Stan Hieronymus

Of course, a beer change is gonna come

I apologize up front if my suggesting that the uplifting message in “A Change is Gonna Come” has anything to do with beer, but when a press release arrive this morning from Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (more often referred to as VLB) Sam Cooke’s beautiful voice echoed in the background.

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Immediately preceding this year’s Brau Beviale the first European MicroBrew Symposium – Market, Trends and Technology takes place on the 12th and 13th November in Nuremberg, Germany. The symposium addresses craft and micro brewers mainly from Europe. The language is English.

Basically emanating from the USA, a popular trend is evident in many European countries towards individual and craft-made beers. In line with this trend the first European MicroBrew Symposium takes place on the 12th and 13th November 2012 in Nuremberg, Germany – directly preceding the Brau Beviale. The symposium addresses owners, technical managers and brewers from European and German micro breweries and pub breweries as well as their suppliers. In line with the symposium’s international character the presentation language is English.

Besides an overview of the international market trends in this segment the symposium focuses primarily on technical/technological aspects of beer production. In addition to general concepts for small-scale brewery plants the rich variety of products available by variations to the raw materials, process parameters and yeasts as well as the necessary quality control will be presented and discussed. Furthermore representatives of Firestone Walker Brewery (USA), Bell’s Brewery (USA) and the Brauhaus Lemke (Berlin) present insights into their successful concepts. A visit to the Steinbach Bräu in Erlangen completes the symposium. Subsequently all participants have the opportunity to visit the Brau Beviale which is the world’s leading capital goods trade fair for the brewing and beverage industry in 2012. The symposium is a joint project of the Brau Beviale and VLB Berlin.

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There’s that phrase again: “Basically emanating from the USA, a popular trend . . .”

You can see the agenda here, and that Matt Brynildson (Firestone Walker) and John Mallett (Bell’s) will talk on the second day.

Where, or what, in the beer world? 10.01.12

Where in the beer world?

We haven’t done this in a while, and this time beyond the basic question – Where in the beer world was this photo taken? – there’s a second: What’s that in the foreground?

That landmark in the background should make it relatively easy to figure out the location.

So a two-parter. As always, leave your answer as a comment.

The Session #68 announced: Novelty Beers

The Session99 Pours has announced the topic for The Session #68 will be Novelty Beers. Here’s the idea:

With the onslaught of even weirder beards…erm…beers…than before, I can’t help but wonder if novelty beers are going too far. Or maybe not far enough? LOL! As a merchant of beer, I can see the place for novelty beers, as I am choosing for some customers who say, “I want the strangest beer you have.” We’ve even seen some novelty beers in our top-sellers. But beer traditionalists sometimes frown on these new and bizarre concoctions. And I can’t help but wonder if Martyn Cornell will participate, sharing bizarre but notable historic brews.

And . . .

What novelty beer comes to mind when you think: Is this beer just to strange to stay around? Why in the world would they choose ingredients most beer drinkers have never heard of . . . what the heck is a qatar fruit? If it’s okay for beer to taste like tea or coffee, why not pizza? If wild yeasts are allowed to ferment beer, then why not beard yeast? If oysters, why not bacon? If pumpkin’s good enough for pie, why not beer? Since hops are flowers, why not brew with actual flowers?

As always, the session is open to bloggers everywhere. To participate, write a post on Oct. 5 and announce it at 99 Pours.

Now, it’s time for Oktoberfest bier

Cannstatter Volksfest

We can quit complaining now about how early some breweries rolled out their Oktoberfest beers.

Oktoberfest begins in Munich tomorrow. The Big One. About seven million people will visit during the next two weeks.

Oktoberfests across the U.S. during the next month (some even in October) will attract more in total. There’s something about them, don’t you think? Here in St. Louis, Urban Chestnut Brewing and Schlafly (Saint Louis Brewery) and hold their first co-celebration this weekend at Urban Chestnut. Next month’s Soulard Oktoberfest is the big one in these parts, with multiple tents, multiple bands (including once again Brave Combo, who seem to be on sort of an Oktoberfest trail), multiple vendors.

Beer is pretty much an essential element, although for years Cullman, Alabama, held a beer-free Oktoberfest.

Anyway, here are a few photos from when we visited the Cannstatter Volkfest in Stuttgart in 2008. Imagine the Wisconsin State Fair without the agricultural displays but a lot more beer. It’s billed as the second largest beer festival in the world, smaller than only Munich’s. As in Munich just a few local breweries sell beer. Unlike Munich, most are not beers available internationally, or even nationally. And the breweries offer more than a single festbier in their respective tents. You can cleanse your palate with a pils distinctively more bitter than you usually find nearby in Bavaria or choose a refreshing weisse beer to wash down typical Swabian dishes.

Cannstatter Volksfest

The festival began in 1818, occurs annually at about the same time as the Munich celebration, and attracts four million visitors over the course of two weeks. Three of the beer tents accommodate 5,000, and smaller ones pack in thousands. Outside food and crafts vendors share the midway with rides more impressive than those at the average U.S. state fair or seaside boardwalk, witness the photo at the top.

Cannstatter Volksfest

Those are young Germans — you know, the ones who no longer find beer relevant — standing on benches lining long beer tables, hoisting one-liter mugs, banging them together, singing along to songs like “YMCA” and boogying big time.

Earlier in the day we listened to brass bands like those you’d hear at Americanized Oktoberfest celebrations, playing traditional German tunes. After about every fourth song the afternoon bands stopped to sing “Ein Prosit” and lead thousands of revelers in a toast. Ohlala-Partyband, the group on the stage when the drinkers were on the benches, followed the same formula, but then quickly returned to belting out another pop song that doesn’t sound all that different in German.