"MmmHop IPA anyone?" - Zac Hanson

Zac, Ike, and Tay are back.  This time, not with a shamefully catchy tune but instead a beer!  Fifteen years ago, I was wearing Jinco jeans and my copy of Hanson's album rested in my CD player.  MmmBop maintained the #1 spot on the music charts for over 3 weeks and sold over 700,000 copies.  It seems that Hanson is not so much focused on financial success but producing a quality product.  MmmHop, a play on the 1997 hit, will be produced in India Pale Ale style and ready for sale in early 2012, as announced in the United Kingdom recently.  According to Zac, they want fans to "have a greater experience."  To have a great experience of your own, please enjoy the over-sized, short-sleeved, button down shirts and long, blonde hair in the original MmmBop video.   Hanson joins the ranks of other rock bands in alcohol production including Train, Kiss, and Def Leppard.

  

Professor of Pouring

Craft breweries provide about 100,000 jobs across the United States.  Not just any ol' Beercan Bobby applies and is hired though.  Craft implies a certain degree of art or finesse.  And in order to hone your craft, you must be trained or mentored along the way.  Believe it or not, those programs exist throughout North America and Europe.  Learning the differences in hops and malts (and WAY more), students then facilitate the transformation of ingredients into a fine, pouring libation.  

Below you will find a few links to a sampling of North American university programs and their department descriptions.  I guarantee all of these professors have the best rankings and hot tamales on RateMyProfessor.

Central Washington University - Craft Beer Trade Certification Program

Colorado State University - Beverage Business Institute OR Zymurgy Institute

Oregon State University - Fermentation Science

University of California, Davis - Extension Program

Niagra College Canada - Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management

Other organizations offer extensive seminar-based classes that result in an institutionally sponsored certificate, expertise in an area of craft brewing, or simply a greater breadth of knowledge.  

American Brewers Guild - Craft Brewers Apprenticeship and Intensive Brewing Science & Engineering

Master Brewers Association of the Americas - Beer Steward Certificate Program

Beer, Beer, and More Beer - Beer Judge Certification Program

Unfortunately for me, many of these programs not located in the greater Philadelphia area, but I am determined to pursue one of these or many of the online programs that exist.  Upon completion, be sure to be on the look out for an update and I will try my best to avoid using snooty jargon.  Let's raise a glass to beer literacy.  Slainte!

(Image provided by blogs.citypages.com)

Toast to Heart Health!

Why does wine get to sit on the higher, healthier ground?  Tradition, I guess.  Finally, reports on beer benefits?  Hooray!

Moderate beer consumption may actually benefit the body.  According to Nancy Tringali Piho, a spokeswoman for the National Beer Wholesalers Association, the research of beer's heart healthy effects stem from the rise in popularity in craft breweries.  When reviewing the raw ingredient list, it's easy to see why beer may have the upper hand against wine.  Beer's grains (barley and wheat), water, and yeast are packed with vitamins that survive fermentation.  On the other hand, wine's sugars, fiber, and vitamins do not have quite the same luck.  Beer in controlled amounts can boost your levels of good cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL).  An increase in HDL typically leads to better protection of your heart, according to Dietician Andrea Giancoli.  Miraculously, the protection may lead to a 31% reduced risk for cadiovascular disease, per a study by the Italian Fondazione Ricerca e Cura (based on aggregate of studies totaling 200,000+ participants).  The jury is out whether or not alcohol itself brings out the best in your body.  From what I have read, it looks like there is still some fine tuning to be done with these studies.

Define "moderate beer consumption?"  According to researchers, about a pint (average bottle size) per day will do a body good.  It is unfortunate that some peeps cannot simply enjoy a brew or two without looking like a mess the next day.  Concentrating a week's worth of the daily pint into, let's say, the weekend, will certainly increase the risk of drinking, due to the metabolic processes following drinking alcohol. And moreover, everyone will see it on your face (the dreaded, "You look tired" comment).  What is worse, prolonged irresponsible drinking may lead to the deterioration of the liver, to obesity, and to alcohol dependence.  Sobriety, sadly, is kicked to the wayside.  Also, beer is not medicine, it meant to be enjoyed...with care.  Slainte!

(Image provided by nutritiondata.self.com)

Google's Bees Create a Better Buzz than...Google Buzz

The Delaware-based Dogfish Head has been employed by the ultimate force...Google.  Beer and the world's most powerful search engine?  Seemingly an odd combination but it is working.  In the Spring of 2010, Google installed 4 hives that yielded over 400 pounds of honey!  Melded with ingredients from each continent, the honey and Dogfish Head produced Urkontinent.  The brewery's found and president, Sam Calagione, support this new libation stating that Google is simply doing its day job by taking "...a fractured world and put(ting) it into something cohesive and whole."  So far, reviews are responding well.  Pending a rise in sales and interest, this brew may go global!  Check out the video below to see some of the other aspects that went into this beer.  I hope to bring this G-Beer to Sunday Sips.So here's to you Google, +1 for getting beer right!

PA Breweries Increase Yield!

On September 25, 2011, Harold Brubaker, Philadelphia Inquirer journalist, published this interesting piece on how the demand for craft brews continues to increase.  In response to this demand, Pennsylvania and New Jersey breweries are expanding their facilities.  Dare I say (a phrase that has continued to manifest itself since 2008), even in this economy.  Thank you to my favorite Anne Powers for sharing this article with me!

Craft brewers plan major expansions to help meet demand

Small craft brewers have defied the nation's stubborn economic slump, unable to meet growing demand despite a pullback by consumers overall.

Several brewers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are out to fix that supply problem by building new facilities, doubling and even tripling capacity to produce lagers and ales, and adding small numbers of jobs along the way.

Flying Fish Brewing Co. in Cherry Hill has paid $750,000 in deposits on equipment for a planned move to Somerdale that will triple its maximum capacity from the current 14,000 barrels a year.

Sly Fox Brewing Co. is planning to triple its current 10,000-barrel capacity when it moves from Royersford to Pottstown next year.

And last week, Tröegs Brewing Co., now in Harrisburg, was running tests at a new brewery in Hershey, Pa., that will double its capacity from 60,000 barrels, or 1.86 million gallons, a year from 30,000 barrels right out of the gate.

Echoing other brewery managers, Gene Muller, who founded Flying Fish in 1996 and is majority owner, said: "We're beyond our capacity. We're maxed out."

In the first half of this year, sales of craft beer, made by the country's 1,740 small breweries, climbed 14 percent, compared with a 9 percent gain in the first six months of 2010, according the Brewers Association, a trade group in Boulder, Colo.

"Things are definitely popping all over the country," said Paul Gatza, director of the association, whose Great American Beer Festival in Boulder starts Thursday. More than 400 breweries, including a strong contingent from the Philadelphia region, are expected to compete for gold medals.

Over the last five years, sales of craft beer - defined as the production of brewers with capacity of less than six million barrels per year - have climbed an average of 11 percent annually, Brewers Association data show.

By contrast, total domestic beer production was flat over the same period, according to the Beer Institute, a trade group in Washington.

Despite the gains by craft beer, it constituted just under 5 percent of total production last year. Big brewers such as the companies behind Budweiser, Miller, and Coors still account for about 82 percent of U.S. volume. Imports had a 13 percent market share last year.

Ironically, as craft-beer demand has grown, some of the brand sameness that predated the craft revival has begun to creep back, at least in Philadelphia.

Just about every bar claiming beer credibility seems to have on tap Bell's Two-Hearted Ale from Michigan, Stone India Pale Ale from San Diego, and Allagash White from Portland, Maine.

But that tide of ever-wider distribution might be turning.

This year, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Inc. in Milton, Del., which had stormed across the country, decided to pull out of Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island because it could not meet demand in all the markets it entered.

Other brewers have made similar moves, Gatza said.

Mike Short, president of Hunterdon Brewing Co. in Phillipsburg, N.J., which distributes Sly Fox, Tröegs, and many other craft beers in that state, said his 20-member sales force has been less aggressive than it could be because of the supply shortage.

"Ten years ago, I used to go around to the stores almost begging them to take some of this stuff in," said Short, who started his company in 1996. "Now, I sit at my desk and get calls with people yelling at me because they can't get enough."

That is especially true with seasonal beers, such as Tröegs Mad Elf Ale, a popular Belgian dark ale available only during the last three months of the year.

"People want 25 to 50 cases, and we can deliver just three to five cases per account," Short said.

The new Tröegs brewery in Hershey, where visitors will be able to buy beer in the tasting room as well as take a self-guided tour, might help boost production of Mad Elf this year but "probably not as much as our wholesalers would like," brewery manager Ed Yashinsky said.

Tröegs, which employs close to 50 people full time and plans to add six to eight employees after the move, distributes in eight Northeastern states and has no immediate plans to enter new markets.

"The reality is, I think our business is based on the idea that we want to be regional. We'd rather be deep around here than be selling beer in Nebraska or Colorado," Yashinsky said.

Sly Fox now sells in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

"Once we get our production up, we're probably going to enter Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia sometime in 2012," said John Giannopoulos, copresident of Sly Fox with his brother Pete.

In New Jersey, which has just 22 small brewers and brew pubs compared with 77 in Pennsylvania - largely because of regulations that are not as friendly to the business - Flying Fish's Muller looked at hundreds of buildings before choosing one in Somerdale.

Environmental tests have delayed the building purchase, but Muller, who employs 15 and plans to add eight after the move, has a backup in mind for his $4 million expansion.

"We have equipment being built for us in Germany, in Italy. We have equipment sitting in warehouses in Washington, South Carolina, and Connecticut, all waiting to be shipped to us. We just don't have any place to put it," he said. "The train has left the station. We're just not sure of the last stop."

(Image provided by Tom Gralish)

Original article:  http://articles.philly.com/2011-09-25/business/30200923_1_craft-beer-craft-brewers-flying-fish-brewing

USA's Best Local Breweries

Below is a clip from an article written by Sarah Chandler, author of Lonely Planet.  She and some of her other writing fellows voted on the best local breweries from their travels.  Thankfully, I agree with some of these!  To see this page in its true form, click here.  

----

Guidebook research may sound like a dream job, but mostly it’s grueling hard work pounding the pavement. So who can blame a road-weary travel writer for doing a fair amount of extra in-depth research at local brewpubs? After all, brewpubs – breweries with an onsite pub – are a window into a local culture and often have links to a town’s past – and, by the way, they also serve beer.

For Lonely Planet’s latest USA guidebook, we had 26 authors crawling across the country looking for the best travel experiences the country has to offer, which translates to a fair number of beers sampled at some of the country’s finest local craft beer makers. It’s thankless toil, but it’s our duty to readers to be thorough.

In the course of research, the following breweries bubbled to the surface as the authors’ personal top picks across the country (listed geographically east to west):

Gritty McDuff’s – Portland, ME. This Old Port brewpub has it all: harbor views, high energy, good pub grub and award-winning ales. Order up a robust pint of Black Fly stout and join the crowd.

Magic Hat Brewery – Burlington, VT. This insanely popular brewery, off US 7, offers free tours of its brew operation – and of course they’ll tip the tap to let you sample the art. Perhaps the coolest brewery you’ll ever see.

Nodding Head Brewery – Philadelphia, PA. Home of hearty brews and many, many bobble heads lining the walls. After a few of the house beers, you might find yourself nodding as well…in agreement that this is a brewpub worth seeking out.

Church Brew Works – Pittsburgh, PA. Serves handcrafted beers and cuisine that goes well beyond your typical pub grub in a massive former church space; a standout in Lawrenceville.

Bell’s Brewing – Kalamazoo, MI. Michigan’s first brewery with a pub, Bell’s beers are now found in bottles throughout the region but the beers taste best on tap at the Kalamazoo original. Undergoing renovations in early 2011 to expand the restaurant and open a new venue for live acts.

New Holland Brewing Company – Holland, MI. A big player in the American craft beer movement, the home base of New Holland has 12 rotating beers on tap, plus a range of bottled beers and harder stuff, if you’re so inclined. Pub food and a variety of specialty pizzas are there to help you sample the wares.

Goose Island Brewery – Chicago, IL. Goose Island’s pub pours the flagship Honker’s Ale and 14 or so other potent brews. If you’re lucky, the 10% Extra Naughty Goose or Maple Bacon Stout, served with a meaty slice, will be on tap. Tours take place on Sundays and must be reserved in advance. Fine grub complements the brews; special kudos to the Stilton burger and chips.

Great Lakes Brewing Company – Cleveland, OH. Great Lakes wins numerous prizes for its brewed-on-the-premises beers. Added historical bonus: Eliott Ness got into a shootout with criminals here; ask the bartender to show you the bullet holes.

Summit Brewing Company – St Paul, MN. No restaurant, but offers free brewery tours three days a week that will give you a chance to see the process and sample the results (book in advance, especially for the popular weekend tours).

3 Floyds – Munster, IN. Not far down the road from Chicago, 3 Floyds is devoted to small-batch craft beers, serving fresh foods supported by their own organic herb and vegetable garden, and naming their beers quirky things like ‘Apocalypse Cow’.

Free State Brewing – Lawrence, KS. One of many good places on Mass downtown, this is the first brewery in Kansas since Carrie Nation got one closed in 1880. A cut above brew-pub standards, the beers are excellent. The food is much-loved as well, leaning towards cheesy thirst-inducing classics.

Schlafly Brewery – St. Louis, MO. This sign in the window speaks well of the bar; the oldest and largest locally-owned St Louis brewery produces over 40 superb styles of beer through the year including an excellent dry-hopped APA (American pale ale).

Live Oak Brewery – Austin, TX. Available on tap around Texas, take a free and lively tour at the brewery followed up with samples of the six house-crafted beers.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium – Fort Worth, TX. You definitely won’t go thirsty: the bar inside this old brick building is made for craft-beer-lovers (80 brews on tap). How can you not love a bar whose jam-packed patio is called ‘Half-Acre Hell?’

Beaver Street Brewery – Flagstaff, AZ. Beaver Street Brewery is a bustling place to go for a bite to eat with a pint of local microbrew. It usually has five handmade beers on tap and some seasonal brews. The menu is typical brewpub fare, with delicious pizzas, burgers and salads. Surprisingly, it’s very family friendly.

Sierra Nevada Brewery – Chico, CA. At the Sierra Nevada Brewery, this place is a genuine Chico destination. It has better than average pub food; fresh, superb ales; and lagers on tap, some not available anywhere else. The apple-malt pork loin is a standout.

North Coast Brewing Company – Fort Bragg, CA. If you’re driving through Mendocino’s scrappy sister city, Fort Bragg, the elegant and well-balanced brews at North Coast Brewing Co are reason enough to pull over.

Auburn Alehouse – Auburn, CA. You’ll find eight beers plus some guests at this atmospheric Gold Country brewpub in Auburn’s historic Old Town, ranging from some easy-drinking session beers to an Imperial IPA for hop lovers.

Bridgeport Brewpub – Portland, OR. This huge, relaxing unpretentious bar (which also sells great food) hides a small piece of history. This is where the micro-brewing industry in the US was kick-started in 1984. And yes, it’s still here working the magic.

Pike Pub & Brewery – Seattle, WA. Leading the way in the microbrewery revolution, this brewpub opened in 1989 underneath Pike Place Market. Today it still serves great burgers and brews in a neo-industrial multilevel space that is a beer nerd’s heaven.

Haines Brewing Company – Haines, AK. It’s well worth the walk to the delightful one-room brewery serving up seven house beers in Haines, home of Great Alaska Craft Beer Festival.