Thursday, October 30, 2008

We've Struck Gold in the Bluegrass!

We here at the Brouha Blog would like to congratulate Bluegrass Brewing Company on their recent victory at the Great American Beer Festival. When you think Kentucky beer, the first name that comes to mind has to be BBC. They have done so much for the Louisville community as leaders of the craft beer scene, and it's great to see them finally get the credit they deserve. BBC (the St. Matthews location - brewmaster Jerry Gnagy) won a gold medal for their Kick in the Baltic Porter (the name alone is worthy of gold). A gold medal at GABF is the dream of anyone who has ever brewed beer, and we couldn't be happier to have one in the bluegrass state. Congrats to everyone at BBC!

Check out the full list of winners from this year's GABF here.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Something Election-related That Doesn't Make Me Want to Pull My Hair Out

The primaries almost ruined it before it ever started. Then came the debates, where any excitement I had for this election was sucked out by both candidate's ability to dodge questions and avoid talking to the American people like adults. Then came the 24-hour, non-stop news with story after story about a new poll or a new ad. I kept thinking that this election couldn't come soon enough. Then I discovered a new campaign. A campaign that truly excited me. A campaign I could get behind. I'm talking of course about Magic Hat's Participation 12-packs.Here's what it is - Magic Hat, a Vermont-based Brewery, together with HeadCount, a voter registration organization, has released limited edition 12-packs in an attempt to get "We the People" interested in the election and the issues of our day, and ultimately to get us out to the voting booths. I'm not sure if this 12-pack achieves that goal, but it did succeed in putting together a tasty mix of beers.

The 12-pack includes Magic Hat's flagship ale, #9, which is described as a lighter pale ale. It pours solid gold and has a nice foamy head. Lighter pale ale really is the best way to describe it. It's very crisp, a little fruity, and a lot delicious.

Also on the ticket is Circus Boy Hefeweizen. It has some good spice for a hefeweizen, along with some lemon zest flavors. It was very refreshing. If I were putting this campaign together, however, I would have added something a little bolder or darker. I like lighter refreshing beers, but there's already plenty of that with the other beers in this pack. Bottom line, it's October, I want something heavier.

The newcomer to this campaign is Participation Lager. With this beer, Magic Hat decided to take a stab at a true American Lager. They succeeded, but don't tip this expecting a PBR or a Schlitz. This has a much fuller flavor and has a decent hop character.

Finally, the beer that definitely gets my vote is Jinx, Magic Hat's Autumnal Strong Ale. This is one of my favorite ales right now. Magic Hat describes it as an ale for dancing bonfires and falling leaves. That's enough for me. It rings in at a solid 6.9% abv and pours a deep reddish brown. You get a lot of roasted, peat-smoked maltiness, but there's also a decent hop background. I got flavors ranging from raisins to cinnamon to nuts.

So the Participation 12-pack may not be perfect. If there had been a robust porter or, even better, a barley wine in the mix, it would have won in a landslide. However, in a season where we often have to choose the lesser of two evils, it's good to know that you can go to the liquor store and get a solid selection of tasty beers, all in one ballot box of ale!

Friday, October 24, 2008

The Lost Art of Advertising

Before I can remember ever tasting a beer, I can remember watching beer commercials. No other commercials ever compared to the hilarity of these ads. Whether big beer company advertising is a good or bad thing is a question for another day. No matter what you thought about it though, big beer advertising was damn entertaining. Who can forget these gems...





These were classics. They were as much a part of our culture at the time as anything else on television. As played out as it may seem now, I'd like for someone to think of a word aside from "wassup" that was said more that year.

Now, however, it's all gone downhill. It's undeniable that the craft beer movement has had an effect on the big beer companies, and nowhere can that be seen more clearly than through the advertising. I heard a Budweiser ad on the radio the other day that made me cringe. It was for the American Ale, which I have not yet tried. It said, in a completely serious tone, "It's not a cherry wheat or a berry wheat, and it doesn't taste like chocolate." Well, that's good, I guess. I'm not really sure what their trying to say though, and I'm pretty sure no one else does. Even worse, Budweiser now has a campaign out focusing on the "Drinkability" of Bud Light. Really?! That's the best you could do? Drink Bud Light because it is...drinkable? That's like Applebee's advertising that the food it serves is "edible." Mmm...that sounds delicious. Budweiser has created some of the most hilarious, memorable ads of all-time. Now the ads themselves are just jokes. Whether it was Bud or Miller or Coors, they never took themselves too seriously or tried to be something they weren't. They were just beers...nice, cool, refreshing beers. In fact, the ads usually never even said anything about the beer.

There is one advertising campaign out there that is brilliant, and that approaches the craft beer movement in a way that every big beer company should. It essentially pokes fun at "beer snobs" or snobs of any kind, and it's a riot. Check this out...



"I need to smell me a hotdog!" This is what these companies should be doing. One problem I run into sometimes now that I've started drinking bigger, more complex beers is that I feel like a jackass when everyone else in my party orders a light beer and I have to look over the beer list for an hour. Everyone else is thinking, "Good Lord, it's just beer." After a while, I start thinking that as well. My grandfather drank Sterling longnecks. My uncle drinks Natty Light with a lime. Yet, here I am asking the waitress at Chile's if she has anything bolder than an Amberbock. This is where advertising should be targeted - at making me feel like a snob. No one's going to believe a Budweiser ad claiming to be a great, complex beer. And, most importantly, no one's going to laugh at it.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Budweiser American Ale Conspiracy

Ok let's start this out by saying this isn't a beer review. I'm gonna give you some thoughts on this beer...but bottom line...you gotta produce something better than this to get me to give you an actual review.

So yeah, I tried Budweiser's new "American Ale" (the name alone makes me wanna puke). I really like the idea of this beer. Millions of people drink Bud products, so making a slightly darker "craft" beer is not a bad thing. It could easily get people to open up their taste buds to the other more complex beers. Well let's just say if that was their goal...they failed.

The beer pours a decent color (decent compared to Budweiser), the aroma smells a lot like a Budweiser and the taste/mouthfeel...well lets just say I would have rather had a Budweiser...or better yet, a Bud Light. I mean this is easily the worst beer I've had in years...and I just graduated college where Natty Light and Old Style pass for currency!

Each sip of this beer left me in utter shock. I couldn't believe it, each taste made me want to gag more and more. I looked at my roommate and offered him a sip...he just laughed at me and said, "judging by your face...I'll pass."

Like I said earlier, the idea of this beer is great. Let's try to broaden people's horizons and help the entire beer industry and encourage people to celebrate beer of all kinds! Well Bud missed, they were lobbed a 80mph fastball with a 3-2 count...and they whiffed big time.

However, the more I thought about it...the more I realized what Bud's main plan may have been. We all know the craft beer industry is booming, to go along with that...Budweiser just sold to foreign owners. Clearly, the people of Budweiser then thought...well let's make an "American beer" Yeah, let's make a craft beer to show all our drinkers what it will be like if they decide to switch over and drink craft ales. So what they did was create the absolute worst beer ever. As I said, it tastes like a Budweiser...but worse (how is that possible you ask? Just try one). So now, all of those people who have been life long Bud drinkers are trying this beer and thinking...why would I spend more money on these fancy American craft ales when they taste just like my ice-cold Bud...but a bit worse? Then they decide they will just continue to drink Bud and Bud Light and never even think about expanding their drinking horizons ever again.

I don't know if this was Budweiser's exact plan...but it had to be close. I mean seriously, no one could ever brew a beer that bad and actually expect people to like it.



For those of you looking for a REAL beer to transition your way from Bud/Miller/Coors drinker to noble, well-rounded craft beer drinker...I suggest you check out our top five "gateway beers"

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Dude's Gettin' Married!!!

Woo-Hoo! That's right the master of brewing at the Brouha House is gettin' hitched. Last weekend on vacation in North Carolina, Dude proposed to his long-time girlfriend Melissa! It's truly great to see these two kids set to tie the knot and myself and everyone else couldn't be happier for them.

Some sweet ideas have been tossed around in regards to what kind of wedding the two should have. Some have voted for a Medieval wedding, others for a fly fishing wedding which would take place in the middle of a stream. However the happy couple decides to do it, one thing is for sure, it will involve lots of Brouha beer, lots of dancing...and lots of embarrassing photos that we'll all laugh/cry at for years and years to come. Congrats Dude and Melissa, we're all so happy for you guys!

I've already got a design for the cake!!!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

My latest adventure

Lets play a new game.

Can you guess the location?

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Banana Bread Beer

That's right. Banana Bread Beer. I don't mean banana bread made with beer. I don't mean beer paired with a nice slice of banana bread. I mean beer brewed with banana bread (or at least bananas).


The other night I spotted this at the local beer store and was immediately drawn to it, if for no other reason that it kinda freaked me out. Don't get me wrong, I love some banana bread, and God knows I love beer, but it's one of those combinations that just didn't sound right to me. I love both pizza and ice cream, but that doesn't mean I want to combine the two any time soon.

Anyway, I picked up a bottle and gave it a shot. It's brewed in England by Charles Wells Brewery (we tried their Bombardier ale during our recent London trip, and I remember it to be pretty tasty). This one weighed in at 5.2% abv and is brewed using organic bananas. It poured a deep copper color with very little head. There wasn't a strong banana flavor (in taste or smell) at first. It was pretty balanced, but was a little too carbonated. I decided to let it sit for a second, and I soon began to smell banana bread in the air. The smell was right on. I tasted it again and was really impressed. Honestly, I expected a gimmicky beer that was fun to try, but that I would likely never have again. I also didn't expect to get much of a banana bread flavor (or at least not a good one). I was definitely wrong. It wasn't overly sweet, but the banana bread flavor was definitely there. I'm not sure what type of food would be good with this one, but for some reason I kept thinking it would be good to have with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Don't ask. There was all kinds of weird stuff going on in the kitchen that night.

Tasting Tip: It's been my experience that beer can sometimes be too cold. When I first started drinking beer, this idea would have completely grossed me out. After all, with every other beverage (except maybe red wine) the general rule is "the colder the better." However, sometimes beer can be so cold that any flavors or aromas are overwhelmed. It may be more refreshing, but you won't get the full flavor. I should point out though, that there's a limit to this theory. Don't let your beer sit out for hours. Don't go popping it in the microwave. But if the beer is really cold and you're not getting anything good from it, just give it a second. A good beer will make it's way out if given the opportunity. This one sure did.

Banana Bread Beer. What will they think of next?