musing

Ales Through the Ages canceled

Ales Through the Ages in Colonial Williamsburg has been canceled.

Scheduled for Oct. 19-21 in Virginia, ticket sales by the end of August did not meet a level that would guarantee the event would be successful.

The program looked as strong as somebody interested in beer history could hope for, but it would appear I might be wrong. That those who had signed up to attend were notified almost two weeks ago and that little conversation followed beyond some exchanges on Twitter also suggests (taking a deep breath) an overall lack of interest in beer history.

On a personal level, I am disappointed because I enjoy the company of the speakers who were to be there. As important, it is a learning opportunity lost.

Community

Two men in a pubIn Monday’s links I pointed to one where Martyn Cornell wrote, “Let’s be clear. There is no ‘craft beer community’, any more than there is a ‘Stella Artois community’ or a ‘Nescafe community’ or a ‘sourdough bread community’.”

Boak & Bailey chose to disagree on Wednesday, writing “The Community Is Real, Even if You Don’t Go to the Meetings.”

I don’t have anything new to say, because the topic has come up more than once before (which is not to say the reminder Cornell started with is not worth the reminding). Three previous thoughts:

– There is a symbiotic relationship that develops when brewers care about what their friends will be drinking, and consumers take pride in consuming beer made by people they know. This occurs within a larger (but likely still small) community. Indeed, butchers, bakers and others whose job titles do not begin with b may develop the same relationships.

– The time Shaun Hill said, “I’m still trying to figure what the best way is to build community, or interact with the local area.” And I quoted Bowling Alone.

– It seems we had a rather lengthy discussion on this topic here nearly seven years ago, provoked, no surprise, by Alan McLeod. Do not be put off by the occasional snippy exchanges along the way, because the final comment from Jan Biega is worth your time.

(Just so you know, comments are turned off for that post, as they are for all older posts here, because they become magnets for spammers.)

What is wrong with this picture?

Nuevo Mundo Draft Bar, Lima, Peru

Jennifer Talley judging beer in PeruWhy do so many beers on the menu board at the Nuevo Mondo Draft Bar in Lima, Peru, contain 6.1% alcohol by volume? Yes, that is a 6.1% Berliner Weisse on the board and elsewhere I drank a 6.1% beer called “Kolsch.”

Because in Peru breweries pay less tax on alcoholic beverages (not just beer) with 6.1% abv to 12% abv than they do on those with less than 6%. As you know, in the rest of the world beverages with more alcohol are generally taxed at a higher rate.

Which might be why Jennifer Talley, author of Session Beers, began her presentation at Copa Latinoamericana de Cervezas Artesanales wondering out loud why she had been invited to judge and speak.

Monday beer links: Diversity done right, and wrong

BEER AND WINE LINKS MUSING 04.30.18

Thanks to Alan McLeod for nicely summarizing much that was written about CAMRA and cask last week, so we can pass on it here. And because Boak & Bailey commented on Mark Johnson’s essay about the beer bubble I’m mostly inclined to pass. But I will ask you these questions. Do you occasionally notice something noteworthy in the “real” world and think, oh, yeah, that’s just like beer? Or see something in the beer world (within the bubble of your choice) and think, there’s a lesson in here for my life?

Hop Take: It’s About Time Craft Beer Focused on Diversity.
The Brewers Association obviously made a great hire by recruiting J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham as its diversity ambassador. This is a fact: “As much as I love the [beer] community and feel at home, it’s always been pretty apparent that there [are] not a lot of folks that look like me,” Jackson-Beckham said. And that needs to change. But I’m not sure how I feel about a headline that suggests its time to focus on diversity. Maybe the difference is semantic, but it feels like the focus should be on assuring a process is in place that makes diversity commonplace. (And, no, I do not want to get involved in another Twitter discussion about semantics and this topic.)

Melvin Brewing’s Founder Discusses Sexual Harassment and Future of the Company.
Backlash in Bellingham.
Melvin Brewing was not the place to be for Bellingham Beer Week. This might be related to J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham’s mission.

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Monday beer links: All that glitters isn’t hops

BEER AND WINE LINKS 03.26.18

Essential oils in hops
Something’s Brewing in the Lab: Beer Without Hops.
Industrial brewing yeast engineered for the production of primary flavor determinants in hopped beer.
I’ve written a bit about this in the next Hop Queries newsletter (which goes out Tuesday), so just three quick points. First, we’re not talking hopsless beer. The full report (second link) has the details. Second, the researchers have focused on two key compounds (linalool and geraniol), but hops contain more 500 compounds and scientists have not identified what (if anything) they all add to aroma and flavor. It is one thing to create a “hoppy” flavor. It is another to replicate Citra (not that folks aren’t trying; Hop Queries also digs into blending research this month). Third, genetically modified yeast.

Glitter Beer: The Full Report.
Glitter Beer Sparkles as Spring’s Craft Beer Trend.
Those who said “this too shall pass” about juicy/hazy IPAs may want to brace themselves. Jeff Alworth gives it the full Beer Bible treatment. A lot more details, for instance, about glitter here than sahti in his book, which allows for considerable comment about the food safety factor. This is not to suggest that breweries are adding anything that will harm you, but it reminds me that far too many brewers are casual about filing the proper government paperwork when a beer will only be sold on draft. They are legally required to obtain formula approval when adding any ingredient that is not on the TTB approved list. Some I have talked to think it is necessary only when seeking label approval for packaged beer.

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