Comments on: Monday musing: What’s the opposite of Zima? http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/ Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:51:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-182866 Stan Hieronymus Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:45:24 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-182866 Hi Brad - We have to be back in time for Sierra to return to public school in August. I'm looking forward to judging in the State Fair Pro-Am. Will pass through before that but the date isn't certain. Perhaps I should count on you doing a fresh batch next fall. Hi Brad – We have to be back in time for Sierra to return to public school in August. I’m looking forward to judging in the State Fair Pro-Am.

Will pass through before that but the date isn’t certain. Perhaps I should count on you doing a fresh batch next fall.

]]> By: Brad Kraus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-182684 Brad Kraus Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:30:38 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-182684 Stan, If you are real nice, I might be convinced to save enough Aztlán for you to taste. When do you make your return, or are you ever coming back? el cervecero loco del vaquero Stan,

If you are real nice, I might be convinced to save enough Aztlán for you to taste. When do you make your return, or are you ever coming back?

el cervecero loco del vaquero

]]> By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-180952 Stan Hieronymus Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:28:47 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-180952 Alan, there's the passion that was missing. They should have hired you at least 10 years ago. If it is any consolation, I never drank one either. Alan, there’s the passion that was missing. They should have hired you at least 10 years ago.

If it is any consolation, I never drank one either.

]]> By: Alan http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-180947 Alan Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:00:17 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-180947 I think I have a small bit of passion about Zima because I never had one, couldn't buy one in Canada if I had wanted and because it represents all that can be in America, the artificial good that man's will can stamp upon the world. Like cheese in a spray can. It represents the Monroe Doctrine in beverage form. It they could have, they would have taken it on the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explain the future that was coming just 180 odd years down the road. It should have had an eagle on the can. I think I have a small bit of passion about Zima because I never had one, couldn’t buy one in Canada if I had wanted and because it represents all that can be in America, the artificial good that man’s will can stamp upon the world. Like cheese in a spray can. It represents the Monroe Doctrine in beverage form. It they could have, they would have taken it on the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explain the future that was coming just 180 odd years down the road. It should have had an eagle on the can.

]]> By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-180863 Stan Hieronymus Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:13:15 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-180863 Bill, instead of rip-roaring success perhaps I should have written "happy survival." My point would be that Zima spent $38 million in advertising the first year, but that there has to be steak to go with the sizzle. And that in the late 1990s I saw it written more than once that craft beer was a fad. Quite honestly, there was (and is) a fad aspect. Fortunately also brewers committed to quality and drinkers passionate about those beers. I might run in the wrong crowds, but I know people passionate about Budweiser and Corona, but I can't remember anybody passionate about Zima. Bill, instead of rip-roaring success perhaps I should have written “happy survival.” My point would be that Zima spent $38 million in advertising the first year, but that there has to be steak to go with the sizzle.

And that in the late 1990s I saw it written more than once that craft beer was a fad. Quite honestly, there was (and is) a fad aspect. Fortunately also brewers committed to quality and drinkers passionate about those beers.

I might run in the wrong crowds, but I know people passionate about Budweiser and Corona, but I can’t remember anybody passionate about Zima.

]]> By: Todd http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-180689 Todd Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:17:35 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-180689 Oh yeah, we've actually have been working with the native NM hops since 1993. When we found a few plants we wanted for breeding( drought had killed? the rest), we started crossing at high elevation in 1996-1999. We brought the seeds from some of the best down to low elevation in 1999. From 2000-2003, we were unhappy/unsuccessful with most of our breedings, but we had now learned quite a bit...and that the native hops liked coming down out of the high elevation. In 2004, we finally got better and got a few nice plants. We've grown and killed so many plants for so many years, we wondered if we'd ever get any winners. Here it is 2008 going on 2009 and we're there. We've got some real nice plants..and they're making great beers. And growing hops organically is, so far, not any problem at all. We have done what we were told could not be done..... with plants that we were all told only make nasty tasting beers. It's a new day coming! Oh yeah, we’ve actually have been working with the native NM hops since 1993. When we found a few plants we wanted for breeding( drought had killed? the rest), we started crossing at high elevation in 1996-1999. We brought the seeds from some of the best down to low elevation in 1999. From 2000-2003, we were unhappy/unsuccessful with most of our breedings, but we had now learned quite a bit…and that the native hops liked coming down out of the high elevation. In 2004, we finally got better and got a few nice plants. We’ve grown and killed so many plants for so many years, we wondered if we’d ever get any winners. Here it is 2008 going on 2009 and we’re there. We’ve got some real nice plants..and they’re making great beers. And growing hops organically is, so far, not any problem at all.
We have done what we were told could not be done….. with plants that we were all told only make nasty tasting beers.
It’s a new day coming!

]]> By: Todd http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-180473 Todd Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:04:23 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-180473 Hi Stan, The organic Aztlan Winter Ale was a big hit at the Taos Ski Valley Brewmasters Festival. Brad did a bangup job- lot's of flavor with a clean finish that left you wanting more. At the end of the evening, folks were mentioning to each other that - "the best beer of the night is upstairs on the right (Blue Corn, Brad) and the Aztlan Winter Ale is the best-go see what you think". Big turnout, great beers. Mostly. It was most interesting that if any brewer had an option of an organic beer, it was the first beer chosen for a taster. Dang near always. The organic beers were great BTW. Deschutes did a great job using the Salmon-safe Sterling hops. Wish you were there! Hi Stan,
The organic Aztlan Winter Ale was a big hit at the Taos Ski Valley Brewmasters Festival. Brad did a bangup job- lot’s of flavor with a clean finish that left you wanting more. At the end of the evening, folks were mentioning to each other that -
“the best beer of the night is upstairs on the right (Blue Corn, Brad) and the Aztlan Winter Ale is the best-go see what you think”.

Big turnout, great beers. Mostly.

It was most interesting that if any brewer had an option of an organic beer, it was the first beer chosen for a taster. Dang near always.
The organic beers were great BTW. Deschutes did a great job using the Salmon-safe Sterling hops.

Wish you were there!

]]> By: Bailey http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-180430 Bailey Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:52:04 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-180430 Glad you liked the list. It's the laziest, most egotistical type of article you can write, but it's Christmas, so we treated ourselves... Hope our paths will cross at some point! Glad you liked the list. It’s the laziest, most egotistical type of article you can write, but it’s Christmas, so we treated ourselves…

Hope our paths will cross at some point!

]]> By: Bill http://appellationbeer.com/blog/monday-musing-whats-the-opposite-of-zima/comment-page-1/#comment-180414 Bill Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:36:53 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/?p=696#comment-180414 "...and an interesting contrast to the rip-roaring success of small-batch beers focusing on flavor and making sure there is a there there." I dunno about that, given the differences in scale. I wouldn't be surprised if, even at the end, Zima was outselling all but a handful of crafts. I'm sure Boston Beer easily sold more Samuel Adams Boston Lager than MillerCoors sold Zima in Zima's final years of existence... but did any of Boston Beer's other brews sell more? The rip-roaring success of craft brews is great in that each year, more is sold than the year before. But when a fad like malternatives arises and immediately sells an equal or greater amount of barrels to craft... I'm not sure that helps the argument of "making sure there's a there there." Welcome back! “…and an interesting contrast to the rip-roaring success of small-batch beers focusing on flavor and making sure there is a there there.”

I dunno about that, given the differences in scale. I wouldn’t be surprised if, even at the end, Zima was outselling all but a handful of crafts. I’m sure Boston Beer easily sold more Samuel Adams Boston Lager than MillerCoors sold Zima in Zima’s final years of existence… but did any of Boston Beer’s other brews sell more? The rip-roaring success of craft brews is great in that each year, more is sold than the year before. But when a fad like malternatives arises and immediately sells an equal or greater amount of barrels to craft… I’m not sure that helps the argument of “making sure there’s a there there.”

Welcome back!

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