Beer Diagram Poster

Another combo of two of my favorite things, design and beer. This is a great Kickstarter project and I have just backed it, check it out here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/haynes/beer-diagram-poster

 

About Project.
This collection recognizes the 16 distinct types of beer, explains their origin and then breaks down even further into nearly 40 more subcategories. Each of the final beer-types is then marked with 3 examples of that beer, as well as an icon depicting the type of glass that the beer is typically served in.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR 5B 2013: BELIEVERS IN BETTER BEER, BITES AND BLOGGING CONFERENCE

Info from hoperatives.com

Attention bloggers! Registration is now open for the 5B: Believers in Better Beer, Bites and Blogging Conference to be held Saturday, February 16, 2013 at the Cincinnati Convention Center.

For more information and to begin the application process, go to http://www.hoperatives.com/?page_id=9709 and follow the instructions there.

If you are interested in submitting a panel proposal for 5B 2013, the deadline to submit is January 1, 2013.

Go to http://www.hoperatives.com/?page_id=11831 to submit your proposals. Cheers and here’s to better beer! (And bites and blogging!)

St. Baldrick's 2012

It's that time of year again when the Wolfpack gets together to shave our heads for children's cancer research through the St. Baldrick's foundation.

This is my 4th year shaving my head in solidarity with kids fighting cancer w/ @StBaldricks, please donate on my head! https://www.stbaldricks.org/donate/participant/515930

A little about St. Baldrick's if you don't know: St. Baldrick's funds more in grants for childhood cancer research than any other organization except the U.S. government. Last year, the Foundation has funded nearly $22 million in new grants – all because over 45,000 people shaved their heads! You can count on this donation being used responsibly. To see all the research being funded – by disease type, location and more – visit www.StBaldricks.org and click on "Where the Money Goes," then "View Grants."

Our wolfpack started as one: Rob, shaved his head for the first time back in 2008. We grew to 4 in 2009, adding Adam, Jeff and Stace (yes Stace shaved her head!). Stayed as a four-man wolfpack in 2010 and 2011, replacing Stace with Jim, then replacing Jim last year with Rick. This year we are a five man wolfpack having added Mike to the mix (a cancer survivor! thanks Mike!), and are looking to add to our growing numbers, just ask Rob how to join, it's that easy!

Over the past four years our wolfpack has raised over $16,000 for this wonderful foundation and are looking to add even bigger and better numbers to this years donation.

To Donate to our team please visit: Donate on our heads!

This years event at The Pub, in Rookwood Commons, is going to have a live auction, raffle, coloring contest, special and live music. Below is a schedule for the day. 12:00 Registration 1:00 Shaving Begins 1:30 Kids Coloring Contest Winner Announced 1:30 LIVE Auction 2:30 Raffle Drawing Please pass this invite along to anyone you know and let us know if you have any questions.

Thanks for your support and we can't wait to see you on March 18th.

Evolving Taste and a look back at Brooklyn Brown

Have you found that you tastes for beer are ever changing and evolving? Recently, I have found that there are certain beers and styles that I just don't like anymore. For example, last night, I had a Brooklyn Brown Ale, a beer that I hadn't sipped on in 2+ years. From what I can remember, I loved that beer. It was one of my original "Go To" beers when I started expanding my palette.

I wrote about Brown Ale back in 2008 and had good things to say about it.

Brooklyn Brown Ale. One of my original favorites right after college. Very smooth taste because of it being a brown ale. It is obviously closer to an amber flavored beer, which helps with it being less bitter than that of a pale ale. Easy to recommend this beer to anyone.

Who: Luke, Cathy, Angie
Where: The Comet
Price: $$
Score: 4 / 5

I can't say that I'd rank it 4 out of 5 today.

Maybe I can notice different flavors better now that I have been tasting and writing for 4+ years and I knew that my tastes had changed, but I guess I didn't think it was that radical of a difference. Last night I didn't think it was overly smooth and would add that there was a slight bitterness from chocolate or cocoa.

I would still rcommend this beer to anyone, but I would recommend every beer for everyone. It's all a taste preference, mine is no better than yours or the next guy. Last spring, my friend Trevor and I, did a beer tasting / tournament for some co-workers. We did the tasting around the NCAA tournament so we did 8 different styles and had one on one tastings with a vote and the round "winner" would move on towards the champion of beers! The beer that ended up winning was a beer style that I don't like at all, but I kept making the point that taste preference was personal. I guess the only difference is that I have tried more, so I know a little more easily what I like and dislike.

Happy Drinking!

What kind of alcohol do American's prefer?

Cool infographic via Good.is – linky goodness

The illustrated benefits of beer

Via the Beer Runner (via Belancio)

Queen City Underground Tour

Kauffman Lager Tunnels - Under Vine Street.

Last week I was invited to take the Queen City Underground Tour, from American Legacy Tours . This tour is full of Cincinnati beer history, and a definate must see for anyone interested in Cincinnati and or beer history. There was plenty of other information and history given on the tour, but I'll stick to the beer parts.

From 1870-1920, our Queen City was known as the Paris of the West. Full of entertainment, commerce, and of course beer. The Germans who came to Cincinnati settled north of the canal, now Central Parkway, and the neighborhood was dubbed Over-the-Rhine. 48,000 people packed into OTR (2.5 mile area) with 75% of the population German. Of course they wanted to bring a little bit of home with them to America, so they built saloons and breweries. There were 136 saloons from the Ohio River to McMicken which allowed for the citizens of Cincinnati to drink 2.5 times the national average -- close to 40 gallons a person (Man, Woman and Child!).

Pipes which carried cold water through them to keep the tunnels cool.

The greatest part of beer history in Cincinnati is that there are miles and miles of underground Lager tunnels underneath the city. The Germans brought there Lager beer with them from home, which has a sweeter taste and had a wider spread appeal and changed the landscape of beer in America forever.

As you may, or may not know, Lager needs to ferment at a much cooler temperature, and under the city the tunnels are a cool 55 degrees. If the temperature were to rise, they would pack ice and run cool water through the pipes to keep it cool.

Ramps to send kegs up or down to tunnels

Ramps and hydro lifts made it easier to bring the beer up and down from these tunnels. The downfall of the Cincinnati breweries started as nation moved towards prohibition. New laws made the business of beer that much tougher: Sin tax on beer and another laws made it illegal to brew and bottle in the same facility. These underground tunnels allowed the brewers to move there barrels underground and out of site of the law. Prohibition all but killed the beer business in Cincinnati and started the downfall of Over-the-Rhine. Not only were the brewers affected, but the barrel makers, the boats that shipped the bee. Most of those folks lived and worked in the neighborhood. Once the jobs disappeared, those folks had to move to be closer to the work.

Luckily for us, OTR is in the middle of a revitalization, with new people, rehabbed buildings and even breweries moving back to our brewing capital. Sam Adams home is OTR, Christian Moerlein plans to open a brewing facility soon and I can't wait to see what comes next for one of the great beer cities in the USA.

Happy Drinking!

Carlsberg Marketing Video

Awesome advertisement.

Beer Infographic: How to survive Oktoberfest with your liver intact

Check out this awesome beer infographic via: Accredited Online Colleges

My First Home Brew - Rolling Pin Pale Ale

For my birthday, Cathy bought me a home brewers kit. Since I love beer, she thought it was a great idea, and I agree. My first attempt at brewing my own beer started way back in July. The first thing that I learned in the whole beer brewing process is that you have to be patient. All of these steps take time, and there really is no rush to get to the next step. You really just need to let all of the science happen.

My first beer is a kit of American IPA from Listerman Brewing Co.

Step 1: Make Tea
Basically, you make a 2 gallon batch of tea. Fill a bag with grains, etc. and steep at 150-160 degrees for 30mins.

Step 2: Add Malt and Hops
Bring to boil, remove from heat, add malt syrup bring back to boil add hops.

Step 3: Boil add more hops
'nuff said.

Step 4: Almost beer...cool the "wort" (wert), add yeast, seal
Cool your wort (65-75 degrees), in a water bath. Then add yeast. Seal your brew.

Step 5: Wait for the yeast to do its job
Yeast turns the sugars into alcohol.

Step 6: Bottle your beer, wait some more
Wait 3 weeks, then bottle your beer. Wait three more weeks.

Step 7: Drink your beer
Yay!

So, now to the review...

Rolling Pin Pale Ale and American IPA.
It's definetly tough to review your own beer. But, I'm going to be honest with you, it's not that great. It pours a very nice amber/deep orange color and has a nice thick creamy head. I can smell the citrus and it's overwhelmingly malty and bready. While it has a nice flavor with some sweet undertones, it was supposed to be more bitter and an actual IPA. It tastes a lot like Bass or English style Pale Ale. I'm not sure where I went wrong in the brewing process, but I know something isn't quite right. I still enjoy my "bad" beer more than an American Lager, but it needs improvement.

Yesterday, I brewed a second batch of beer and hopefully it turns out better. I was way more careful with temperatures and paid more attention to all of the little details that I may have missed out on this first time around.

I did keep notes of both brews, so I can look back and see how it turns out and compare there.

Happy Drinking!

Who: Myself
Where: Home
Price: --
Score: 2 / 5

Big Band & Bigger Beer Tasting

We just bought our tickets for this event. I don't know what beers are going to be available, but I know that Dutch's has a huge selection. So if they are providing, I'm sure there will be some great beers to choose from.

Big Band & Bigger Beer
Ault Park, Sept. 1, 2011

Back again and better than ever! The amazing & talented 17-piece Jump n' Jive Show Band takes the stage at 7 p.m. Beer tasting (21 and over) is $20 per person in advance ($25 at the event if available) and includes 20 tastings from a selection of 75 different beers from 25 brewers.
Tickets can be purchased at http://www.aultparkac.org.
Additional food and drinks available for purchase, listening to the awesome music in the beautiful Ault Park -- free! Proceeds from this event benefit the care and maintenance of Ault Park as well as the Cincinnati Music Foundation.
WHAT: LIVE MUSIC & BEER TASTING

• 17 piece Jump n' Jive Show Band (music and fun is free!)
• Beer Tasting - Tickets are limited and include 20 tastings from a selection of 75 different beers from 25 brewers. Tickets are available for purchase at www.aultparkpac.org and are $20 in advance or $25 at the door if still available.

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011,  6:30 to 10 p.m. (rain or shine!)
WHERE: Ault Park Pavilion
Special thanks to Dutch's Bar & Bottle Shop, Cavalier Distributing, Premium Beverage Supply, Avalanche Ice, and Aranzamendez Design for sponsoring this event. To purchase tickets, look at a full list of all APAC sponsored events and a list of "100 Things to Do in Ault Park," go to www.aultparkac.org.

Happy drinking! And I hope to see you there.

Friday Night Flight

Gonna meet up with the Hoperatives tonight in Florence for a beer tasting. We will be able try out some incredible beers from the Rogue Brewery of Oregon.

1. Imperial India Pale Ale
2. Old Crustacean Barleywine Style Ale
3. Imperial Red Ale
4. Ten Thousand Brew Ale

Very excited to try these 4.

Check out their original post here: Hoperatives: Friday Night Flight

Happy Drinking!

New Holland - Dragon's Milk

New Holland Brewing brings us Dragon's Milk. An oak barreled beer, I'm not sure if it is a stout or ale or what. Not that I really care in the end, but it's hard to compare it to other brews if I don't know what type of beer it is.

"Dragon’s Milk Ale, is a crown jewel of New Holland Brewing Company. It is the unrivaled result of painstaking processes - both creative and scientific."

Not sure what to think of that other than they really want us to like this beer because it's hard to brew.

Anyways, it pours a deep dark chocolate color with a tan head. Smells of vanilla, caramel and a bit of the oak from the barrel. Tastes mostly of vanilla and alcohol, but some of the oak flavor comes through as well. I have really been into the dark/chocolate/vanilla beers this season but this beer didn't distinguish itself from the others.

I think that if it had been barreled in bourbon instead, like Jefferson's Reserve, I think I would try this one again. I was excited to try this because it was recommended by a stout loving beer friend. Sorry to disappoint, but this won't make it back to the cooler any time soon.

Who: Cathy
Where: Home
Price: $$$
Score: 3 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown

The holidays came and went like a flash. I still can't believe it's January...

Cathy and I had plenty of opportunities to try new brews over the past month. Both sides of the family know of our craft brew love, so they always try to have something new to try -- especially Joe and Thad.

That brings us to the first beer from our holiday beer fest: Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown.

A very tasty seasonal treat for sure. Maple, hazelnut and chocolate are front and center for this English Nut Brown styled beer. It was very different with the maple syrup flavor I almost forgot that I was drinking a beer and not a dessert wine or hot chocolate or something... One of those beers where you can only have 1 or 2 because it just isn't a session type of beer - unless you can handle the sugar overload!

Would be a very nice compliment to any holiday dinner. Thanks to Joe for bringing this one over to try.

Happy Drinking!

Who: the Fam
Where: Rita's House
Price: FREE
Score: 4 / 5

New Year, New Beer, New Blog...

New Year:
Happy New Year to all. 2008 was a great year and I was able to connect with a great group of beer enthusiasts. I hope to continue these relationships and can't wait to meet more beer lovers and try new craft brews.

New Beer:
Dragon's Milk - New Holland Brewing
Blitzen Ale - Maumee Bay Brewing
West Coast IPA - Green Flash Brewing
Hop Head Red - Green Flash Brewing
k-9 Winter - Flying Dog
Old Man Winter - Southern Tier
Mad Elf Ale - Tröegs

New Blog:
Speaking of beer lovers, check out this great new Cincinnati Beer Blog over at: http://www.hoperatives.com/ they are Believers in Better Beer (In Cincinnati and Beyond) Great stuff so far.

Happy 2009 -- Happy Drinking!

Great Lakes 2009 Lineup

2009 SEASONAL LINEUP
GLBC is excited to announce the following seasonal lineup for 2009:

• Conway's Irish Ale: January - April
• Blackout Stout: February - March
• NEW 6 PACK - Grassroots Ale (formerly Hale Ale): April - July
• NEW 4 PACK - Glockenspiel: May - June
• DRAFT ONLY - Independence Ale: June - July
• Oktoberfest: August - October
• Nosferatu: September - October
• Christmas Ale: November - December

NOTE: Holy Moses White Ale will no longer be available in 2009

Brooklyn Brewery - Black Chocolate Stout

The Brooklyn Brewery brews 2 winter seasonal's and we start with their Black Chocolate Stout.

A Russian Imperial Stout, poured a very dark black/brown with a nice head on top. This was a very full bodied beer and the smell and taste of dark chocolate and coffee beans is almost overwhelming. The alcohol is at the forefront, giving you a nice warm feeling on what should be a very cold winter day. There was a super strong bitterness in the beer from the dark chocolate and coffee flavors. I feel like it is almost too much though as that is the thing I most remember.

If you are into dark chocolate and coffee then this beer will be for you. It is a beer that is probably only for cold winter days/nights though. I can't imagine having this on a hot summer night. I know that a lot of folks really enjoy this brew and have it as one of the top winter seasonals. I don't think I would vote it to my top 3 but I was glad I gave it a try, and will probably come back to it again.

Happy Drinking!

Who: Joe
Where: BORZONE!
Price: $$$$
Score: 3 / 5

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is one of my holiday and winter staples. It is one of those beers that you will have a good chance of seeing in our refridgerator over the next few months. It helps that Cathy enjoy's it, so it is easier to have around than not.

The beer has a reddish brown hazy color with a nice thick head at the top. Sugary lacing follows all the way down to the bottom of the glass. Smells very hoppy, spicy (Christmas spice) and fruity. Tastes very hoppy with a nice slight caramel malt to balance it out. It is a medium bodied beer which helps the session. It is not so bitter that it is overwhelming but hops are the main culprit in the beer. Very good showing for a winter brew.

It is too bad that this beer is only a seasonal brew, because it is probably one of the best beers brewed in the country. I think it is Sierra's best beer for sure. Please give this one a go.

Happy Drinking!

Who: Cathy / Joe
Where: Home / BORZONE!
Price: $$
Score: 5 / 5

The Session #22: Repeal of Prohibition

The 21st installment of The Session is hosted by 21st-Amendment Brewery. The topic chosen is "What does the repeal of Prohibition mean to you? How will you celebrate your right to drink beer?"

Like the rest of the beer blogging world, I wouldn't be able to do what I do today and every week without the 21st Amendment: It means that I can drink, brew, write about and love beer.

I first started drinking beer at the University of Dayton because that is what we did there. We were/are a beer school. Not much liquor on campus, all "Beast" (Milwaukee's Best Light). That is a terrible beer to start on but like all college kids, you drink what is handed to you...Because it's free.

Thankfully, my beer drinking has changed since then, I no longer drink as much cheap beer as I can just to get drunk. Now it is all about the experience from start to finish. The color, the pour, the head, the smell, the taste, the lacing and best of all the company. From coast-to-coast friends and family get together and share life greatest moments with a beer. Without the 21st how different would some of our lives would be?

College? Would have been way different. Maybe I would have gotten better grades?

Sporting Events? Watching football games might be better at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati because of the "Jerk Line". But I couldn't imagine not having a beer and some peanuts at the ball yard every summer.

BBQ's? Nothing goes better with hot summer nights around the BBQ than an ice cold beer.

How will we celebrate?
I have seen a few parties to celebrate like at the 21st Amendment - Repealabration and Magic Hat Brewery - Celebrate the Legality of Beer, but there is nothing special going on in Cincinnati that I know of. We are a bit behind when it comes to things like this, and as Mark Twain said:

"When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times."

So maybe in 2028 we will have a 75th anniversary celebration here!

In all seriousness, I will probably crack open a Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale as Cathy and I plan to decorate our Christmas Tree tonight.

Happy Drinking and Happy Repeal Day!

Related Articles: The Session #21: Favorite Beer

EDIT: 2:30pm -

Grammer's: "Free To Booze!"
Grammer's will be hosting its "Free To Booze" event at 4 pm tomorrow. The event will feature special pricing on Moerlein products. Event-goers can purchase their first beer for five dollars and get their own Moerlein pint glass, which can be refilled throughout the night for three dollars. Grammer's will also be featuring several local dj's in the later evening.

Mecklenburg Gardens: Two Dollar Pints
Mecklenburg Gardens will be offering two-dollar pints throughout happy hour, along with half-priced appetizers. Keep an eye on the old ship above the bar, it used to tell patrons whether it was safe to drink during the Prohibition era!

Thanks to: BuyCincy

Heavy Seas Winter Storm

This beer is from the Clipper City Brewing Company out of Baltimore, Maryland. It is their seasonal winter brew and apart of their Heavy Seas collection. Winter Storm "Category 5" Ale is an Imperial ESB and is called the "winter warmer" by Clipper City.

The beer poured a reddish amber color without much head. Smelled pretty hoppy with some caramel malt tones and a small amount of citrus. This was a very good combination of sweet malt and bitter hop finish. What is nice about the beer is that their is a fairly large dose of both malt and hops. Malt sweetness first but then the bitter citrus and piney hops come through at the end. The bitterness isn't so much that it is a problem and that makes this beer very smooth. I don't think I could session this beer because it has a 7.5% ABV but could very easily enjoy one with dinner.

In the end this was a pretty enjoyable Winter Brew and I could see this being a staple for the winter months for the years to come.

Who: Joe
Where: BORZONE!
Price: $$$
Score: 4 / 5

The winter brews have arrived! We have already tried 6 seasonal brews and it is only December 2nd. With so many more to try and write about I am excited for the next 2 months. If you have any winter seasonal's you think I should try, leave a comment after this post, I really appreciate it. Check the list on the right to see if I have tried it before you post!

Happy Drinking!