favorite bar or liquor store, suggests beer lover Matt Wiggins of Fairway, who scored several bottles of Chocolate Ale last year. “Go in today,” Wiggins suggests. “Say, ‘Hey, I hear Chocolate Ale is coming out in a couple weeks. Will you get any?’ I get a better response face to face, when I’m already buying something.”

Do: Use Facebook and Twitter to connect to local liquor stores and bars. Wiggins says some businesses such as Royal Liquors in Kansas City share insider info about beer deliveries online.

Do: Follow local beer blogs and their comments sections for Chocolate Ale sightings. Wiggins likes KC Beer Blog. He also recommends Show-Me-Beer, Fatcat Kansas City and Beer KC, the website for the company that owns McCoy’s Public House, The Foundry and Beer Kitchen in Westport.

Don’t: Call Boulevard or go there looking for Chocolate Ale. Same goes for Christopher Elbow’s shops, Christopher Elbow Chocolates and Glace Artisan Ice Cream. They can’t sell Chocolate Ale at any of those places.

Don’t: Stalk Boulevard delivery trucks and the people who drive them. There’s no guarantee the truck has Chocolate Ale. Plus, it’s creepy.

Don’t: Elbow out other Chocolate Ale fans to snatch up a hundred bottles and then sell them for a profit, Wiggins says. He snagged eight bottles last year but shared them with friends.

Don’t: Pay more than $8-12 for a bottle. Last year, some liquor stores sold the beer for as much as $25 a bottle, versus the $8.99 suggested retail price. After all, it’s just beer.

ON INKKC.COM

Go to inkkc.com to read an interview with Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels and his Chocolate Ale collaborator, Christopher Elbow. Plus, take a tour of Elbow’s mid-century modern home on the southern edge of Kansas City.

Chocolate Ale, the seasonal Boulevard beer that sold out almost immediately after its debut last year, will be back in Kansas City starting Jan. 31.

The chocolate-flavored beer, a collaboration between Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels and local chocolate maker Christopher Elbow, inspired a craze in 2011 when it was released the week before Valentine?s Day.

Some beer fans drove to multiple stores and stalked Boulevard delivery trucks to snag Chocolate Ale, which was selling for as much as $100 per wine-sized bottle on sites such as eBay and Craigslist. Despite their best efforts, some residents didn?t get a taste.

The hype took Boulevard by surprise.

?It was a great idea that we completely underestimated,? Pauwels said.

Last year, Boulevard produced just 19,200 bottles and 350 kegs of Chocolate Ale. This year, the brewery made 21/2 times that amount ? maxing out its facilities and setting a production record for its limited-release Smokestack Series. The brewery also concentrated distribution of Chocolate Ale in Kansas City, where thirst for it is the strongest.

This year?s recipe is slightly different: Pauwels and Elbow added more cocoa nibs from French chocolate manufacturer Valrhona to the bottled Chocolate Ale so that it has as much rich flavor as Chocolate Ale on tap.

The beer was approved by Boulevard?s tasting panel last week and has already made its way to other cities such as Wichita.

Boulevard marketing manager Julie Weeks says

though Kansas City distribution will begin Jan. 31, some bars and liquor stores might not get their delivery until the first few days in February.

About 100 customers have already reserved the beer at Gomer?s Midtown, 3838 Broadway. Anyone can get on that list, but there?s a two-bottle maximum.

Other liquor stores such as Royal Liquors at 801 Southwest Blvd. and Gomer?s South at 9900 Holmes Road plan to sell Chocolate Ale first-come, first-served.

Local bars such as Beer Kitchen, 435 Westport Road, will get several kegs of the beer and pour it first-come, first-served too. The bar?s beer manager, Randyl Danner, says she thinks people are excited about the beer, but not as frantic as they were last year, mostly because there?s more of it to go around.

Like all of Boulevard?s seasonal releases, once Chocolate Ale is gone, it?s gone. Well, at least until 2013.

To reach Sarah Gish, call 816-234-4823 or send email to [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @sarah_gish.

All About Beer with Bill & Sheila
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All About Beer

Posted on July 4, 2011 by bilrob

All About Beer

There is evidence that it has been around almost as long as history itself. Pre-historic man is said to have created beer before learning that grains could also be used to produce another dietary staple called “bread”. Noah is said to have stocked his ark with beer. Ancient Babylonian clay tables revealing recipes for beer date back to 4300 BC.

Social Acceptance

Clearly, beer has always been in important element in social gatherings. It’s a staple at sport arenas, card games and dart matches. Problems can arise, however, when beer drinkers indulge privately or believe they can drink away their troubles. Of course, binge drinking or drinking in excess also brews trouble.

Worldwide Acclaim

Beer is consumed all over the world. North America, South America, Asia and Europe all have rich beer histories. Breweries can be found in Mongolia, many African countries, and Middle East countries including Iraq and Syria. Virtually anywhere a thirsty traveller stops to rest, a cold pint can easily be found. Many brews of the world are imported and readily available to North American drinkers looking to explore new flavours.

Rating Systems

Some avid beer drinkers actually rate the beers they consume, tally the scores and post their comments on Internet websites to determine the world’s most popular brews. Beer drinkers in America can correspond online with their Russian counterparts and swap bottles of beer through the mail. Others drink a variety of beers to keep and collect the bottles and caps. Pubs sometimes host beer clubs, awarding plaques or personalized steins to those who have purchased and quaffed every brand of beer on the menu.

Glass or Cans?

Some beer drinkers prefer to quaff from a proper pint glass, and others downright refuse to drink from a bottle or can. Drinking from a glass or stein helps to release the aromas of the beer, so the drinker is able to appreciate more than just the taste of the brew. Pouring beer into a vessel also allows a head to form on the beer, an important element for many beer drinkers. Similar to wine and spirits, there are specific glasses available for different types of beer. Many brewers produce glassware intended for use with their own brand of beer.

Temperature

The ideal beer temperature varies depending on a number of factors. More experienced beer drinkers will tell you that a warmer temperature enhances the flavour, while colder temperatures inhibit the senses of the tongue and throat. Subtle nuances are weakened, and the main flavour is downright destroyed by low temperatures. On the other hand, those who work hard and play hard expect an ice-cold beer, served in a frosty mug. Irish beer drinkers insist that a pint of Irish Guinness is best served at room temperature.

Pouring

The way beer is poured has influence over the presentation of beer. The flow rate from the tap, position of the pour and the tilting of the glass all affect the outcome. How the beer is poured determines the size and longevity of the head, and the turbulence of the pour affects how the carbonization is released. More heavily carbonated beers, such as German pilsners, need time to settle before they’re served. Many barkeeps will serve the beer with remaining yeast at the bottom of the glass to add extra colour and flavour.

Served warm or cold, from a bottle or glass, beer is an important part of society from Montana to Mongolia. And sometimes, even those so-called little old ladies will gather to enjoy a pint with their mates.

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Craft beer finds growing US fan base