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,<\/em> 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<\/em> is the rabbit hole.<\/p>\n 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.<\/a><\/strong> S\u00f8le Artisan Ales and The Future of That Line Life.<\/a><\/strong> Brewers’ existential challenge: Make ‘amazing’ beer or die.<\/a><\/strong> Time Traveling ‘Flux Capacitor’ Could Just Take Your Beer Drinking Into The Future.<\/a><\/strong> The Story of Heady Topper, America’s Obsession-Driving Double IPA.<\/a><\/strong> The Search for Authenticity: A Questionable Manifesto.<\/a><\/strong> Will Write for Food.<\/a><\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n Just a reminder that @BrewStuds<\/a> believes this is OK: You don\u2019t have to pay people to write about it because they like being beer writers."<\/p>\n — Oliver Gray (@OliverJGray) March 3, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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\n“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]<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThere were a couple of stories about lining up<\/em> a few weeks back<\/a>, and this one adds to the conversation. <\/em>[Via October]<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nNeil Witte’s point is that the responsibility does not end with making it.<\/em> [Via MarketWatch]<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThis 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]<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nWhat does it mean for CloudyMurky now that Food & Wine<\/em> 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<\/a>.) For further reading about John Kimmick\/Heady Topper I recommend The Crown that Sits Upon Heady Topper<\/a>. <\/em>[Via Food & Wine]<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nAh, yes, the authenticity rabbit hole. Maybe this is picking a nit, but its seems to me that we don’t go searching for authentic<\/em> 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<\/a>. [Via This is Why I’m Drunk]<\/strong><\/p>\nNAVEL GAZING<\/h5>\n
\n“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]<\/strong><\/p>\nFROM TWITTER<\/h5>\n
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