We’ve been in the Midwest the last few days, doing some of our favorite Midwest things, including a visit today to Scratch Brewing.
I recommend you spend a little time with the roundup of Session #145 contributions. And otherwise, pardon the brevity.
Tom McCormick, who operated McCormick Beverage Co. from 1984-1994, posted this price list from 1990 on Facebook. I’d include a link but it appears that is not shareable.
$18.25 for a case (24 bottles) of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale seems like quite a deal. Except McCormick was a distributor, and this was 1990. These were the prices that retailers paid. Consumers paid more.
Next, take inflation into account. That’s $44.55 in 2025 dollars. And in these parts a consumer can by a 12-pack for SNPA for $19.95, obviously less than $22.28 (which, remember, is the price before markup). Obviously, beer has not kept up with inflation. That is kind of good for drinkers. For brewers, not so much.
NEWSWORTHY (AND DISAPPOINTING)
Sapporo-Stone Brewing Spent Over $100K Busting Its Union. There’s a lot to absorb here. One important takeaway is that “money spent to bust a union is money well spent,” at least if the business is focused on maximizing profits.
Toronado sold, not sold. Heck, I don’t know. I suggest at the moment you read this you do a news search for “Toronado San Francisco.” Perhaps the bar was sold to a “crypto bro” who will launch a “ToronadoBar” coin. This has not be received well on Bluesky.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“What did I learn at de la Senne? Respect for authenticity. The [importance of] the quality of the raw materials, and letting them speak for themselves. And the importance of balance in a beer.”
— Jöel Galy
From Donkey Work — On Brasserie de la Mule
LEDE OF THE WEEK
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Just off the highway and down the road from the sheriff’s office, there’s a large warehouse and greenhouse compound locked behind barbed-wire gates.
If you’re driving by at certain times, you might catch a whiff of what’s inside: Some call it skunky, some call it gassy. It’s the unmistakable smell of weed.
The complex is the grow facility for District Cannabis, which produces 15,000 pounds of cannabis flower each year. “It’s our weed factory — a dream come true,” says Andras Kirschner, founder and head grower.
Inside the factory, it’s not all skunk. There’s the earthy smell of plants growing and botanical notes of citrus and lavender. In recent years, that strong signature skunky funk of pot has given way to scent profiles of new cannabis strains that skew toward fruits, fresh herbs and candy.
It’s a trend that has blossomed with the increasing use of cannabis for recreational purposes, says Pamela Dalton, a smell scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit research institute that focuses on smell and taste. “People take all sorts of drugs that are unpleasant to taste or smell, but for recreation, you want something pleasurable in all facets,” she says. “That’s driving some of the hybridization and evolution [of cannabis] – to make something you like smelling, that’s pleasant and reinforces the ease of relaxation.”
From Lavender, citrus and candy: Weed’s signature aroma changes with the times
Passed along those aromas are showing up in beer. Thank you, hops.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
The battle for gay inclusion. In the first of three parts, Alf Le Flohic, a queer historian, speaks about navigating the gay pub scene in 1980’s Sussex. I’ll be reading all three, and I trust you to find your way to parts two and three.
The Beer Bat is Evolving. Posted on Friday, Opening Day for baseball (unless you count the two games the Dodgers and Cubs played in Japan).
Anderson Valley Brewing sold (again). This could be what continuity looks like. The brewery was founded in 1987, and this is the third time it has changed hands in 15 years. However, although new owner does not drink beer and is a former winery owner, he’s also not a corporation. This also guarantees that Anderson Valley Brewing Co.’s “Legendary Beer Festival” will continue.