I’m not sure when it started to be my favorite holiday, but it nearly beats out St. Patrick’s day - which also takes place this week. Until then, lets all celebrate this great day in history together.

If you’re not familiar with the Ides of March, please read the excerpt from Wikipedia below.

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!!

From Wikipedia

The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martiae) is the name of March 15 in the Roman calendar. The term ides was used for the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months. The Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held. In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date that Julius Caesar was killed in 709 AUC or 44 B.C. Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate led by Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus and 60 other co-conspirators.

According to Plutarch, Caesar was warned by a seer to be on his guard against a great peril on the Ides of March. On his way to the Theatre of Pompey (where he would be assassinated) Caesar saw the seer and joked “Well, the Ides of March have come,” to which the seer replied “Ay, they have come, but they are not gone.” This meeting is famously dramatized in William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, when Caesar is warned to “beware the Ides of March.”

Another incident on this date happened in 1917, when Nicholas II of Russia abdicated.

Modern observances
The Ides of March is celebrated every year by the Rome Hash House Harriers with a toga run in the streets of Rome, in the same place where Julius Caesar was killed.

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Mohegan Sun’s Seasonal Peeping Frog Ale Returns For The Spring

The medium body English-style ale is back on-tap in The Brew Pub at Mohegan Sun

UNCASVILLE, CT (March 2010) -Mohegan Sun is excited to announce that its spring ale, Peeping Frog, will be on-tap throughout the property starting March 20th.

Named after the Moon of the Peeping Frogs, this English-style ale has a unique hops flavor and aroma that comes from the Fuggle hop. The gold and sparkling amber malts attribute to the ale’s light amber color, medium body and fresh finish. Peeping Frog is one of four seasonal ales brewed by Mohegan Sun.

“Peeping Frog has been a mainstay in The Brew Pub at Mohegan Sun for over a decade,” said Joel Johnson, Brew Pub Manager at Mohegan Sun. “This light English-style malt has a crisp and refreshing finish with a light caramel color.”

Mohegan Sun’s Peeping Frog ale will be served at: The Brew Pub at Mohegan Sun, Hall of The Lost Tribes, The Cove Bar, Seasons Buffet, the inside bar at Todd English’s Tuscany, The Lodge, Wolf Den Bar & Showroom, Leffingwells Martini Bar, the Harvest Moon Bar and the East Wind Bar located in Casino of the Wind. Additionally, Mohegan Sun’s Sachem Ale and Mohegan Lager are on-tap 365 days a year and seasonal brew, Thunder Moon Lager, will be introduced in early June.

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Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the United States. Situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by visiting mohegansun.com.

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NERAX 2010 SESSIONS AND ADMISSION

As always, we do our best to ensure a pleasant, pub-like atmosphere for all sessions. During the festival, new casks are tapped every day, with special British beers reserved for Saturday. Also, admission will be strictly limited. While advance admissions sell out quickly, walk-up Cash Sales admissions remain available at the door for every session.

Session Times and Festival Admission Prices

• Wednesday 6:00 – 10:30 p.m. $15
• Thursday 6:00 – 10:30 p.m. $15
• Friday 6:00 – 10:30 p.m. $15
• Saturday 12:00 – 7:00 p.m. $10

Cash Bar Prices

• Imperial Pint (20 oz) $6.00
• Half Pint (10 oz) $3.00
• Quarter Pint (5 oz) $2.00

As in past years, Redbones sandwiches will be available for purchase in the hall.

UPDATED TICKET INFO
CASC thanks you all for making NERAX so popular. The sales of the limited number of advanced admission tickets is now closed. However there will be a Large Number of admission tickets available at the door for every session.

Unfortunately there are times when we have more customers than we have capacity in the hall. At our busiest times individuals who fail to gain entry by 6:30 p.m. may face a wait of 90 minutes. On the other hand we rarely if ever have lines after 8:30 p.m.

Other NERAX News:

Pub Crawl – Sunday March 21st

The first official event of the NERAX 2010 Festival week will be a classic pub crawl for festival volunteers and friends of the festival.

The Crawl will visit four premier Cambridge/Somerville pubs known for outstanding beer selections. This is a pay as you go event, but each pub is going above and beyond the usual in some way for The Crawl. Total walking time, start to finish is only 25 minutes! Bring your buddies and join us for the whole crawl or any part of it.

Here’s a map:  Google Map

NERAX 2010 Festival Pub Crawl

• 1:30 The Independent, 75 Union Square, Somerville: The Indo, with 32 draft beers, is poised to offer real ale later this Spring. They’re bringing in a cask to tap specifically for the NERAX 2010 Pub Crawl.
• 2:45 Atwood’s Tavern, 877 Cambridge Street, Cambridge: Atwood’s offers 24 draft beers, and will be setting up a pin of a Pretty Things cask ale on the bar especially for the NERAX 2010 Pub Crawl.
• 4:00 Lord Hobo, 92 Hampshire St, Cambridge: Lord Hobo, home of 30 draft beers and 3 full time cask offerings, will be opening an hour early exclusively for the NERAX 2010 Pub Crawl
• 5:15 Cambridge Brewing Company, One Kendall Square Cambridge: CBC’s house beers have won national and international awards, and a cask is tapped every Tuesday. CBC will be rolling out at least one cask ale to tap expressly for the NERAX 2010 Pub Crawl.

Further details at http://www.nerax.org/nerax/pubcrawl.html

NERAX Kickoff at Redbones – Monday March 22nd

This year the Kick Off Party is on Monday before the opening Wednesday, 3/24, and will feature some special firkins. Its a cash bar, but volunteers for this year festival will get a free pint. And there will
be free appetizers for all.

Further details at http://www.redbones.com/newsevents.html

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Nerax North 2008
Nerax 2008 – Be there or B Square

AMES, Iowa (March 2010) – Gov. Chet Culver signed a bill on March 10th to allow Iowa breweries to manufacture and sell higher-proof beers up to 12%. Out of state breweries were already selling these higher-proof beers in Iowa, but in-state breweries were restricted to a 5% cap. A movement for Iowa Beer Equality arose to remove the competitive disadvantage Iowa breweries faced. The passing of SF 2088 now allows Iowa brewers to sell many more styles of beer.

Olde Main Brewing Co. is turning to fans to decide the first high proof beer the Ames-based brewery will brew. Voting is taking place online at http://www.oldemabrewing.com/poll.html and at the restaurant and brewpub until March 24th.

The following beers are being voted on: Double IPA, Dopple Bock, Russian Imperial Stout, Barleywine, Wee Heavy Scottish, or fans can submit their own recommendation.

# # #

About Olde Main Brewing Co.
Ames-based Olde Main Brewing Co. & Restaurant opened in 2004 and has become one of the fastest growing breweries in Iowa. It is the only Iowa-based restaurant & brewpub that also bottles their beer. Olde
Main currently distributes to most of the state and brews six styles of beer, along with a root beer and various seasonals throughout the year. Learn more at http://www.oldemainbrewing.com.

Helpful Links
Iowa Brewers Guild – http://www.iowabeer.org
Iowa Governor’s Office – http://www.governor.iowa.gov/
Olde Main – http://www.oldemainbrewing.com

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Kona Brewing to use lighter bottle in an effort to curb environmental impact

Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii, March 9, 2010 . . . In a move to minimize environmental impact, Kona Brewing Company has announced its award-winning beer will be produced in glass bottles that are 11% lighter than before. The company, Hawaii’s largest brewer, has reduced its bottle weight from 8 ounces to 7.3 ounces for all Kona brands. The new lightweight Longboard Island Lager bottles will begin hitting shelves of grocers and specialty beer stores in late February, and the new bottle will be virtually identical to current bottles in look and feel. The new weight Fire Rock Pale Ale and Wailua Wheat Ale bottles will be on shelves by late March, 2010.

The famous flavors of Kona brands will be completely unaffected, and no changes will be made to the brewing process, quality or recipes of the beers. Like many sustainability programs the brewer has implemented, such as its new solar energy generating system at the brewery in Hawaii, the savings on the new lightweight bottle will be great for both the company and the environment. The reduction in bottle weight will save 3,375 tons of CO2 emitted per year, which is the same as the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a car traveling 8 million miles and equates to taking 511 cars off the road for a year. Seen another way, the savings also equates to easing the workload of 154,688 trees, which would have been taxed with offsetting the CO2 emitted by production of bottles, shipping and fuel.

“I am absolutely thrilled this day has come,” said Kona Brewing Company’s president and CEO Mattson Davis. “As we have gained in popularity on the Mainland, sustainability is even more important in getting our beer out there responsibly, and I’m proud Kona has found ways to protect the flavor of our beers while reducing use of unnecessary materials.”

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Kona Brewing Company was started in the spring of 1994 by a father and son team that had a dream to create fresh, local island brews made with spirit, passion and quality. It is a Hawaii-born and Hawaii-based craft brewery that prides itself on brewing the freshest beer of exceptional quality, closest to market. This helps to minimize its carbon footprint by reducing shipping of raw materials, finished beer and wasteful packaging materials. Recently Kona announced the installation of a 229 kW solar energy generating system at its Kailua-Kona brewery and pub on Hawaii’s Big Island.

The company is headquartered where it began, in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island. It has grown into Hawaii’s largest brewery, has three restaurant sites in Hawaii and beer distribution reaching 28 states and Japan. The brewery was named the fastest growing top-50 craft brewing company in the country based on 2008 sales figures. It posted 19.8 percent year over year growth in 2009. For more information call 808-334-BREW or visit www.KonaBrewingCo.com.

Right Hook Red is

“An American Amber Ale. This brilliant deep red colored ale is assertively hopped and has a rich malty body. Extremely high quality English small batch “floor malted” caramel malt gives this beer a deep red color and a complex malt backbone dominated by sweet, earthy flavors. American Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops are used 7 different times in the brewing process (Mash hop, First Wort Hop, 3 times in Kettle, Whirlpool Hop, Dry Hop) to create bold citrus and spicy, piney hop flavors. It is dry hopped with Centennial hops to give it a wonderful floral and citrus hop aroma. This is an assertive brew! Boldly balanced with deep malt flavor and prominent hop character.”

Quick Description:

An assertively hopped American Amber Ale with a rich malty flavor.
Beer Style: American Amber Ale

O.G – 13.6°P IBU – 59.5 ABV – 5.22%

Get yourself up to the Cataqua Brewpub and try it today!

Portsmouth Craft Beer Weekend and Kate the Great Day 2010

We are excited for the Portsmouth Craft Beer Weekend – and we hope that you are too.

Tickets are now available to purchase on line for the beer dinner on Sunday February 28th (only $25): Beer Dinner + a Movie

Redhook has gone above and beyond to open their cellar doors and will be tapping an amazing selection of beers for the weekend. Check out this list:

• Nitro Haulin’ Oats Oatmeal Stout – Full dark chocolate malt flavor with dark crystal malt sweetness.
• 2008 Saturnalia – Aged Two Years! This Double Red has intense hop flavor balanced by complex malt and alcohol flavors.
• Cask IPA with Amarillo – Long Hammer IPA served Cask Conditioned through our authentic Beer Engine.
• Plum Funky – Aged for over a year, this beer started as a Sour Mashed Belgian Farmhouse Ale.

There will also be a very Special Firkin, TBA.

See you there.

Sean/Ian/Ryan
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!!

P.s. Visit the website for additional info: http://www.2beerguys.com/craftbeerweekend/

Boulder, Colo. — The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, has just launched CraftBeer.com to celebrate the ever-growing interest in craft brewers and their liquid libations. The new site is a consumer portal providing information and community interaction for craft beer enthusiasts everywhere.

“Beer from small and independent craft brewers seems to have everyone—from wine lovers and famous chefs1 to restaurateurs and celebrities—talking about craft beer,” said Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the Brewers Association. “CraftBeer.com is an extension of that conversation. The site serves everyone, from the beer beginner to the budding beer enthusiast, highlighting the culture, authenticity and broad spectrum of beer from today’s craft brewers.”

Key areas of the website include:

• Beer and Food: This dynamic web area includes information on pairing, serving with and cooking using craft beer. Search through beer and food recipes, comment on those posted or post a personal favorite.
• Stories: Today’s craft beer revolution centers around the more than 1,400 small and independent breweries that have come of age as the U.S. beer culture has matured beyond light American lager to more robust beer styles.
• Beerology: Information is provided on everything from beer and health to selecting the optimal glass for your favorite style of beer.
• Brewery Tours: The majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a brewery. In this section, the user can experience virtual tours of craft breweries from the perspective of the brewers and visitors.
• Style Finder: Given the variety of beer styles available, this area provides an overview of the six main categories of today’s lagers and ales, which are divided into sub-categories and then finally into more than 50 individual beer styles.
• Get Local: This area is rich with resources for enjoying craft beer close to home, including arguably the world’s most extensive directory of the more than 1,500 breweries in the U.S.
• News & Events: Visitors to this section will find out about craft beer dinners, new beers in the marketplace and happenings at breweries, among other news.

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Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit the website, www.BrewersAssociation.org, to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup; Great American Beer Festival; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 19,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Celebrate beer during the 2010 Portsmouth Craft Beer Weekend

SALISBURY, MA, February 12, 2010: On February 27, 2beerguys.com invites you to Portsmouth to celebrate the passion and quality of craft beer by hosting their 1st annual craft beer weekend.

The Portsmouth craft beer weekend starts on Saturday, February 27th and continues into Monday, March 1st. The celebration extends into a long weekend, culminating in the release of the world-renowned Kate the Great, a Russian Imperial Stout. Kate the Great Day, hosted by Portsmouth Brewery, is a celebration that has brought craft beer fanatics together from across the nation.

As part of the weekend, the Portsmouth Gas Light Company will be hosting a special viewing of “Beer Wars!” the movie and a beer dinner in partnership with Long Trail Brewing Company. “We are excited to partner with the Gas Light Company for this event”, says Sean from 2Beerguys.com.

“The Gas Light Company is already home to many great craft beer lines and, after meeting with their management, it was an easy decision for us to partner with them” added Ian.

The Beer Wars movie will start at 6:30pm on Sunday February 28th and will be preceded by a five-course beer dinner showcasing an amazing selection of beer from Long Trail Brewery in Bridgewater Corners, VT.

Beer Wars, released in 2009, has received rave reviews from across the craft beer community. This movie highlights the increasing popularity of the Craft Beer industry and their battle against the large breweries, featuring Sam Calagione (Founder, Dogfish Head Brewery) and Rhonda Kallman (Founder, New Century Brewing).

Beer Dinner Menu:

• # First Course – 4-tree island with Pale Ale, Fresh tomato slices, sauteed spinach, caramelized onions, and garlic topped with feta and mozzarellla cheese.
• # Second Course – Frank Jones with IPA, Hot Italian sausage, hot cherry peppers, pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese.
• # Third Course – Prescott Park with Belgian Wheat, veggie pizza with onions, broccoli, mushrooms, and green peppers.
• # Fourth Course – Pirates Cove with Double Bag, Grilled chicken and onions on a base of mixed tomato and bbq sauces, and topped with mozzarella cheese.
• # Desert – A desert pizza with Brew Masters Coffee Stout.

Details:
Where: Gas Light Restaurant – Portsmouth NH
When: Sunday, February 28th 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Cost: $25. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

For additional information and a schedule of events, visit: http://www.2beerguys.com/craftbeerweekend

About 2Beerguys.com:
Founded in 2006, 2Beerguys.com has devoted themselves to spreading their passion of the craft beer world. Originating primarily as craft beer reviewers, they have molded their organization into premier craft beer educators and ambassadors for craft beer industry. There passion has taken them on the wild ride of home brewing and beer education. 2Beerguys.com believes that you deserve a good beer and should not waste your precious 64 calories on anything else. http://www.2beerguys.com

About the Portsmouth Gas Light Company:
Located in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, NH, the Portsmouth Gas Light Company has evolved from its humble beginnings as a 60-seat restaurant with a single dining room into a culinary and entertainment Mecca — with a cozy bar and wood-fired pizza shop downstairs, a newly renovated dining room featuring fine American cuisine on the first floor, an outdoor deck with live music out back, and one of Portsmouth’s hottest nightclubs on the third floor. Founded by Paul and Eric Sorli and Scott Fisher together in November of 1989, the Portsmouth Gas Light Company is a popular stop for many Portsmouth visitors. http://www.portsmouthgaslight.com/

About Long Trail Brewery
The Bridgewater Corners Vermont brewery was founded in 1989 by Andy Pherson, who now serves both as the company’s president and brewmaster. The company’s first brewery was located in the basement of the Bridgewater Woolen Mill in Vermont’s Green Mountains, but by 1995 the company had become popular enough that it was able to relocate to a state-of-the-art brewery and visitor center (featuring an open-air deck overlooking the Ottaquechee River) in Bridgewater Corners, VT. Beers include – Long Trail Ale (flagship beer – a Düsseldorf-style altbier), Double Bag (a “Sticke” alt), Hefeweizen, Blackberry Wheat, IPA, Seasonal beers (Belgian White, Harvets, and Hibernator) , and recently created Brewers Series (including Double IPA, Coffee Stout, Imperial Porter) and Pollenator. http://www.longtrail.com/

About Beer Wars:
In America, size matters. The bigger you are, the more power you have, especially in the business world. Director Anat Baron takes you on a no holds barred exploration of the U.S. beer industry that ultimately reveals the truth behind the label of your favorite beer. Told from an insider’s perspective, the film goes behind the scenes of the daily battles and all out wars that dominate one of America’s favorite industries. For more information, visit: http://beerwarsmovie.com

Beer Wars Movie goes Mainstream!‏

LOS ANGELES, Calif., – Ducks In A Row Entertainment announced that starting Monday, February 1st the documentary film Beer Wars will be widely available On Demand and for Download.

Originally released theatrically on April 16th, 2009 as a one-night event, the film has now found digital distribution through Warner Bros. and Netflix.

In the U.S., Beer Wars is available to rent On Demand through Digital Cable and Satellite providers Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Cablevision, Charter, Insight, Bresnan, Verizon FiOS, AT & T U-Verse, Dish Network and DirecTV. It is also available for download on iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

In Canada, the film is available to rent On Demand through Digital Cable and Satellite providers Rogers Cable, Cogeco, Videotron, Sasktel and Shaw.

The film is also available on Netflix either on DVD or “Watch Instantly” beginning February 2nd. And the DVD is available for purchase from Amazon.

For more information, go to http://beerwarsmovie.com

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