Craft Ales!

While this blog is indeed about all things beer, let's be clear. We have a definite bias here in favor of craft ales. Specifically, in favor of craft ales as opposed to mass-produced lagers. Your Anheuser Busch, Coors, Miller - what have you. Those beers are fine. They have their place and we may even discuss that from time to time. What those beers lack, however, is the uniqueness, the creativity, the quirkiness, the flavor and the character of fine craft ales. That's what we're about and that's what you will often hear us celebrate here. Dude is our brewmeister and he is far more qualified than I am to explain to you the wonderful world of fine ales - why they are superior to plain old beer, what gives them their amazing flavor and character and why - if you haven't already - you should explore the wonderful world of pale ales, stouts, porters, brown ales, red ales, kolsch, wheat ales, cream ales, etc., etc. etc.

In case you hadn’t noticed, craft ales have entered the mainstream. Not by way of some giant brewery (although they’ve tried to get on the gravy train), but through steadily rising consumer demand for a huge variety of high quality, unique ales being produced all over our country and in all parts of the world.

To illustrate the point, the Democratic National Committee is holding its national convention to choose its candidate for U.S. President this month in Denver, Colorado. Already a near-paradise for those in search of really good craft ales, the folks in Colorado are pulling out all the stops for the thirsty delegates. Whereas, in the past, I suspect the convention might have been better named something like The Bud Light Democratic National Convention, not so this year. Sure, Coors is there. After all, they are in Denver and they are apparently a "Presidential level sponsor of the DNC Host Committee". Of course they are. But this year Great Divide Brewing Company is brewing up Liberally Hopped American Pale Ale, a limited edition American-style pale ale just for the convention. Avery Brewing Company, on the other hand, is brewing Ale to the Chief. Described as no ordinary brew, this is billed as “a big, bold brew packing an 8.75% alcoholic punch”. Breckinridge Brewery is the exclusive beer provider for the CNN Grill at the convention. Russian River Brews of California is going to be there with several of their award-winning but rarely available brews.

Not convinced? Liberal Democrats will drink anything alcoholic, get their secretaries drunk and drive them off a bridge, you say, regardless of the quality of the beverage? Okay, what would it take to convince you that craft ales are here to stay? Republicans drinking them? How about grandmothers? How about the Pope? Seriously, how about the Pope? Recently, when the Archbishop of York visited the Pope Benedict XVI, he gave him a gift of a bottle of Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale. Honest to God.

My favorite line from the article? "The Pope is said to prefer beer to wine and water and this wasn’t the first time that he had sampled one of the brewery’s beers." So, if you're not on board with craft ales yet, stick around and keep reading. Sooner or later, we'll convert you. God is on our side.