MONDAY BEER AND WINE LINKS, MUSING, 03.06.17
Sometimes when hyperlinks start firing around here on Monday morning it might appear I have an attention problem. So here a road map. Jeff Alworth writes about the failure of a cloudy, murky beer in transit, JR Shirt about CloudyMurky and the line life, leading us to who’s looking out for beer quality (parts I and II), and back to Heady Topper, which may or may not be to blame for the accession of CloudyMurky. But that’s not the rabbit hole. Authenticity is the rabbit hole.
Granted, CloudyMurky is as well. I was in Minnesota last week, primarily to talk to the Minnesota Hop Growers at their annual meeting and workshop, where I heard the words “downy mildew” more often than you might in your lifetime. But en route I also had the chance to ask several people who know lots about brewing science the question that will soon have people running the other way when they see me coming: “How cloudy-murky, if at all, must these beers be to retain the magical flavors and aromas attributed to them?” Sometimes I use less polite language. My question is focused on the hop component although I know there is more, but that is the gist of it. I’ll get back to you when I find what looks like an answer.
Troubles With Travel.
“So murky as to be dark pouring out. Very much a pond water rather than Orange Julius cloudy. Poor head, gone in 30 seconds. Aroma is orange passionfruit with a hint of sweat underneath. Flavor is fairly sharp bitterness with a rindlike astringency. Mouthfeel is fluffy to gritty. The tropical notes present far more on the nose than palate. Very little malt character. Slight burnt rubber aftertaste.” [Via Beervana]
Søle Artisan Ales and The Future of That Line Life.
There were a couple of stories about lining up a few weeks back, and this one adds to the conversation. [Via October]
Brewers’ existential challenge: Make ‘amazing’ beer or die.
Neil Witte’s point is that the responsibility does not end with making it. [Via MarketWatch]
Time Traveling ‘Flux Capacitor’ Could Just Take Your Beer Drinking Into The Future.
This thought from Greg Engert, the beer director for a bunch DC beer places that are honestly among the best in the world, is definitely related: “The Flux Capacitor is a cool way to maximize yield on kegs (but) a great draft system is only as great as its cleaning and maintenance.” [Via Forbes]
The Story of Heady Topper, America’s Obsession-Driving Double IPA.
What does it mean for CloudyMurky now that Food & Wine has published this epic (co-funded and co-produced with Longreads)? Will the beer hip have moved on to the next beer concept to stand in line for before most of the people I share beer with even see a CloudyMurky beer in the wild? (It might be time to bring back the Good Beer Blog chimp.) For further reading about John Kimmick/Heady Topper I recommend The Crown that Sits Upon Heady Topper. [Via Food & Wine]
The Search for Authenticity: A Questionable Manifesto.
Ah, yes, the authenticity rabbit hole. Maybe this is picking a nit, but its seems to me that we don’t go searching for authentic per se. It is something that helps decide we are happy with what we have found.And it really pisses us off when somebody tries to co-op the word. Related reading. [Via This is Why I’m Drunk]
NAVEL GAZING
Will Write for Food.
“When I told Corby Kummer, the longtime Atlantic food writer, that a horde of writers were following his path, he said incredulously, ‘And they feel they’re going to make money at it?'” [Via The Ringer]
FROM TWITTER
And following up on that bit about the act of writing and getting paid, if you click on the date below a much longer discussion will appear.
Just a reminder that @BrewStuds believes this is OK: You don’t have to pay people to write about it because they like being beer writers."
— Oliver Gray (@OliverJGray) March 3, 2017
A technical note: Not that readers are often moved to comment here these days, but should you I apologize in advance for the crazy amount of time it takes comments to appear. I have put those responsible on notice.
If Stonch is off social media for Lent, maybe I can bring back Mr. Chimp’s head. He said it got to the point that its appearance was a sign that the horse had been flogged. Personally, I think the market is not following a trend but is so scattered by the million tiny brewers that constructs like authentic and style have fallen away. If that is so, what could Mr Chimp even say?