After a year or so in hiatus, the Yankee Homecoming Beer Festival was back in full force.  With a tremendous number of tickets sold before the event, only a small number of tickets were available at the gate – which quickly sold out.  The beer selection was well rounded, with a great selection of local and regional beers – fit for the summer session.

Cheers to Libby and her group of volunteers for this wonderful success.  Bring on 2011!!

During the festival, Ryan and I had the opportunity to chat with old friends and met some new friends – which brings me to the point.   Today, we have a special guest review of the festival, written by Suzanne.  Suzanne is finding her way in the craft world and her passion for craft beer speaks for itself.  We hope to showcase more of Suzanne’s thoughts on our blog.

I hope that you enjoy Suzanne’s review.

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!!

—————————————————————–

YANKEE HOMECOMING BREW FESTIVAL IN REVIEW:

(Recap of the event by Special Guest writer Suzanne)

The Yankee Homecoming Brew Festival this past weekend in Newburyport was a great success – good beers, friendly crowd and nice enough weather to enjoy the scene, the sun and the beautiful Newburyport waterfront. Fifteen breweries attended, most with two brews to showcase. The beers were served primarily on tap, with a few brewers choosing to serve from bottles, and one brewery employing their “Tap Mobile” as the means of serving their beer. Yes, that’s right, Mercury Brewing Company, owner of both Ipswich Ale and Stone Cat, owns a “Tap Mobile” (looks like a little bus with taps on the outside), and will allow you to rent it for your wedding, graduation party, backyard barbecue, or what have you. You can fill ‘er up with any of their beer or soda products, but really, if you’re going to drive about in a bar on wheels, why mess around with the soft stuff?

To celebrate the NERAX (New England Real Ale Exhibition),  the members of NERAX planned a fun pub crawl through Somerville and Cambridge.  During the crawl, we visited four pubs locally known for their outstanding beer selections (unfortunately, we couldn’t visit all of the pubs in Cambridge/Somerville).  A local brewery was featured at each stop.

Here were the crawl details:

1:30 The Independent, 75 Union Square, Somerville
The Indo, with 32 draft beers, is poised to offer real ale later this Spring. For the NERAX 2010 Pub Crawl, the TAP in Haverhill is sending a pin of GestAlt, a German-style Brown Ale dry-hopped with Spalt.  Brewed from an OG of 1.052, this beer is 5.4% abv, and 40 ibu.

The brewer, Jon Curtis, will be there to lift a glass with us.

2:45 Atwood’s Tavern, 877 Cambridge Street, Cambridge
Atwood’s offers 24 draft beers, and will be setting up a pin on the bar especially for the NERAX 2010 Pub Crawl.

The brewer, Dann Paquette, will be there with us. He will bring his super-rare “Once Upon A Time: February 27th, 1832 MILD”. This was brewed from the original brewsheet of the same day on Brick Lane, London. 10.5% abv, 75+ IBU. Mild Ale Malt, 4# per barrel of Kent Golding leaf hops in the boil.

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. A rare firkin of cask-conditioned Smuttynose Big A IPA will be pouring from one of the three beer engines. 

John Thompson, the brewer, will be on hand. He says: “I’ll dry hop the bejeezus out of it with a blend of big American hops.”

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.

Megan O’Leary Parisi, Lead Brewster, will be tapping a firkin of Tall Tale Pale Ale dry-hopped with Amarillo expressly for the NERAX 2010 Pub Crawl.

*******************************

The crawl was a blast -  Amber and I enjoyed the fun and relaxing atmosphere.  The beer at each stop was very tasty.  It was our first visit for stops 1-2-3, but having visiting the Cambridge Brewing Company many times, we were excited about the trip.  It was especially nice for the folks at Lord Hobo to open early, specifically for the crawl – thanks to all the participating restaurants and breweries.

As we moved from place to place, it seemed we added more people that we dropped.  I think at the peak, there were about 60-75 people.  Thank you NERAX for hosting this event.

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

For more information, visit http://www.nerax.org or read this previous blog entry:  http://www.2beerguys.com/blog/2010/03/11/nerax-2010/

Also, don’t forget the….

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

Gallery:

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

Via the social medium of twitter and an online Blog, Greg Koch and Steve Wagner announced the long awaited news about their next major step in world domination – expansion into Europe. Greg Koch explained that they are going to “actively and openly look to open a brewery over there [Europe]“– except for France .

They have started their journey by formally putting out an RPF (request for proposal) – looking for someone to make an offer.   To watch the expansion announcement video, click here

Stone Brewing Company is very global conscious and decided to make this move for a couple of different reasons a) demand for their products b) to be closer to the European drinking community – which has a long history of making beer c) to expand their market but not increase their overall carbon foot print to drastically.

Stone Brewing Company has taken many steps to protect the environment and reuse/eliminate the waste from beer brewing. It was only a years ago where they spent $850,000 to install a waste water treatment plant (read more).

As a dedicated follow of @StoneGreg on twitter, I was anxious to read this news today. He has “teased” us for a few weeks that there will be some “news” coming.  [I asked if it was a collaboration beer with aliens, I guess I wasn't too far off ]

I’m not sure how the European community feels about this idea. They are used to a reverse relationship – where the European Breweries/Beers were shipped to North America. Now, the tides have turned.

I believe that this is a good move, but must be taken with extreme caution. Many Europeans are not fans of change and when change occurs, it moves slowly (many consumers are still using Windows ME – Gosh!!)

Good Luck Greg, Steve and Stone Brewing Company. If you’re looking for some beer ambassadors to make the move, let us know when and where – and we’ll be there!!

Please let us know what you think about this move?

Thanks

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!!

Other related topics:

Video – I am a craft brewer
Stone Brewing Company release Vertical Epic 09-09-09
Recap of the juxtaposition collaboration between Cambridge Brewing, Stone and Brew Dog
Beer Wars – The Movie Review

It’s sure starting to feel like Christmas – whether you are shopping on line or heading to the stores, here are some ideas for your favorite beer lover (we all know someone that’s a beer lover, don’t we!!). In case you missed part 1 and 2, please check out the previous suggestions.

Part 1
Part 2

10 ) BREW-OPOLY
9 ) Beer of the Month Club
8 ) Beer Magazine Subscription: (Beer Advocate Magazine, Draft Magazine, Ale Street News, Yankee Brew New, All About Beer Magazine, and Beer Connoisseur Magazine)
7) Beer Movies (Beer Wars, Brewed in America, Brewfest)
6) Kegerator (http://www.kegerators.com/)
5) Homebrew Kit (http://www.beer-wine.com, http://www.northernbrewer.com)
4) Gift Certificate to a Local Beer Bar

Lets get to the top 3 suggestion for the beer lover:

3) Beer Stuff (Glasses, shirts, and more)

For the past few years, I have enjoyed shopping for gifts on brewery websites. There are many different breweries out there and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Here are some sites that I have purchased from:

Bear Republic – http://www.bearrepublic.com/ They offer many cool things on their store – including a create your own gift basket, rugs and other cool stuff.

Redhook – ttp://shop.redhook.com/ All sorts of cool stuff, including Neon Lights, Toboggan and other gear.

Alaskan Brewing Company – https://www.alaskanbeer.com/ I enjoy visiting the Alaskan Brewing Store to check out the tap handles (like the Summer Ale Orca Taphandle) along with searching through all of the sale items. They have some pretty neat stuff on sale at the moment.

Here is some cool glassware that your beer lover would enjoy:

New Belgium Globe Glass – from New Belgium in Colorado: (features)

• A narrow opening that benefits foam and enhances the beer’s bouquet.
• A globe shape that captures and directs the beer’s aromas toward your nose.
• New etchings inside create a continuous stream of bubbles to release and refresh flavors.
• A stem that keeps your hand from warming the beer and allows unobstructed viewing pleasure.
• Decidedly thicker, our new glass is more durable from the beaded lip down to the reinforced stem.

Cost: Special $4.99 price for the 2009 holiday season! Offer good until December 31 only.

To purchase glassware, visit http://www.newbelgium.com.

Spiegelau Beer Classics – Glassware Six-Pack

When you want to drink out of the Mercedes of beer glasses Spiegelau Beer Classics are it. The Mixed Six-Pack includes:

• Two 23.5oz Wheat Beer Glasses
• Two 17oz Wide Pints
• Two 15oz Stemmed Tulip Glasses

These features a thin, laser-cut and polished rim for the ultimate drinking pleasure. Made of lead-free crystal produced in Germany.

Cost: $74.99

Where to purchase: http://beeradvocate.com/

Samuel Adams Boston Lager Glass (set of 4 glasses)

“Designed with the help of sensory experts, the pint glass provides optimum full-flavored taste of Sam Adams (or any other brew) thanks to some unique features — a bead inside the rim creates turbulence to release flavor and aromas; a lip on the glass places the beer on the front of the tongue where sweetness is tasted; a laser etching on the bottom creates bubbles for constant aroma release; thinner walls and round shape maintain proper beer temperature longer; and a narrow grip reduces exposure from the heat of your hand.”

“We wanted to create a glass that offers beer lovers a full sensory drinking experience by fully showcasing Samuel Adams Boston Lager’s complex balance of malt and hop flavors. This glass achieves that mission.” -Jim Koch. Set contains 4 glasses (beer not included!).

Cost: $30.00 for the 4-pack.

Where to Purchase: http://www.samueladams.com

2) Beer Event or Beer trip – Here are some ideas:

*** Woodstock Inn Brewing Experience: ***

Join the Woodstock Inn Brewery for an instructive, hands-on weekend learning and perfecting the craft of brewing fine quality beers. Assist our expert brewers and receive first-hand instruction on the time-honored art of creating handcrafted ales with our seven-barrel brewing system. For guests with other interests, the beautiful White Mountains region features plenty of outdoor recreation and the very best of tax-free shopping options.

• 2 nights lodging
• Breakfast each morning
• Friday night Brewers reception, 9pm
• Lunch on Saturday
• Brewers dinner on Saturday evening
• A commemorative brewery T-shirt or hat

This is a hands-on or a sit and watch weekend. Your choice!

All rates per person, based on double occupancy. View the Woodstock Inn website for more information on the accommodations.

Where to purchase: http://www.woodstockinnbrewery.com/

*** Beer Advocate Extreme Beer Festival: ***

The original fest that helped define what “Extreme Beer” is all about. Expect a uniquely awesome and epic celebration of American brewers who push the boundaries of creative brewing. Quite possibly the best fest on planet Earth w/ 100+ Extreme Beers. Limited to 1,000 tickets per session.

Secure your attendance. Order your advance tickets now.

Includes:

• Entrance into one of best fests on Planet Earth.
• All 2oz pours; Respect Beer.
• Tasting cup.
• Fest guide.
• Beer education.

When: February 19th and 20th – 2009
Cost: $45.00 to $50.00 per session.

Where to purchase: http://beeradvocate.com/store/

Dogfish Head 360 Degree Experience

Treat All Your Senses … The Dogfish Head 360° Experience!

We’ve partnered with the Inn At Canal Square and Quest Fitness/Kayak for an experience that will invigorate all your senses…

• You will SEE coastal Delaware’s true beauty while boating it’s scenic waterways.
• You will HEAR live, original music from rising artists.
• You will FEEL the deluxe comfort and charm of a premier, waterfront inn.
• You will SMELL the aroma of fresh hops and barley and learn about the art of brewing while touring Dogfish Head’s Milton brewery.
• And finally, you will TASTE the purity and distinction of Dogfish Head ales coupled with wood-fired cuisine in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.

Cost: Depends on the time of year – please contact The Inn At Canal Square online or at 302-644-3377 to inquire about availability and rates.

Where to Purchase: http://www.dogfish.com/

1) The final and ultimate gift to get for a beer lover: BEER!!!!

I’m sure that it’s not a surprise. Pick up a selection of beer in a mixed pack, pick up some extreme beers or some tasty seasonals – it’s your choice!! That’s why we love craft beer. There are so many great choices and made just for US!!! Eat, Drink and be Merry. Merry Christmas and have a relaxing holiday,

Mix packs

Saranac 12 Beers of Winter
Harpoon Wintry Mix

Extreme Beers

Stone Vertical Epic
Sam Adams Imperial Series
Winter Seasonals

Gritty McDuff’s Christmas Ale
Widmer Brothers Brrrr

Other Honorable mentions that did not make the top 10 list:

Beer Brewing on premise @Incredibrew (http://www.incredibrew.com), Custom Barstools http://www.allbarstools.com, American Homebrewers Association (AHA) membership http://www.beertown.org/, Bacon flavored popcorn  http://www.jdfoods.net/ourstory.php .

(Thanks for hanging on and reading parts 1-2-3.)

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!!

FX Matt Brewing Company invited us on the Ultimate Brewery Tour. Here is a recap from part 1 and 2.

*******************************

Quick Recap from part 1: FX Matt Brewing Company, producers of Saranac and Utica Club brands, hosted a beer dinner for bloggers at their brewery in New York. The beer dinner was a meeting of the minds, along with a release party for the 12 beers of Winter Variety Pack. The variety pack contains 6 different beer styles – some new, some old, some old on steroids (haha jk.) [Click here if you missed part 1.]

Quick Recap from part 2: After we arrived, the group was split into two tours, lead by Nick and Fred Matt. The tour took us through the brewing process, past the fermentation process, around the bottling/canning lines and right into the warehouse. The brewery spans 2-3 miles, above and below the ground. The tour was very insightful and interesting. [Click here if you missed part 2.]

*******************************

Beer Dinner – 12 Beers of Winter Tasting

Time to get to the main course – the beer dinner. The tables were setup to hold about 4-6 people, all on one side, facing the chef’s table. We selected the table in the front on the far left. The chef and his assistant put the final touches on each dish, right in front of us. It was interesting to watch.

A six beer lineup was placed on each table, with the bottles sitting in miniature Adirondack chairs. The selection was lined up in order, to match the pairings on the menu. At this point, we were browsing the menu for the first time. It was quite an elaborate mix. Check it out (commentary on the course is included):

We spent this part of the evening eating, chatting and laughing with the marketing team…a good time was definitely had!

*******************************

Menu (prepared by Chef Arthur Langdon and his assistant):

Happy Hour Hero’s:

Assorted New York and Imported Cheeses served with Guava Paste, Seasonal Fruits, Flatbreads, Spiced Walnuts, and Wasabi Peas. Best Paired with: Saranac Pale Ale and Saranac Belgium Style Ale. Comments: The cheese and crackers were great, especially when paired with the beets (oops, I mean Guava Paste).

First Course:

Pan Seared Crab Cake with Organic Arugula Salad, Roasted Corn Salsa and Hopped Siracha Vinaigrette. Paired with: Saranac Rye I.P.A. Comments: Crab cakes aren’t my bag, but I gave them a try.  Nice and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The corn was tasty, but and very very very spicy – yum. The Rye I.P.A. is an interesting style. Not many other breweries create this style – I enjoyed it (Waschusett Brewery is the only example that I’ve tried).

Second Course:

Slow and Low Roasted Baby Back Pork Ribs with Orange-Hoison Glaze and Apple Fennel Slaw. Paired with: Saranac Big Moose Ale. Comments: Oh so tasty. Meat so tender that it fell right off the bone. The GREEN apple fennel slaw was very interesting – sliced to the size of potato sticks. The Big Moose Ale – American Pale Ale style – was one of my favorite beers – a definite stand out in this variety pack.

Surprise Course 2.5 -

Beer Sorbet served in a cocktail glass. Paired with: Belgian Style Ale. Comments: Are you sure that this wasn’t the duck? It was a nice surprise addition to the menu. Seems easy to make – I can’t wait to try to make it.  Amber says:  OMG, The best thing I’ve ever eaten!

Third Course:

Cracked Peppercorn Duck Breast with Sweet Potato Hash. Paired with: Saranac Winter Lager. Comments: Duck cooked to perfection, so tender and paired well with the malty Winter Lager.  Amber Says:  OMG, THIS is the best thing I’ve ever eaten!

Fourth Course:

Black Lager Braised Brisket with Cabbage and White Beans. Paired with: Saranac Black Lager. Comments: Thinly sliced brisket, seared on both sides. By this point, I was getting full, but the tender brisket was mouth watering.

Desert:

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding. Paired with: Saranac Maple Porter. Comments: Yummy, tasty desert paired with hands down one of the best beers in the variety pack. The Maple Porter is smooth and sweet like maple sugar – but not too sweet.

****************************

We can’t say enough about the night we spent in the graces of the Saranac staff.  They really know how to make you feel like one of the family.  Needless to say, we were sad to be on our way at the end of the night.  Nick, Fred and staff – along with the catering service of Aramak/Chef Landgon, put together an evening to remember.

Stay tuned for a break down of the 12 Beers of Winter variety pack.

Other pictures from the beer dinner:

Getting Ready (Chef Landgonis in the background)	Dinner Menu
Minx-ing it up – again!!	Getting ready to try a crab cake

Other related posts:

Saranac hosts Beer Dinners for Bloggers (part 1)
Saranac hosts Beer Dinners for Bloggers (part 2)
Fire at Matt Brewing Company – May 2008.
A year later after the fire at Matt Brewing Company
Top 50 breweries in 2008 – Ranked 7th.

FX Matt Brewing Company and the Ultimate Brewery Tour

As one of the countries oldest breweries, the oldest in New York State, FX Matt Brewing Company has been brewing for over the past 120 years.

Their philosophy has always been to brew beers that are both distinctive and drinkable, with the goal of enjoying one, two or maybe more over the course of an evening. Their attention to detail and uncompromising commitment to quality represent the signature trademark of their four generation family business.

Made naturally, with only the best ingredients, Saranac beers are crafted at the historic brewery in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.

Quick Recap from part 1: FX Matt Brewing Company, producers of Saranac and Utica Club brands, hosted a beer dinner for bloggers at their brewery in New York. The beer dinner was a meeting of the minds, along with a release party for the 12 beers of Winter Variety Pack. The variety pack contains 6 different beer styles – some new, some old, some old on steroids (haha jk.) [Click here if you missed part 1.]

Blogger’s Beer Dinner (part 2 – Ultimate Tour)

The group separated into two different tours, headed by Nick and Fred Matt. We initially stayed behind and waited for the second tour run by Fred Matt. This is where the fun started.

The first part of the tour took place in the main historic building. Amazing woodworking and a labyrinth of connected rooms. Down a hallway that contained oil paintings of the Matt Family. Then into a couple of different rooms that were once passage ways used to transport alcohol during prohibition.

I believe the grounds of the brewery cover 2-3 miles above and below the ground – with over 7 different floors. I was surprised to learn that this wasn’t a typical brewery – operating since 1888. It seemed very mysterious and the perfect place for a haunted Halloween tour.

After going on a crazy elevator ride (walked in straight and the door opened on the left – rather than straight across or from the door that we entered in). We rounded some corners and came upon a 500 barrel copper brew kettle. It’s hard to describe the size of the kettle. I believe that it would take about 10-15 people holding hands to reach around the kettle.

Note: 500 barrels is a large batch of beer. Just thinking about it – a normal keg that we purchase in the store is considered to be a half barrel. Most small brew pubs operate a 7-15 barrel brewing system.

As you can imagine, when brewing 500 barrels of beer, you need to have ENORMOUS Fermenters – which they did.

During the tour, we visited the yeast storage room (ale and lager) – it was pretty cool.   We toured the bottling and canning facilities, along with checking out part of the area that was effected by the fire one year ago.  It’s quite amazing that the brewery is back up to full production.  The fire was a difficult hurdle – but only a hurdle.  The fire was used as an opportunity – a chance to re-organize the flow of production [A new storage warehouse is already in operation and the canning line is already running. As we toured, FX Matt Brewing Company was in the process of moving (and upgrading) their bottling line to a new area].

Overall, the tour was a amazing.  I loved the fact that it was very maze like – it is hard to imagine that we only saw a small portion of the brewery.

Our gracious tour hosts provided a glimpse into the FX Matt brewing history, while indirectly expressed their passion for brewing and devotion to improving their community.  –  Thank you again for the tour — Sean.

Here are some pictures of the Brewery and the Tour:

Sean outside the tour entrance.	Which way do we go?
Finish line for the Boilermaker Road Race	Saranac Gift Shop
Beers on tap at Saranac – Fall 2009	FX Matt – Hallway of History
Fred explaining the history of Utica Club brew	Checking to see I can jump into the barrel yet
500 Barrel Brew Kettle	Saranac’s Top Notch Marketing Team
Quality control in action	Beer’s almost ready!!
Welcome to our warehouse	Stacks and Stacks of cans – waiting to be filled

**************************

Stay tuned for a part 3 – Beer Dinner and break down of the 12 Beers of Winter variety pack.

Other related posts:

Saranac hosts Beer Dinners for Bloggers (part 1)
Fire at Matt Brewing Company – May 2008.
A year later after the fire at Matt Brewing Company
Top 50 breweries in 2008 – Ranked 7th.

Saranac Hosts Bloggers Beer Dinner to celebrate the release of the 12 Beers of Christmas

Utica, New York: On Thursday October 22nd, FX Matt Brewing Company, got a head start on their Christmas celebration by graciously opening their doors for their first ever blogger beer dinner release party.  Founded in 1888, FX Matt Brewing Company is a family run organization that has transformed their organization into one of the top craft beer players.  During prohibition, the brewery never shut down – providing work for all of their employees by creating nearbeer and different varieties of soda.

FX Matt Brewing Company, the producers of Saranac and Utica Club brand beers, brought members of the beer writing community together last Thursday to showcase the 12 Beers of Winter at their brewery in Utica, New York. The 12 Beers of Winter variety pack has it’s own surprise for this holiday season. Look into Saranac’s 12 Beers of Winter package for a glamorous, magical and shiny pass into the beer maker’s underworld – a GOLDEN TICKET!!

This is the third year for the Golden Ticket promotion. Saranac’s 12 beers of Winter package will have random golden tickets placed inside. Your job is to  find one, and this exclusive behind the scenes brewery tour given by Fred and Nick Matt is yours!! This VIP trip will include accommodations for two to spend a night in Utica with a trip to the brewery for a tour and dinner at a local restaurant. For more information, log onto www.saranac.com .

Blogger’s Beer Dinner (part 1 – meet and greet)

Almost a month ago, we were invited attend to the blogger’s beer dinner release party. We had reviewed many of the Saranac beers (for a list of reviews, click here), but we never had a chance to visit.  We decided to venture the 300 miles (approx 4.5 hours) to attend.

As we arrived at the brewery for the first time, we were led into an unassuming storefront, right into the gift shop. Following the group to the upstairs bar and gathering area, we noticed the long fancy bar and elaborate woodworking.  This was a brewery like we had never seen before.  You could sense the history all around you.  At the bar, I sampled the Imperial IPA, while Amber tried the new Maple Porter – both were quite delicious.

During the night, we chatted with other bloggers (from NY Brew Authority, IMASOFAT Youtube Beer TV, Syracuse Drinks Blogger) along with writers from the Ale Street News/Yankee Brew News.

As we met different employees of the FX Matt Brewing Company, including Nick and Fred Matt, we got a sense of hard work and community — which started from the top.  The Matt Family is not only proud of their history and achievements, they are proud of the beer that they have created.  As you know, very few breweries survived during prohibition, but even fewer breweries have transformed their business into a craft brewery.  Can you think of any? (Note:  at 2Beerguys.com, we have reviewed over 22 different  varieties of Saranac beers – the most memorable being the caramel porter, yum.)

During the meet and greet, we spent a bit of time sampling the cheese and crackers, while conversing with Fred Matt.  It’s not rare in the beer world, but we immediately felt that Fred and Nick Matt are two of the most personable brewery owners that we’ve ever met.

Stay tuned for part 2 – brewery tour:

12 Beers of Winter:

This winter variety pack will knock your socks off with some new beers added to the lineup, along with the return of some oldies by goodies. The selection includes: Rye IPA, Big Moose Ale, Belgian Ale, Winter Lager, Black Lager and Maple Porter. Stay tuned for additional stories from our adventure, along with profiles of the 12 Beers of Winters collection.

Other related posts:

Fire at Matt Brewing Company – May 2008.
A year later after the fire at Matt Brewing Company
Top 50 breweries in 2008 – Ranked 7th.

If your a resident of Portland, get on over to Allagash Brewery before the Vagabond Ale is sold out.  As of 10:30, Allagash announced that they had sold 462 of the 500 bottles of Vagabond Ale. 

If you weren’t aware, today was the official release date for the Allagash Vagabond Ale. The Vagabond is the second release in Allagash’s limited 375ml series. Brewed more than 4 years ago and aged in American Oak Barrels, this was one of the few barrels that traveled with Allagash when they moved into their new brewery 3 years ago.

Today is a busy day at the brewery. At of 8:15 AM, the brewery parking lot was packed with Allagash Fans, waiting for the brewery to open at 9:00 AM. This limited release was available for sale at 9:00 AM, but limited to 2 bottles per person (at $10 per bottle). By 9:45, 300 of the first 500 bottles were sold. As of 10:30, only 38 bottles were left. (As I write this post, I’m sure that the beer is gone..)

Beer Profile:
Aged four years in American oak barrels, it boasts a complex aroma of maple syrup and port, with background notes of marzipan, plum and dill. Flavors of tart, unripened plum and caramel give way to a warming, toasted almond finish. As always…an adventure.

It seems like Allagash borrowed a page from the Portsmouth Brewery (with the famous Kate The Great Day) and Three Floyds (with the amazingly successful Dark Lord Day). Although, Kate the Great and Dark Lord are seasonal beers that are created once a year, maybe Allagash can come up with a beer to release on the 3rd monday in 2010.

We’ll have to wait and see. If you attended the event and or have sampled the Vagabond Ale, please let us know.

Enjoy!!

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!

p.s. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend this event, but I learned about the excited day by monitoring Allagash on Twitter.

Other related posts:

Kate the Great Day: Day in the life of a beer guy

On the other hand, RockArt Brewery is a small, family owned brewery in Vermont. The Brewery was started by Matt Nadeau and his wife Renee. On September 14th, Matt was issued a cease and desist order to stop selling, advertising and creating any marketing materials for his Vermonster beer.

Vermonster Beer Stats:

• Alcohol: 10% ABV
• IBU: 100
• Style: Barleywine Style Ale (which is dry hopped)

Hansen Beverage company believes that the Vermonster is a trademark infringement on their Monster energy beverage.  Matt is very upset with the actions that Hanson Beverage has taken.  He has spoken to legal consultants, who believe that the law is on his side, but he is worried about the costs that this legal action might cost his family run business.  There are rumors that Hansen Beverage company is using this as a stepping stone to emerging into the beer market.

You Tube Video from Matt and The Monster- Rock Art Brewery vs. Monster Energy Drink.

How can you help?

• Buy RockArt Beer: An increase of sales would help fund the battle.
  Stop Drinking Monster Energy Drink: and other products from Hansen Beverage Company.
• Let Hansen Know What You Think: Visit Hansen Beverage Company’s website and let them know that you disagree with their decision: http://www.hansens.com or http://www.monsterenergy.com Here’s a message that I sent:

To whom it may concern,

I have learned about a pending lawsuit that you brought against RockArt Brewery in Vermont. As I work in the software industry, I understand the importance of the copywrite laws and the importance of protecting your intellectual property.

Although, I am not aware of the intentions for your lawsuit, I would like to express concern that the approach you are taking is not warranted. RockArt is not a competitor of yours and no one would every believe that Monster Energy Drink and the Vermonster Beer would be the same thing. Actually, your product would have an adverse effect. While the Monster Energy drink is intended to boost one’s energy, Vermonster Barleywine would make someone relax — as alcohol is a depressant which slows down brain activity.

This is a prime example of a large company trying to show their muscle and power by attacking the little guys – someone that’s not even in the same market. You should be ashamed by the approach that you have taken. Please understand that your actions will result in a loss of loyal customers — switching to an alternative energy drink.

If you would like to respond to this claim, please do so. I am interested in understanding your reason for this ludicrous action.

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer – Not Monster Energy Drink!!

• For Twitter Fans: If you are on twitter, add a twibbon to your avatar: twibbon
• For Facebook Fans: If you are on facebook ,join the group: join

“If you are really gonna dig in, email the folks at Hansen beverage and let them know that if they do this, they should also be suing Monster.com, the cookie monster, Terrapin Brewing (makers of Big Hoppy Monster), Brooklyn Brewery (makers of Monster BarleyWine) or Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for their huge sunday, also called The Vermonster. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermonster)” as said by BeerTap.tv

Do your part!!

Sean

2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, Not Monster!!!

**************************

Resources

• Monster Versus Vermonster – Link to Article.
• Cigar City Brewing Company – One of the Challenges Little Breweries Face Link to article.
• Craft beer enthusiasts in Austin take to the Internet to rally for Rock Art Brewery – Link to article.
• Beer Buzz 048: Screw the Monster! Link to article.