First Things First, Second Things Second

Much has happened since neglecting my favorite web site, due to crazy local events. I refuse to bore you with those details, so let me get to the subject at hand: Beer!
I am sure by now almost everybody has tasted their fall marzen, or what is commonly called Oktoberfest. I usually sample as many of these as possible, but this year I slacked off a bit, but still had time to try the Kostritzer version from the black bier people in Germany. A change of pace from the caramel malt laden versions around, like Samuel Adams Octoberfest.
But the caramel malt profile has become synonymous with autumn beers in the United States. As the weather turns cooler the body has a need for more malts, which makes super hop productions seem out of season for the moment.
Since it is autumn and we are rapidly moving towards Halloween, I do want to mention one of my favorite seasonal productions, that being Saranac Pumpkin Ale.
Many compare this beer to pumpkin pie, although I do not eat pumpkin pie as a rule. No, what I like about this pumpkin ale is the recipe. I prefer it over Brooklyn Brewery’s Post Road, which Matt Brewing does the contract brewing for.
About a month ago I attended a distributor trade show where Rochester, New York brewer Dundee had samples of their Oktoberfest. A very good take on the style, that is not as widely distributed as it should.
I also got to sample Sierra-Nevada’s Chico Estate. A complete “in-house” brew, using hops grown by the brewery. It was quite good, but time limitations prevented the kind of serious, sit down contemplation this smooth ale demanded.
At the very same show (hell, it might as well been called a party) the Schlitz Gusto folks were in full promotional mode. Schlitz Gusto is the trade book name for the revived early 1960’s formula of Schlitz, before the marketing geniuses came up with the idea of tweaking the recipe, to supposedly produce more, while using less ingredients. That lead to the ultimate disaster where Schlitz, the number one beer in America since World War II, lost its market dominance to Budweiser, and never gained it back. As a kid, I heard beer drinking adults refer to Schlitz as “Shits” when the reformulated suds turned people away in droves.
But corporate amnesia was in full play this evening. Like Microsoft wanting you to buy 7 and forget all about something once known as Vista, the Schlitz Gusto had not only tied in to their daddy or granddaddy’s beer, with its Schlitz classic logo, they even had buttons promoting it as the beer of choice for the 1969 Woodstock music festival.
I also had to marvel at the riffs being used by the sales representative. Not only was he promoting Schlitz with quite a bit of gusto, he also had on hand their strong (8.5%) malt liquor, which he made a distinction that it was not malt liquor (which is in fact, a rather ambiguous term) but a high gravity lager.
Which was also in full play at this trade show, the distinction between craft, regional retro and corporate has becomes pretty much of a blur. I know the so-called craft brewers want to seperate themselves from the rest of the brewing industry, but is that actually possible, or is it by now, just another marketing ploy? I mean after trying Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat, how is it different than other big brewer’s wheat productions? From Coors’ Blue Moon to Bud Light Golden Wheat?
As I stated in a previous post, the recipe is the final deciding factor. Consolidation of brewing interests can reek havoc on a beloved brew. Take what A-B Inbev as done to the venerable Bass Ale. Corporate concerns have forgotten all about the character of this famous ale, that once upon a time, in Burton-On-Trent England, was brewed with gypsum mineral rich water that provided a somewhat chalky but delicious finish. None of that is present in the concoction now sold as Bass.
Luckily, some recipes have not been changed, or in rare cases, actually improved. Two of the early winter arrivals are outstanding: Avery’s Old Jubilation Ale and Flying Dog’s K-9. Both of these examples show that if you are going to fork out some serious money for a six pack of beer, it had better be worth it. In the case of these two, I would say it is.
As always my only prayer is thank you.

DUST BOWL BEER

Okay, I do not want this to be a downer, but reality reveals the economy has come up short and money continues to dry up and blow away. Not good for the quality beer drinker, who see their favorite brands being yanked up up a dollar or more, and this being a dusty summer, what can a thirsty seeker do? Well, first there is the inexpensive beers: mostly adjunct grain lagers, sometimes with added ferment-ables, or ice brewed, for a bit more of a kick. Then there are those renowned retrospective classics: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Burger Classic, Old Milwaukee, etc… forget the aesthetics of glass bottles, the aluminum can will have to do. Despite the disparaging of beer in a can, the Ball corporation produces what is undoubtedly one the most efficient packages in the world, with a water based coating that completely eliminates the possibility of any metallic flavor, since the beer never actually touches the aluminium.
Beer is somewhat expensive in the state of Ohio. For economic classification, I’ll start with beer that costs 50 cents for twelve ounces. This of course includes those 24 ounce dollar cans, which of late includes Icehouse, Labatt Blue and Labatt Ice. After that there is the one dollar for twelve ounces tier, which includes $2 “oil cans” of Foster’s, the one time Aussie beer now brewed in Georgia and Texas. Also a 24 ounce bottle of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, which is the least expensive of their entire line.
Budweiser American Ale fits into this group, a twenty two ounce bottle for $1.79.
The first part of this summer has been economically tough, from county property taxes to tires for the family car. There other personal family catastrophes that I will not bore you with. Suffice to say that when I dropped in at my local beer store a few weeks back, the owner pointed to the recently acquired Anchor Summer Beer, which I replied, after noticing the $10 price tag, “No, I can’t do that, that is way above my pay grade.”
Which brings up a recent incident with Pyramid Breweries Curve Ball, a one time Kolsch-style summer ale that now sports new urban graphic packaging. But the beer itself incredibly, was absolutely awful. The package claims the beer is “a deceptively delicious diversion”… think again sports fans. The other sting to this was that Curve Ball retails at $9.57, tax included. Nothing bites like losing money on a very lame beer.

A HAPPY BEER

As the year moves toward the summer solstice, thoughts turn towards the summer beers that this year I haven’t even sampled. With the exception of one: Wacko, the deliciously red colored ale from The Magic Hat Brewing Company, a surprisingly full bodied work, even if the alcohol level only clocks in at 4.5% abv.  But the finish of this well made ale reflects Magic Hat’s distinct personality, probably mostly due to the use of their own yeast.
I know I said I just sampled one summer offering, but I forgot, I also tried Widmer Brothers Brewery’s Drifter Pale Ale, a complex yet subtle flavor profile, with a harmonious balance of malt and hops, that is very gentle and yet very flavorful. Odd too that this is of a much higher strength than Wacko (5.7%), but with a much lighter body. Incongruous viscosity, so to speak.
In terms of beer development, this is probably the best of times. Craft brewers (which is a misnomer, since brewing any good beer involves craftsmanship, but more on that in a moment) and large brewers, continue to present new offerings, whether it is a bold flavor experimental recipe, or a revival of  beer brands made in an earlier time; such as the return of fully krausened  Old Style, the revival of original Schlitz, and the revival of a beer long ago associated with the Cincinnati Reds: Burger.
Which reminds me of a remarkable statement I came across by Joe Schiraldi, Vice President of brewing operations at The Left Hand Brewing Company. It seems that Mr. Schiraldi recently attended some “craft” brewing conference, where some keynote speaker went out of his way to trash the so-called macro brewers. Joe took offense at this because Mr. Schiraldi knew, that the craftsmanship and quality control done on a large scale, is just as important as a tiny brew kettle. And even more important where the innovations and knowledge discovered by the titans of beer business, that are now used by everyone, from craft brewer to home brewer. Anyway, Joe Schiraldi said this: “The title of the latest block buster movie BEER WARS elicits this response from me: “No thanks… I would prefer to make happy beer to promote peace, understanding and detente among all people.”
Which is the way I see things myself. Once upon a time I too adhered to the beer snob credo that found it necessary to criticize what someone else enjoyed drinking. Ah but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now, as Saint Bob would say.
Another good example of this happened on a thread at the Beer Advocate web site. The topic posted was why there was so little respect for Budweiser American Ale? I posted a comment that I thought A-B did a great job at creating a highly drinkable ale, of consistent quality, now available nearly everywhere. I received one angry response that said: “I would never buy that garbage.”
Which made me wonder what was considered to be garbage? The Cascade hops? The two-row barley malts? Or simply the fact that it is brewed without any adjunct grains? Strange too that such language is employed at Beer Advocate, who uses the credo: “respect beer”. Does that only apply to the boutique breweries who obtain cult like status? Or does that apply to the traditional role of beer as the drink of the people?
The term respect beer means for me, having some appreciation for all the work and love that went into you being able to enjoy the beer that you have, whatever the recipe style. To simply know, that the people engaged in producing that brew were involved in a positive activity. As the folks at The Bear Republic Brewing Company say: make beer, not bombs.
Thank you, the only prayer
The Beer Doctor

A Shortly Before October Surprise

Now that the season has turned, it is good to see the return of an annual fall favorite, that being Saranac Pumpkin Ale. Although there are quite a few good pumpkin ales, this brew from F.X. Matt is the wassail the world was waiting for. A rich, carefully spiced brown ale that has become a distinctive, welcoming seasonal. In limited supply, this is worth pouncing on if sighted.
The folks over in Rochester, New York, who helped Matt Brewing after their fire last May, also have a very good seasonal gift. Dundee’s Oktoberfest is a delicious, modestly priced marzen style lager that is close to perfect for this time of year.
Lastly, (and this post is intended to be brief) I would like to mention a very happy surprise, and that is Budweiser American Ale. Everybody, including yours truly, has railed against much of Anheuser-Busch’s products. Oddly, it was more than a decade ago that A-B planned to make a Budweiser Ale, but shelved it, just before going into production, for fear, it was said at that time, of diluting the Budweiser brand.
Well after Bud Light Lime and the many fruit infused Michelob versions, making an all malt, dry hopped ale, seems quite in order. What was absolutely shocking, given Bud’s propensity to be middle of the road, that this is an ale of real character. Beer elitists will scoff at this giant corporation’s creation, but as The Beer Doctor, it is my job to report my honest reaction. This is quite good indeed.
I hope this brew becomes popular and successful. So instead of just taking up more shelf space with dubious, demographic invented creations, we will have one more good choice, of beer that is worth drinking.
“Blessings of your heart, you brew good ale.”
William Shakespeare
My only prayer is Thank You.

A FATAL GLASS OF BEER

This is a story about baseball and beer. Okay, it is not about any ballpark, since I don’t have the scratch to throw away on that. This is about a few carefree (mindless?) hours watching a televised baseball game, from an air conditioned beer cave basement, complete with a forty year old refrigerator that I swear, will continue its chilling function, as long as there is electricity.
Now if the game being televised is the Chicago Cubs from Wrigley Field, advance planning requires that I travel to place where I can obtain Heileman’s Old Style, the unofficial but nevertheless, the beer of the Chicago Cubs. But since planning is not always in place, and I seek a beer within very short walking distance, InBev’s Labatt Blue is usually the alternative. But on the night of the all-star game, they were completly sold out. The store’s owner put forth another solution:
“How about some Budweiser? For the Beer Doctor I have 18 bottles for eight dollars.”
$8 ? I thought, even with states taxes that is less than $8.60 !
Sold I said and buy it I did. This proved to be a huge mistake.
I have not tasted a Budweiser in 9 years. The last six pack was their millennium edition, during a Monday night NFL game. It was pretty bloody awful.
This time, with a “born on” date of May 30, these bottles were well within their 110 day window for freshness. The first thing I noticed was the colour. It was more golden than it was 9 years previous. The nose too seemed a bit more malty. As to the taste…
A bland refreshing coldness is the gist of it. Even the one time cloying sweet presence of rice seems to have vanished.
Suddenly I remembered someone had left a bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon in the fridge. I thought, it is time to do a taste test, reviving the clash of the titans that occurred back in 1893.
Anyone who wants to know more about this history should take a look at Maureen Ogle’s Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer.
There has been a fascination with pilsner style beers ever since they were introduced. Part of this was due to an expansion of the working class, who saw for the first time, to order a golden coloured carbonated drink that aesthetically competed with upper crust champagne. So vitally important that the beer be not only golden but clear. This is what lead Anheuser-Busch to use beechwood strips during fermentation, to collect those unsightly particles that would still be floating around. Their discovery of using rice as an adjunct grain proved to be a goldmine to this very day. They also started bottling Budweiser to make sure you got the Genuine article. Soon there after, they began shipping the beer cold, using refrigerated railroad cars.
Leaving the land of rice for corn, Pabst Blue Ribbon pours with substantial foam. There is some flavor and it has more of a finish. As in 1893, Pabst beats Bud. In fact that is where the self-congratulatory Blue Ribbon comes from.
Perceptions can be very fickle. I remember a time when yuppies, or at least people who thought of themselves that way, frowned upon Budweiser as “the working man’s beer”. For them, the beer you preferred was Miller High Life in returnable long neck bottles. Pabst, voted America’s best in 1893 (according to Pabst) was now relegated to the bottom of the hillbilly ladder. But times changed, and Bud, with the help of Hollywood, soon became hip again. Pabst enjoyed a resurgence as the rockabilly beer of choice.
All of this macro-brewed investigation has left me nearly exhausted. The night of the all-star game, which went late into extra innings, all I had were these bottles of Bud, so bland that they became undrinkable, no matter how cold or what glass was used. Even drinking it straight from the long neck just didn’t cut it. Cold water was a welcome alternative.
This brings up something I want to state, because, as the Beer Doctor it needs to be said. Four of the worst beers in the world. They are: Budweiser, Warsteinner, Stela Artois, and Corona. Which makes me appreciate the efforts by those U.S. brewers who take the flavor of  their beers seriously.
I can not name them all, but some of The Best Brerwers In The United States, would surely include The Boston Beer Company, The Anchor Brewing Co., Penn Brewing, and F.X. Matt. The recent controversy over InBev’s purchase of Anheuser-Busch, brought charges that foreign ownership would prompt them to change Budweiser’s recipe. Considering the marketing driven swill that nearly everyone embraces, I think they’ll keep it cold and fresh and lousy, the way it is suppose to be.
I was recently asked, what is the great national lager. I would have to say Samuel Adams Boston Lager. What a surprise to the Bud light crowd, a beer with actual flavor.
Peace and thank you.

GETTING IN BED WITH INBEV, PART TWO

This is all starting to sound like a suspense novel. Now Washington is involved. InBev has hired a posse of lobbyists. Trent Lott is on board. So is Senator John Breaux of Louisiana. The Glover Park Group, a media firm known to be connected with Senator Clinton, has been tapped for consultation. Carlos Brito is taking no chances, well aware that Anheuser-Busch spent over $3 million in lobbying in 2007. This year their PAC and employees have already given over $1 million in political contributions. The foxes are scrambling to see who gets the big hen house, with all those prized eggs.
Senator Kit Bond had another take. He told Carlos Brito: “This Bud is not for you.”  The Missouri Senator has concerns he says, for the line workers, the farmers, the suppliers, and the St. Louis community in general. It does not matter who InBev hires, he is against the deal and that’s that.
But is it? What about the Oracle? What Oracle? Why the Oracle of Omaha of course. I’m talking about Big Daddy Warren G. Buffett, owner of 35.3 million shares of A-B stock, or 4.9% of the company. According to the Dutch newspaper De Standard, the Oracle is on board with the acquisition. If this is the case, having the Oracle’s blessing may very well mean the purchase will become a reality. 35.3 million shares at $65 a share. Go ahead, don’t be afraid of the math.
Yikes! All this monumental fuss over a very pedestrian beer. It is enough to drive you to drinking… water.

GETTING IN BED WITH INBEV

The news announced: “an all cash takeover at $47 billion”, now that sum is reported to be $47.5 billion. I am speaking of course of the buyout of Anheuser-Busch (ticker symbol: BUD) by the Belgian based brewing conglomerate known as InBev.  According to Theresa Howard of USA Today, it just might be that InBev needs to bed A-B, more than vice versa. It is being reported that the hydra-headed brewing concern has squeezed all of the profit margins from their existing portfolio. Sales in Latin America, their biggest market, are now flat. The old adage, get bigger or get out, seems to apply here. InBev’s CEO, Carlos Brito reveals their desire by promising to keep A-B’s headquarters in Saint Louis, along with continuing operations in their 12 regional breweries.
But then, there is the whole matter of marketing, especially sports marketing. InBev known in big business circles for its cost cutting, will certainly change Budweiser’s advertising, what beverage industry analyst, Tom Pirko calls “Anheuser’s carpet-bombing approach”.
Anheuser-Busch, known for making The King Of Beers, is most certainly the king of advertising, spending $475 million in the United States, with $20 million going for TV spots on the Super Bowl. Contrast that with InBev, whose brands include Bass, Beck’s, Stella Artois, spent $58 million in the United States.
Many analysts believe that InBev will cut advertising expenditures and fight competition by cutting prices (so that’s why that 24 ounce Labatt’s costs one dollar!).
Of course there is much controversy in all of this. Objections to the purchase, on patriotic grounds seem disingenuous at best. Since 1852, Anheuser-Busch has been an American-owned and operated business. In addition to great tasting beer, the company has provided thousands of domestic jobs as well as millions of dollars in charitable donations to nonprofit organizations and disaster relief, and has a long history of environmental awareness. Anheuser-Busch is a huge supporter of our military and their families both here and abroad… so intones savebudweiser.com, a web site created to cancel the purchase. Throwing in the military line seems to imply that to be bought by the Belgium based company is somewhat an act of surrender. But what is truly suspect on savebudweiser.com, is when it declares, We don’t want another American icon turned over to a foreign company; we want the motto to remain… The Great American Lager. Funny they just happened to use the latest marketing motto to express their nationalistic fervor. Instead how about “A Bud Never Meets A Stranger” or “When You Say Budweiser, You Said It All” or “For All You Do, This Bud’s For You!”
Putting aside the emotional jingoism, consolidation has been going on in the beer industry for a long time. From a Pitt News editorial on May 24, 2006: Last Friday, Rolling Rock said goodbye to its home in Latrobe. The recipe and label of the green-bottled brew were purchased for $82 million by Anheuser-Busch. Which says nothing of Bud’s relationship with Japan’s Kirin Brewery. Throw in the marketing arrangements with Tsing Tao in China, and what we have here is an American based company with very global concerns.
And then, there are always those people who simply can not stand Buweiser, who couldn’t care less. I find their posts on beer sites: The man who drank 3 Buds at a wedding reception, which produced his first hangover in twenty years. The people who love the Bell’s Brewery, and that’s that. (Well, maybe not, Carlos Brito may one day make Larry Bell an offer he simply can not refuse.)
“Anheuser-Bush is just about as American as can be” said one construction manager, “I just don’t like them being gone and owned by a foreign company.”  I am sure the people of Latrobe, Pennsylvania felt likewise, when the 250 jobs and $300 thosand property taxes evaporated when Anheuser-Busch bought the brand and pulled up stakes… from the glass lined tanks of Newark, New Jersey?
Money does not talk, it screams. The possibility of $70 dollars a share (ticker symbol: BUD) may be impossible to resist.