Month: March 2009

Where in the beer world – special edition

Got to keep this short. I can tell you the Harry S Truman presidential library is outstanding, that I’m looking forward to learning all about Boulevard Brewing’s many wheat beers tomorrow morning, and that after that we’ll head off for Norman, Oklahoma, in a dead sprint. Because Wednesday we’re touring the National Weather Center. Cool, huh?

So before I forget to mention the pear beer (simply known as Pear Beer) I had last week . . . it was also brewed with elderberry flowers and quince. Pretty good, delicate but possessing enough character that it would likely be excellent with cheese.

Care to guess the brewery that made this beer?

What the heck does ‘extreme beer’ mean?

I hope this isn’t a mistake. The debate about whether “extreme beers” are good, bad or something between has been rehashed enough here and elsewhere. And when Pete Brown asked for reader input and suggested he might use those comments in a story he caught a certain amount of grief in the beer blogosphere.

But I can use your help. I’m working on a business story about “extreme beers” and their value (or lack thereof) to breweries. I’ll talk to brewers and brewery representatives about that. What I’d like to know is if the term “extreme beer” means something specific to real live beer drinkers. I’ve never heard a customer at a bar say, “I’d like an extreme beer, please.”

Certainly the term has become part of our beer vocabulary — check out Daniel Bradford’s post about the Extreme Beer Festival.

I decided to ask you because the discussion last week about beer prices turned out to be so interesting. I’d particularly like to hear from casual readers who haven’t necessarily joined the “extreme” discussion here or elsewhere. Leave a comment, or if you are feeling shy please use email.

The question, just to be clear, is what does the term “extreme beer” tell you about what’s in your glass?

#31 – Where in the beer world?

Where in the beer world?

Think you know where in the beer world this photo was taken?

Please leave your answer as a comment.

Given recent comments, not just here but from Alan and others, I thought a picture of beer “on sale” might be interesting. You’ll have to decide if you consider $1.50 a deal for a half-liter of “mixed beer.”

That’s the hint – half liter bottles.

 

A reminder beer price matters

It seems that beer is no casual acquaintance of people who read this blog. So were I to conduct a poll — say how much money you send on beer — the results likely wouldn’t necessarily reflect the buying habits of the “average” beer drinker or even the casual “craft beer” drinker.

So it’s interesting to “eavesdrop” on comments posted about beer at a non-beer site.

Yesterday the Chicago Tribune published a story about two new microbreweries in the city. What seemed to get the most attention is that 6 packs of Half Acre beers cost $9. We’re not talking a knee jerk reaction about how that’s ridiculous, but a discussion. Check out the comments.