Wimpy Midwest beers?

It would appear that this column with the headline “Yo, Johnny Budweiser: You can’t handle our bold microbrews” disrespects Midwest beers.

If sports rivalries are about more than just the teams, then Seattle vs. Pittsburgh in Detroit is also about the sometimes preposterously Epicurean Pacific Northwest vs. meat-and-potatoes land. The culture clash beneath this Super Bowl extends to Chad Microbrew vs. Joe Sixpack. Since beer is an indisputable part of football (Pyramid Alehouses report five times the normal business in their beer gardens during the two weeks of playoffs), it makes sense to check out our liquid lineup.

Here’s the premise:

There’s a reason for the bitterness in this rivalry, according to Shannon Borg, a writer for Northwest Palate and other food-and-drink publications: “Northwest brewers have basically learned from each other and have developed the ‘Northwest style’ of beer — not German, not English. Those beers are definitely more wimpy. Northwest style is very hoppy, and I think there’s a testosterone thing going on — they try to out-hop each other.”

Somebody needs to send this guy some beer from Three Floyds or Bell’s. (And, for you Midwest hopheads, those are but two examples.)

4 thoughts on “Wimpy Midwest beers?”

  1. Ah, Stan, why play to the PNW’s supposed strengths? The Midwest has much more going for it in their lager mastery and Belgian emulation, beauties that the PNW just don’t get. It’s our fault that the cavemen in Seattle need a spiked hop-club through their tongues to realize that they’re drinking beer? And really…Pyramid’s Alehouses only report spikes in consumption during the playoffs? What kind of fans are they? Can’t be bothered to drink during the season? Typical.
    Keep beating that hop drum, Stan.

  2. Gee, Lew. I would have thought you would have agreed on this one.

    Yes, Midwest brewers do make a terrific range of beers beyond hoppy ones. But so do some Northwest brewers and it is a shame that the hop neanderthals overlook that. I guess it is “amount of obsessive attention they get” issue with you.

    My beef is they would consider Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale (maybe 60 IBU) “so mid-1990s” though it remains one of the world’s best IPAs.

    But what I really want to know is where I get one of those hop drums. I don’t think the people who make hop pillows sell those.

  4. Hi there, Looking for Marc Gaspard who worked for Toga Bike Shop in NYC in the 70s and 80s. I’m David dmberman_at_gmaildotcom

Comments are closed.