Deschutes Cinder Cone Red

Deschutes has always been one of my favorite breweries, by quality of output, attitude, business style, and setting. The unavailability of their beer on the East Coast is painful, but something I understand and respect.

So I was pretty happy when I apparently got on their mailing list for samples a couple weeks ago. A box from Deschutes showed up at my maildrop, and I just couldn't wait to rip it open and see what they'd sent. There were two beers inside: the Cinder Cone Red seasonal and the relatively new Green Lake Organic Ale. What with all the mess and fuss in the last two weeks, it was last night before I had a chance to pop the Cinder Cone with dinner (gnocchi with chicken sausage, red bell peppers, and fennel).

Cinder Cone is a bemedalled and well-reviewed beer, and the reasons why were apparent from the get-go. The aroma was energetic, fresh, and nostalgic: this wild West Coast ale freshness was one of the things that hooked me on American craft beer way back in the mid-1980s. It blossomed with green hops and juicy esters, a beer that grabbed me by the hand and said 'Let's go, let's drink!'

I did, and that's where I went off the rails with this one. The first gush in the mouth was great, delivering on the promise of the aroma with shovelsful of that hop character and fresh beer character I'd found so beguiling. But after it came a heavy-handed rush of caramel malt, accompanied by a grainy, husky dryness -- an addition of roasted barley is probably the source -- that could have been an asset if it had been less insistent. It was almost enough to make me angry; this beautiful promise crushed by an overplayed hand.

I'm not used to Deschutes doing stuff like this; the other beers from them that I love are balanced, drinkable, and brilliant. I'd blame extreme beer, but I don't really think it's to blame. I'd guess it's just over-exuberance. I will admit that I'm baffled by the popularity of this one, but that's what makes craft beer wonderful: something for everyone. Thankfully, Deschutes has something for me, even if it's not this one. I'll try the Green Lake soon.

Brewing to return to Titusville -- UPDATE

Four Sons will rise from the ashes.

Okay, it didn't actually burn, and it's not going to be called Four Sons anymore, but anyone who's been following the explosion of craft brewing in western Pennsylvania knows what I'm talking about. Matt Allyn e-mailed about it yesterday, and this appeared in the Erie Times-News today.

Matt Allyn e-mailed again, and there are some corrections below, one of which corrects an error in the newspaper article cited above.

Pertinent points:

• The new owners are Keystone Brewing Co., which is managed by Bill Zimmer, a Corry (PA) native (just like Matt and North Country's Sean McIntyre...who knew they had such a hospitality program at Corry High?) with "a résumé full of Montana resort experience."
• (Update: the company does not include J. Michael Allyn, Matt Allyn's dad: "J. Michael Allyn is the director of the [Titusville] Redevelopment Authority. And happens to be my dad," says Matt. Another reason, he adds, that his name is not on the paperwork.)
• They signed a lease last Thursday, and hope to open by June 1.
• Matt Allyn will be brewing "a more traditional German-style lineup."
• The chef will be, once again, Jeremy Potocki (a partner in Keystone), and cheers to that.
• The name has not yet been announced. (Update: the name will be "Blue Canoe": it's "almost set" according to Matt.)
• Keystone still needs to secure a brewers license -- which should be pretty easy, given that it's a re-licensing -- and a liquor license, which shouldn't be too hard in the area.

The article also mentions that Four Sons was $400,000 in debt when they closed on 1/1/07. Ouch. Matt seems confident (always did) that the site can be profitable...if run right. And no, this will not affect any of the plans for Voodoo in Meadville.

Good to see brewing return to Titusville!

A Celebration of History at Tröegs

I wish I had some pictures of this, but I don't (hint, hint, anyone who was there...): last night was the "New Beer's Day" anniversary celebration at Tröegs, and we had a blast. I had a very easy run up the Turnpike to Harrisburg (and got 44 mpg with the diesel; better than expected!) and got in a bit early, so I treated myself to a Zoigl Star Lager at Appalachian before heading down Cameron Street to Tröegs (Zoigl's getting a bit long in tooth, but holding up beautifully; delicious kellerbier, stop by and have some).

In honor of 3.2 beer, the drink that post-Prohibition America found "surprisingly good," Tröegs brewed up a version of their old ESB with all English hops, malt, and yeast that came in a little over 4% ABV. I had a glass of that while waiting to give my speech (the evening was a benefit for the Harrisburg Historical Society, so yes, I paid for my beer. That one, anyway, after that, people just put them in my hand...) and it was nice, tasty, refreshing, flavorful, but not hammering.

When 8:00 came, a local fellow read what was apparently one of FDR's speeches...mostly about bank reform. Historians. I stepped up to the mike and told them I was there to talk about beer. This, like the original legislation back in 1933, was met with a roar of approval. I told them how Prohibition was something we deserved -- the booze industry was out of control -- but that it was overdone: I once used the analogy that putting in Prohibition to fight booze business corruption was like shooting your dog because he farts real bad when you feed him beef jerky. It would be much less drastic and much more effective to stop feeding him jerky...or open a window and both of you live with it. They liked that, too. Once Prohibition was in, again it was about money: political money for politicians who supported it, illegal money for the bootleggers and illicit producers, and no tax money for the dopey government that put it into force. Repeal, of course, was all about money: the Depression made Repeal almost necessary. Repeal meant 50,000 jobs and millions in taxes for jobs programs: done deal.

We're only celebrating the advent of 3.2 beer, I told them; full Repeal would have to wait another 8 months. But -- taking a sip of my ESB -- just like people found out back then, low alcohol beer can taste "surprisingly good!" We toasted the return of beer -- never to go away again! -- and then I stepped up to the firkin of ESB, took the big wooden mallet, and pounded home the tap. Did fine, too, didn't spill a drop. And the cask version tasted just great.

A very good evening, and a successful fund-raiser for the Historical Society; by 9:00, they'd already decided to do it again next year. The band, the Hoppin' John Orchestra, was not just fantastic, they were perfectly appropriate, and my hat's off to whoever decided to have them for the event.

Sam Adams recall: a quick warning -- and new follow-up

Boston Beer has announced a voluntary recall of bottles that may contain small bits of glass. Check all your bottles of Samuel Adams beers for the following code at the base of the bottle: N35 O-I . These are the only numbers that matter: if the bottle has an N35 code, don't drink it, use the website below to get a refund. I got an e-mail from my long-time Boston Beer contact, Michelle Sullivan, on this: "We know that your readers are our drinkers, so we hope you will help us spread the word about this situation." They are right out in front of this.

There's more info at the BBC website, and I have a story up on Portfolio.com. Be safe, people.

Note to those of you who may be wondering about other craft brewers' bottles with N35 O-I codes: I just got an e-mail from Boston Beer brewing manager Grant Wood. Grant says that as far as they know, there is no reason to be concerned about other bottles with the N35 code; the bottle in question is not the generic 12 oz. brown longneck, but a custom-made Boston Beer bottle.

Another anniversary

Just got a press release from the Schneider brewery in Kelheim, Germany, the brewers of the fabulously delicious Schneider wheat beers. They're celebrating a pretty significant anniversary this month, too:

This year, the "Weisses Bräuhaus in Kelheim” celebrates its 400th anniversary of brewing wheat beer. At the brewing site of the “Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH,” the first batch of wheat beer was brewed on April 16th, 1608 under Duke William 1st. Numerous events will celebrate this anniversary. Among these are an official ceremony, historic brewery tours, a publication on the history of the brewery, an art exhibition in the gallery “Altes Sudhaus”, as well as a special historical exhibition in the archaeological museum. Moreover, there will be a special brew, named “Georg Schneider’s 1608”, available only in limited quantities.

Having been to the Kelheim brewery a few years ago, I would say that if you have the chance to get there for this, you should go: the Altes Sudhaus has a beautiful collection of commercial brewery art, and the brewery is fantastic. Prost, Schneider!

New Beer's Day: celebrate with a session beer!

Is today the 75th anniversary of Repeal? Not really: April 7, 1933 was when changes to the Volstead Act laws took place and redefined the level at which beer became "intoxicating" as 3.2% ABW instead of 0.5%. The 21st Amendment, ending national Prohibition, wasn't ratified until December 5th, 1933. On top of that, only 19 states and DC had laws in place to handle beer sales on 4/7/33, so it was hardly the national death of Prohibition. Of course, if you wanted wine or spirits, Prohibition was still in place for 8 more dry months.

But you know, the people who are whining and kvetching about this not being the 75th anniversary of Repeal remind me of those Millennium Weenies who went around the last half of 1999 telling everyone they could grab that January 1, 2000 was not the first day of the new Millennium!! Well, no, it wasn't...technically. But no one cared, because everyone saw the big odometer roll over from 1999 to 2000.

Likewise, no one really cared in 1933, because they were all so excited that they could legally get beer, real beer from real breweries, even if it was only 3.2%. In the words of a Wisconsin radio reporter (quoted as part of Maureen Ogle's nicely done run-up to April 7), 3.2% beer "is all that has been promised -- and more. It is agreeably surprising," containing both the flavor and "stimulation" of lagers brewed during the "pre-drought days."

Well, of course it was. It was session beer, right? 'Who wants to drink 3.2 beer?' some of the Repeal nit-pickers ask, with an implied sneer. Well, I do. I'd love a drinkable 3.2% lager beer, or a nice mild or bitter. Which I think is a great way to celebrate this day, the day Americans got legal beer back. Seems like a real Session Beer Project way to do things.

Repeal: rubbing it in

Realizing that yes, I'm talking about Repeal, the anniversary of which doesn't happen until December 5, I came across this quote (in the Wikipedia Prohibition article) from formerly ardent Prohibitionist John D. Rockefeller (yeah, that Rockefeller) on the occasion of Repeal, in which he admits the failure of Prohibition, and it was just too good to waste...because it nails the problems that Prohibition brought...and prohibitions always bring:

When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognized. I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result. Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before.

John's actually wrong: contrary to general belief, there are no numbers to support the notion that drinking increased during Prohibition. Talking about drinking increased, wanting to be drinking probably increased, but there were enough people who did abide by the law -- and enough strangulation of source -- that drinking either dropped or stayed level. The rest of it, though, is dead-on. Lessons to be learned.

A relic of Belgium, for the folks at DC-beer...

Just a little fun...it's for those who know. For those who don't, well, be thankful I don't do more in-jokes, and let it slide!

Okay, back to work

Thanks for all the fun we had yesterday, but...I'm really still writing, and loving it. I've got interviews for a story on Harpoon Brewery today, putting new memory in my computer, and packing for WhiskyFest Chicago, which happens Friday. And working on our taxes, yippee.

Cheers!

That New Project: a new life for me

It's time to reveal that new project I hinted about here. It's a major step, more than just another market, and this may be the end of Seen Through A Glass.

My kids are getting towards college age, and they're both in parochial school; more to the point, they're both doing well, and reaching the point where they need to branch out beyond the standard offerings of education. That put us in a position where we had to look at all our options to keep the kids in the caliber of school they deserve.

One of those options was me "getting a real job." That was a hard nut to swallow after finally reaching the point where I was doing well, getting into some major markets, and making connections that led to better assignments. But I had to face the facts. While I was finally making the same kind of money I made as a director-level executive in the pharmaceutical business back in the early 1990s, time had marched on and that kind of money isn't what it was 15 years ago. I had the potential to make more, and our situation -- and other factors -- demanded that.

I put out some feelers, talked to people I knew, and started interviewing. The libraries that were interested in me for director positions offered excellent pay, but would have required us to move, something we just didn't want to do. I talked to some business research firms about doing beverage industry analysis, but while everyone I talked to told me that I had clear knowledge of the business that was superior to most people in the field, company policies required that I have an MBA, and Cathy and I agreed that I just didn't have the time, even for an accelerated program.

Then it hit me. I was always getting press releases, and complaining about the writing in them...why not look for work there? After a lengthy search, I found a small firm that wrote press releases the way I liked them as a writer: full of facts and meat, with substantive quotes, and with a minimum of marketing jargon. After sending them a portfolio, they asked me to come to their offices to interview. I was very excited: these were my kind of people.

The interview went great, and they asked me what it would take to get me on board full time, as soon as possible. Money, I told them; big money. We haggled over a few percentage points, and vacation time, and dental benefits (they actually hung tough on dental), but finally reached a great package.

As of April 15, I will be working for the public relations firm of Fuhrman & Schmidt, a small group in the far suburbs of New York. It's a long commute, but I'll only have to go to the office twice a month; the rest of the time I'll be working at home or traveling to meet clients and get the real story on their products and services. So now I'll be writing those press releases, sending out honest information about new products, new hires, new fixes to problems, and new settlements for product liability lawsuits.

I'll miss writing about beer and whiskey. I'll miss it a lot, I'm crying as I write this. But I'll still enjoy beer and whiskey, and though I'll just be an amateur like so many others, maybe it will allow me to enjoy things on a simpler level. Maybe. But I'm sure it's going to be worth it.

It's been fun, folks. See you around the beer festivals.

Ummm...not. Fuhrman & Schmidt was an old PA brewery, I'm still writing about beer and whiskey, and the kids -- and our finances -- are doing fine. Cheers!