| Guys Drinking Beer 
RYAN: “You sure do have some gumption…walking in to that room, saying the things you said.” I wheeled around to see an unnamed distributor wearing a black pullover with a grey Bud logo over his heart grinning at me. He found me pacing the hallway outside of the Picasso Ballroom at the Omni Hotel on Michigan Avenue. I was coming down from my presentation before twenty-or-so members of the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois. My time behind the podium was only supposed to last 30 minutes, including 5 minutes set aside for Q & A. I wound up spending an hour standing before a roomful of distributors talking up locally brewed craft beer and answering their questions. Before I get in to the meat and potatoes of what I said, and what they asked, there were two distinct impressions that roomful of distributors left me with. (1) They’re not as hell-bent on destroying craft beer as some of us think and (2) there are some pretty sizable misconceptions that the craft beer community has about distributors and that distributors have about craft beer and craft brewers. If you read my post last week, then you know the game plan I had going in to the presentation. I essentially wanted to give the distributors present a snapshot of the current state of craft beer in Illinois and where it was headed; with an emphasis on small batch brewing. While I didn’t stray too far from my original message I did find myself veering off course a little thanks in part to some conversations I had with distributors before my presentation and the presenter who spoke before me. “Right now, craft beer is the prettiest girl at the dance,” bellowed John Conlin – who runs Conlin Beverage Consulting. Well, he certainly had my attention. Continue reading A Day With The ABDI; Bridging The Gap Between Brewer & Distributor 
Short’s says:
“Anniversary 2009 is a wheat wine with multicolor peppercorns, corriander, orange peel, blood orange zest and 225 lbs of blood oranges.”
Short’s Anniversary Ale 2009
Wheatwine, 11.7% ABV
Sayeth the Guys: FRESH
Karl: I have a pretty firm grasp on the different distinctions between beer styles thus far, but I still confuse the concept of “wheat wine” versus “barleywine.” Doesn’t matter, as long as it’s good, right? While I don’t think I adored this the way Ryan did – I think he’s planning on naming a child Annie “Shorty” Versary – it’s still a solid offering. This blood orange beer packs in a surprising amount of alcohol, at about 11%. You can really smell the orange (they apparently used 225 pounds in the brew), but while blood oranges are generally pretty sharp, tart and grapefruit-esque, here the nose and taste was pleasantly nice and round. Continue reading Summer’s Getting Shorts-er Cellar Review: Short’s Anniversary Ale 2009 KARL: Back when I lived in the western suburbs, my friend James played with a bunch of bands and played shows all around Chicago. One night he came home with a CD from a band he played with called Tractor Boy, who (as I recall) were a group of thoughtful redneck anime fans who had a passion for trucks, Akira, farm life, and drinking beer and writing songs about it. I never saw them perform, unfortunately, but I’ve had this song floating around for years now. After long last, I’ve decided to immortalize their epic song, “I Like Beer,” in the above clip. Even back in the years where my tastes ran the gamut from Busch to High Life, I never sided with the “I like Budweiser” line and I don’t expect this audience to either. However, I think it’s safe to say that nearly everyone who’s enjoyed a beer or four can relate to this song in some way shape or form. I don’t know who the inspired gentlemen of Tractor Boy are (or were), I don’t know where they are now, and I don’t know if there’s any other documentation out there other than this lonely little post. (Every other search seems to end up pointing to a John Deere something-or-other.) All I know is that this song is your new theme song. Continue reading Tractor Boy’s “I Like Beer”: The Best Song About Beer You’ve Never Heard 
Sprecher says: “Pale malt flavors are balanced with a rich hop character and a light fruit bouquet in this seasonal spring lager. Traditional dry-hopping and extended aging give this blonde bock a distinctive flowery aroma and a potent kick.”
Sprecher Maibock
Maibock, 6% ABV Sayeth the Guys: Editors Note: This review and several of the ones that follow it are part of a stockpile of tasting notes that have been siting in our notebooks for months that we just haven’t had time to get to. Sure, some of these reviews may not be as timely as we had originally hoped but they are still – somewhat – deserving of a spot in the annals of GDB. RYAN: The Sprecher Maibock is the second in a trio of beers from the Glendale, Wisconsin brewery that I stumbled in to. Always a fan of a good Maibock, this was a tough one to pass up. And, spoiler alert, this one may go down as an all-time favorite in the Maibock style. Continue reading Review: Sprecher Maibock 
RYAN: Just when you thought talking about business registration, regulations and tax law couldn’t get any more boring…it has. The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office just finished its first review in to claims that Anheuser-Busch InBev’s wholly owned subsidiary WEDCO – which holds a minority interest in the Chicago area and downstate distributor City Beverage – is breaking the law by not registering the company with the state. If you care to get caught up, you can read all about the initial claims HERE. I had a chance to speak with Terry McConnville, Assistant General Counsel for the Secretary of State’s Department of Business Services, who is handling the investigation. Unfortunately the juicy aspects of his investigation – if there are any – are confidential. That includes everything the state is asking A-B InBev and their responses. But, McConville did tell me that, as of right now, it appears A-B InBev is NOT breaking the law. But, just to be certain, he is sending a second round of questions to the brewing giant’s lawyers. Continue reading Save The Craft: WEDCO, Round TWO 
New Glarus says:
“A complex and intriguing original. The mystery began with wild yeast spontaneously fermenting a rich treasure of malted barley and cherries. Unlined Oak casks breathe deep vanilla hues and chords of smoke into this sour brown ale. Our Master Brewer has forged a smooth garnet tapestry that defies description. Wander off the beaten path.”
New Glarus Unplugged Enigma
Fruit Beer, 5.5% ABV
Sayeth the Guys: FRESH
Karl: Over recent beers at Sheffield’s, I noted the following: “Some brewers brew heavy, some brewers brew light.” We were talking about Dark Horse, who I would say is a Heavy Brewery, and then I brought up New Glarus as an example of a Light Brewery. Everything they do has a specific lightness to it, a lack of heft, an airy quality. Even their stout is light-bodied. Well, there’s an exception to every rule, and New Glarus’ Enigma comes closest to being that exception. While certainly no Russian Imperial in body, the Enigma is the heaviest NG I’ve stumbled across yet. It’s deliciously tangy and sour – even slightly apple-esque – without overdoing it into the extreme-pucker range, and the sparkliest sour brown ale I can recall. It’s complex, rich and bright and another winner from New Glarus. Continue reading From The Cellar: New Glarus Unplugged Enigma 2010 Page 2 of 53«12345...102030...»Last » | |
