Sixpoint - Union of the 3Beans

Cool video on the making and collaboration for the 3Beans

Tap Room Trolley

From Cincinnati.com -- http://local.cincinnati.com/calendar/event.asp?ProdID=153126 

Guided bus tour to six tap rooms at local breweries. Gather and board buses at lager house. Chartered buses will stop at Moerlein Lager House, Rockbottom Brewery, Rivertown Brewing, Listermanns/Triple Digit Brewing, Mount Carmel Brewing, and 50 West Brewing. Each brewery will be serving the Beer Week Brewers Collaboration Beer - the Embree Dark Porter. Each brewery will be serving the Beer Week Brewers Collaboration Beer – the Embree Dark Porter! 

BUY TICKETS HERE  

$25 Includes your seat on a chartered bus that will makes stops at Moerlein Lager House, Rock Bottom Brewery, Rivertown Brewing, Listermanns/Triple Digit Brewing, Mt. Carmel Brewing, and Fifty West Brewing. In addition, beers from Blank Slate Brewing and Great Crescent Brewing at some of these stops. You also receive a souvenir T Shirt and pub glass. Proceeds support Cincinnati Beer Week which will take place February 7th – 14th, 2013.  

Ages 21+

Are we being overwhelmed with Craft Beer?

I've been thinking a lot lately about all of the different breweries starting up in and around Cincinnati as well as the breweries coming into the Ohio market. Is this a good or a bad thing?

It feels that every time we turn around, there is another choice for craft beer consumers. While I can't complain, my Untappd account is growing very steadily, I wonder if there will be a market cap? Will all of these breweries hurt in the long run?

I've read where the breweries/brewers in Cincinnati don't see each other as competition, but I have to disagree. Unless you are just doing this for fun, you have to view the others in your market as competition for market share. In the long run, this is your business and livelyhood, do you want to make money and sustain your business, or do you want the opposite? While it's nice to see our local brewers getting along (collaborating, being friendly on social media, etc.), will they all be able to last? The beer market (craft brewers especially) is seeing a growth explosion that we haven't seen since pre-prohibition and I'm worried that this flood of beers could be hurting in the future.

Only time will tell.

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!)

Alexandria's - Findlay, Oh

We headed back to Findlay over Labor Day weekend to get one more chance on Lake Erie before it gets to windy and cold up there. I had heard a little about the new "craft beer" place in Findlay, called Alexandria's, but hadn't been able to stop in to check it out, so we grabbed a beer there on Saturday night before dinner.

Main bar area

Located below a bowling alley, Alexandria's does it's best to make you feel like you aren't in Findlay, Ohio anymore. Not that you would want to get out of Findlay, but I was pleasantly surprised by the look and feel of this Public House. We were greeted promptly and the hostess explained that they had first come, first served seating in the bar area or we could be seated in a more quiet area for dining. We chose to sit in the bar area since we were undecided on food and grabbed a spot right in the middle of the bar.

I can't remember the exact number, but they had over 30 taps of craft beer to choose from with 2 on tap of there own beer, an Irish Red and a Chocolate Milkshake Stout. I tried the Red and Cathy tried the Stout. Overall they weren't bad beers, but seemed like they were missing that one thing that would make them great.

Taps

I am hopeful that Findlay can support a bar like this and will try to re-visit next time we are back home. It will be nice to have a place to go with an option for a beer that isn't American Light/Lite.

Happy Drinking!

Brewer's Best PSA IP Released Extending Partnership with Pints for Prostates

Brewer’s Best® is offering a specialty homebrew ingredient kit this fall to benefit Pints for Prostates. PSA IPA, a hoppy India Pale Ale, will be available in September as a very limited release. This is the third consecutive year that the Brewer’s Best® brand has joined the fight against prostate cancer.

LD Carlson Company, who packages the Brewer’s Best® brand of products in Kent, Ohio, has agreed to donate $3.00 from the sale of every kit to the Pints for Prostates campaign. Retailers who sell the kit will have the option to match the donation. All net proceeds raised by the group go to fighting prostate cancer and assisting men who have the disease. This is the first homebrewing product to partner with the charity.

A PSA test is a common blood test used to measure levels of prostate specific antigen, which can be an early warning to men about the presence of prostate cancer. In addition to containing all of the ingredients to make a 5-gallon batch of beer, the kit will include health-related information about the importance of early detection through health screenings and PSA testing.

The mission of Pints for Prostates is to reach men through the universal language of beer with an important health message. Founded by beer journalist and prostate cancer survivor Rick Lyke in 2008, the campaign raises awareness through beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. “PSA IPA will give us a unique platform to reach homebrewers,” said Lyke. “Every week nearly 4,000 men in the U.S. hear the words ‘you have prostate cancer.’ The key for these guys is detecting the disease in its early stages when treatment is nearly 100 percent successful.”

LD Carlson distributes Brewer’s Best® homebrew products to a network of independent retailers across the country. “Our brand is a great vehicle to deliver an important health message to homebrewers everywhere,” says Brian Wright, LD Carlson’s Sales & Marketing Manager. The ingredient kit will begin to hit store shelves in September and remain available while supplies last.

About LD Carlson Company
LD Carlson is the leading U.S. wholesale distributor of beer and wine making equipment and supplies. Established in 1970, LD Carlson services a network of independent retailers (homebrew shops) across the country. Their Brewer’s Best® product line includes starter equipment kits, ingredient kits, spices, flavorings and various brewing accessories. For more information and to locate a retailer near you, visit www.ldcarlson.com and www.brewersbestkits.com.

About Pints for Prostates
Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 a campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer to encourage them to take charge of their health. The group was founded by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men of the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (@pints4prostates).

Third Shift Amber Lager Release

This event is free to attend, and should be a really fun evening that showcases a variety of Dayton’s talented artists. Readers can RSVP through this link.

Ale to the Chief: White House Beer Recipe

Thanks to those who signed the petition to get these released, democracy in action!

By Sam Kass, White House Assistant Chef and the Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives

With public excitement about White House beer fermenting such a buzz, we decided we better hop right to it. Inspired by home brewers from across the country, last year President Obama bought a home brewing kit for the kitchen. After the few first drafts we landed on some great recipes that came from a local brew shop. We received some tips from a couple of home brewers who work in the White House who helped us amend it and make it our own. To be honest, we were surprised that the beer turned out so well since none of us had brewed beer before.

As far as we know the White House Honey Brown Ale is the first alcohol brewed or distilled on the White House grounds. George Washington brewed beer and distilled whiskey at Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson made wine but there's no evidence that any beer has been brewed in the White House. (Although we do know there was some drinking during prohibition…)

Since our first batch of White House Honey Brown Ale, we've added the Honey Porter and have gone even further to add a Honey Blonde this past summer. Like many home brewers who add secret ingredients to make their beer unique, all of our brews have honey that we tapped from the first ever bee-hive on the South Lawn. The honey gives the beer a rich aroma and a nice finish but it doesn't sweeten it.

If you want a behind the scenes look at our home-brewing process, this video offers some proof.

White House Honey Porter

Ingredients

• 2 (3.3 lb) cans light unhopped malt extract
• 3/4 lb Munich Malt (cracked)
• 1 lb crystal 20 malt (cracked)
• 6 oz black malt (cracked)
• 3 oz chocolate malt (cracked)
• 1 lb White House Honey
• 10 HBUs bittering hops
• 1/2 oz Hallertaur Aroma hops
• 1 pkg Nottingham dry yeast
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for bottling

Directions

1. In a 6 qt pot, add grains to 2.25 qts of 168˚ water. Mix well to bring temp down to 155˚. Steep on stovetop at 155˚ for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 2 gallons of water to 165˚ in a 12 qt pot. Place strainer over, then pour and spoon all the grains and liquid in. Rinse with 2 gallons of 165˚ water. Let liquid drain through. Discard the grains and bring the liquid to a boil. Set aside.
2. Add the 2 cans of malt extract and honey into the pot. Stir well.
3. Boil for an hour. Add half of the bittering hops at the 15 minute mark, the other half at 30 minute mark, then the aroma hops at the 60 minute mark.
4. Set aside and let stand for 15 minutes.
5. Place 2 gallons of chilled water into the primary fermenter and add the hot wort into it. Top with more water to total 5 gallons if necessary. Place into an ice bath to cool down to 70-80˚.
6. Activate dry yeast in 1 cup of sterilized water at 75-90˚ for fifteen minutes. Pitch yeast into the fermenter. Fill airlock halfway with water. Ferment at room temp (64-68˚) for 3-4 days.
7. Siphon over to a secondary glass fermenter for another 4-7 days.
8. To bottle, make a priming syrup on the stove with 1 cup sterile water and 3/4 cup priming sugar, bring to a boil for five minutes. Pour the mixture into an empty bottling bucket. Siphon the beer from the fermenter over it. Distribute priming sugar evenly. Siphon into bottles and cap. Let sit for 1-2 weeks at 75˚.

---

White House Honey Ale

Ingredients

• 2 (3.3 lb) cans light malt extract
• 1 lb light dried malt extract
• 12 oz crushed amber crystal malt
• 8 oz Bisquit Malt
• 1 lb White House Honey
• 1 1/2 oz Kent Goldings Hop Pellets
• 1 1/2 oz Fuggles Hop pellets
• 2 tsp gypsum
• 1 pkg Windsor dry ale yeast
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Directions

1. In an 12 qt pot, steep the grains in a hop bag in 1 1/2 gallons of sterile water at 155 degrees for half an hour. Remove the grains.
2. Add the 2 cans of the malt extract and the dried extract and bring to a boil.
3. For the first flavoring, add the 1 1/2 oz Kent Goldings and 2 tsp of gypsum. Boil for 45 minutes.
4. For the second flavoring, add the 1/2 oz Fuggles hop pellets at the last minute of the boil.
5. Add the honey and boil for 5 more minutes.
6. Add 2 gallons chilled sterile water into the primary fermenter and add the hot wort into it. Top with more water to total 5 gallons. There is no need to strain.
7. Pitch yeast when wort temperature is between 70-80˚. Fill airlock halfway with water.
8. Ferment at 68-72˚ for about seven days.
9. Rack to a secondary fermenter after five days and ferment for 14 more days.
10. To bottle, dissolve the corn sugar into 2 pints of boiling water for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into an empty bottling bucket. Siphon the beer from the fermenter over it. Distribute priming sugar evenly. Siphon into bottles and cap. Let sit for 2 to 3 weeks at 75˚.

Download a printable PDF of both recipes.

Denver Brewery Tastings

Earlier in August we headed west to Denver for a friends wedding. We arrived mid-day Thursday which gave us plenty of time to take in the Rockies game and all-day Friday to explore the city. Of course in such a great beer town like Denver we made sure to hit up handful of local brew pubs.

Colorado Native beer at Coors Field

Thursday after the baseball game we walked a few blocks down to Wynkoop Brewing Co. for a late night snack and a few craft brews. They had a wide selection on tap of their beers and a few guest taps as well.

At Wynkoop

Having all day Friday proved to be good planning on our part. A group of 5 of us headed out to explore the city and take in a few tastings at the brew pubs. First stop was the Great Divide Brewing Company

Great Divide

They had a pretty sweet set-up with 20 taps available for tastings and even a short 20-30 minute behind the scenes tour if you wanted. We stuck to the beer, as I have been on a handful of tours and feel that they are mostly the same. We were able to check out the facilities from the windows inside the tasting room. Don't worry the 5 of us shared those samples!

The next and last stop was Breckenridge Brewery. This was the public house right down by Coors Field, a restaurant and not a brewery/tasting room. They had a handful of there beers on tap and a bunch of guest taps. I was a little dissapointed in the small sample size of their beers, but I was able to get a Small Batch 471 on draft.

Cheers and Happy Drinking!

Big Band & Bigger Beer Event at the Ault Park Pavilion

Friday, September 7, 2012 – 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM

The 17-piece “Jump ‘n’ Jive Show Band" takes the stage at 7 PM “Jump, Jive & Ale” your way around the crowd, “swingin’ & swiggin’” as you sample an amazing selection of “bigger” beers lovingly crafted by independent brewers from around the country.

Participate in the beer tasting by purchasing tickets in advance for $20 each via PayPal through the Ault Park Advisory Council website.

Food, soda and water will also be available for purchase from some of the City’s finest vendors. Proceeds from this wonderful event will go to Ault Park Advisory Council to fund the care and maintenance of Ault Park, as well as to the Cincinnati Music Foundation to purchase musical instruments for underprivileged children.

The 2012 Big Band & Bigger Beer event is presented by Dutch’s Bar & Bottle Shop, along with sponsors Cavalier Distributing, the Cincinnati Parks, Aranzamendez Design, Premier Park Events, and the Ault Park Advisory Council

Please join us for a great evening, and support your parks! Visit our Facebook page for more information.

Homebrewing tweak

In my last post, I had decided to try my own recipe for the first time. After the beer was bottled and cracked open for the first time, I named it Monty-Zumas Revenge (named after our dog Monty). Overall, I think the beer turned out pretty well. There were a few problems with it that I have tried to correct over the summer.

• It was way over carbonated which made for a pretty foamy and airy beer.
• I didn't care for the hop choice, very bitter at the finish and not floral/citrus enough
• Light body

So, I tried to correct this for Monty-Zumas Revenge #2. First, I changed the hops to only use Cascade hops. . Second, I made sure to keep the mash temperature higher to add some more body. And lastly, I used less honey in my bottling.

It had a completley different hop flavor this time, but it still isn't quite what I'm looking for. It just doesn't have the bite or flavor. I'll be doing some research in hopes of finding that right combo.

Till next time.

Happy Drinking!

Pints for Prostates Portland Pale Ale Invitational Celebrates America’s Favorite Beer Style

PORTLAND, OREGON – The inaugural Pints for Prostates Portland Pale Ale Invitational will be held on July 25 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Ore. The event celebrates the allure, complexity and flavors of pale ale.

The tasting event features pale ales from a dozen Oregon breweries and a dozen breweries from around the globe. Presented by Beer West magazine in conjunction with the Oregon Brewers Festival, the event benefits the Pints for Prostates campaign.

“We are bringing together a collection of great pale ales in a city where pale ales are truly appreciated, all to raise awareness about an important men’s health issue,” said Rick Lyke, a drinks journalist and prostate cancer survivor. Lyke founded Pints for Prostates in 2008 after successful prostate cancer surgery. “Our goal is to reach men through the universal language of beer with a message about the importance of early detection.”

Tickets for the Portland Pale Ale Invitational are $30 and will be available online starting on March 1 at http://www.pintsforprostates.org . All net proceeds support the mission of the Pints for Prostates campaign.

“We are excited about the brewers that have agreed to take part and the world class pale ales they will be pouring. Beer fans will get the chance to try a wide variety of pale ale styles in a single session,” said Megan Flynn, publisher and editor-in-chief of Beer West magazine.  “Pale ales have become America’s favorite type of craft beer. This event salutes the passion brewers and beer drinkers have for pale ale.”

The 24 participating breweries include: BridgePort Brewing, Portland, Ore.; Caldera Brewing, Ashland, Ore.; Cascade Brewing, Portland, Ore.; Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Ore.; Fire Mountain Brew House,  Carlton, Ore.; Firestone Walker Brewing, Paso Robles, Calif.; Full Sail Brewing, Hood River, Ore.; Lompoc Brewing, Portland, Ore.; MacTarnahan's Brewing, Portland, Ore.; Moa Brewing, Marlborough, New Zealand; New Holland Brewing, Holland, Mich.; Ninkasi Brewing, Eugene, Ore.; NoDa Brewing, Charlotte, N.C.; Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, Colo.; Oregon Brew Crew, homebrewers from Portland, Ore.;  Rogue Ales, Newport, Ore.; Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, Calif.; Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, Wash.; Snake River Brewery, Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Southern Oregon Brewing, Medford, Ore.; Stone Brewing, Escondido, Calif.; Tree Brewing, Kelowna, British Columbia; 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, Calif.; and Wells & Young’s,  Bedford, United Kingdom.

“This year marks the 25^th annual Oregon Brewers Festival so we are proud to be able to help support Pints for Prostates by making our venue available for the Portland Pale Ale Invitational on the eve of our silver anniversary,” said Art Larrance, one of the founders of the Oregon Brewers Festival.  “The Oregon Brewers Festival is already one of the world’s biggest beer events and the Portland Pale Ale Invitational is another reason for people to visit and enjoy great craft beer.”

Judges at the Great American Beer Festival award medals in seven different pale ale categories. Pale ale categories attract the most entries and are the hottest contested.

“Men are 33 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than women are to have breast cancer, yet few men know about the critical importance of early detection,” Lyke said. “The support of Beer West magazine, the Oregon Brewers Festival and the two dozen great craft brewers donating beer for the event will help us reach an audience that needs to hear our message.”

About Pints for Prostates

Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 a campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer to encourage them to take charge of their health. The group was founded by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men about the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. According to the National Cancer Institute, 240,890 new prostate cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2011. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (@pints4prostates).

About Beer West Magazine

Founded in 2007, Beer Northwest has grown to become the leading beer culture and lifestyle magazine in the Northwest. In January 2011, the magazine expanded into California and became Beer West. The magazine covers the thriving West Coast beer market and is the only regional publication of its kind. Beer West has more than doubled its circulation and visibility in the past year, with a focused readership of 80,000 beer and food enthusiasts. Beer West is a celebration of the unique Western beer-loving life.

About the Oregon Brewers Festival

The Oregon Brewers Festival is one of the nation's longest running and best loved craft beer festivals. Situated on the west bank of the Willamette River, with towering Mt. Hood as a backdrop, it is the ideal venue for anyone who loves craft beer. With a laid back attitude and scores of award-winning beers, the festival reflects the essence of the city of Portland, and is the crowning jewel of Oregon Craft Beer Month. The OBF was at the forefront of exposing craft beers to the public. A total of 84 craft breweries from all parts of the nation will serve more than 30 beer styles to nearly 80,000 beer lovers from around the world. Another 50 specialty beers will be available for tastes in the Buzz Tent.

Southern Tier Back Burner

Before 2 weeks ago, I had never tried a barleywine. Now, I think I'm hooked. The great thing with the two American Barleywines I have had so far, is that they are the perfect combination of bitter and sweet. Usually those super high ABV beers are overly bitter/hoppy and you can really only have one (think Hopslam).

Southern Tier Back Burner was very similar to the Cincinnati Collaboration beer week ale. I think it had a bit more bite, but that probably had to do with it not being 6 weeks old. I think what made this beer so session-able was it's great balance. From what I perceive, most Barleywine style beers are over the top and aggressive with the hops. The focus on the creamy, sweet malt and hop balance really makes this winter seasonal a must try!

Happy Drinking!

Who: Cathy
Where:Virgil's Cafe
Price: $$
Score: 5 / 5

Top 20 Craft Breweries

In 2011, all top 25 craft breweries experienced increases in revenues. Craft breweries recorded 15 percent growth in volume of barrels shipped, compared to a 1.5 percent decrease in the beer industry overall, according to industry estimates from Beer Marketer's Insights. Currently, 1,900 craft breweries are in operation across the nation, with an additional 900 in the planning stages, making great beer a more accessible treat for the 95 million beer lovers in the U.S.

via Huffington post (full article)

1. Boston Beer
2. Sierra Nevada
3. New Belgium
4. Craft Brew Alliance
5. Spoetzl
6. Magic Hat
7. Deschutes
8. Matt
9. Bell's
10. Harpoon
11. Lagunitas
12. Boulevard
13. Stone
14. Dogfish Head
15. Brooklyn
16. Alaskan
17. Shipyard
18. Abita
19. Long Trail
20. Great Lakes

Craft Beer Heaven: the Borzone III

The Borzone Flag

With the holiday season in full force, I thought I'd give a little shout out to one of my homes, away from home. My brother-in-law has one of the greatest home bars around and when we head back to Cleveland I always pop in to watch some sports on the big screen(s) and have a beer or 2.

Craft Beer!

Joe is a regular visitor to the blog checking in to see what beers I have tried and trying to find a few that I haven't to have stocked when I visit. One of our yearly traditions is the day after Thanksgiving. While most are out shopping for Black Friday deals, Joe and I sit at the bar and enjoy ourselves a long day of football and early season college hoops.

Big Screen behind bar

Joe has a great setup and can show multiple games at once. He has a huge HD screen behind the bar, a giant projection on the wall and a PC to show online games at espn3.com/BigTenNetwork/etc. He also is a collector of "mini" helmets and has the full NFL set as well as 99% of FBS college football schools. Each week he sets up the helmets based on the weekly match-ups! If you look close you can see the 2011-12 bowl match-ups.

2011-2012 bowl season

If you aren't into sports, you can walk around and check out all of the "Air Band" instruments or the home made bar top, constructed of old CD boxes from the 80's and 90's. There is even a tv in the bathroom so you don't miss a single play!

Air Band guitars

Bar top

TV in bathroom!

You can follow along with the Borzone on twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/theborzone

Cheers and Happy Drinking!

Sonnett Beers Best of 2011

A list of my beer highlights - 2011.

• Going to the Oregon Brewers Fest in Portland
• Checking out Deschutes and Full Sail Brewpubs
• Laurelwood Organic Pale Ale
• Deschutes Iversion IPA
• 21st Amendment Allies Win the War!
• Firestone Walker Union Jack  
• The Market Garden Brewery
• Home brewing
• Queen City Underground Tour
• Untappd