The Colorado Beer Trail

You know craft beer has hit the big time when it gets talked about in Time magazine. But not just any craft beer -- Colorado craft beer.

Joel Stein wrote up an interesting article last month called "The Colorado Beer Trail" in which the intrepid, non-beer drinking reporter tagged along with the Big Beer Kahuna himself, Scott Kerkmans (Chief Beer Officer for Four Points by Sheraton), for a tour of Denver-area breweries.

It's a really good article, even if it's written by someone who - before going on this excursion - proclaimed not to like beer. Hey, it's OK not to like beer... my wife really doesn't, but too often beer articles written for mainstream media are done so by people who not only don't like beer, but can't tell the difference between a Hefe and an IPA. At least Joel sounds like he knows what he's talking about, thus he can accurately convey to readers what he was drinking and experiencing. There's nothing worse than a writer writing about something they know nothing about. It does a huge disservice to the writer, the magazine (or website), and most importantly... the very topic being written about. If uninformed, it might actually sway the opinion of someone who doesn't know better.

While you're reading the article be sure to check out the accompanying photo montage taken by David Bowman. There's some really good pics in there.

Oh, and Mr. Kerkmans... about that bus tour of Denver-area breweries - call me! ;)

Beer Tap TV

What's better than watching TV while drinking a good craft beer? Watching TV about good craft beer while drinking a good craft beer!

Apparently Erik Boles and Dusty Frazier had that same idea, cuz they're the creators and hosts of the new internet television show Beer Tap TV.

According to the website Beer Tap TV is more than just a drinking show. After watching the first episode I agree. Erik and Dusty have good on camera chemistry and they chat up Colorado brews (Bristol's Red Rocket and Breckenridge's Avalanche Ale) in a way that will make even beer geek noobs want to tune in. They "edumicate" viewers (myself included) as they articulate the finer points of craft beery goodness.

Iroincially, neither of the beers they discuss (and taste) are ones I personally care for, but hey... different strokes for different folks. That's why there are so many breweries making so many beers. Successfully. The craft beer industry done blowed up people!

Embedded below is the first episode, but do yourself a favor and get on over to their website, register, and become a part of the BeerTap community that Erik and Dusty hold as dearly as they do a pint of fine craft beer. The show is for the people and they want to hear from the people. So go!


P.S. Look for me on an upcoming episode. ;)

Sunday Suds

What's this -- a Sunday post?! Has hell frozen over? Have the macro-brewers learned the error of their mass produced crap beer ways and just given up? Uh... no. But tomorrow is an extra day off, and right now I need to rest after the long day spent outside in the yard doing things that should have been done weeks ago.

Which means we in fact did not go to the Beaver Creek Blues and Brews fest as originally planned. Fran and I woke up Saturday morning and realized that we were just too tired to get up and go drinking -- again. Plus, there was the little fact that when we called to cancel our reservations, it was snowing in Avon. Snowing. On Memorial Day Weekend.

And why were we too tired to go to a festival of fun and frivolity that also included three of my most favorite things in all the world (blues, brews and BBQ)? Because our Northern California vacation was nothing short of a week long bender. A human body can only consume so much beer. Plus, my taste buds felt like they were dragged over a field of dead, dry hops. Enough is enough. Besides, we're having a get together today... to drink beer. So not all is lost to yard work!

Vacations are a duel edged sword. It's all fun in the sun while you're there, but when you get back you wish you hadn't left in the first place. Hell, I already need a vacation from the vacation, and I've only been back (to work) a few days. Speaking of... I'm going to be heavily inundated with my mortgage paying "day job" through next week, but I wanted to hoist a few beers thoughts up here just to let you know I'm still alive.

Here are the breweries, wineries, and beer bars we actually hit during our drinkstorming adventure through Northern California:

Wednesday the 14th
Toronado Pub (the next place I'll be writing about on The Beer Bucket List)
21st Amendment Brewery

Friday the 16th
Sterling Vineyards
August Briggs Winery
Cuvaison Winery
Silverado Brewing Company
Calistoga Inn (which houses Napa Valley Brewing)
Hydro Bar & Grill

Sunday the 18th
Russian River Brewing Company

Tuesday the 20th
Mac & Jack's inside the Seattle-Tacoma Airport on the way home

Needles to say, lots of drinking was done. However, I do have detailed notes on most of these places, so expect a series of write-ups. Hopefully.

Oh, and it looks like I might have another beer writing gig or two lined up. More on those as (if) they solidify. Don't wanna jinx anything ya know! ;) And I thought I was busy before. HA!

Hop(e) everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend. What's left of it anyway. So drink heartily... but drink responsibly.

Zivjeli!

Blues, Brews & BBQs!

If you find yourself with nothing to do this weekend, head on up to the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort in Avon, Colorado, for their annual Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival. Hey, at least it's beautiful up there. Just be sure you can drink at elevation!

This year the blues music will be provided by Marc Broussard (2:00 to 4:30 pm) , Marcia Ball (4:30 to 6:00 pm), and Donna Jean and the Tricksters (12:00 to 2:00 pm). Top BBQ chefs from Kansas City, Des Moines, Iowa, Colorado and other BBQ-y locations nationwide will be cooking up some great food and providing demonstrations. So if you fancy yourself some kinda BBQ genius... you'll want to be there.

Oh, and there's one other thing... the brew. What's the BB&B without the brew?! Beaver Creek supposedly hosts "the largest Colorado Microbrewery Beer Tasting in the state." Ya, not really. Fran and I have been 3 times in a row and while they tout 35 Colorado-based breweries, there most certainly was not that many last year. In fact, each year's fest has gotten smaller and smaller. We'll see what happens this year.

Hope to see you there. If not... have a great memory-laden Memorial Day Weekend! Drink heartily, but drink responsibly!

Zivjeli!

Brews, Blues and Laughter

Fran and I have lived in Colorado for almost 6 years now and it still amazes us how often we find new experiences. Those of you who know us, or run with us in the "Professional Drinker's Tour," know we like to travel the width and breadth of this great state (affectionately and appropriately entitled "Beerstate, USA" by my buddy, John "The Beer Hermit" Morrissey) looking for great beer (and soon wine and spirits), blues, food and bars.

We found all of that this past weekend down in Canon City, Colorado, a mere hour southwest of Colorado Springs. Anyone who has visited the Royal Gorge (or has a fetish for jails) has likely gone through Canon City because Highway 50 runs smack through town. Well, now they have two more claims to fame. One seriously kick ass fun brewfest and one seriously kick ass fun brew pub. First the brewfest... the 4th annual Brew Ha-Ha.

In my previous post I listed the 20 breweries that would be in attendance, and they were all there dolling out some of the finest brews available. A couple really popped out. I'm a Hefe fan, and while I like nearly all the hefe's made in the region, the one that continues to stand out is the Hefe Suave from San Luis Valley Brewing Company. It's the frakin' bomb! Sadly, while they are finally bottling this fine elixir, it's still not available in Colorado Springs. Sometime soon Fran and I are gonna have to truck out to San Luis Valley and stock up!

The great thing about hefes, and all craft beers really, is the diversity they bring. Everyone likes something different, and with all the craft brews available you're sure to find one you like. It also gives credence to the notion that there simply can't be too many breweries. The industry is exploding, and as more people learn that they don't have to stand for Macro-Crap-Beer, the demand for craft beer is only going to grow.

Case in point, two smaller breweries in the southern end of Colorado. First, McClellan's Grill & Brewing Company in Canon City. This brew pub is owned and operated by Joe and Dana McClellan, who have created an absolutely amazing beer oasis in the heart of a small (but growing) town. The after-party for the Brew Ha-Ha was held here, complete with a helluva fine reggae playing band (with their own killer twist) who's name escapes me at the moment (sorry guys and gals!). Joe and Dana pride themselves on quality "Americelt" eats, ales and atmosphere and they have all three in spades! The food was fantastic, the ales (the Blonde in particular) are awesome, and the atmosphere, well... you need to check it out for yourself. Fran and I are already planning our next trip down there just to hang out with Joe and Dana and all the fine folks at McClellan's on a night that isn't quite so... crazy. ;)

While at the Brew Ha-Ha (as well as the after-party) I was fortuitous enough to meet and hang out with Jeff Aragon, the owner and head brewer of Trinidad Brewing Company. Trinidad is about as far south on I-25 as you can get before running into New Mexico. They had a few offerings at the fest (of their many that they serve up at their brew pub) that absolutely knocked my taste buds in the dirt -- in a good way! Their Bon Carbo Stout weighs in at a robust 8.9% ABV. It's black in color, which is good since "bon carbo" means good coal. Don't worry, it tastes better than coal! Fran and I already have plans to head down Trinidad way later this summer and live the experience that is TBC.

I also met the man who has the single greatest job (other than Zane Lamprey that is) in the history of humanity. Scott Kerkmans is the Chief Beer Officer for Four Points by Sheraton, the third largest hotel chain in the world. He decides what beers go into each of them, which requires him to scour the globe and drinking beer. (sigh) What I didn't know was that he got his start at Alaskan Brewing Company (which just started distributing their brews here in Colorado). He was a guest server at their booth and we got to chatting. Recently Scott held an open call for an apprentice; they received over 1,000 applicants and finally narrowed it down to 10 people. They planned on picking the finalist this week. Good luck whoever you are... ya lucky bastich!

OK, I've rambled enough, but that's alright because Fran and I are heading to Northern California for a few days. While there we'll (for sure) be hitting the famed Toronado Pub and 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco. Our sojourn will also take us to the Napa Valley, where we'll be stopping by the August Briggs Winery, Sterling Vineyards, and staying at the Calistoga Inn for a night. With any luck we'll be able to swing by the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa to toast the opening of their brand new brewery.

Needless to say I'll have a lot to talk about when we get back! Until then... Zivjeli!

TGIF BeeRoundup Cavalcade of suds!

A man with a plan: Bury me in a beer can!

Bill Bramanti, a 67-year-old South Chicago Heights man, loves him some PBR. So much so that he ordered a custom-made beer can casket to show his undying love... which he will take into the hereafter.

He doesn't plan on needing it anytime soon, but using it? Hell yes! Last weekend he threw a party to show it off and filled the sucker with ice and 15 cases of his favorite brew. Bramanti bought the custom casket from Panozzo Bros. Funeral Home in Chicago Heights, while Scott Sign Co. designed the beer can.

"Why put such a great novelty piece up on a shelf in storage when you could use it only the way Bill Bramanti would use it?" said Cathy Bramanti (his daughter).

Now there's a man after my own heart... and guess what I'm gonna be buried in when it's time for the very "Last Call"?! OOOOH YAAA!

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Beer Cocktails and Mixers are making a comeback.

According to an article in am New York, beer cocktails are making a comeback.

Karyn Seltzer is the general manager for Telephone Bar & Grill, an English pub in the East Village which specializes in beer cocktails. She says: "Now there are lots of breweries and people are becoming beer connoisseurs, and looking at beer similarly to wine." Amen sister.

In fact, they've been serving "beer cocktails" for 20 years. Try these bad boys on for size:

• Black Velvet: made from Guinness and champagne
• Shandy: a mixture of ale or lager with 7-Up
• Snakebite: lager and cider with black-currant ribena (syrup)
• Telephone Lager and Lime: light lager and key lime juice

On a recent sojourn to Edelweiss (our fave German restaurant here in Colorado Springs), they too had several beer mixers available, such as Pilsner and Coke (or Sprite), and Erdinger Hefe with Coke. I know, it sounds horrid, but they're fantastic! Give 'em a try next time you see them.

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Obama woes blue collars with brew.

According to a report from -- of all places -- the Telegraph in Great Britain, Barack Obama "may have found the answer to his troubles in a place familiar to millions of Americans: the pub." So that's how the Brits think of us , huh? ;)

Apparently aware that blue collar voters saw him as "uppity" following his remarks about “bitter” small town Americans, Obama recently visited three pubs in Indiana and North Carolina in order to "boost his credibility with the working class."

A few day ago Obama visited the Raleigh Times Bar and found himself momentarily beerless. "Where's my beer?" he asked.

Point for Obama in my book. After doing some research about the RT Bar, they have some serious kick ass beers! Check out their beer menu... it's jam packed with beery greatness! I'm adding this to the list of bars we need to check out some day!

But what does ole Obi-wan-Obama reach for? "PBR," he said, choosing Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Ugh.

Oh, but it gets worse. While in Pennsylvania last week he was seen drinking Yuengling, America's "oldest brewery." They make some great beers mind you, but this is where my admiration for him waned. He double-checked the name of the beer to make sure it wasn't "some designer beer or something".

Point lost Mr. Obama.

Do you have Mojo!?

Drinkin' ain't easy. And writin' about drinkin' while you're drinkin' ain't any easier... but it sure is fun!

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word mojo as "a magic spell, hex, or charm." The Urban dictionary's definition is a bit more focused: "your cool/style essence; that quality, often elusive, that sets a person apart from everyone else." In effect, the word "magic" can replace "mojo" in virtually every scenario.

Well, it's ironic then that my particular "cool magical writing style" (cough) has caught the attention of the folks at Mojo. You know, the high-def television network responsible for the greatest TV show known to mankind -- Three Sheets. I may have rant and raved about a it few times here.

Well, guess who's gonna be writing for them? Thaaaaaaaaat's right.

They have a new section on their website called Mojo 135. It's a place for those who have mojo -- and an opinion; "where the knowledgeable (that'd be me, about beers and bars at least) share their experiences and exchange their ideas." And if you've been reading my beer confessions for any length of time you know I don't mind giving out my opinions. One of their slogans is: "Life is how you see it." Let me tweak it a bit with my own special mojo-sauce: "Life is how you see it, so attack it. It's going to kill you anyway."

I'll be writing up a few different things, but primarily I'll be expanding on a list I started here on my blog, my beer bars everyone with a pulse must visit before they die list. The name of the segment on 135 will be called The Beer Bucket List. In fact, the first one went live today!

So do you have the mojo it takes to join me on this beertastic journey?

Surfside eats & alcoholic treats at Palapa's

I'm going to shift gears away from beer for a few minutes because I want to give a big shout out to Palapa's Surfside restaurant. I first heard about Palapa's from our local food critic, Nathanial Glenn (a guy I admire as much for his writing as for his culinary opinions), who penned a fantastic review of the place in the March 20 edition of the Gazette.

Everything in his review is dead on accurate, down to the several groups of people who (still, after being opened since January) walked in (seemingly straight off the prairie; apparently their one trip to the "big city" every week), looked at the menu, and walked out. Part of that I'm sure has to do with the prices at Palapa's, which are higher then other places. Golden Corral all-you-can-eat-and-hope-to-digest buffet dining this (THANKFULLY!) is not. No, Palapa's is a one of kind restaurant... especially here in Colorado Springs, where chain restaurants and their bland food is loved by the unwashed masses. The old adage "you get what you pay for" could not be more accurate.

*I do want to state that there are some exceptional restaurants here (Blue Star, Edelweiss, The Famous, and Phantom Canyon to name a few).

In his article Nathaniel briefly mentioned one of the entrées -- the Scallops of Love. What he failed to mention was just how damn good -- scratch that, great -- they are. Simply put, these scallops are hands down the best Fran or I have ever had. Period. Dot. Exclamation point. Keep in mind that this statement comes from two people who lived in the the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years, a place where fresh seafood is part and parcel of everyday life. SF is to fresh seafood and top notch cuisine as Colorado Springs is to gorgeous mountain vistas and amazingly fresh buffalo steaks. Colorado Springs needs a place like Palapa's.

But it's not just the food that's so great. Nate Windham, the "much-loved mixologist from The Red Martini" is the joint's executive bartender. Any restaurant that takes their drinks as serious as their food is a winner in my book. See, Nate is to spirits as I am to beer. He's a Spirit Geek through and through and knows as much about the history of alcohol as how to mix them.

Ironically, Palapa's only serves bottled beer (Odell's, so beer lovers like myself do have good options). They have nothing on tap. But Nate is so knowledgeable about spirits (and only serves the best) that he had me downing a shot of Tequila with some kind of "traditional" chaser that made me want more. Those of you who know me know I over indulged as a youth on Tequila (thanks Joe!), so I practically dry heave at the mere smell of the stuff. Well, not anymore. The man is an alchemist... a true Liquid Engineer.

Nate is joined at the bar by Joey and Sean, his liquid engineering apprentices. All three combined to make some of the best mixed drinks we've ever had the joy of sampling, and made our anniversary evening a truly special one. But more then that... they made us feel at home. And for Fran and I, who pride ourselves on being consummate Bar Flys -- bartenders make or break a bar. If we don't like the atmosphere at the bar we're not coming back. Palapa's has some of the best barkeeps in the entire city. We'll not only be back, but we're brining the entire Professional Drinker's Tour with us next time!

But don't take our word for it. Aside from Glenn's review in the Gazette, Palapa's recently received another rave review from Matthew Schniper, the food dude at the Independent.

This is a great restaurant located in an area of Colorado Springs overran with chain drek (i.e., Chili's, TGIF, Ruby Tuesday's, Red Robins, etc.). It needs your patronage in order to keep on tickin... and Fran and I need you to need it so we can keep on eatin' the freshest seafood this side of a coastal town, and drinkin' some of the best spirits money can buy. So if you're in the mood for something more refined then a bagde wearin' buffoon who doesn't know the difference between medium and well-done... Palapa's is the place you need to be.

4th Annual Brew Ha Ha!

Like beer? Like to laugh? If you said "no" to either one... sorry for you. Life must really suck for you, huh?

For everyone else though... Canon City (not "Canyon" as I had it originally; that's what happens when you fly without an editor!) is having their 4th annual Brew Ha Ha on Saturday, May 10, from 3:00 - 6:00 pm in Veteran's Park (3rd St. & Highway 50). There will be more than 20 of the state's top brewers (and a pair of national brewers). Here's a list of who will be serving up the brew:

• Alaskan Brewing (Juneau, AK)
  
• Amica’s (Salida) – Brewer Mike LaCroix
• Arctic Craft Brewery (Colorado Springs) – Brewer John Dunfee
• Big Sky Brewing (Missoula, MT)
  
• Bristol Brewing (Colorado Springs) – Brewer Jason Yester
• Carver Brewing Company (Durango) - Brewer Ken Andrews
• Durango Brewing Co. - Scott Bickert
• Flying Dog - (Denver) - Stephanie Kerchner
• Great Divide Brewing (Denver) - Mary Valles
• Gunnison Brewery (Gunnison) – Assistant Brewer Keith
• Left Hand Brewery (Longmont) – Josh Breckel
• McClellan’s Grill & Brewing (Cañon City) – Brewer Jeff Lockhart & Owner Joe McClellan
• New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins) – Travis Flett
• Odell Brewing (Fort Collins) - Kirk Simpson
• Oskar Blues Grill & Brew (Lyons) - Katie Jones
• Rock Bottom Brewery (Colorado Springs) - Head Brewer Jason Leeman
• San Luis Valley Brewery (Monte Vista) - Brewer Angie Graber
• Shamrock Brewery (Pueblo) - Brewer Alan Styles
• Ska Brewing (Durango) – Arlo Gramatica
• Trinidad Brewing Company (Trinidad) - Brewer Jeff Aragon

That's one helluva major league lineup people!

Along with the free flowing brew some top-notch stand-up comedians will be on stage to make folks laugh -- Gretchen Hess, Bob Meddles, Frank Schuchat and Gina Trammell!

And here's where it really gets good... at 6 p.m. the Atomic Fireballs, featuring Carlos Crull and Johnny Watson, will be playing everything from blues, jump and swing music to jazz and country! Oh, but it gets better! Texas blues guitarist Buddy Whittington will be joining the Fireballs! And who is Buddy Whittington ? Oh, only the "Godfather of the British Blues." He's been the lead guitarist for John Mayall's band (the Bluesbreakers, a band that the legendary Eric Clapton once played with) for the past 14 years!

Brews and Blues? Oh hell... I'm so there!

I see a Cicerone!

Ray Daniels is a veteran of the US beer industry and current president of the Craft Beer Institute. He also created the Cicerone Certification Program. Last month Ray went to San Diego (and the 2008 World Beer Cup Championships) to hold the first exam for Certified Cicerone status. Five candidates passed the grueling three and a half hour test which included 200 fill-in-the blank and short-answers, as well as three essay questions. Additionally, they each had to sample 12 beers an-- and guess what they were -- in the tasting portion of the exam.

Each of the five candidates scored an amazing 70% or higher on the tasting portion! SEVENTY PERCENT! That's crazy good taste buds people! What's more, each scored 80% or above overall, becoming the first to carry the title of "Certified Cicerone." These prestigious five are:

• Rob Gerrity - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
• Scott Kerkmans - Four Points by Sheraton
• Ron Kloth - Papago Brewing Company
• Andrew Waer - Unaffiliated
• Neil Witte - Boulevard Brewing Company

Congrats to these bold pioneers and to a whole new level of beer respect!

* Since January, a total of 115 people have passed the Certified Beer Server exam and are now eligible to take the Certified Cicerone exam.

Bristol Brewing May Blowout

This Sunday, May 4, Bristol Brewing Company will be open for a special occasion down here in Colorado Springs. From 1 - 4pm they'll have some kick ass apateasers from the Margarita at Pine Creek, live music by Woodworks, and they'll be donating a buck for every pint poured to the Colorado Farm and Art Market.

Here's the real reason I want to go... Skull 'n Bones Aged Wheat.

What's that you say? What about Cinco de Mayo? Well, Bristol will be celebrating that too with the release of their chile beer!

Time flies when you're drinkin' beer!

I've come to a conclusion. There's not enough time in the dang day or enough days in the dang week! From a physical standpoint I don't mind being 41. Age is just a number, and you're only as "old" as you allow yourself to be. But how the hell is it that time continues to speed up at an exponentially greater rate than is humanly conceivable? I feel like I don't have nearly enough time in the day to get everything accomplished.

I mean, there's work to trot off to every stinkin' day. There's dealing with housely chores that spring up frequently and out of the blue. There's a 90-pound Malamute that needs constant attention and taking care of. There's enjoying time with my wife who is a saint for putting up with all my flaws and hobbies. Daily workouts to keep up with - what, you don't think I'm genetically blessed with this "svelte" bod drinking all this beer do you? Speaking of... there's an ocean full of beer to drink and a library of video games to play - and then write about in order to justify all the drinking and game playing. Thank God I don't have any kids! Speaking of...

No doubt you've heard the new radio spot for Kaiser-Permenente's "Thrive" campaign about how being a kid is a busy job, right? Well, being a middle-aged man-child ain't no pint of beer lady! I honestly have no idea where the time goes. Is it leaking from some orifice, or is my mind slipping a tad more then it was a month ago?

Whatever... beer will fix 'er right up. Lots and lots of beer.

So yes, I'm still alive just very, very busy. I think I have a tad too many irons in the fire. We'll see. Hopefully one of those irons will start to burn brightly here soon and I can wallow in a bath of beer (like Zane did when he went to the Czech Republic).

Bit I digress...

For now enjoy the hilarious "Real Men of Genius" audio clips off on the right sidebar. I finally got around to fixing them so they all work now. And I'll be adding lots more soon! Just don't try to download them - because you can't. Last thing I need is a C&D from the Big A-B.

Crawling up from the frothy depths of an oak-aged barrel, eh!

And lo the clouds parted and the light of better beer did shine down upon the Mad Beer Man. A booming voice echoed forth unto the Mad One and didst say: "Go forth and baptize non-better beer drinkers and show them the same light that I have shown unto you."

Like the new banner? Thought it appropriate given the "theme." I have a few other surprises coming down the isle - so stay tuned. Speaking of... the votes are in and the congregates to the beer confessional have made it abundantly clear - ya freakin' hate the whole "Baptist/Baptizer" nickname. "The Mad Beer Man" it is. So say you all!

Sorry for the prolonged absence this week, but I've been insanely busy with that pesky thing known as "real life." Time for a little catch up... hold on!

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The Boulder Strong Ale Festival last weekend was nothing short of kick ass. In fact, I'm pretty sure it registered a 6.5 on the Righteously Awesome scale. There was, to borrow a phrase from Avery's Peter Archer (via John "The Beer Hermit" Morrissey's article in the Denver Post blog "Foam on the Range")... "abundantly ridiculous" amounts of beer there. And all of it was above 8% ABV. I don't need to prattle about this festival since John did such a great job. Clickety-click on the above link and give his article some link love.

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For many beer geeks the movie Strange Brew is a cult classic. It's hard to believe it was released twenty-five years ago (1983). Guess what? Bob and Doug are back! The actors behind the iconic beer swilling brothers - Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis - have signed on with Global TV to make an animated series. The 30 minute show will be set in the fictional Canadian town of Maple Lake and feature the voices of Moranis and Thomas. The two will also serve as executive producers. The series will begin airing next year.

Randy Boswell of the Canwest News Service interviewed Dave Thomas about the show. Give it a read and tell me you aren't as excited as finding a mouse in a bottle of beer!

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Fran and I hit one of our favorite restaurants (we have several here in the Springs) the other night for some after-work imbibing. The Blue Star not only rocks some great cuisine (the Beef Tenders will have you coming back for more!), but they also know how to pour the alcohol.

Aside from mixing up some mean Martinis, they have a stellar selection of whiskey, an amazing wine list (we were with a co-worker from Nashville who has a favorite from a small Napa winery - inexplicably it was ON THEIR WINE LIST!)... and an impressive array of beers.

I partook of a Belgian strong amber ale from Brasserie Caracole. While the ladies sipped their very tasty (for wine) August Briggs Zin, I sucked down two 750s of Caracole. It was fantastic. Click over to Rate Beer or Beer Advocate for the intricate details since I am not "SMRT" (as Homer Simpson would say) enough to delve into the color, body, smell, etc. and so forth.

The best part? The folks at Blue Star treat beer with as much respect as they do the wine. Our waitress brought each bottle to me to make sure it was what I ordered - as they do with wine, popped the cork and poured a sample for me to taste - just like they do with wine. KUDOS to them for bringing beer reverence into the 21st century!!

Zivjeli!

TGIF BeeRoundup Cavalcade of suds!

It's been a beery beery busy week in beer news, so let's get right to it...

The economy is sucktastic all over. Houses are worth less than the cardboard box Billy the Bum is sleeping in under the overpass. Jobs are evaporating faster than bottles of Russian River oak-aged beer, and gas prices continue to break record highs quicker than I can down a pint of German hefe.

But now freshman Democratic Assemblyman Jim Beall (from San Jose) wants to raise the beer tax by $1.80 per six-pack. A FRIGGIN SIX PACK! That breaks down to 30 cents per can or bottle. Right now California's tax is 2 cents per can. Lemme whip out my calculator... Holy Horrific Hops! That's an increase of roughly 1,400%!!!! The tax would generate $2 billion a year to fund an assortment of politically correct goodness.

Here's the kicker, straight from this retarded baboons' mouth: "The people who use alcohol should pay for part of the cost to society, just like we've accepted that concept with tobacco," Beall said.

Uh, Beally Boy... what cost? Last I checked there's no such thing as second hand beer head sniffing. And don't get me started on the so called "standards" of drunk driving. The ONLY reason we've "accepted" anything in regards to tobacco is that 1) it's been proven to cause cancer, and 2) second hand smoke from tobacco products has been proven to cause cancer. Last I checked, nothing about beer causes cancer. You're kidding me with this kind of "logic," right? How did you get into office again?

Tell ya what... zip your lip, crawl back into the cave with the rest of your "professional" political bed mates - and SHUT UP! Only come out when you've grown a pair and have been blessed with common sense.

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Corona Beer suffers US sales decline.

Well, that's because Corona "beer" suffers from not having any taste. I'm serious! Hey, I used to love the stuff... before I became baptized in the ways of craft beery goodness.

A few weeks ago Fran and I went to a local (great) Mexican food place. And when you're eating food from a foreign land nothing goes better with it then a tasty adult beverage from that same region. Pacifico, Sol, Corona, etc. It's like having sushi and wanting to have a Sapporo or Asahi to wash down the tasty lil sea morsels. Well, I guzzled a Corona and swore I was drinking colored water. I tried a Sol and Pacifico too, and they were only lightly more flavorful. Much like comparing different varieties of bottled water.

Since The Beerevolution it's no surprise that last year the Mexico City-based Modelo shipped 1.7% less Corona to the U.S. than the previous year. With the economy in the mash tun sales have declined a whopping 5.9% through February 23.

The good news? This hurts Anheuser-Busch, which owns about half of Grupo Modelo. So sorry Charlie!

==========

It it getting hot in here?

According to some guys that are way smarter then I am over in New Zealand, global warming is going to cause a decline in the production of malting barley in parts of New Zealand and Australia. Malting barley is a pretty key ingredient of beer. This will create a domino effect and cause the already rising cost of beer to skyrocket. For in the coming decades the steady climate change will hamper barley production - especially in Australia.

So we got the worldwide hop shortage, all the other sad things I rambled on about above, and now we have global warming killing barley. Yup, the end is surely near.

Would someone turn down the damn thermostats already! I need a beer.

==========

Speaking of... I'll be having several this weekend at the 6th Annual Boulder Strong Ale Festival. My loving wife arranged this trip for my birthday. Is she great or what?! It starts tonight, but we're not going until tomorrow's session. If you're up that way, swing on by Harpo's Sports Grill and toss a few back with us. The Saturday session starts at Noon and runs till 6pm. Cost (at the door only) is $25 per person, but that includes a 16oz. commemorative glass and 16 drink tickets (2oz Pours). These are big beers, everything is above 8%, so it won't take but a few of these bad boys!

Pyramid unveils Crystal Wheat Ale

Apparently this particular Pyramid still has some secrets to reveal.

A news report from The Centre Daily Times states that beginning right now beer lovers in the Pacific Northwest (only) will finally be able to get their beer mitts on Crystal Wheat Ale. Up until right before you read this it's only been available at Pyramid Alehouse's.

Seems this is a kick ass beer because it has won three consecutive medals at the Great American Beer Festival in 2005 (Silver), 2006 (Gold) and 2007 (Gold). Crystal Wheat Ale has an ABV of 5.3% and is made with Mt. Hood, US Tettnang, and US Spalt wheat hops and 2 Row Pale Barley.

According to George Arnold, Master Brew for Pyramid, "... Crystal Wheat has been a well-kept secret for too long."

No kidding. Biiiiig gianormous understatement there, George. I love wheat and hefes, and I'm a big fan of Pyramid. I've been to a few of the Alehouse's in my time (granted, the most recent was in the Sacramento Airport)... and I've never seen this particular Wheat Ale. But bet you me I'll be getting hold of some ASAP!

So... who out there in the Great Northwest - land of heaps o' rain and that big hairy dude with big feet - can help me out with that?!

Set sail for a drinking adventure!

Did you know that "Three Sheets in the Wind" is an old sailing slogan? Well, it is.

In the olden days (back when sailing ships were the main form of transportation) a sheet was actually a rope in sailor-speak. Specifically, it was a rope attached to the bottom corner of a sail. These were pretty important because they helped trim the sail to the wind. If they became loose all manner of bad things would happen as the sail would then flutter about like loose lips and the ship would go all wonky. Ironic then that there's the term "loose lips sinks ships," eh?

Aside from sheets, what else is needed to steer a ship? Sailors. And what do sailors like more then cheap hookers? Cheap alcohol. Imagine if you will sailors on shore leave guzzling up cheap hookers and alcohol, then stumbling back to their ship. See the connection? A ship without it's sheets anchored goes wonky. Sailors staggering back to their ship looks wonkily similar... so the creator of the term compared the two, borrowed the concept of a three-masted sailing ship with three sheets loose, and viola... ya got yourself "three sheets in the wind."

Speaking of Three Sheets...

* History lesson about the three sheets slogan obtained from Pleepleus on the Three Sheets forums.

Straight from the Patriot-Brewer's mouth

You may have heard about the voluntary recall Sam Adams issued yesterday due to bad glass with some of their beer bottles. I just received the following Email from the Boston Beer Company about the recall, which I thought I'd share with you. This is great costumer relations!

==========

Hello Eli,

As a loyal supporter and fan of our beer, we wanted to get in touch with you about an announcement that we made yesterday. We have announced a cautious, voluntary product recall of some bottles of Samuel Adams. While there is no problem with our beer, we believe a small proportion of bottles from our outside glass supplier could contain some small bits of glass.

The bottles we've identified as being possibly affected are from one glass plant of the five that we get our bottles from. The issue affects less than 25% of our bottled beer and of that amount, we believe far less than 1% of the bottles we're recalling are actually affected. We have no reports of any injury from our drinkers related to this issue. But because the safety of our drinkers is of paramount concern to us, we are being cautious and issuing the recall for all bottles from this glass plant.

But not to worry, this doesn't mean that you have to stop drinking Samuel
Adams! All draft beer is perfectly fine and most of our bottled beer is not in these possibly affected bottles. It's easy to spot the bottles we're recalling: they are all embossed to say "N35" at the base of the bottle below the label (see photo on web site). We are working with our wholesalers and retailers to ensure that the affected bottles are removed from stores quickly.

We wanted to be sure that our loyal Sam fans are aware of the problem and know that we are doing everything we can to address this situation quickly. We are disappointed that because of these bottles supplied to us, we didn't live up to your expectations as a loyal Sam Adams drinker. We believe that we are taking all the right steps to ensure that the bottled Samuel Adams beer out there meets our quality standards and your expectations. If you have any questions about the recall, we created a special web site and a toll-free number 1-888-674-5159 to answer your questions.

As always, we appreciate your support.

Cheers,

Andrew & Bert

Beertastic TGIF Roundup!

That's right, it's time once again for a week's worth o' beery goodness! In this week's thrilling episode see a golfer pray to St. Arnold; a CBE (Chief Beer Officer) look for a guinne pig, er... intern; and who's the fool who follows the fool!?

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Normally I wouldn't talk about golf or golfers in this slice of web-heaven (or any other place for that matter). It's one of those non-sports that I just love to get people worked up about (see this thread on the Aleuminati) . But Roland Thatcher is obviously a different breed of PGA golfer. In what amounts to an unpresedented sponsorship deal (one that involves zero money), Thatcher wears a logo of the St. Arnold Brewing Company on his shirt while walking to retrieve his dimply, white ball in exchange for - here's the good part - all the FREE BEER he can drink!

ESPN called it "...the most unique sponsorship deal in professional golf." Ya think?

Where do I sign up for a sponsorship deal like that? Hell, I'd tattoo ole St. Arnold on my BLEEP for free friggin beer from those guys!

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Think you got what it takes to be the Chief Beer Officer for the Four Points by Sheraton?

You don't. But you can learn by being Scott Kerkmans very own Bierbitzch. I mean his intern. If you recall I rambled about Scott's dream job back in January (he's had it for almost a year now though). Well, the job is so time consuming and overwhelming that he's put out a call for assistance. I'd go, but I already have way too much in my mug at the moment.

So if you're over 21 and have a love for lager this might be your moment to shine. The search is on (it officailly begun on March 26th), but don't think it's all fun and suds. Oh sure, yo uget to suck down vat fulls of great brew (not that mass produced swill the unwashed masses drink), but you will also be learning what's what of the Four Points by Sheraton Best Brews program as well as the expanding craft beer industry and beer business. Since this is an internship... you don't get paid and the position starts in June and comes to sad end in August.

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The Calgary Sun pulled the hops over reader''s eyes on April 1. How? They ran an 'ad' on page 7 of the April 1st edition that promised readers a free sample of a new beer from Big Rock Brewery called Hyde. The catch? They had to clip out a special beer square on the page, drop it into water, refrigerate and enjoy.

Uuuuuuh...

Some people actually fell for it. However, in a move that somewhat reaffirms my faith in humans, a few of the more intelligent, creative types turned the tables on the Sun and sent in reviews of the beer. Touche!

Finally... if you're in our neck of the woods on Monday night, April 7, come on down to Phantom Canyon where we'll be celebrating "75 Years of Beer" (and my birthday)!

Have a great weekend... and Zivjeli!

Want to do a little Hulu?

Time for another Three Sheets update.

Yes, I know... two posts in one day? Bite me. I know we all have ADD, but this one will be a quicky too. Plus, I don't want ya'll to think I'm a shill for the show. Although, I'd gladly sell my alcohol-infused soul to be Zane Lamprey. Or at least his real life (non-stuffed, like Pleepleus) but no less hairy sidekick!

But I digress...

Hulu has the season 3 premiere of Three Sheets up for your viewing pleasure right now. A full week before it airs on MOJO no less!

Yes, it's embedded here as well, but it's not nearly as nice as Hulu's expandable set up. But... if you're too lazy, drunk, or hung over to click any further - I understand. Kick back and watch the hilarious hi-jinks of the Amazing Zane rightcher!

Just don't toss your cookies onto the keyboard.

Your opinion counts

To me.

I need your advice. I'm thinking about changing my nickname. Over on the sidebar you'll find a poll where I've given you three options to choose from. It'll take 2 seconds of your time. So please..."Rock the Vote!"

We now return you to your regularly scheduled beer session already (or should be anyway) in progress.

Mad Beer Man no longer mad about beer!

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - On Sunday night, March 30, the Beer Geek known as Eli the Mad Beer Man downed a whopping 7 liters of fine German brew. Why would anyone do such a thing?

"It was my duty as a beer lover and party goer to ring in the grand opening of the Edelweiss Rathskeller in style. How could I NOT do my job and live with myself?" the Mad one said.

Das Boooooooooooooooooot!

Included in the astounding 7 liters was equal parts Erdinger and Franziskaner - both glorious elixirs of wiessbier, Eli's favorite. This however is not the first time this Beer Geek has partaken in such voluminous imbibing all in one sitting.

"This is like the third time in the last 6 months or so. Ya, I can drink. No, I'm not an alcoholic... I'm a professional drinker. And like all professionals I'm training for my trip to the 2010 Oktoberfest in Munich. I have to represent! Can't very well go to Europe and look like some damn Yankee wanker now can I?"

While much shock and awe was made by the lively patrons at Edelweiss over the quantity (and the fact that Eli seemed totally coherent and capable of carrying on lengthy conversations about - not much)... a sad and unforeseen development has arisen.

Eli is hanging up his hefty mug o' glory.

"I'm done. Well... at least until the weekend."

Coors keeps on Moonin'

Since it's Opening Day of the 2008 Major League Baseball Season, it's only fitting that Coors Brewing Company drops the news that they and the Colorado Rockies have signed a new ten-year sponsorship agreement keeping themselves as the sponsor of the defending National League champs. As part of the new agreement the “Blue Moon Brewing Company at the Sandlot” will serve as the exclusive on-site brewer of beer on the premises of Coors Field. The Sandlot is where Blue Moon was first brewed at by the way.

Fran and I go up to Coors Field a couple time a year, usually to see our San Francisco Giants (who might very well be the worst team in baseball this year). But we have a whole routine we go through. We usually go up for a Saturday game, and get there several hours before game time. We always hit Falling Rock Taphouse then mosey on over to Breckenridge Brewery. Ironically we've never actually been inside the Sandlot even though it literally is inside the ballpark. Fran even likes Blue Moon (with an orange slice, great on a hot summer day a the park), but you can get it anywhere inside the park. This year our routine will be changed up a bit. Instead of Falling Rock and Breck, we'll probably hit Wynkoop and Falling Rock.

Hey, we have to drown the sorrows of our bad team in something, right?

Blood Alcohol Content and You

Let's get serious for a moment...

A friend of mine had a St. Patrick's Day party. Like many parties this one had a massive amount of corned beef, cabbage, things colored green, Irish Cream, Irish Whiskey, Guinness and Murphy's. What I bet none of those parties had that this one did was... the AlcoHAWK Precision Breathalyzer.

Question: how many of you know what a .08 Blood Alcohol Content feels like? Point oh eight is the legal limit (in every State in the Union) that bits of alcohol can be floating around in your bloodstream before you get a DUI. But do you have any idea how much alcohol it takes for you to get .08? Do you know what .08 feels like?

Probably not. Virtually no one does. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Administration of Justice, and I worked as private investigator for several years. Until that party neither Fran nor I had any clue what it took for us to reach that not-so-magic number.

Here's another question: why aren't certain organizations doing more to EDUCATE people? Oh sure, they tell us not to drink and drive. They pass out gory pamphlets and wave endless statistics (which can and are manipulated mind you) in our face... but do you see any of those organizations standing on a street corner with Breathalyzers in hand actually showing the masses what .08 really means?

Nope. They're as impossible to find as the pink elephants drunk people reportedly see.

Being the "professional drinkers" that we are Fran and I "knew" we could put it away. I'm a big guy (265-ish) and my roots run back to Croatia and Russia. Fran is 100% German. A Boston bartender once told me that she'd never seen anyone drink as much Guinness (on repeated trips) as I could and still remain coherent. But thinking and knowing are two vastly different things... and cops don't much care either way.

My friend's informal case study showed us what it takes to get to .08... and the results were very interesting. During the experiment each person kept a chart of what they drank, how much they drank and when they drank it. After gulping the last sip of our respective adult beverage we waited 20 minutes before blowing into the Breathalyzer. We also had to write down a "buzz factor" (based on a 1 - 10 scale, 1 being the least buzzed), and whether or not we felt OK to drive.

Over the course of three hours I drank six microbrews (not that mass produced swill people call "beer"). I began drinking my very next beer immediately after blowing into the gizmo. Here are my details:

1. Guinness (11.2 ounces), drank in 12 minutes. Blew a .02.
   


2. Tommyknocker Cocoa Porter (12 ounces), finished off in 15 minutes. During this time we all began to eat dinner. I gobbled down two large servings of corned beef, salad, and cabbage wraps filled with meat and other goodies. I blew .016. It went down. Being an experienced drinker I "knew" the second I started eating I would start sobering up. At least that's what I always thought. Turned out to be true.
   


3. Bristol IPA (a full pint at 6.5% ABV), downed in 11 minutes. Ironically, I blew a .011. Down again... after an IPA. Serious drinking time had begun.
   


4. Sam Adams Black Lager (12 ounces), swigged in 20 minutes. I blew .02. Going back up.


5. New Belgium Tripple (12 ounces at a hefty 7.8% ABV. ) I gulped this down and blew .038.


6. Sam Adams White Ale (12 ounces). This time I didn't wait the required 20 minutes after finishing (which I swigged in 19 minutes). I blew .068.

Finally, the beers (some of them "big" - if you're a beer geek you know what I mean by that) were starting to catch up to me, but I still wasn't over the limit. That's where we ended the testing. It wasn't until the last check that I started to feel even the slightest bit buzzed (I marked a 3 on the 10-scale), and I still felt OK to drive.

There were 12 other people at the party and we all ate dinner at the same time. During the drinking session I never broke the "legal limit." Only one other guy didn't go over, but he had fewer beers then I did, weighed far less, and left early. Now, if I had been drinking hard alcohol like many others were, I probably would have topped out inside 2 or 3 drinks (I rarely drink hard alcohol). But some folks were near the limit with one (two ounce hard alcohol) drink, and a few were over after their second (two ounce hard alcohol) drink. One of the guys in attendance had 3 pints of locally brewed beer (same ones I had in a few occasions) during those 3 hours. On his last test he topped out at an unbelievable .11 (might actually have been a tad higher). Read that again... there are no zeros in there, so he was waaaaay over the limit with just three beers (and a meal).

Bottom line: every single person walking the planet metabolizes alcohol uniquely and has a totally different tolerance level. What .08 means to one person, who can be completely smashed out of their mind, won't be the same for another person who may be perfectly OK. Alcohol metabolizes differently based on what appears to a be a slew of random genetic factors, including (but not as significant as you might think) a person's weight. The guy who blew .11 with 3 pints of beer was considerably heavier then Fran, who had 5 hard alcohol drinks (2 two ouncers and 3 three ouncers of her infamous "Long Islands"which are long on alcohol) and also blew .11.

So what are your thoughts? Have you ever tested yourself to see what your tolerance level is? Do you know how much alcohol it takes for you to get DUI'ed? I want to know!

I'm buying a Breathalyzer for our Professional Drinker's group to take with us to our social gatherings, the myriad of beerfests we attend, and out to our favorite drinking establishments. I'll keep you updated on our findings.

Until then... Zivjeli!

A three sheets of beery goodness roundup spectacular!

Ya, the title is hokey... sue me. The verbiage fairy didn't visit me last night. Quick shots from around the beer world:

Sad times in Michigan. Thomas Martin owns the 11 Jude's Barbershops in the Grand Rapids area. The Michigan attorney general's office, with apparently nothing better to do since ya know Michigan's economy is doing so well (not) and the crime in Detroit is at an all time low (not), decided that while Martin can offer a shave and a haircut at two bits (joke), he can no longer give out free beer. He needs a liquor licence to do do that. Cuz, ya know, Michigan needs all the revenue they can squeeze out of the common taxpayer. Martin has been doing this "old-fashioned complimentary service" for his customers for years. So much for tradition.

The Russian River Brewing Company is in the midst of expanding their brewing operation to a second location in Santa Rosa. Well, it's almost complete. Starting on April 21 they plan on brewing their first batch! WOOOHOOO!!! If you haven't had any of Vinnie and Natalie's beer... do whatever it takes to get hold of some! Speaking of... their next round of barrel-aged beers are bottled and will be released in a month or so. Sadly, due to state legislation (there's those pesky outdated laws again) they can't direct-ship any of it out of state. Fortunately (for me), Fran's folks live only a few miles away, and we actually plan on being there around the end of April (for Fran's B-day). We're gonna make time to stop in and have a beer or four.

And lastly a Zane Lamprey/Three Sheets update. A few days ago I babbled on about the greatness of the man and that Season 3 of the best show on TV was about to fire up (April 10). Well, here's a bit more info on where Zane will be getting drunk at in the trifecta-cular Season 3: Chile, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Barcelona (Spain), Porto (Portugal), Hong Kong (China), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Argentina, Gibraltar, Bangkok (Thailand), Cognac (France), Moscow (Russia), Copenhagen (Denmark), Scotland, and Las Vegas.

Keep your web browser locked and loaded to this website for a lot more Three Sheets shenanigans. Aside from working on a virtual shrine to the Great Zane and his lil monkey Pleepleus, I'm also putting together a new sidebar feature that will give a smattering of info about each new weekly episode. And maybe, just maybe... a few more very cool surprises. Moooooahahaha!

By the way...

I SEE A MONKEY! YOU HAVE TO DRINK! Bwaaaaaaaahahaha!

Celebrate "75 Years of Beer" (and my birthday) at your Local Brewery!

Check out Beertown.org's National Database for what's going on in your neck of the woods on April 7 - celebrating 75 Years of Beer (and my own birthday)! Here's what going on in Colorado:

Brewery: Boulder Beer Company
City: Boulder
State: CO
Phone: 303-444-8448
Web Site: http://www.boulderbeer.com/
Description: April 7th - 25 cent glass of beer with purchase of an entrée! All Day Long - 11am to close

Brewery: Bristol Brewing Company
City: Colorado Springs
State: CO
Phone: 719-633-2555
Web Site: http://www.bristolbrewing.com/
Description: Bristol Brewing will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition on Saturday, April 5th, with its annual release of the Edge City Pilsner, complimentary snacks, a period costume contest and 33 cent Edge City Pilsners from 4pm to 6pm.

Brewery: Ska, Carvers, Steamworks, Durango Brewing
City: Durango
State: CO
Phone: 970-259-2545
Web Site: http://www.skabrewing.com/
Description: The Durango Bootlegger's Society (Carvers, Ska, Steamworks, Durango)will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the legalization of beer in America with the release of our 6th annual "Spring Tonic Elixer", a collectively brewed barrel-aged lager based on a "medicinal" prohibition-era recipe. Carver’s will be transformed into a speakeasy complete with Women’s Temperance activists protesting out front. Local historian, author, and Fort Lewis College Professor, Duane Smith, will entertain the crowd with colorful anecdotes of the area’s brewing history before tapping the cask and kicking off the event. There will be live music as well as a screening of "American Brew." The proceeds will go to the historic Animas City Museum.

Brewery: Odell Brewing Co.
City: Fort Collins
State: CO
Phone: (970)498-9070
Web Site: odellbrewing.com Description: Tapping new ales-Market pale ale and cask condition 5 barrel pale ale with apollo hops

Brewery: Trinidad Brewing Company
City: Trinidad
State: CO
Phone: 719-846-7069
Web Site: http://www.trinidadbrewingcompany.com/
Description: We will be releasing two (2) of our Colorado whiskey barrel aged beers!


My buddy Shawn (the Beer Philosopher) is reporting that one of my new favorite mid-west Breweries (Schlafly) is also having a celebration, The Repeal of Prohibition, on Saturday, April 12. Check out their site for all the details. Sure would love to be there, but St. Louis is a lil bit of a trip from ole Colorado Springs. Plus, Fran is taking me somewhere for my b-day. Where? No clue, it's a surprise. But I bet it'll be super fun!