Top-selling craft beers revisited

In October I dug up a list of the best-selling “craft” beers in the country, according to Information Resources Inc. (the details). Now Brew Blog has the Nielsen numbers for the 13 weeks ending Dec. 1.

I thought it would be fun to compare them. The IRI figures are compiled for the Brewers Association, so don’t list brands such as Coors’ Blue Moon and Leinenkugel as “craft.” I inserted Blue Moon in my October list, but left out Leinekugel Sunset Wheat (now included).

Nielsen describes its numbers as “supermarket sales” while supermarkets dominate the IRI sample, although its figures include some drugstores and convenience stores.

Nonetheless pretty similar numbers. You can decide what they mean.

Although the current Samuel Adams seasonal is Winter Lager, the seasonal for most of the Nielsen period was Oktoberfest. I’m guessing the Winter Sampler packs are counted under variety packs. The Blue Moon seasonal would have been its Pumpkin Ale, now replaced by Full Moon Winter Ale, described on the label as an “abbey ale.”

NIELSEN – LAST 13 WEEKS
1 Samuel Adams seasonal
2 Blue Moon Belgian White
3 Samuel Adams Boston Lager
4 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
5 Samuel Adams Light
6 New Belgium Fat Tire
7 Shiner Bock
8 Samuel Adams variety packs
9 Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen
10 Blue Moon seasonal
11 Red Hook ESB
12 Redhook Ballard Bitter IPA
13 Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat
14 Pyramid Hefeweizen
15 Leinenkugel seasonal
16 Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale
17 Leinenkugel Honey Weiss
18 Leinenkugel
19 Alaskan Amber
20 Deschutes Black Butte Porter 		IRI – FIRST HALF 2007
1 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
2 Samuel Adams Boston Lager
3 Blue Moon White
4 Samuel Adams seasonal
5 New Belgium Fat Tire
6 Samuel Adams Light
7 Shiner Bock
8 Widmer Hefeweizen
9 Samuel Adams variety packs
10 Redhook ESB
11 Pyramid Hefeweizen
12 Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale
13 Redhook IPA
14 Leinekugel Sunset Wheat
15 Alaskan Amber

Mephistopheles – A non-review

Mephistopheles

Château Petrogasm uses “colors, sketches, photography, and other visual media in order to convey both the intrinsic components of a particular wine along with a general impression of it. ” In other words, pictures instead of words.

That hardly seems necessary for the latest release of Mephistopheles’ Stout from Avery Brewing in Colorado.

A closeup from the label gives you a good idea of what’s inside. It also might traumatize young children and probably belongs in the Christmas Photo Contest.

I haven’t had the latest incarnation, Batch #3, but it checks in at 16% abv.

More musing: Beer blogging for a good cause

Yes, we’re just two days beyond Monday musing, but seems to be a lot going on that might not otherwise be worth a full length post.

– Too late for this year, but Greg Clow at Beer, Beats & Bites suggests beer bloggers get involved in the Menu for Hope charity event.

He’s offering to run the point on this:

So, if you’ve got a blog about beer and think this is a good idea, please leave a comment, and send word to other bloggers to check out this post and do the same.

I’m in and I hope you’ll consider contributing too. Drop him a line so we get a running start for 2008.

Meanwhile, think about participating this year by buying a lottery ticket (just $10 a chance). You can go for what Greg is giving away, the package Maggie Dutton of The Wine Offensive has assembled (beer from Elysian included) or something from scores of other food bloggers. You’ll find the list at Menu for Hope.

– Last year Stephen Beaumont wrote: “When some day we look back upon the history of craft brewing around the world, particularly in North America, I believe that 2006 will be known as the year of the beer blog.” Well, 2006 was nothing compared to what has happened in 2007, including two blogs from Beaumont.

What’s been particularly nice is the perspective we gain because of daily international posts. For instance, yesterday Martyn Cornell offered a nice snapshot of what’s going on in UK beer writing by handicapping the “Beer Writer of the Year League.”

– Rick Sellers draws attention to The Bane of Better Beer, which would be breweries without brewmasters. The Turnkey Brewpub concept has gained traction in California for none of the reasons that Jack McAuliffe started New Albion Brewing.

None.

‘Tis the season for beer book suggestions

The Best of American Beer & FoodThe question I get asked second most often — after “What’s your favorite beer?” — runs something like, “What book about beer would you recommend?”

Then I ask a question of my own: Is this for somebody who wants to learn about beer in general, for a homebrewer, a history buff, a breweriana collector, or somebody otherwise interested in beer?

This, although if you press a beer to my lips and insist on a single answer before I drink it turns out I have one: “Michael Jackson’s Beer Companion.” It was first published in 1993 and later reissued, but recently used prices have jumped, if Amazon is to believed. I’m sure it would have been a James Beard award winner had the publishers got around to nominating it, and it covers to all the subjects listed above.

It’s worth tracking down, but in the spirit of the season I’ll off a few alternatives. (Note that these links go to BeerBooks.com, and I would receive a small commission if you buy through them. I usually use Amazon links because that’s what most people are comfortable with. But this way you get a chance to support a small, independent business. I guarantee you the service is great, and right now Carl is shipping a copy of the video “The American Brew” with every order.)

For a homebrewer: John Palmer’s “How to Brew” is perfect for the everybody from a total novice to a brewer interested in making his or her own equipment. John also worked with Jamil Zainasheff on this year’s top release: “Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew.” Zainasheff has established himself as one of (if not) the best all around homebrewers in the country, and he shares it all. In this case award-winning recipes mean “gold medal.”

For a home cook: Another 2007 release tops the list — Lucy Saunders’ “Best of American Beer & Food: Pairing & Cooking with Craft Beer,” which I reviewed a while back. Garrett Oliver’s “The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food” is also a fine book, but not if you care looking for recipes.

For a history buff: I raved about “Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota” just last week and stand by that. However, it will be a little specialized for some. For entertaining reading and a solid explanation beer choices are what they are today try “Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer,” a clear-eyed look at how beer in became and industrial products and how beer that once were called microbrews lead to still more change. Reviewed last year.

A couple more excellent choices are “Brewed In America: The History of Beer and Ale in the United States,” a history that stops in 1962 and doesn’t suffer a bit, and “Beer in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.” Here’s a review of Brewed in America.

For moments of beer reflection: “Beer & Philosophy: The Unexamined Beer Isn’t Worth Drinking” requires a little bit of thinking while drinking. A review.

That’s 10 books . . . and I didn’t even manage to mention “Brew Like a Monk.”

The IPA at the end of the journey: Why Pete Brown is smiling

Pete BrownIf you don’t want to drink this beer then I will:

“It poured a rich, deep copper colour, slightly hazy. It reminded me of American IPAs – you could almost see the weighty alcohol content. The nose was an absolute delight – an initial sharp citrus tang, followed by a deeper range of tropical fruit – I was reminded of mango and papaya. Later, after it had breathed for a while, it went a bit sherberty. On the tongue it simply exploded with rich, ripe fruit, a little bit of pepper, and a wonderfully clean bitter finish that left my tongue buzzing.”

After months of drinking dreadful beer along the way, Pete Brown finally got to open the India Pale Ale hauled from Burton-on-Trent to India.

He’s writing a book about this journey — which better be available in the U.S., dammit — but promises details in his blog first.

Meanwhile, consider this:

I’ve found large elements of the IPA story to be myth, but this central fact – it wasn’t just the brewer but also the journey that created this beer – holds up.

I guess this means a beer terroir could include the open sea.