Sean Franklin assessing beers (Seattle, 2006)
In the second paragraph of a profile of Roosters Brewery, Matthew Curtis establishes that Sean Franklin is one of the pioneers of modern British beer.
In the third, he writes, “Caught in a weird limbo that exists between Britain’s heritage-laden family brewers that can claim decades, if not centuries, of brewing tradition, and the slick, self-confident modern beer brands that emerged in earnest around 2010, Roosters is part of a small set of breweries that shares aspects of both camps, but doesn’t quite fit into either.”
This story examines what comes after the pioneer. By chance, the post and news that an announcement the inaugural group of inductees into the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame will be streamed Feb. 15 reached me about the same time. More pioneers and more opportunities to consider what came next.
TASTING NOTE OF THE WEEK
“Who else would be making 90 Shilling? Open Gate’s is 6.8% ABV. This is a heavy fellow, dense with unfermented malt sugars, while also laced by bitterly vegetal hops: serious stuff. There’s a definite Highland Toffee element to the centre, and it’s enjoyably warming and chewable. On adjusting to the bitterness I found a more nuanced red-liquorice side to it. I’m no expert on what 90 Shilling is meant to taste like, either historically or whatever American homebrew culture has since turned it into, but this is quite a good beer, and was well suited to the cold and drizzly evening on which they served it to me.”
— John Duffy, The Beer Nut
From Arthur’s Last Christmas
SUBHEAD OF THE WEEK
“Every drink takes five minutes off your life.” Maybe the thought scares you. Personally, I find comfort in it.
From Is Moderate Drinking Okay?, one of a gazillion stories that have followed the U.S. surgeon general’s recommendation that all alcohol come with a warning label indicating it increases the risk of cancer.
Within, I particularly like this paragraph: “Alcohol ambivalence has been with us for almost as long as alcohol. The notion that booze is enjoyable in small doses and hellish in excess was captured well by Eubulus, a Greek comic poet of the fourth century B.C.E., who wrote that although two bowls of wine brought ‘love and pleasure,’ five led to ‘shouting,’ nine led to ‘bile,’ and 10 produced outright ‘madness, in that it makes people throw things.’
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
The Leinenkugel’s saga. A haunting thought: ” . . . things were good for a while but then corporate American came in and it’s all been kind of downhill since.” Last week, Molson Coors ended brewing operations in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Dick and Jake Leinenkugel would like to buy back the brewery, which the family sold, along with the brand, in the 1980s. They didn’t get a reply from Molson Coors. Perhaps that is the end of the story, but I’ll keep watching.
Cask Bitter, Refreshed for the 21st Century. “Two generations ago, when the independent brewing revival was just getting started, Americans jetted off to London to learn how to make British ales. The tradition was still lively, and an imperial pint of English bitter seemed like the essence of beer. Today, brewers are more likely to land in Prague or Munich to learn about pale lager.”
Considering the power of local. Apologies. Beyond the opening paragraphs, this is behind a paywall (and I have no idea what there might be beyond the words we both see). But this will do: “By directly engaging with neighbors through the hosting of events, sponsorships, and collaborating with other local businesses, breweries can build a sense of community that money can’t buy.”
The Hoppiness Project. A Bristol, U.K.-based organization is helping elderly dementia patients through a series of sessions in care homes based around hops, pubs, brewing, and drinking culture, culminating in the production of a fresh-hopped beer.